Technical Panda 4x4 Wheels & Tyres

[Rondine]

I have just got my 10.th Fiat, a 5 month old Panda 4x4 Wild '23. I was surprised that the car had Continental summer tyres (175/65 R 15).
I want to fit alternative wheels with all season or winter tyres as I live in Scotland. I have Fiat 14 inch steel wheels with 175/65 winter tyres,
but reckon these will have too small a diameter.
I also have unused Fiat 14 inch alloys and wonder if these can be used, but using which tyre size ?
I am hesitating buying 15 inch wheels now as I will eventually fit all season tyres to the wheels which are on the car.
( I have too many wheels with winter tyres from past cars which I didn't have time to sell. Dealers are not giving anything for these during trade in
as opposed to the practice in countries requiring winter tyres.}

I am very pleased with my car which has a good infotainment system, but can't understand why Fiat fitted summer tyres and dropped the fog lights.
I am considering fitting some FF100 Hella elliptical fog lights. Does anyone have experience with fitting fog lights ?
I was looking at 4x4 Cross cars, but they were a bit costly. Would have liked the hill descend system on the Cross.
I had a panda 4x4 with a 'fire ' engine in 1990. Pity I didn't hold on to this as I believe there are only about a dozen of these left in the UK.

Good to have just joined the forum.

 

[Marcus Daly]

They seem to vary somewhat and it depends on how they are driven much more than most cars it seems. I get 44 when driving short trips quite hard. Normally 46 to 50 running locally and 50 is easy to achive. I have had over 60 on a long run. Putting the winter tyres on reduces MPG significantly. My last 4x4TA was much less good and was givng no more tha 33 locally and it was a substantial effort to get it to 50mpg. Its somewhat like the effect of teh ECO button. This car is quite happy to run in eco and is a good match for teh 1.2 in that.

Coincidentally, I have just returned over 60mpg in mine for the first time. That was on a long run (120 miles), running on Shell V-Power E5 and ECO on. Car's now 3 years old and on 12K miles—totally transformed in economy and performance versus new. Still on original eco tyres, FWIW.

 

[Davidbrandx]

185 tyres ordered. Councident to the chat, ftted 20mm spacers (and long black bolts) yesterday. Had to remove the wheel locator studs to fit spacers. Doesn't look much different but feels really planted. My Italian mate, Alessandro, at Rialzi (new contact) says, this is the right compromise. I've also bitten the bullet and ordered their 30mm lift dampers/struts and coil springs (in red!) Asked for and got a small discount. Not cheap though. I need to buy strut top mounts.

 

[Twotone2]

Well we've had a pretty heavy snowfall during the night & this morning probably about 4" or so the soft powdery stuff.

I tried to drive the 4X4 off the drive without clearing the snow but I know this drive and it's treacherous so I abandoned it in favour of clearing the snow with a snow shovel and salt and got the car off the drive however I'm doubtful if even pure winter tyres would allow me to drive off this drive as it's a really steep short runway and I would be reversing to start then turning and then driving off forward.

I managed to get down about four or five feet from the parking position to the tyre tracks in the snow in the photo.

Halfords have a great price on the Goodyears at the moment @ £345 fitted for four tyres, I'm really temped to just buy them and see how we get on.

Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons G3 (175/65 R15 88H) XL | Halfords UK

Shop the latest Aqua control technology automatically adjusts the tread in Goodyear’s Vector4Seasons tyres, perfect for unpredictable British weather, buy online at Halfords. at Halfords UK

www.halfords.com

 

[lambou1d]

I fitted Hankook Icept2 tyres a few years ago and they are excellent in snow.
Anyway, they are brilliant. We live up a hill (average 14% but steepest is about 24%), only quadbikes could get up in the snow until I did it in the Panda - much to the amazement of my neighbours.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Yes, Hankook winters were what we had on an MX5 in 2010 winter. Proverbial to a blanket in any conditions we encountered over those weeks.

 

[Twotone2]

Bit the bullet and bought the Goodyear Vector 4 seasons G3 X 4 from Halfords @ £345 the appointment for fitting is next Monday.

I was going to sign up to the motoring club premium thing but the savings on the tyres would only have been about £27 but I'd have had to pay £373 and wouldn't have used the other benefits I don't think as the car's almost brand new so no MOT or servicing in the next year as I'll be changing the oil, oil filter & air filter myself.

Looking forward to seeing how these tyres compare to the stock Dunlop Duragrip tyres the car came with.

The Michelin CC2 were costing another £100 roughly and there doesn't seem to be a lot of difference between the two tyres far as I can see.

Tony

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[boozyjay]

I had Gen 2 Vector 4 seasons on my last Panda Cross, I couldn't fault them. They were really good in bad weather and especially snow, I also found them very hard wearing.

My new recent Panda Cross came with summer tyres, so have recently swapped them for Gen 3 Vector 4 seasons. You won't be disappointed, I highly recommended them.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I have just got my 10.th Fiat, a 5 month old Panda 4x4 Wild '23. I was surprised that the car had Continental summer tyres (175/65 R 15).
I want to fit alternative wheels with all season or winter tyres as I live in Scotland. I have Fiat 14 inch steel wheels with 175/65 winter tyres,
but reckon these will have too small a diameter.
I also have unused Fiat 14 inch alloys and wonder if these can be used, but using which tyre size ?
I am hesitating buying 15 inch wheels now as I will eventually fit all season tyres to the wheels which are on the car.
( I have too many wheels with winter tyres from past cars which I didn't have time to sell. Dealers are not giving anything for these during trade in
as opposed to the practice in countries requiring winter tyres.}

I am very pleased with my car which has a good infotainment system, but can't understand why Fiat fitted summer tyres and dropped the fog lights.
I am considering fitting some FF100 Hella elliptical fog lights. Does anyone have experience with fitting fog lights ?
I was looking at 4x4 Cross cars, but they were a bit costly. Would have liked the hill descend system on the Cross.
I had a panda 4x4 with a 'fire ' engine in 1990. Pity I didn't hold on to this as I believe there are only about a dozen of these left in the UK.

Good to have just joined the forum.

I have agonised about extra lights and am sure you could do this by fitting a bar to the bumber beam, but it would be involved. You would need to remove the bumper and cut it to allow the lighting mounting bar to fit. I have seen some photos while googling panda photos with fogs fitted so you can get some ideas. I dont want to mess with the bodywork on mine. You can get the bumper inserts that hold the standard fog lights and wiring is not difficult. The fog light is common to several typres of car and van and can be had on eBay for sensible prices from OEM suppliers. I have done fogs on a 169 Panda and thy were done without taking the bumber off I anticipate it would be the same on the 319. The existing bumper filler plates were exchanged for for light carrier ones. The fogs fit to these with self tapping screws. The new Panels fitted from the front and again are held with teh rearining ratchets on the trims and a couple of self tappers. There is a guide in teh mk3 section.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Bit the bullet and bought the Goodyear Vector 4 seasons G3 X 4 from Halfords @ £345 the appointment for fitting is next Monday.

I was going to sign up to the motoring club premium thing but the savings on the tyres would only have been about £27 but I'd have had to pay £373 and wouldn't have used the other benefits I don't think as the car's almost brand new so no MOT or servicing in the next year as I'll be changing the oil, oil filter & air filter myself.

Looking forward to seeing how these tyres compare to the stock Dunlop Duragrip tyres the car came with.

The Michelin CC2 were costing another £100 roughly and there doesn't seem to be a lot of difference between the two tyres far as I can see.

Tony

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​

Better in winter months for sure.

 

[The Panda Nut]

It was still being marketed as coming with them as late as 2020 when I ordered mine. I was a bit peeved when it was delivered shod with "eco" tyres, but they've actually ended up being a boon. And let's face it, the Twinair needs all the help it can get with MPG.

Mirrors my thoughts exactly. I have winter tyres as well now and they are much better in the winter but at a cost on MPG. The car is pretty good without winter tyres so dont necessarily get carried away too quickly.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Very good review here the Michelin tyres didn’t do well btw.

2022 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test - Tyre reviews and ratings

Auto Bild tests are always amongst the best in the industry, and this year Auto Bild have taken things a step further. Not only did Auto Bild start with 25 all season tyres in the popular 195/55 R16 ...

www.tyrereviews.com

May be but while I accept some may be better, I have found the Michelin Alpin A4 to be excellent. No issues at all except noise, and, wear rates are negligable so far. I might consider all seasons one day but for now am happy these tyres as good as anything else I have ever used. Snow and sheet ice hold no fears so far and its been driven long distancs at night going a bit too quickly on snow and ice and not shown any weakness on the braking or grip sides. Some of the other makes tested are given ratings that seem at odds with my experience of other products from the makes tested. Always a job to decide as you buy in haste and sample at length. This tends to keep me on the main big makes. I do look at the tyres ratings but as these are provided by manufacturers they are not impartial. Where a tyre is made is the other big factor. Buy those made local to you or where conditions you want to drive in may be found, so not far eastern made stuff. Pains me to say but Germany fills the bill.

 

[Davidbrandx]

185s fitted to newly painted wheels with spacers. Not a lot of clearance at rear arch.

 

[boozyjay]

Looks good. I fitted a set of Prometeo 15mm spacers all round onto my new Cross. It really enhances the look. I'll try and post a few pics.

 

[boozyjay]

 

[boozyjay]

I've also fitted a set of Prometeo spacers, 15mm rear and 10mm front on my red Panda Lounge. Pics below, but I'm not sure on the look, so may take them off.

 

[Davidbrandx]

Looks good. I fitted a set of Prometeo 15mm spacers all round onto my new Cross. It really enhances the look. I'll try and post a few pics.

It looks great. Such a much more purposeful stance. I suspect its difficult to perceive any noticeable change in handling though.

 

[Davidbrandx]

I've also fitted a set of Prometeo spacers, 15mm rear and 10mm front on my red Panda Lounge. Pics below, but I'm not sure on the look, so may take them off.

View attachment 434469View attachment 434470

Fills the wheelarch better. To be honest, no-one other than us geeks will ever know or be interested. I can leave my mates blank if I talk Panda! I guess that's why we share on the Forum.

 

[boozyjay]

It looks great. Such a much more purposeful stance. I suspect its difficult to perceive any noticeable change in handling though.

I can't tell any difference on handling, but agree it certainly does wonders for the stance of the car.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I've also fitted a set of Prometeo spacers, 15mm rear and 10mm front on my red Panda Lounge. Pics below, but I'm not sure on the look, so may take them off.

I quite like the look and the extra track but I wouldnt do it because of the potential paintwork issues. We have enough trouble keeping up with the wheel arches getting stripped now. Even a small increase in track might be useful on rutted tracks for teh 4x4 tho.

 

[boozyjay]

I quite like the look and the extra track but I wouldnt do it because of the potential paintwork issues. We have enough trouble keeping up with the wheel arches getting stripped now. Even a small increase in track might be useful on rutted tracks for teh 4x4 tho.

I've had a full PPF on mine, so paintwork should be ok.