General Panda 4x4

[deeyup]

Hi deeyup. I took the call from the dealer during a meeting, so not got the details yet. Obviously I'm a bit naffed off, but i will call him in the morning and see if they know 'more precisely' why its been put back. He did mention the spec (which includes CBC and most other options, to be honest). I would be happy to go to another dealer and less outlay would also be good so i may well get back to you shortly on that. One question though - why would one dealer be any better then another at getting a car sooner? Surely once the order is placed, no matter which dealer places it, then it's down to the factory? Thoughts on this?
Cheers again

He's very good at ordering stock. Some other dealers will only make factory orders as and when they get them. I'm sure I read on here that someone who wanted a test drive of a 4x4 was told by their local dealer that they'd sold both their demo stock models and weren't getting another in? That's ridiculous

Anyway, what this means is if your dealer was switched on he'd already have stock orders in the Fiat system which he could change so you wouldn't be starting from the back of the queue.
This is what happened with me. I actually ordered a trekking on jan 7th, then changed my mind to 4x4 a month later. My trekking order was still heavy variable so simply switched to 4x4 so no starting afresh.

See what you dealer says today, but if you can, cancel if only to get a better deal.

 

[Super Uwe]

Without wishing to be too gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay about it ....I can second deeyup's post as I have dealt with his dealer before and they are very switched on.

Not used them in the past year or so but I have no reason to think they have suddenly become crap!

If only every dealer could offer something remotely approaching the same level of service eh...

 

[4x4Panda]

Guys

Out of interest, how many folk on here have actually taken delivery of a car they ordered to their own spec in the UK?

I'm aware of some of the centrally-ordered/allocated-to-dealers cars now being in private hands, of course.

Salisbury have not actually delivered a customer ordered car yet, I think...

Looking forward to your insights

All the best

4x4 Panda

--------------------

PS:

Nothing definite on what is delaying mine yet other than some general stuff:

Delays with Italian-made Pandas (which must be affecting all 2012 cars, not just 4x4s, no?)
The split sliding/folding rear seat had previously been cited as causing delays

 

[andycee]

Hi everyone, I've been a member of this forum for ages but not really visited since I sold my 100hp... great car!

I have also ordered a 4x4 from Salisbury and have been told that it is currently on route to the UK so fingers crossed it arrives soon.... getting impatient!

 

[deeyup]

Mine is sat on my drive right now.
Just picked it up. I'm very happy too.
I'll put a piccy up later.

It was factory order with this spec

Twin air 4x4
Peaceful white
Split folding rear seat with 3 seat belts
Winter pack
Leather wheel and knob! My mrs will like that!
Tomtom predisposition


Heated seats very toasty!!

I just asked Marc. He has an orange multijet with winter pack and rear tints due in if that's any good to you?

 

[philboo]

Mine is sat on my drive right now.
Just picked it up. I'm very happy too.
I'll put a piccy up later.

Heated seats very toasty!!

I just asked Marc. He has an orange multijet with winter pack and rear tints due in if that's any good to you?

Yeah looking forward to some pics. With all this talk of more delays I emailed my dealer today expecting the worst given I've city brake on my car. Well it's being built now !! Mid April delivery. It'll have only taken 5 months. Can't wait though.

 

[crossman]

Sounds good Deeyup, hope it looks good in the peaceful white which I also went for, looking forward to pics:slayer:

 

[deeyup]

I know it's frowned upon using outside hosted images, but this is all I have until
Tomorrow.


Not time to say much now, but I see that unlike my old 500, when you turn off stop/start it stays that way even after you've turned the motor off and back on. Or maybe I'm wrong about that?

I'm pretty sure that the heated seat buttons are wired the wrong way around. The drivers button warms the passenger seat
Well, there had to be something wrong didn't there??

Not quite as bad as my 500 which was delivered with a leaking petrol tank!

 

[4x4Panda]

what's a nice way of saying "damn you all you lucky bar-stewards"

Message to FIAT: "BUILD MY CAR NOW, FIAT (please)"

 

[panda panda]

I know it's frowned upon using outside hosted images, but this is all I have until
Tomorrow.


Not time to say much now, but I see that unlike my old 500, when you turn off stop/start it stays that way even after you've turned the motor off and back on. Or maybe I'm wrong about that?

I'm pretty sure that the heated seat buttons are wired the wrong way around. The drivers button warms the passenger seat
Well, there had to be something wrong didn't there??

Not quite as bad as my 500 which was delivered with a leaking petrol tank!

Looks better in white than I thought it would!

Are those dark coloured alloys or just the picture?

Congrats deeyup

 

[deeyup]

Thanks for that!

Yes they are dark, kind of gunmetal ?
The trekking gets the same but in regular silver.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Not time to say much now, but I see that unlike my old 500, when you turn off stop/start it stays that way even after you've turned the motor off and back on. Or maybe I'm wrong about that?

500 does also with the latest software update I believe.

 

[crossman]

I know it's frowned upon using outside hosted images, but this is all I have until
Tomorrow.


Not time to say much now, but I see that unlike my old 500, when you turn off stop/start it stays that way even after you've turned the motor off and back on. Or maybe I'm wrong about that?

I'm pretty sure that the heated seat buttons are wired the wrong way around. The drivers button warms the passenger seat
Well, there had to be something wrong didn't there??

Not quite as bad as my 500 which was delivered with a leaking petrol tank!

Looks good Deeyup, think the stop/start button stays where you set it, it stayed off all the time on the one I test drove, usually you have to set it to how you want it after you start the engine.

 

[deeyup]

On the 500 it was a bugbear for many that you had to disconnect stop/start every time you got in. Looks like they've updated that from what MEP says.

Another improvement over the 500 is a proper seat height adjuster. The whole seat goes up and down. On the 500 they fit a lousy adjuster that only moves the very back of the base therefore changing the angle of it..

And I got a proper paper back manual, no cd rom!!
Although I can't find any mention of the 4x4 in it??

I fixed the heated seat buttons by swapping the wires over.

Got 42 mpg going to work which was kind of expected.
I'll add some pics later for those who want to see.

 

[beeson100]

I picked my Trekking TA up just over a week ago from Motorvogue in Northampton.
Also in Peaceful White and returning around 42-43mpg at the moment (driving carefully with economy in mind and as it's a brand new engine).

I went for heated windscreen, rear tinted windows, leather wheel and gear knob, adjustable driver seat and 60/40 rear seat options.

My overall impressions of it so far are very good. The ride in comparison to my (part ex'd) 100hp is fantastic. Driving over pot holes now feels like how the 100hp would feel driving over a crisp packet It's not as fun as in terms of handling and speed of course but it's a small sacrifice to pay for the added comfort, especially with the endless potholes and speed bumps around my area.

I still haven't quite worked out whether ECO mode is worth while or not though. On dual carriageways it feels pretty horrible when you come to an incline of any kind. You can have your foot almost flat and feel like you're going backwards. I know it's not really designed for dual carriageway driving but the button is in a fairly awkward place to keep switching on and off when you need the extra power. A non latching push button on the wheel would perhaps be quite nice to get up to speed and then release to cruise along in ECO mode. At the next fill up i'll leave ECO mode off and see what difference it makes to the MPG.

I've yet to take it into a muddy field to see how it performs but I drove it down a notoriously bad road/track near my house last night and it was great fun.

All in all very pleased. Not being that familiar with the Twinair, am I likely to see any better MPG in a few thousand miles?


John

 

[John Sheridan]

John - can I ask what you thought of Motor Vogue as I'm in Northampton and also looking at the Trekking although when I spoke to them they didn't have either Trekking or 4x4 I could try out.

 

[busman683]

Motorvogue in Northampton is the dealer I use - had three Fiats in the past eight years from them. Usually a pleasant experience - enquired about the Trekking a couple of weeks ago and couldn't tell me anything I didn't know already from this site and Fiat's own site. Thinking of changing for a 63 plate so will enquire when current car goes in for its service next week, how long the build lead time is likely to be. Interested to hear of anyone else's experience with them.

 

[beeson100]

Overall pretty good. I wasn't pleased with a couple of members of staff the first time I went in as it took over 2.5hours for them to give me a valuation on my 100hp so in the end I walked out.

Since then they've been pretty good but lacked some of the technical knowledge I would've liked. I found myself telling them more about the car at times. The lady I've been dealing with has been pleasant though and I think if they all had her attitude there they would do alot better in my opinion.

The servicing department are very good too and can't fault them.

They did have two 4x4 demonstrators in earlier this year but both were sold.. so they said. I didn't see them.

John

 

[John Sheridan]

Hmm so not a ringing endorsement then. I got my current Fiat from Research up in Nuneaton so will probably go back to them re. Panda.

 

[Palio]

Got a call today to say Mum's 4x4 is built and at stage 20. The dealer and Mum are very excited (nice to see someone enthusiastic in the Fiat sales dept - she's been ringing every week with an excited update!!). Mum's old mk1 Punto is still grinding along (literally!), so nice to expect it within their original delivery estimate - we were told 12 weeks which would be end of April, and now should be 2/3 weeks hopefully.

Not sure why some people are having issues with theirs - this one's got CBC so that can't be causing a delay. philboo what's happening with yours, as it was ordered a good month before ours??