General Panda 4x4

[Ingvarr]

I love the idea of this feature, and it is supposed to reduce insurance peremiums markedly.

I doubt it will, at least judging of same system from VW Up!. It decreases the chance of hitting that pedestrian or a stray cat, but increases chance of somebody plowing into your back due to sudden brakes auto-engagement.
So it will take quite a bit of time for insurers to be sure how this new technology affects accident statistics - and when they are not sure about anything, they increase premium, just in case.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

and when they are not sure about anything, they increase premium, just in case.

No they don't, they need to be able to justify their pricing, they can't just pluck it out of the air

 

[Ingvarr]

No they don't, they need to be able to justify their pricing, they can't just pluck it out of the air

There are plenty of ways to satisfy the regulations. But result is the same. Obviously they don't use wording like "we not sure about it, so we just up the price just in case", they use clever terms like "unproven accident statistics", "margins" and so on.

All I can say, VW Up! city brake is out in the wild for a while now, and I am not aware of any insurance reductions if you have it.

 

[4x4Panda]

We were sorely tempted by the green, but seeing the Mediterranean blue regular Panda on the Westover forecourt won over my Mrs and so the decision was taken. We have gone for CBC - partly as i am intrigued by the technology and it actually seems to be a very cheap option at £250. I wonder what it cost FIAT and would this be a system they bought in or developed in-house?

Whilst the new Panda would have been lovely today, my current Panda 4x4 was absolutely in its element, particularly I suspect as it has winter tyres fitted

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

and I am not aware of any insurance reductions if you have it.

Agreed, but you were on about insurance increases.

 

[Ingvarr]

Well, insurance not is being set "if" optional equipment installed, its kind of an average for given model. Mk4 insurance is not cheap. I'd assume 4x4 insurance will be even more - what part of it comes due to specific equipment bits, and if it does - can't know for sure.

 

[homeward]

Interesting -- and, to me, fair -- review, here... -- from Car and Van News.

 

[deeyup]

Going back to the city braking for a moment, I wonder how it will effect certain situations? eg. If you were approaching a very steep climb off road.
Might the car think its an obstacle and stop you?

 

[4x4Panda]

Perhaps the CBC can be disengaged?

 

[babbo_umbro]

Interesting -- and, to me, fair -- review, here... -- from Car and Van News.

I agree that the review is fair but it makes the common assumption that the Panda 4x4 is a city car with altered stance and - by the way - four wheel drive. As a result, there's no comment on what it's like on a long run, or on a motor way - disappointing as this is surely crucial to many prospective owners, and Cross's shortcomings here were a factor that discouraged us from getting the outgoing model. Sales of the Mk 3 4x4 suggested that many 4x4 buyers are looking for a very large and imposing car rather than a capable one (or one that they are capable of driving in too many cases) and it will be interesting to see if the TwinAir's better all-round performance widens the car's appeal.

The other thing that this write-up brought to mind is the diesel premium in the UK market. All over Europe, except in Switzerland, the fuel saving from diesel is increased by the lower price of diesel; list prices in Italy show the MJ as 700 euros/600 pounds more than the TA, so you get the premium back in something like 100,000 miles; the difference here is 1000 pounds, which would take about half a million miles to get back on fuel costs.

 

[philboo]

it will be interesting to see if the TwinAir's better all-round performance widens the car's appeal.

From my point of view it has done this. I've looked at the older 4x4 for years but the performance (given my mixed motorway/country road daily commute) put me off.

The test drive of the new twin-air version felt as good as the 1.2 Mk3 I'm using at the moment (well much better actually) so apart from the hit on mpg I guess I'll get I'm really happy.

With regard to the Diesel. I love diesel cars and had a diesel 500 when it was first released but with the price of diesel and the initial premium I didn't even consider it with the 4x4. The 1.2 petrol mk3 Panda is doing 50+ mpg in this cold weather, very happy with that.

 

[4x4Panda]

The pace of the T/A 4x4 and ride quality are in a different league from the outgoing Mk3 model. Okay it's rather a lot more to buy new as well, so it damn well should be! I can easily imagine using the new T/A car for long journeys and the increased nippy-ness should make for better local journeys as well.

 

[Bobcat43]

Was in my local Fiat dealers last week and the price tag was just shy of £15K !! A bit steep IMO

 

[babbo_umbro]

Was in my local Fiat dealers last week and the price tag was just shy of £15K !! A bit steep IMO

Surely that's the ticket on the diesel.

 

[panda panda]

At the moment Fiat is the only car maker with a supermini 4x4 and is charging accordingly.
Perhaps the arrival of the up/mii/citygo 4x4 variant will change prices, allow dealers to discount?

I wouldn't hold my breath though, the panda 4x4 and trekking are unique products within their category.

 

[gar074]

they need to be able to justify their pricing, they can't just pluck it out of the air

In what sense do insurance companies have to justify their pricing? Commercially? Legally? There's no law that says it's discriminatory to charge higher premiums to the owners of certain types of cars!

 

[gar074]

Are any of you early adopters getting anything at all off the 4x4 list price?

 

[philboo]

For my abarth they offered £750 above book so I guess you can say that's something. I'd already been offered a set p/x value by an abarth/fiat dealer as a p/x or straight buy so anything above that was an incentive.

I'm not sure if it isn't best waiting (even though i haven't) as I don't think they will do massive sales and no matter what they say about the car market being positive in 2012 we've started 2013 with a lot of companies going into administration and it doesn't exactly give people confidence to go and splash out on new cars without incentives. There's more and more choice so price will be a big consideration and every manufacturer seems to be launching new models this year.

 

[waddler]

I got 750 off a trekking so sounds about right for now. What is very tempting is that low rate finance on a pcp. If you look at it as a leasing deal then the costs are very low especially if you go for small deposit and 48 month term.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

In what sense do insurance companies have to justify their pricing? Commercially? Legally? There's no law that says it's discriminatory to charge higher premiums to the owners of certain types of cars!

In the sense they have to treat customers fairly, and they're bound to by the FSA. Indeed no law that says it's discriminatory to charge higher premiums to the owners of certain types of cars, but they have to be able to justify this increase - more expensive to repair, higher number of theft claims etc, and the data regarding claims will not exist yet as its a new model, as a result, they'll be limited on what they can base pricing on.