Styling Roof Rails

[LeanMeanRacing]

Jim - I've used the 100HP as my tuition vehicle since October 2007. Examiners have never commented apart from one, whose son I taught, so we have a good [but still professional!] relationship. He did remark that the ride was hard, but that DTC [Kingstanding, Birmingham] is in a city suburb and the roads are poorly maintained. It's a lot better at Lichfield DTC where the roads are faster and smoother. When I started 10 years ago, my first car was a Mk5 Fiesta Zetec-S, so the examiners are used to my 'sportier' choice of ride!

My previous tuition vehicle was a Mk6 Fiesta 1.4 TDCi, so yes, you will notice the increased fuel consumption. Having 6 gears does make gear choice more forgiving. As for students appreciating the car, not many really know what they are driving - petrol or diesel is about their limit, unless they are car enthusiasts!

My 60,000 review is here:
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/230471-100hp-60-000-miles-review-long-post-warning.html

Good luck!

 

[Cruachan]

Hi guys, new to the forum so I hope you'll all accept a stupid question by way of introduction. I currently own a 58 Reg Panda with fitted roof rails.

I need a roof box for an upcoming holiday trip and I have borrowed one from a mate. He also had the proper Fiat transverse roof bars (which was unfortunate as I thought he had a set of proprietary ones that could simply be clamped across the rails). So, I now have to swap the rails for the bars. This doesn't appear to be a particularly challenging job even for someone as mechanically illiterate as me.

But, my question is this. Does anyone out there have any helpful hints, tips or tricks for removing the damn plastic blanking "caps" on the end of the rails that cover the securing bolts? So far I have lost most of my fingernails and gained several hard to heal cuts without actually managing to get one of the damn things off.

J

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Remove it by placing you hand around the back, from the outside side of the bar, and pull it from the rear inner part of the plastic cover, as though your trying the slide it about 180 degrees, should slide around fairly easily.

Hope this description helps

 

[Cruachan]

Remove it by placing you hand around the back, from the outside side of the bar, and pull it from the rear inner part of the plastic cover, as though your trying the slide it about 180 degrees, should slide around fairly easily.

Hope this description helps

Many thanks for that - I'll give that technique a go when I get home from work.

Cheers,

J

 

[Cruachan]

Remove it by placing you hand around the back, from the outside side of the bar, and pull it from the rear inner part of the plastic cover, as though your trying the slide it about 180 degrees, should slide around fairly easily.

Hope this description helps

Fantastic tip, thanks! I tried it when I got home and it works a treat - problem solved.

J