General Sunroof on a Panda 169 from 2007-2009 - Bad Idea?

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General Sunroof on a Panda 169 from 2007-2009 - Bad Idea?

YCthetanker99

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Hi guys,

I am considering buying another panda 100hp with a twin roof. My current one is just standard hardtop. I do like the idea of wind in the hair motoring, but with the notorious Italian electrics, would this be just an extra thing to break, bringing me closer to bankruptcy? From my research, the twin roofs on Fiats are pretty common to get stuck or won't open fully. Do they leak or fail often? Just want to gather some ideas at this stage. Cheers!

YC
 
I have a Mk2 Panda Cross with the twin s/roof option. the only problem easily resolved which I have encountered is when the roof won't open or close and makes a 'ratcheting sound' a mounting bolt quite long has dropped from the motor housing, you peel back the twin s/roof seals around the centre strip covering the motor, find the screw replace it quite tightly and go thru the reset procedure, described here or on the USA Fiat forum. they don't leak and I encountered this problem after about 8 years, original owner selling it shortly as I have two Mk3 Cross 95bhp diesels now, they will easily outrun any Panda 100hp with the best quality tyres Nokian R15 195 x 60, much better grip. the 95hp diesels will stop on a sixpence and have a 4x4 version of the more powerful C510 g/box fitted to Abarth 595, designed to handle 200 bhp. the brakes on this model have more powerful calipers (front and back, but same size discs) than any other Panda in the range including the 90 bhp twin-airs, average around 50 - 53 mpg and will see off most things especially in bad weather conditions. the Mk3 95 hp diesels were only sold between 2016 - 2017 in the UK, very difficult to locate, less than 200 sold in total by Fiat, even fewer with the very desirable winter pack, Euro 6, £30 tax. there is a manual procedure for closing the roof when the motor won't work with an allen key. some non Mk3 Cross 4x4's have the same 95 bhp engine. my Mk2 Cross is fitted with a 100hp interior. the Mk2 Cross averages around 48mpg, quite fast intial acceleration, but does not have the high speed grunt of the Mk3 95hp models. these Mk3 Cross things will accelerate up steep hills from 50mph in 5th gear very rapidly and annoy range rovers etc. I use R15 195 x 60 Nokians also on the Mk2 Cross. you can easily identify a 95 bhp Mk3 diesel, the gear lever is the 'pear shaped' knob of the C510 g/box, the lesser diesels have a 'square' shaped gear knob. hope this is useful.
 
Hi guys,

I am considering buying another panda 100hp with a twin roof. My current one is just standard hardtop. I do like the idea of wind in the hair motoring, but with the notorious Italian electrics, would this be just an extra thing to break, bringing me closer to bankruptcy? From my research, the twin roofs on Fiats are pretty common to get stuck or won't open fully. Do they leak or fail often?
there's at least two on here that fill up the boot when it rains

apparently due to corrosion in the channel, and almost impossible to get to. The fixes so far have included sealing it shut with Bath seal or gaffer tape
Just want to gather some ideas at this stage. Cheers!

YC
in a 15 year car you got to expect some problems wear, the more complex the more likely you are to encounter problems


as to whether its common thats more difficult to quantify. Very few people that post on here have a car with a sunroof.
 
Exactly the same thoughts here! The Panda's the first car I've had that didn't have some sort of opening roof and I do miss it.

I sometimes think about swapping for a skydome, but same as you, I'm not sure I'd trust it at 12+ years old.

Maybe also post in the 500 section where the skydome is probably more common?
 
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