General The big adventure! - Into Europe we go? (hopefully)

[pierre4x4]

Hi all,

Were new to the world of Panda's having recently bought a 4x4 2015 / 1.3 Diesel Multijet (50K)

Were off the France next week for a holiday and Im tempted to take the Panda, not just for the amazing fuel consumption but also its great fun to drive..... my questions i suppose is do you think it will be too much for it?

Two adults and a load of stuff in the back.... Home to the Ferry 170 Miles, Other side to where we will be staying 100 Miles, Say 200 miles whilst there and then the return leg..... 800 miles round trip

Interested to hear peoples opinions on the trip,

New to me car so ive not got loads of history on it.... so a littler nervous i might run into problems.... just being cautious I suppose.

My other car is a 3 series BMW auto so the drive on that is completely different, and quieter!

let me know what you guys think....

 

[Bonefish Blues]

A Panda 4x4 is perfectly capable of doing this trip. Whether your car is capable, that's another matter, of course!

Unhelpfully yours etc...

Being serious, I'd get your mechanic to check it over/do this yourself pre trip, and then crack on.

 

[pierre4x4]

A Panda 4x4 is perfectly capable of doing this trip. Whether your car is capable, that's another matter, of course!

Unhelpfully yours etc...

Being serious, I'd get your mechanic to check it over/do this yourself pre trip, and then crack on.

Thanks for that - its booked in with an Independent Fiat Guy tomorrow for a once over and a test drive, hopefully its all good.
Im not expecting anything to be wrong - Its been well maintained, FSH not been thrashed etc

I think im over sensitive to the noises and drive of it (having never owned one before) so what Im thinking could be "a mechanical fault or noise" could just be normal for a fiat panda (if that makes sense)

Out of interest and in addition to the Garage checking what pre trip checks would you do (other than of course the standard liquids etc)

Thanks for your reply

 

[Bonefish Blues]

TBH, if the fluids & filters are all done, the car has been on a ramp and poked a la MOT, the tyres are good and inflated, then a road trip like this is a great thing to do in a multijet - it'll clear its lungs nicely. Mine loves a romp up and down the M40 and feels all the better for it.
If you wanted to get picky/into detail, then you could change the 'box & rear diff fluids, maybe the PTU's too, but I haven't done the latter, I confess.

 

[pierre4x4]

TBH, if the fluids & filters are all done, the car has been on a ramp and poked a la MOT, the tyres are good and inflated, then a road trip like this is a great thing to do in a multijet - it'll clear its lungs nicely. Mine loves a romp up and down the M40 and feels all the better for it.
If you wanted to get picky/into detail, then you could change the 'box & rear diff fluids, maybe the PTU's too, but I haven't done the latter, I confess.

Thank you - Fingers crossed it has a clean bill of health tomorrow then. It passed MOT in Nov and had a service also then

Ill let you know how we get on tomorrow

 

[A3jeroen]

Every year I drive my Abarth (and Panda 100HP before) to Croatia with a boattrailer and my car packed with campinggear and 2 persons.
Never had a problem.

gr J

 

[pierre4x4]

Every year I drive my Abarth (and Panda 100HP before) to Croatia with a boattrailer and my car packed with campinggear and 2 persons.
Never had a problem.

gr J

Ah thats amazing!

Suppose im just being over cautious - Any vehicle can breakdown i suppose at any point - You just never want it to be you

Its having its health check today so think we will go for it

 

[Panda IIs]

Ah thats amazing!

Suppose im just being over cautious - Any vehicle can breakdown i suppose at any point - You just never want it to be you

Its having its health check today so think we will go for it

You would expect it to run 6k miles between services (or more if you follow the OEM schedule) so unless you've been tardy when it comes to servicing there shouldn't be any issues however cars do go wrong!

I have made many trips into Europe in (very?) high mileage (200+k miles) and old cars I've had an alternator fail and transmission link on a merc disappear (10 euro rubber bush) over this time. So not done too badly.

Do get all the required onboard kit like triangle, hi vis jackets (one for each passenger now I believe) spare bulbs first aid UK sticker etc for when/if you get stopped. There are also some emission zones now but I haven't worked out that detail (registering) yet but not had any comeback either. On the UK sticker I give myself £1 (in my head) for each one I see on the driver's side of a RHD car - while I'm not sure that it's prescriptive I would expect that they are more effective on the other side so our European friends in their LHD cars see it in front of them, just a personal "niggle" of mine!!!

 

[airsafari87]

We took our 2019 Twin Air Cross to France last year.

3 people plus luggage for a week.
Covered about 1700 miles in 5 days.
Zero issues with the car or passenger comfort.

 

[pierre4x4]

Thanks all for the replies....

The car got a clean bill of health so its off to France we go

 

[Steveetee55]

I did a 500 mile round trip in my twin air 4x4 last week, and it might just be me but it seems like it's running a lot better since

 

[A3jeroen]

Thanks all for the replies....

The car got a clean bill of health so its off to France we go

Bon voyage!

gr J

 

[pierre4x4]

Bon voyage!

gr J

Thanks