If you've been in the leasure lounge lately you may have seen my pathetic attempt to solicit sympathy for the demise of my old friend Toany (our geriatric Seat Cordoba). We've known for the last few years that he was on borrowed time so I've been keeping my eyes open for a Panda to replace him. We've had a Panda in the family as a second car since my daughter learned to drive in one in the early '90s. That was a 750 - with points type ignition. Then my younger boy had a Parade special edition which he learned to drive in and was passed on to my wife when he got something (Ford Escort) with more "street cred". We had the Parade - a '92 model we named Felicity - right up till a couple of years ago when she went to live with a Glasgow enthusiast who promised to repair her severely corroded bodywork. At that time Toany became our second car and we bought a Seat Ibiza estate to replace him but short "shopping type" journeys don't suit a diesel and my wife finds him less manoeuvrable than Felicity in supermarket car parks etc. So, for the last year I've been looking for a Panda - but not just any old Panda.
Armed with information gleaned from browsing the web and, in particular, the Fiat Forum I decided on the 1.2 engine but to avoid euro5 or later spec so euro 4 it had to be. Then I came across the Dynamic Eco model. Euro4 but with only £30 a year road tax! Only made in 2009 and 2010 so not that thick on the ground. Over a period of time 5 cars have come up within reasonable distance, one in particular looked like a prospect at a small dealer about 15 miles away. We went to see it, a 2009 model, and it looked very smart in dark grey metallic paint. Drove well too. When we returned from the drive I could see that there was an empty ramp in his workshop, could we stick it up in the air? To my surprise he said yes! Unfortunately it only took a few minutes to spot many problems - very very rusty sump, exhaust about to expire, rear springs and pans very rusty, all rear metal brake pipes very rusty, oil leaks from both front pulley seal and bellhousing, no record of timing belt being changed and so on. The body was good though with no serious rust anywhere I could see. I walked the chap through all this and tried to get a deal out of him but at £2500 he reconed it was a bargain and wouldn't move so I walked away. Oh, front discs were deeply corroded too!
After that the trail went cold until about 6 weeks ago when I took poor old Toany down to the scrap yard. Sitting in the living room that evening, trying not too feel like the "betrayer" I was, I had a look for Pandas on my tablet and up popped one on Gumtree! There was enough info to deduce that the garage was a local one just 5 miles away. A 'phone call established it was still there (Gumtree showed it advertised for quite some time) so we went to see it the next day. 2010 plates it looked splendid. Almost perfect white bodywork (2 small dents no rust anywhere). Test drive? Oh dear! What a frightful racket from the rear brakes. Quite put my wife off but I knew it was just rubbing rusty drums. Everything else seemed fine. On return to the garage I got into detailed discussion with the sales chap who let slip that the car had been in stock for some time and he'd failed to sell it twice on previous occasions! (Rear brake noise I bet) It had been for sale at £2500 but they'd just reduced it to £1950. Could I put it up on a ramp? Certainly! This was a much better car than the grey one! No body rust or evidence of accident damage. Exhaust from cat to rear almost new. Sump obviously renewed very recently with no sign of oil leaks (had been pressure washed but no new oil leaks after test drive). Both front discs almost new with pads showing almost no wear. Rear springs and pans a bit rusty but not too bad. Both front lower suspension arms quite new with no rust and still covered in black paint. Hey this looks really really good.
Into the office. Full service history (Arnold Clark - is that a good thing?) But no record of a timing belt renewal ever!? So sorting out the rear brakes and a cam belt needed. MOT just about to expire. How about a new MOT, sorting the rear brakes and a cam belt? Then I'll buy it. In the end they silenced the rear brakes and MOT'd it but no cam belt. Can't say I really blame them, I think the deal probably just about wiped its face!
Picked the car up a few days later and the brakes seemed fine. Drove it around for a couple of days before we had to go down south, in the Seat, to look after my daughter's children whilst she recovered from a surgical procedure which stopped her driving. Got back last Monday, babysitting older son's kids on Tuesday. Got stuck into Becky (as we've decided to call her) on Wednesday. No great shock surprises thank goodness. The rear brake drums are very severely corroded externally and you can see where they knocked lumps of rust off to stop them rubbing on the backplates. There was also a massive and corroded ridge on the inside which made removing the drums, even with the handbrake cables disconnected at the lever, a very difficult task. I've ground down the lip to allow temporary use but, as both rear cylinders are also leaking I will shortly be renewing both cylinders linings and drums themselves. There was also a great deal of dust in the drums - l doubt if they'd been off in years if ever since new!
So, although it's early days yet, I doubt if we've done 30 miles in her yet, I'm cautiously optimistic that we've bagged a bit of a bargain.
Did I mention she's got a glass roof? SkyDome I think it's called? Think I'll leave it well alone! Wife doesn't want it open anyway although she likes the airy look it gives to the interior.
There are things I feel sure people on here will know about and I'm making up a short list which I'll get back on here, probably tomorrow, and see if anyone can help.
So there we are, after just a few weeks without, we are a complete family again!
Regards to all
Jock
Armed with information gleaned from browsing the web and, in particular, the Fiat Forum I decided on the 1.2 engine but to avoid euro5 or later spec so euro 4 it had to be. Then I came across the Dynamic Eco model. Euro4 but with only £30 a year road tax! Only made in 2009 and 2010 so not that thick on the ground. Over a period of time 5 cars have come up within reasonable distance, one in particular looked like a prospect at a small dealer about 15 miles away. We went to see it, a 2009 model, and it looked very smart in dark grey metallic paint. Drove well too. When we returned from the drive I could see that there was an empty ramp in his workshop, could we stick it up in the air? To my surprise he said yes! Unfortunately it only took a few minutes to spot many problems - very very rusty sump, exhaust about to expire, rear springs and pans very rusty, all rear metal brake pipes very rusty, oil leaks from both front pulley seal and bellhousing, no record of timing belt being changed and so on. The body was good though with no serious rust anywhere I could see. I walked the chap through all this and tried to get a deal out of him but at £2500 he reconed it was a bargain and wouldn't move so I walked away. Oh, front discs were deeply corroded too!
After that the trail went cold until about 6 weeks ago when I took poor old Toany down to the scrap yard. Sitting in the living room that evening, trying not too feel like the "betrayer" I was, I had a look for Pandas on my tablet and up popped one on Gumtree! There was enough info to deduce that the garage was a local one just 5 miles away. A 'phone call established it was still there (Gumtree showed it advertised for quite some time) so we went to see it the next day. 2010 plates it looked splendid. Almost perfect white bodywork (2 small dents no rust anywhere). Test drive? Oh dear! What a frightful racket from the rear brakes. Quite put my wife off but I knew it was just rubbing rusty drums. Everything else seemed fine. On return to the garage I got into detailed discussion with the sales chap who let slip that the car had been in stock for some time and he'd failed to sell it twice on previous occasions! (Rear brake noise I bet) It had been for sale at £2500 but they'd just reduced it to £1950. Could I put it up on a ramp? Certainly! This was a much better car than the grey one! No body rust or evidence of accident damage. Exhaust from cat to rear almost new. Sump obviously renewed very recently with no sign of oil leaks (had been pressure washed but no new oil leaks after test drive). Both front discs almost new with pads showing almost no wear. Rear springs and pans a bit rusty but not too bad. Both front lower suspension arms quite new with no rust and still covered in black paint. Hey this looks really really good.
Into the office. Full service history (Arnold Clark - is that a good thing?) But no record of a timing belt renewal ever!? So sorting out the rear brakes and a cam belt needed. MOT just about to expire. How about a new MOT, sorting the rear brakes and a cam belt? Then I'll buy it. In the end they silenced the rear brakes and MOT'd it but no cam belt. Can't say I really blame them, I think the deal probably just about wiped its face!
Picked the car up a few days later and the brakes seemed fine. Drove it around for a couple of days before we had to go down south, in the Seat, to look after my daughter's children whilst she recovered from a surgical procedure which stopped her driving. Got back last Monday, babysitting older son's kids on Tuesday. Got stuck into Becky (as we've decided to call her) on Wednesday. No great shock surprises thank goodness. The rear brake drums are very severely corroded externally and you can see where they knocked lumps of rust off to stop them rubbing on the backplates. There was also a massive and corroded ridge on the inside which made removing the drums, even with the handbrake cables disconnected at the lever, a very difficult task. I've ground down the lip to allow temporary use but, as both rear cylinders are also leaking I will shortly be renewing both cylinders linings and drums themselves. There was also a great deal of dust in the drums - l doubt if they'd been off in years if ever since new!
So, although it's early days yet, I doubt if we've done 30 miles in her yet, I'm cautiously optimistic that we've bagged a bit of a bargain.
Did I mention she's got a glass roof? SkyDome I think it's called? Think I'll leave it well alone! Wife doesn't want it open anyway although she likes the airy look it gives to the interior.
There are things I feel sure people on here will know about and I'm making up a short list which I'll get back on here, probably tomorrow, and see if anyone can help.
So there we are, after just a few weeks without, we are a complete family again!
Regards to all
Jock
pretty much good condition
