General Which Panda???

[murfman53]

Hi to all,


I've been asked to look out for a Panda petrol model for a girl driver.


I personally drive a Panda 1.2, but was wondering is the 1.2 model


a better buy than the 1.1 type.


Should I stick to the 1.2 always. What I will say is my own experience of my


1.2 Panda has been very good, and "touch wood" long may it stay that way.







Thanks for looking.


John.

 

[DaveMcT]

The 1.2 is a nicer engine with more useful power in the mid range. Definitely worth the small extra cost over the 1.1. Later model cars have a higher top gear and all sorts of emissions gear that affects performance. The top gear makes motorways a pain as it too high on all but dead flat roads (or down hills). Any upward slope needs a shift into 4th which then feels too low.

I have a 1.4 (100HP) it is quicker of course but in low and mid range it's not hugely quicker than the 1.2. It has to be properly spun up to get the power going.

 

[murfman53]

Hi DaveMcT,


Thanks for your comments regarding the engines. The girl in question isn't what you


would call the driving type. The car would be looked after well and services would be



done without fault, but going out in the car for a sunday spin, isn't going to happen.


Here in Ireland the 1.1 version is very plentiful and price wise very cheap with low



mileage, the 1.2 is available too, but not as many and as you point out alittle dearer.


As far as the engine is concerned it would be safe to say its bullet proof. Apart from the



engine size very much everything else is the same.


Again, thanks a million for your help DaveMcT.


John.

 

[DaveMcT]

If the price difference isn't too graet and the car is good and properly serviced I would still go for the 1.2. It's just nicer to use. 100cc really should not make any difference but it is a new engine model so I guess that's where it gets the benefit. It's also slightly better on fuel though not hugely.


If the roads get salted around your area take a very close look at back axles especially around the spring pans. They are not well painted at the factory so they do corrode. Good used axles are rare (in UK anyway) and new costs are enough to write off the car.

 

[ytareh]

Hi Murf.Im in Ireland also ,near Dublin .I have driven all the Pandas except the 1.2 .Id say it's great being a more economical and faster than the 1.1 .I currently have a 1.1 Active Eco 2010 in red with 62k km .I bought it with only 5500km on the clock two and a bit years ago , I was told it came from an elderly gent who hardly used it .It has NCT till November and tax till next July .I might be selling ( price almost certainly beginning with a '2' ) .The 2010 Eco models had higher top gear , synthetic oil , low resistance Contintal tyres ( mine lasted until around 50k km but I had to get new ones eventually despite trying to preserve the low mileage credibility - steering wheel is very fresh anyway ) .Mine gets around 52mpg on my two hours daily commute but I'm rarely in traffic .
You're welcome to have a look and I'd be curious to see how the 1.2 compares .The Ecos are particularly gutless but the airbox and grille can be trimmed a bit to release a little more power .
The 100hp is over rated in my opinion ( it's certainly not fast and the handling only impresses at 40-60mph ) compared with the glorious purity of the small standard petrol car .
While one or two have complained of Panda reliability I'd say a 2004 would give an 02 Micra or 04 Yaris a run for their money in reliability stakes ....
A reasonably well looked after 1.1 FIRE engine can have spotless oil after an oil change even at 60k + miles I've seen it in several Fiat cars which is always a nice sight after a diy service ( then again you neglect them at your peril )

Post 2008 Ecos will be €200 Road tax whether 1.1 or 1.2 but the earlier ones are 330 and 358 Euro approx . Diesels are awesome mpg monsters (68 religiously ) but eat wishbones due to heavier engine over front axle ( which also numbs handling - and in heavy rain /standing floodwater a small diesel is prone to chronic oversteer / fish tailing due to light tail - dont ask me how I know !)

Daves comment about the 1.2 being not much slower than the 1.4 has me yearning! The 1.4s also have the crazy large turning circle shared with 500 1.4s which make three point turn necessary in embarrassingly silly spaces .

 

[Wee Smurf]

Hi Murf. I've driven every version of the over the years and own a Multijet myself.

Going on your friend's description, I'd avoid the Multijet as she doesn't sound like she'll drive it enough to keep it right. I'd also avoid the stiff ride of the 100HP. That leaves the 1.2 and the 1.1. Of those, I prefer the 1.2 as the 1.1 feels like it needs pushed on to keep going. For you, the newer Eco models with lower emissions will have lower tax than the older models. Later models towards the end of production will be more likely to be better equipped as they used up the last of their supplies of stocks.

 

[koalar]

I drive both a 1.1 06 and 1.2 05

nothing between them driving around town.

1.1 is cheaper insurance.

neither are as good as a 1L Suzuki splash I drove last week.


might depend which version engine you have. 05 has the square oil filler as the 06 is round but both have the older throttle cables.

 

[09 johno]

I like my 1.1, its cheap, economical and will sit at motorway speed all day.
its not a rocket by any means, but it 'does what it says on the tin'

 

[ytareh]

I drive both a 1.1 06 and 1.2 05

nothing between them driving around town.

1.1 is cheaper insurance.

neither are as good as a 1L Suzuki splash I drove last week.


might depend which version engine you have. 05 has the square oil filler as the 06 is round but both have the older throttle cables.

That Suzuki Splash DOES look good !!!Only made for a short period ? Did the one you drove have the pod rev counter ?Was it annoying/ in line of sight or ok ? Great mpg reported by users but are they anyway nippy / fun to drive ? Would have been tempted by a new one if still available if I thought they had a bit of agility and fun .

 

[koalar]

Yep had the dash pod. It's very small and didn't get annoying. Bought for £200 with no clutch. Drove it 40 miles including around kings Lyme. Had to start the car in gear and could only go up the box. Surprised how flexible the 1l 3 cylinder engine was. Very little body roll for such a tall car and more boot space. Has a plastic tray under the boot carpet to stow wet boots and so on.


New clutch and it's as good as new. Nice gear change. Didn't really notice a heavy peddle du to it being cable operated

 

[murfman53]

If the price difference isn't too graet and the car is good and properly serviced I would still go for the 1.2. It's just nicer to use. 100cc really should not make any difference but it is a new engine model so I guess that's where it gets the benefit. It's also slightly better on fuel though not hugely.


If the roads get salted around your area take a very close look at back axles especially around the spring pans. They are not well painted at the factory so they do corrode. Good used axles are rare (in UK anyway) and new costs are enough to write off the car.

Thanks for your comments DaveMcT. I agree with you 100%. As for the rear suspension, when buying my 1.2 panda it was one of the first places to look for rust. Luckily, mine is in great shape, and still is after 4 years of ownership.

 

[murfman53]

Hi Murf.Im in Ireland also ,near Dublin .I have driven all the Pandas except the 1.2 .Id say it's great being a more economical and faster than the 1.1 .I currently have a 1.1 Active Eco 2010 in red with 62k km .I bought it with only 5500km on the clock two and a bit years ago , I was told it came from an elderly gent who hardly used it .It has NCT till November and tax till next July .I might be selling ( price almost certainly beginning with a '2' ) .The 2010 Eco models had higher top gear , synthetic oil , low resistance Contintal tyres ( mine lasted until around 50k km but I had to get new ones eventually despite trying to preserve the low mileage credibility - steering wheel is very fresh anyway ) .Mine gets around 52mpg on my two hours daily commute but I'm rarely in traffic .
You're welcome to have a look and I'd be curious to see how the 1.2 compares .The Ecos are particularly gutless but the airbox and grille can be trimmed a bit to release a little more power .
The 100hp is over rated in my opinion ( it's certainly not fast and the handling only impresses at 40-60mph ) compared with the glorious purity of the small standard petrol car .
While one or two have complained of Panda reliability I'd say a 2004 would give an 02 Micra or 04 Yaris a run for their money in reliability stakes ....
A reasonably well looked after 1.1 FIRE engine can have spotless oil after an oil change even at 60k + miles I've seen it in several Fiat cars which is always a nice sight after a diy service ( then again you neglect them at your peril )

Post 2008 Ecos will be €200 Road tax whether 1.1 or 1.2 but the earlier ones are 330 and 358 Euro approx . Diesels are awesome mpg monsters (68 religiously ) but eat wishbones due to heavier engine over front axle ( which also numbs handling - and in heavy rain /standing floodwater a small diesel is prone to chronic oversteer / fish tailing due to light tail - dont ask me how I know !)

Daves comment about the 1.2 being not much slower than the 1.4 has me yearning! The 1.4s also have the crazy large turning circle shared with 500 1.4s which make three point turn necessary in embarrassingly silly spaces .

Hi tarehy,


I might take you up on that. I'm sort of thinking of coming up the years from my present 2007 1.2 red panda to something a few years younger. Must chat you about, and get some more info and details from you.
John.

 

[murfman53]

Hi Murf. I've driven every version of the over the years and own a Multijet myself.

Going on your friend's description, I'd avoid the Multijet as she doesn't sound like she'll drive it enough to keep it right. I'd also avoid the stiff ride of the 100HP. That leaves the 1.2 and the 1.1. Of those, I prefer the 1.2 as the 1.1 feels like it needs pushed on to keep going. For you, the newer Eco models with lower emissions will have lower tax than the older models. Later models towards the end of production will be more likely to be better equipped as they used up the last of their supplies of stocks.

Hi Wee Smurf,
I was up your nake of the woods earlier this week looking at a 89 fiat ducato camper. Didn't buy it a little rough and neglected unfortunately. Back to the panda. You're right the diesel, the girl in question suffers from asthma and a diesel car would be a NO NO!!!
Something simple and honest, this buyer is not really concerned about motoring details, if it comes with cheaper tax or insurance that would influence her more.
Back and forward to work (12 miles round trip) is the distance any car she'll own will cover.
Thanks for your comments Wee Smurf.
John.

 

[murfman53]

I drive both a 1.1 06 and 1.2 05

nothing between them driving around town.

1.1 is cheaper insurance.

neither are as good as a 1L Suzuki splash I drove last week.


might depend which version engine you have. 05 has the square oil filler as the 06 is round but both have the older throttle cables.

Hi koalar,


I tweaked that alright about the filler shapes. Did a service on a 1.1 recently.


Thanks for pointing out the cheaper insurance, and of course the tax will be cheaper



as well at 330 euros.


John.

 

[murfman53]

I like my 1.1, its cheap, economical and will sit at motorway speed all day.
its not a rocket by any means, but it 'does what it says on the tin'

Hi johno,


If the girl in question seen your comments her response would be


"Give me one of them, thank you very much!!!"


John.

 

[ytareh]

I never found my old Panda diesel 2005 pre DPF (2008?) too smokey ( except when changing oil etc ) but the two diesel 500s I've test driven would give a village bronchitis !!!I think if they're stuck in dealers getting short test drives or maybe even just driven around the sales yard they become horrifically smokey ( Doesn't diesel get added to oil to give DPF a boost - and in extreme cases has been known to cause engine to run away out of control and pretty much blow up,turbo etc ???!!!)
MIGHT be interested in trading back down the years with cash my way . But being frank a good 2003/4Panda could be every bit as good or possibly BETTER than a 2010/11 !!!( Although the Eco will give a few extra mpg at the cost of speed- an untweaked 1.1 Eco is a gutless thing that sounds only marginally better than a washing machine ! ( You just need to cut out the restrictive baffles from inside of airbox and remove a plastic plate behind grille .I presume all that nonsense is for emissions rather than economy .The Eco airbox is noticably more clogged up with plastic 'walls ' than the older Pandas / Centos etc .Def worth a half second off 0-60 and an extra mpg !!!And I HAVE driven through high flood water with this done .The diesel Panda is the real flood warrior ,I once had wife cover her eyes in terror screaming as I tried to turn a Multijet into a submarine ! The diesel could also tow an Octavia up a moderately steep hill , and pulled one out of a ditch also !!!
I miss it but I'm not sure I'd go back from the Eco due to far quicker warm up , less stress on front suspension parts and better handling , less frequent oil change etc ...
I'm near Lucan if you want to send me a pm MURF

 

[murfman53]

Hi ytareh,


I'll be in touch about popping up to you and looking at the Panda you have.


This week I have to collect 2006 1.1 panda this Monday.


Tuesday I have to put my 92 weinsberg fiat ducato 2.5 non-turbo for DOE.


Thursday bringing someone to hospital.


Saturday bringing my 2007 1.2 panda in for NCT test.


John.

 

[ytareh]

Did you get the 2006 for your 'girl driver'? You've a busy Fiat week ahead of you ! Not sure if im going to go to classic car show today myself .Grey day to take a classic out in so might be bad turnout .I don't have a classic but I'm curious ...I s the insurance similar with the motor homes ? Small mileage and you have to be insured on something else ? I'd prefer a daily driver ...

 

[murfman53]

Did you get the 2006 for your 'girl driver'? You've a busy Fiat week ahead of you ! Not sure if im going to go to classic car show today myself .Grey day to take a classic out in so might be bad turnout .I don't have a classic but I'm curious ...I s the insurance similar with the motor homes ? Small mileage and you have to be insured on something else ? I'd prefer a daily driver ...

Hi ytareh,


The girl driver went to look at the car yesterday and was very pleased and have



agreed a price of 900 euros after I have checked it over on Monday.


Regarding the classic day out...................where is it being held? Didn't know a


thing about it, I have a classic myself. A 1974 vw beetle 1200 cc blue. Lovely


condition just in to deal a few bits. Then a 1970 vw beetle black in colour


also a 1200cc, this needs a total rebuild, but the base is in sound condition.


My motorhome insurance is 450 yoyos, ths classic insurance on the beetle is


225 euros, with limited mileage. I can make the camper my daily vehicle


if i wanted but it wound cost 900 euros for the year. The tax on the beetle is


52 euros, and as for the limited mileage, the insurance company never ask


for the mileage reading on the clock, so limited mileage in practice doesn't


exist. I think they are happy to take your money.......................but make sure


you don't have an accident. If you see what I'm saying.


John.

 

[ytareh]

Lots of useful info there thanks .2006 fair price if it's a low/med miles good one but if it needed money spent I'd keep looking .Wishbones ( radius /suspension arms) and general rust underneath esp rear beam are weaknesses but in general they're a great yoke .But you know that .Classic car auction Swords today from 11am