My Panda at 300 miles review
I've had my Panda a month now and it has 300 miles on the clock.
Here is my review
I paid £6500 for my Panda (would have been £6100 without the metallic paint) it is the standard 1.1 Eco Active and has but has all the features you would expect such as ABS, PAS, electric windows, central locking and a CD player other than it is more basic.
My first impressions:-
An refreshingly simple car with skinny high profile tyres to absorb the bumps and a very simple engine. When I first looked into the engine I could instantly see what everything did, it is a standard multipoint 1.1 8V single overhead cam FIRE engine which is a safe engine.
Driving ****
As the engine is new it seemed rather slow at first but as the miles are increasing its getter looser. I can get to any speed I wish it just requires good timing with the gears. The steering, gear change and pedals are all perfectly weighted. Everything is light but still has a nice mechanical feel to it, the throttle linkage for example is by cable not computer. The steering is extremely direct compared to other cars I have driven with EPAS. The city steering mode is purely a gimmick as the steering is light enough. If you need city steering in a Panda check your tyre pressures.
The gear stick is in the middle of the dash on the centre console and I thought it would feel odd. From the second I drove the car away from the dealers I haven't thought twice about it. The gear change was a little notchy but its loosened up nicely and while not to Ford standards it is a pleasure to use. I find I need to use 2nd and 3rd a lot during accelerating but once the desired speed is reached the engine cruises near silently in 4th or 5th and most the road noise is from the Contental tyres.
The clutch is hydraulic too which is a nice bonus. I always prefer the feel of hydraulic ones.
The handling is extremely good it and corners very well at speed but it really could do with a rear anti roll bar as the body roll is quite bad at times.
Comfort ****
Both as the driver and passenger (my mates Panda) it is a very comfortable place to be. I can fit in the rear in long journeys without any problem and I am almost 6ft. Inside the car feels much bigger than it is. The high up driving position is great in the city. The seats offer decent support but its no limo.
The seatbelts are not height adjustable which is a problem in the back as I find it rubs on my shoulder.
Build Quality and Design ****
FIAT have clearly put a lot of effort into the design, the engine bay for example is extremely simple and everything looks accessible. The dashboard is very solid the materials are a bit bland but all the switches feel as good as any other car. It is light years ahead of the Punto MK1 my dad used to have in this respect.
There are no rattles and even over the worst roads the suspension is completely silent. The trim feels basic but very hard wearing. The electric window motors all sound very healthy and are not the pathetically weak sounding things you got in FIATs off old. The doors all shut with a healthy clunk and the central locking solenoids are instant.
Safety ***
The base model comes with ABS and twin airbags. It has a 3 star NCAP score but it would have been 4 if it had more standard equipment. The 500 (which has the same platform) scores 5 star so the Panda is probably better than its NCAP score suggests. I would have liked an option for side airbags on the base spec model.
Overall ****
Extremely good to drive in the city but on the motorway you do feel fact its only got 54bhp. A remote boot release would be nice as would a locking petrol cap. The Active does now at least come with a 12v point! Its an extremely enjoyable city car and I am falling in love with it but if I spent all my time on the motorway I would simply need something more powerful.
I am currently getting 40mpg which is not too bad considering its a brand new engine and thats all stop start city work.
Hopefully I will write another review with regard to long term ownership. All of which is too soon to say. I've had no problems with the car yet but its only done 300 miles!
Pics
Lovely bodywork and great paint finish. Its not the best looking car in the world but that is part of its charms. It looks different.
i167.photobucket.com/albums/u141/amazingtrade/10052010075-1.jpg
The dashboard is extremely well made and dosn't rattle. All the buttons have a high quality damped feel about them. This is the one area of the car which makes the car feel much more expensive than it is.
img823.imageshack.us/img823/1562/12052010077.jpg
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 11 Jun 10 at 00:27
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Thanks for taking the trouble to write your review. I always enjoy reading them.
Regarding the seat belt rubbing the shoulder - I had the same problem. I solved it by getting a couple of cheap seat belt covers from fleabay.
Sorted.
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>> I've had my Panda a month now and it has 300 miles on the clock.
300 in a month? !! In the days when cars received the first service at 500 miles, I used to book the first service when I picked the car up and then go out at the weekend and do 500 miles just to be able to get the car serviced!
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Good review, thanks.
You didn't mention the registration number though? ;-)
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Nice review - just the sort of detail (and focus) I'm interested in - the practical stuff in other words.
You did miss a trick though R&S - you didn't mention the possibilities of lift-off oversteer & less than perfect track-day manners ;)
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>> I've had my Panda a month now and it has 300 miles on the clock.
Crikey, you'll be re-fuelling it soon!
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Although the amount of miles I have done in it is low it can take half an hour to get three miles down the road if the traffic is bad.
The seat belt problem is not in my car, its in my mates which is identical. I have no problem at all in the front with the seat belts rubbing :).
Just a little niggle I forgot to mention if the steering wheel is at its highest setting it blocks the induicator warning lights and the relay is nearly silent. I had to low the steering wheel about 1cm so this dosn't happen.
The other niggle is that the clutch rest is behind the centre consule but I soon got used to that and it is actually very comfortable. My Corsa didn't have room for my left foot.
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Good review!
>> Its not the best looking car in the world
I'm still drawn to them, dunno why.
I had a shot in a punto and i liked the ride quality, felt really well damped, wheels never lost contact with some really rough road at high speed.
I could not get used to the too light steering. I don't like the idea of steering so light there is no feedback at all. Can't get used to the idea there's no difference in resistance whether the wheels at 0 degrees or 45 degrees, can't feel which direction the wheels are pointing. City button? I don't like the Italian sense of humour :-P
EDIT: Going by the photo's the Panda is a nicer place to be inside than the Punto.
Last edited by: CraigP on Fri 11 Jun 10 at 12:09
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It is its built in a different factory and I am guessing the Panda is done by Robots more as everything just fits perfectly. My Corsa had electric steering too so I am probably used to it. The Panda has more read feeling than the Corsa did.
As most will know I broke my elbow in December and everytime I drove my dads Fiesta (with hydraulic power steering) I used to get eblow ache afterwards. With the Panda I have been fine thanks to the light steering.
The biggest critism of driving is the engine is unpowered but I knew that before I bought it and those on the FIAT forum reckons after 1000-2000 miles they loosen up and become more powerful.
I should also mention the boot which although the depth is quite small it is very tall so you can get an awful lot in there. The BMW 5 series boot is only twice the size.
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Really good review, a good read. :-)
out of intrest, is there much difference in the weight and feel of the steering compared to Normal Vs City?
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City makes parking in really tight spots easier but it probably does nothing more than cause premature wear on the motor. City mode dosn't work after about 10mph because the steering would be dangeriously light.
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Did Fiat rob the Ford parts bin? Those air vents look very similar to the ones in my works 10 plate Transit Connect.
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Yes there are lots of part bin bits. The most obvious ones are:-
Hand brake lever from a MK1 and MK2 Punto
Instrunment binicle from the Punto MK2
Indicator stalks from the Punto MK2
Other than it all seems to be original but the same platform is used on the Fiat 500 and the Ford Ka.
A lot of parts are shared between the three cars which saves money. The engine is just the standard FIRE unit which has been used since 1985 but has a multipoint injection system.
Not sure if the same airvents would be used in the Transit Connect but they are very similar.
Interesting this is the inside of a Great Wall Peri. FIAT took them court and Great Wall got an injunction banning the car from Europe but it looks identical the Panda. How can Great Wall deny they copied the Panda?
www.coches20.com/wp-content/uploads/3-great-wall-peri-novedad-china-en-venezuela.jpg
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ah yes but when you look at that picture they did at least do some blue sky thinking
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Do they fit the FIAT engine to the Ford Ka?
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>> The gear stick is in the middle of the dash on the centre console and I thought it would feel odd.
Some cars have it and I like them. It is a more natural position where your feels compared to conventional gear stick location where the hand needs to travel a distance.
Nice review BTW.
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>> Nice review BTW.
Yes, orderly and well written. But which end lets go first in extreme cornering, and why? Does it lift a rear wheel like a caught-short pooch passing a convenient lamp post, or a front wheel like a polite pooch shaking hands? Does it squirrel on bumpy twisties? Can brake fade be induced?
Only kidding Rattolo. It's obviously going to last a thousand years, like the... oh, never mind.
:o}
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hey rattle how much mpg does it do when you just put £10 in, and is it smaller than the corsa you had? meant the interior and exterior dimensions
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Got 74 miles out of my last £10. Thats with fuel at 114.9p and its all stop start city work.
To answer another question the Ford Ka uses the FIAT FIRE engines too :) although the 1.1 is not an option in the Ka.
It is quite a bit smaller than the Corsa but inside it feels roomier because of the high roofline and high driving position. The boot is a lot smaller than the Corsa. The car is much easier to drive than the Corsa was.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 11 Jun 10 at 18:31
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was that 74 miles short runs, on my jazz i got 78 miles that included the motorway runs, i filled up when the light comes on, but if its just short runs like i drive to work 10 miles per day and no motorway work it prob do about 60 ish that not bad for a 1.4 jazz
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The last £10 74 mile run was all 30mph limit city roads. Probably spend as much time ideling as moving. They reckon on the Panda forum that 60mpg is average on the motorway and 45-50mpg in the city. I am probably getting around 40mpg at the moment but they also tell me this engine needs about 2000 miles to run in and econemey is poor before then. Time will tell. Either way I am visiting the pumps a lot less than I was with my Corsa and fuel is also more expensive.
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>> Do they fit the FIAT engine to the Ford Ka?
I belive the FIAT derived KA has the 1242 FIRE engine, so yes, but the next size up.
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i167.photobucket.com/albums/u141/amazingtrade/10052010075-1.jpg
Does everyone else on your street drive a white van Ratttle?
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Excellent review comrade & nice jamjar.
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Glad you like it Rattle. Good car IMO. We bought one in 2005 and nothing has gone wrong with it yet. It does 50mpg (1.2 Dynamic) and it's quiet and comfortable. The only omission I notice when I drive it is air conditioning if it's warm.
It sounds a bit tappety to me sometimes, probably because it has proper tappets!
I can't believe you've only done 300 miles in a month though - I'd have been off to the Lakes or Bowland with it for a good run round in it at the first, second, and third opportunity. After 40 years of motoring I still want to get properly acquainted with a new car as soon as I can.
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As I said I will be using it more from October.
There are no white vans on my steet the place next door to me was just having a lot of work done.
I will probably take it to Anglesey in October which is a 240 mile round trip but its also an easy to drive.
And yep no hydraulic tappets in many ways the engine is backwards from my old 1.2 16 Corsa which had
A chain
Twin cam
Coil pack on a rail over the plugs
My Panda is
Single cam
Belt driven
Has HT leads
Still it only emits 119 co2 which means cheap tax of £30 a year (unless the new leaches increase it)
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Sat 12 Jun 10 at 12:29
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Rattle - if you first long run is not until October, I suggest you give it a good run around the M60 at varying speeds. That will help break it in nicely.
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And yep no hydraulic tappets in many ways the engine is backwards from my old 1.2 16 Corsa which had
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> what is that noise from the back i hear?
oh yes it has
i have also read that it has special oil in it to reduce resistance in the engine,no idea what grade that will be but i also strongly suggest you do some mixed driving rather than just poddling down the shops in it or you are going to do it major harm
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...i also strongly suggest you do some mixed driving...
I was thinking the same, a few fast A and B road runs of some length required.
Don't suppose he's got the thing properly warmed up yet.
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I do need to take it onto the M60 for a while. The engine is often on for around 30 minutes at a time so it probably has warmed up. If I have to do a very short journey I usualy go the long way round to make sure no condensation is left in the exhaust.
It does use special oil but the hand book seems to suggest any 5/30 or 10/40 is ok. I shall probably use the stuff they recomend on the FIAT forums though.
The tyres are supposed to be 'special' too but they are just bog standard Contentental Eco Contact 3's a lot of superminis use them.
I am guessing it is the profile but then I think they are 155/80/13 which I don't think is unique either.
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Rattolo, I have to agree with others that your nice blue Panda needs some proper exercise, sooner rather than later. I sometimes 'go the long way round' myself when doing short local journeys, just to let the temperature gauge reach the normal mark. But even that doesn't guarantee there won't be a puddle left in the back box. It can take half an hour at road speed, 50 to 70 mph, to dry the exhaust system out properly.
What you need ideally is an adventurous girlfriend who will drag you off to Spain or Italy by road for an entertaining holiday, or failing that a friend who will go halves on the costs and has done it before.
Don't just stay at home or you will grow old before your time.
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is it just me or does nobody just drive somewhere for the fun of it.
when i was younger id do hundreds of miles over a weekend in the car just to get more experience and broaden my horizons.
drive the car and use it as much as you can. go out and give it an hr at 70mph and go exploring somewhere youve never been before
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I try to get my new cars delivered a couple of weeks before i go on holiday so that in its first month/1000 miles it gets a really good shake down.
Rattle, you really need to get the Panda out of the city traffic now, not wait until October, spending its first 1000 miles crawling along in traffic/idling is not going to be good for it. You have some great places to drive not far from you, go on, let the Panda "stretch its legs", it will be much better for it in the long run !
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Its just no fun anymore. Everywhere I go there are cop cars at junctions waiting for that person to go through on amber or do 31 through the junction. The labour government have taken the fun out. I do really enjoy driving in North Wales though and I do look forward that.
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"Everywhere I go there are cop cars at junctions waiting for that person to go through on amber"
"I do really enjoy driving in North Wales though and I do look forward that."
Some might think you paranoid Rattle but the forces of evil are out there too lurking round every bend out to check what you are thinking and doing, Don't so much as think about exceeding the speed limit or parking on a yellow line . Be afraid very afraid. Just remember - They are all out to get you.
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>> Its just no fun anymore. Everywhere I go there are cop cars at junctions waiting
>> for that person to go through on amber or do 31 through the junction. The
>> labour government have taken the fun out.
Rattle, you wont get knicked for going through a light on amber, its not an offence, nor will you get knicked for doing 31 mph.
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>> Its just no fun anymore. Everywhere I go there are cop cars at junctions waiting
>> for that person to go through on amber or do 31 through the junction. The
>> labour government have taken the fun out. I do really enjoy driving in North Wales
>> though and I do look forward that.
Rattle, I think you should trade the Fiat in and get one of these
www.mobilitysmart.cc/index.php?p=product&products_id=10437&cid=44
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 13 Jun 10 at 20:02
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>> trade the Fiat in and get one of these
... or even one of these (Bath chair, zimmer frame, crutches, stretcher on wheels, etc).
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>> I sometimes 'go the long way round' myself when doing short local journeys, just to let the temperature gauge reach the normal mark.
Same here. I'll purposely drive on a slight detour to dry out the (expensive on my car) exhaust if on a short journey that I can't avoid. It helps keep the engine clean too, as the oil gets hot enough to 'burn off' the condensation build up that causes the oil to get more contaminated on short journeys. May sound a bit anal to some but good practice if you're planning to keep your car long term at minimal cost.
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Done 20 miles in it today as I had to go on a meal and pick up some of my mates that drank too much last night.
As I said I am just so nervious about cameras especialy at junctions as I will probably stop when I shoudln't just to avoid a ticket. For now the best I will probably do is take it on a long run down the M60 next week it should at least get rid of the cob webs and if I do that every few weeks till October it should be ok.
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For goodness sake Rattle, you have the perfect ring road ( the M60) on your doorstep.
Fill the tank to the brim, go out and do a full circle run of the M60 at 70MPH and then fill up again, and look at it as a fuel consumption excercise.
the mileage will do you, and the car, the world of good.
You need confidence in your driving and the car, you won't get that doing a few local miles a week.
Then next week promise yourself a trip over the Cat & Fiddle and stop at the top and admire the view:)
Pat
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the only way you will ever get over the paranoia of thinking you are being watched all the time is to do the miles. it wont matter at all if come sale time the car has 20 or 50k miles so use the bloomin thing.
ive never had a ticket in over 1 million miles and i never stick to the letter of the law.
i do an indicated 75 on the motorways and a little over the limits in other areas wehere its safe to do and im a press on type of driver and ive never had a breakdown or even a flat tyre and all my cars are new except an ageing merc 190 that just wont die
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Lack of use is a form of car abuse, use it properly, give it a motorway blast now and again or you will suffer problems in years to come. I have just given my car a hard weeks driving in the Scottish highlands with a full load, it has now done 3,000 miles and is running better all the time.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 13 Jun 10 at 19:58
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I completely agree. Pick a quiet evening and have a run round the M60. You can get Nurburgring style stickers for the boot lid to confirm you have done it.
I used a couple of laps to hone my cruise control technique, this being a new thing for me.
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Rattle you really should try "making progress" on a single track road with passing places, blind bends, and blind crests. There are no roundabouts, traffic lights, cameras, or police. The down side is if you get it wrong there may not be mobile reception and the rescue helicopter can take an hour to get to you.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 13 Jun 10 at 20:18
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>> Then next week promise yourself a trip over the Cat & Fiddle and stop at
>> the top and admire the view:)
...then from Buxton carry on north through Hayfield, Glossop, Woodhead Road to Holmfirth and back home via Greenfield.
Never in the field of motoring has so much advice been given by so many to so few ;-)
Last edited by: Manatee on Sun 13 Jun 10 at 20:58
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>> Then next week promise yourself a trip over the Cat & Fiddle and stop at
>> the top and admire the view:)
>>
I did that in our 100HP a couple of years back. Made me smile :-)
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>> What you need ideally is an adventurous girlfriend who will.....
And if you don't want her, can I take her off your hands.
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My Panda isn't exactly a pulling machine though, nobody under the age of 50 understands why I bought it! They all reckon I should have bought a second hand Beemer. Not exactly much use as a the Didsbury express which is what my Panda basically is.
Before I know it it will be a static carravan in wales I am spending my money on and I will be gray and have a zimmer frame.
I have the car, I should really sort the girl out :).
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>> My Panda isn't exactly a pulling machine though, nobody under the age of 50 understands
>> why I bought it!
I have my bus pass, and after passing tests for various vehicles and advanced training I still do not consider myself to be a "good" driver. The type of car you drive makes no difference, you can't beat miles under your wheels on all types of road to hone your skills, and you never stop learning.
I don't know about you sorting out a girl, I think you need one to sort you out. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 13 Jun 10 at 21:35
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I am working on it :)
I consider myself a good driver in a very limited settings. E.g in the city I like to think I am a safe driver but I am awful on other sorts of roads and have no skills. I suppose what I mean is I am a crap driver but I don't take risks, I just let the people crash into people behind me - not my problem! :p
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Take heart Rattle. The best kind of adventurous girl can see well beyond a second-hand Beemer, or a Panda.
One of the cars I have most enjoyed was an 895cc Polo (new in 1979, a company issue that I'd no choice in). Your Panda is light-years ahead of that, and is everything you need to acquire those driving skills that you think you lack (I don't, incidentally - you obviously have self-control which puts you ahead of 90% of newish, male, drivers).
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I had just turned 26 when I passed so I was quite a bit older than the males which cause the bad reputation. My mother has always been scared of cars too and I think thats where I get my nerviousness from.
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tiny.cc/ee82d
Perhaps you should think about trying this link Rattle, it would do wonders for your ability and confidence.
Pat
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Agreed, that car needs a few miles. As you are self-employed, take tomorrow and the day after off, it's a lovely sunny day.
Pobably best leave home about 7am, up to Crumpsall, Rochdale, Hebden Bridge, Keighley, Bolton Abbey, Threshfield, Gammersgill, Leyburn, Barnard Castle, Stanhope, Blanchland, Hexham, Bellingham, Kielder, Hawick, Langholm, and back home down the M6.
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FIAT Panda 1.1 Active Eco - My review - Londoner
