Fiat Panda

[Robotstar5]

Mrs Robo's Meriva is starting to cost too much to keep the last couple of years so as she has had a couple of Pandas before decided to look at one as a replacement.

Today she picked this up.

It looks nice, seems nice, but is there anything I should look out for?, currently 28,000 miles with a full service history.

 

[Kayos]

What engine is it?

We are currently in a legal battle over the Mrs Fiat 500x with head gasket failure at 32k

Hers is the 1.0 3 cylinder turbo

 

[Robotstar5]

What engine is it?

We are currently in a legal battle over the Mrs Fiat 500x with head gasket failure at 32k

Hers is the 1.0 3 cylinder turbo

4 cylinder 1.2, although there was an option of a 900cc turbo charged twin which sounds like a lawn mower

 

[Kayos]

4 cylinder 1.2, although there was an option of a 900cc turbo charged twin which sounds like a lawn mower

That's the multiair I think, whole other world of problems

I think they are the same platform, other than the engine it has been a great car

 

[Jackimus]

Only two things that come to mind are subframe corrosion and that the wiring bundle to the tailgate (for rear lights, wipers etc) can get knackered from strain as it is very short and tight.

 

[Robotstar5]

That's the multiair I think, whole other world of problems

I think they are the same platform, other than the engine it has been a great car

The garage specialised in small Fiats, outside were all the Pandas, 500's and inside the showroom was full of Abarth models with matching price tags.

 

[rtcosic]

Being of a suspicious nature.....why the red-painted towing eyes?
Not usual for a One Lady owner, only used to go to Church every week.

 

[Kayos]

Being of a suspicious nature.....why the red-painted towing eyes?
Not usual for a One Lady owner, only used to go to Church every week.

From what I have seen it is factory

 

[Robotstar5]

Being of a suspicious nature.....why the red-painted towing eyes?
Not usual for a One Lady owner, only used to go to Church every week.

I wondered too, but they are standard on all the City Cross models, either to give it the "off roader" look or does it need towing home a lot

 

[dobbslc]

Yeah it's for the AA, RAC etc so they can find them much faster at the side of a dark motorway...


What year is it?
The 1.2 engines are meant to be pretty tough with the 8V being better that the later 16V ones. A very common fault is the gearbox input bearings failing on a manual car, so much so you can buy the repair kits on eBay, at 28k it should be fine.
My son had a 2009 500 and it was a major PITA BUT it hadn't been looked after well AND had over 90000 miles on the clock. Never again for me and Fiats...
Front wishbones are a whole front end off job as one of the bolts is hidden away behind the crash bar I think.
My sister has one and hasn't had much trouble with it but she live on the Isle of Wight so doesn't go far in it.

 

[Erie Fred]

Mrs Robo's Meriva is starting to cost too much to keep the last couple of years so as she has had a couple of Pandas before decided to look at one as a replacement.

Today she picked this up.

View attachment 538827

It looks nice, seems nice, but is there anything I should look out for?, currently 28,000 miles with a full service history.

Uhm....the steering wheel is on the wrong side ?
Must have been built on a Monday.....

 

[Mick Annick]

From what I have seen it is factory

I look after one for en elderly neighbour here, hers has red towing eyes from new.

 

[nickk]

Go and look for an immaculate/restored old one and reap the benefits. I changed my views of older fiats when I saw a handful of early 2000’s ones,even an aa driver was enthusiastic during that period.

 

[Mick Annick]

I look after one for en elderly neighbour here, hers has red towing eyes from new.

coincidentally she came round this afternoon ‘the oil light is on, can you put some in please?’ Check the dipstick, spot on, ignition on and get a message in Flemish (she’s Dutch) oilklappen or similar, look in the handbook which says it means service due, comes on every 8000kms…

 

[Turbo]

coincidentally she came round this afternoon ‘the oil light is on, can you put some in please?’ Check the dipstick, spot on, ignition on and get a message in Flemish (she’s Dutch) oilklappen or similar, look in the handbook which says it means service due, comes on every 8000kms…

That's a short interval for a modern vehicle!

 

[Mick Annick]

That's a short interval for a modern vehicle!

I think that it’s more of a reminder than you must have a service now! Even the handbook says to just reset it if necessary . Oddly it’s a left hand drive car bought new in France, but the only handbook supplied is in English, not that I’m complaining.

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

..... look in the handbook which says it means service due, comes on every 8000kms…

We have a 2018 Panda 4x4 diesel, warning light shows the number of days before a service is due, not the mileage. Obviously expects an annual service, and it starts counting down about 11 months after the previous one.

 

[Robotstar5]

The Panda came with one of those temporary repair kits which are probably fine unless you have a big hole in the tyre.

So a bit of Ebay surfing secured this