What are FIAT Pandas really like?

[taurus]

As well as the family caravan tug I like to have something small, old and cheap to belt around in for work and carrying my smelly sailing kit around.

I have welded my current hack through a couple of MOTs but it ain't going to last forever.

For some reason my eye keeps wandering to Pandas - but I've never run a FIAT. I think it was a holiday in Italy that started it, anything that can survive that kind of driving must be reasonably decent.

So - over to the collective wisdom on here - whose had them and what are they like?

(Poverty spec small petrol is what I like to use)

[gazz81]

Are yo talking original Panda or new ones?
I had an original one as my first car, all of 750cc of pure Italian power!
Still ran after I rolled it twice, unfortunately nothing else did.

[MkX]

I've gone on record as not being a fan of FIAT.

They fail in the 2 most important areas;
They rot badly quickly.
The mechanicals aren't robust.
!!AVOID!!

Doubtless there are people on these forums with a totally different perspective.
I'm told they've improved on both counts recently.

If you're after a cheap car which isn't badly engineered, won't rot too quickly, is cheap to insure, cheap to run, has good spares availability, etc. I'd consider a Peugeot 106.
If you're doing a few miles the diesel is definitely worth considering as long as you can get an unabused example with sensible mileage.

[steveg]

I had a couple of them back in the early 90's when it was very easy to find parts at the scrappy. In fact I bought a whole one for the gearbox, drove it home stripped off nearly everything useful then got a tow back from a friend with a Range Rover !
It was fun at the time and I actually enjoyed driving them but that might just have been down to not having to care what happened.

If you are talking about the new ones then they are probably getting close to being a bargain cheap runabout like the old ones were when I had them.

I've had an AX and a 106 and while they aren't quite as bad rust wise they will do and they also have expensive to fix rear axles. Even they are getting a bit old to walk in the local scrappy and grab a better rear beam of another car now.

[PHUQ]

Assuming you are talking the old ones- a friend took his to Morocco the other year on Panda Raid, without any real problems (I think the exhaust got a thwack and cracked the manifold, and he had a UJ let go or similar). Would kind of suggest the mechanicals are pretty good- other than a few bash plates etc it was pretty much untouched.

He's got 4, ish- one resto project 4x4 (his first car), the running 4x4, a 2wd semi- mobile shed/ parts car/ one day project and a Seat Marbella with a Lancia Y10 turbo in that he hillclimbs and sprints. So someone loves them at least!

[MiataMark]

If you're talking about the new one, they're good cars quite roomy inside. I ran ours up to 107K with only normal wear items except the power steering (but I think that was cured by a new battery not the new rack etc put in by the garage).

My wife had an original (Classic) as a new car apart from the HG going in the first few months it was fine but too small really.

Mark (who likes Fiat's)

[taurus]

Thanks for the suggestions, however this idea has got derailed by a Toyota Corolla dropping into things. An old friend sadly passed away and his car is sat in the garage going nowhere. He looked after it himself for all of the massive 25k he did over the years.

[bigdaz]

I had one years ago was the worst car I've ever owned
It was constantly breaking down put me right off fiats
I'd rather pick up dog poo with out gloves then own another one

[oddball]

I've had several Fiats and never had any problems with any of them. The Mrs had a Punto from new for ten years and it never needed anything other than servicing and tyres. For the first seven years it didn't even need the oil topping up between services!

Strangely, it has been the two Toyotas I've had that both died with engine issues!

[PandaSelecta]

Jun 4, 2016 14:23:11 GMT bigdaz said:

I had one years ago was the worst car I've ever owned
It was constantly breaking down put me right off fiats
I'd rather pick up dog poo with out gloves then own another one

You must have just been unlucky, as they're great little cars.

The running gear lasts forever if cared for

[taurus]

Well the Corolla has fallen through - so I am back looking for a new hack. I don't know what it is about the Panda that is appealing, probably the more poverty spec the better.

[madmog]

I had a basic Panda 750 back in the '90s. It was fine for what it was. Normal around town but very noisy on the motorway. The seats gave me back pain quite a lot. Adjustable seats but not very supportive. Mechanicals were simple and cheap.

I think I read that it was designed as an interpretation of the 2cv. Utilitarian, one of the cheapest new cars at the time. All the glass was flat to save money, left windows were the same piece of glass as the right windows.

[dodgerover]

An 'associate' flipped one end over end over a hump back bridge when he was 16 and walked away, must be stronger than they look