EurOppos....school me on your experience with the second-gen FIAT Panda (if you have any!)

"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike) 05/21/2018 at 16:17 • Filed to: FIAT Panda

1

43

After a few hours and discussions with Borsuq on my prospects of finding a manual-trans hatchback here in Canadia - land of massive pickup trucks and, unfortunately ever-increasingly, Crossovers and SUVs....it looks that my chances of finding any smaller hatchback with a manual transmission are pretty slim. I’m not AGAINST getting an auto if I HAD to, but I would really miss the joy that rowing my own gears gives me, even in a basic DD.

How crazy would I be to consider importing a second-gen Panda as a year-round DD when I eventually replace my Accent? Anybody have any experience with them? I would probably never do it, so consider this more of a thought exercise and general curiosity to learn more about what they are like to live with! :)

Would a low-mileage second-gen lower-trim Panda be hard to find in gas guise? A 4x4 would be great for Canadian winters for the off time I need the 4x4 mode to get un-stuck!

SCHOOL ME OPPO! :P

EDIT - I should also mention I am perfectly happy being featureless....as long as it’s a manual and has air bags, that is all I really care about! :)

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 16:32

1

i only have experience with the first gen....second gen was much nicer im told

but you just cant beat the first gen for its spartan simplicity

wonderful car

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 16:37

0

4x4 Panda’s are pretty rare (at least around these parts, and tend to be pricier in markets where they can be found), however finding a lower trim, low mileage Panda should be doable:

https://m.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=260621932&utm_source=com.apple.UIKit.activity.CopyToPasteboard&utm_medium=ios

Just an example, older ones also exist with similar mileage, for a slightly lower price

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 16:46

0

also... i think this ones too new to import

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/auto-s/fiat/m1287629247-fiat-panda-1-2-climbing-4x4-met-climate-control-motor-vervan.html?c=be2da871b0d84f75c3056cc6db858f31&previousPage=lr

but at 3 grand thats well within fuckitgivitashot money

Under_Score > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 16:53

0

Stay in the family, and slowly enter the sea of crossovers?

A Hyundai Kona is just for you.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 05/21/2018 at 16:54

0

Being in Canada, I can import anything 15 years old or older, so 2003 is I think the only year I could get at the moment....it will be awhile before I replace the Accent, but they built the second-gen Panda all the way up to 2012, so! :P

That one is quite nice, but 142,000kms for $5000 CAD plus shipping seems a bit steep :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 05/21/2018 at 16:56

1

2003 would be the only year importable to Canada right now, but the 48k km is nice. 4800 Euros is about $7000 CAD though, so that is a bit dear, plus shipping. :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 05/21/2018 at 16:56

1

Oh, I love the first gen too and would love to own one someday! BUT, as a DD, it would be a bit rust-prone here in salty Nova Scotian winters...

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 16:57

1

you probably wont find a 4x4 for much less than that tho... regardless of mileage

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Under_Score 05/21/2018 at 16:57

0

I quite like the Kona....except it has no manual option here in Canada.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 05/21/2018 at 17:00

0

I would be happy with FWD...my current Accent is FWD. The issue I have with it in the winter is that it has an Open diff, which sucks when trying to get through deeper snow when our subdivision road isn’t plowed....

Were FWD Pandas open-diffed? Assuming so...?

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:00

0

yeah you’d have to clean it obsessively

but it wont let you down..... little bastards are damn near unkillable save for rust

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:03

0

I owned a 1.3 multijet. Fun little car but the diesel ruined it so avoid that at all costs. Handling is fun and agile around town, but it feels pretty unstable on faster country roads.

Quality isn’t great, they do rust a little on the tailgates and wheel arches. Seat bolsters wear very fast, little electrical niggles. Mechanically the petrol ones seem to be fairly good though so it shouldn’t let you down.

The 4x4 is extremely slow but very capable. Over 20 seconds to 60.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:05

1

i think so.... but there is a limited slip dif kit available

also here ya go 500 bucks

https://www.autoscout24.nl/aanbod/fiat-panda-1-1-young-benzine-blauw-37e9966a-cf51-6538-e053-e350040ad018?cldtidx=2

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/21/2018 at 17:10

0

Slow I do not mind one bit! :)

I’d be going for a gas model not a fan of diesel, plus some more rural stations here don’t always have diesel on tap - I think the 4x4 only came in 1.2L guise...? Can’t remember. What kind of electrical niggles?

I’m not worried about quality. My Accent is pretty cheap in the quality department....a bit rattly as it’s at 140,000kms now (more in the winter when the cold makes everything shrink slightly) and very plasticky....but I do not mind that at all. As long as you don’t mind the quality isn’t great as in things fall off of their own volition! :P

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 05/21/2018 at 17:14

0

Coolness! So, around $900 CAD plus shipping. Doesn’t look in too bad a shape either!

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:17

0

add mentions it didnt pass mot for some little things (doesnt mention what exactly.. add also mentions he’ll fix said little things for a little extra)

but other than that.. yup... looks pretty solid

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:18

0

The 4x4 was indeed 1.2 petrol only.

Immobilisers tend to unsync with the key fobs, so the car won’t start (happened to me). Weird behaviour during to shorts sometimes as some of the wiring loom is under the cowl and not very well protected. Not all of them suffer issues but something to keep in mind.

Interiors are solid other than the seat fabric. Door handles tend to seize up and not work properly and the boot lid handle usually works loose which rubs the paint and causes the rust issues.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/21/2018 at 17:19

0

Hmmm...short of the wiring, the door handle issues seem like they could be solved by just making sure the rear handle has some locktite on it and the other handles just get lubed often?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:26

0

Yeah it’s all fixable, just needs to be given some attention.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 05/21/2018 at 17:29

0

I imagine I could find one fairly cheap in the UK as some used car prices there are laughably low somehow....but the RHD would be a dealbreaker for a lot of insurance companies over here... :(

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:31

0

Yeah it’s pretty easy to get a solid one for less than £1000. Rough but running examples can be had for £500.

duurtlang > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:39

0

I believe you can find a decent early mk2 Panda (LHD) for about €2k. Maybe less, depending on market. Not a 4x4 though, those are much more expensive (and rarer).

https://www.autoscout24.com/offers/fiat-panda-1-2-dynamic-gasoline-blue-bf378f6c-88fa-8b3f-e053-e250040a0884

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 17:43

0

James May swears by them.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/21/2018 at 17:48

0

This is true! Rest assured that is not the only reason I like them! :P

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > duurtlang 05/21/2018 at 17:49

0

I would consider a FWD as well! I just like the idea of having 4x4 when needed! :)

I quite like the color on that one! They just seem like nice little cheery, basic cars. :)

Are base model FWD models hard to find in decent nick?

Klaus Schmoll > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 18:29

0

A friend of mine is just about to turn his first gen (well, first gen of the new revived Panda) in for a second gen. He had it for nine or ten years and it never went wrong. He got it in exchange for a very broken Ford Escort during the cash for clunkers initiative. The only option was fire engine red paint. No power windows, no central locking, no AC. At around 120K miles there’s nothing really wrong with it, it would just need a few regular things to get it through the next inspection, and he has the disposable income to get a newer car with AC and some sort of Iphone connectivity.

TL/DR pretty solid cars.

gmctavish needs more space > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 19:34

0

Are all the Impreza hatches rusted away over there? That or a Suzuki SX4 are what spring to mind.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > gmctavish needs more space 05/21/2018 at 20:16

0

SX4s are around, but they are pretty rare. Imprezas can get pretty crusty around here...ask the one I used to own. :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Klaus Schmoll 05/21/2018 at 20:41

0

Cool, what trim / model was his? :)

I’ve heard they can be decently reliable. I am perfectly happy with the basest of base models, so that sounds reassuring!

gmctavish needs more space > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/21/2018 at 23:23

1

Damn, yeah I was thinking that might be the case

duurtlang > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/22/2018 at 01:22

0

They’re all rather base ;)

But no, not hard. If you allow yourself a little time that is as they were only introduced somewhere into 2003 so you’ll find a lot more from 2004 (calendar year).

WagenCollective > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/22/2018 at 06:05

0

I’ve imported my Defender from Uk to Canada (Ontario) and recently bought a second one from Italy to bring over. I live in N. Ireland half the year and Ontario the other half. If you need any help just get in touch...

Klaus Schmoll > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/22/2018 at 08:02

0

Lowest trim, base 60 hp engine. It was even somewhat fun in a slow car fast way.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > duurtlang 05/22/2018 at 08:34

0

Oh, my Accent should last me a good few years yet, so I’m a ways off. Lucki,y the second-gen Panda was built all the way until 2012. :)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > WagenCollective 05/22/2018 at 08:36

0

Oh, thank you! I’d probably be trying to find something LHD which wouldn’t be as easy for you in the UK. At least here in Nova Scotia, RHD is very hard to find companies willing to insure you and, if they do, it’s a lot more costly. :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Klaus Schmoll 05/22/2018 at 08:36

0

Just the way I like it! :)

duurtlang > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/22/2018 at 08:42

0

At this point the issue is that the cars are too young for you(r 15 year rule). They sold a ton of these and as far as I know they had no major issues causing premature death. Other than user neglect.

Availability won’t be a problem.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > duurtlang 05/22/2018 at 09:16

0

Yup, they should become available in decent numbers next year though for import here.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/27/2018 at 13:07

0

Thank you for the helpful reply on the Rio. And, Kinja is stupid.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/27/2018 at 13:08

1

Rio: what about timing belt(s)?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/27/2018 at 13:20

1

Np! FYI you can get around the current Kinja reply bug until they fix it by going to the article you want to reply on and clicking the article time/date at the top again to reload the article without being at a specific reply - it will then let the replies work!

Timing belts need to be changed every 90,000kms or so. It IS an interference engine, so they are necessary. I had mine done at 90,000km in my Accent (I’ve owned mine since 2013 and have put about 85,000kms on it). It’s been perfectly fine.

Obviously get a trustworthy mechanic to check it over if you consider it, but I’ve had almost no issues with mine. I will mention I’ve also gone through a few coil packs (I think I’ve had some or all of them replaced like 2-3 times now?), but being a Accent/Rio, parts are super cheap in general (coil packs are $18 USD each on RockAuto) and coil packs are incredibly easy to replace yourself if need be as it is coil-on-plug.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/27/2018 at 13:36

1

The hack works. Thanks for that tip. And thanks for all the info.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/27/2018 at 13:56

1

Not a problem! :D

Keep us apprised!