Panda Pop - advice

[selym]

I'm contemplating taking a 65 plate Fiat Panda Pop 1.2 off a family member's hands and am trying to work out if it'd be the single biggest regret of my life!
It'll be required to do 2 X 100 mile journeys a week - 30% motorway, 70% A road. A couple of times a year I'll be doing a 400 mile journey over the space of a week. Does anyone have any experience of using such a vehicle to do such journeys?
I quite fancy the frugal nature of the car, and the boot will just do for space.
Cheers.

[kilarney]

My daughter has one and its ok and certainly can do the journey you say. They fall to bits at about 4 years ( sump rust, rear shockers, brakes, exhaust) then you fix it and on it goes. Make sure it doesnt misfire as its far from straightforward to fix and a common problem. For all that its strangely likeable.Fiat part prices are bonkers though and the support is exactly what you would expect Im afraid - hopeless.

My son has a citigo and its a better car and more economical but the seats are uncomfortable so pays your money. Skoda dealers generally poor as well ime of dealing with two of them but enough other VW outlets to paste over the cracks.

Im probably going to swap the panda for another citigo.

Oh I should say in both cases overtaking isnt going to happen

Edited by kilarney on Saturday 18th August 13:12

[hairyben]

We put quite a few klicks on rental over 9 days in Italy last year, no complaints at all (and I've found poor small cars insufferable on long journeys)

[Doofus]

Panda Pops. That takes me back....

[selym]

Doofus said:

Panda Pops. That takes me back....

Yeah, it can't be a coincidence!

Cheers all, we are still torn but I think I'm going to keep the Octavia estate. Although the boot in the Panda is deceptively spacious, I love the load lugging properties of the Skoda.