Panda 100hp deals

[Andrew_M]

I was looking for the cheapest new car available and happened across this deal which I thought was reasonable if you are in the market:

http://www.perrys.co.uk/fiat-panda-1.4-16v-100hp-5...

http://www.fiat.co.uk/showroom/?id=4796#showroom/p...

facts: http://www.buyacar.co.uk/fiat_panda_hatchback/car_...

£11,455.00 RRP
£9,195.00 Offer
£2260.00 Saving [almost 20%]

There are 5 dealers on autotrader wanting more than that for a used example, and the cheapest 10 reg is £8000...

Bargain?

[k-ink]

Andrew_M said:

I was looking for the cheapest new car

That's a van

[cheadle hulme]

It's got a pretty good spec for 9k too. Decent stereo, climate etc. Anyone 6'3 plus drive one?

[HellDiver]

You can get a real car for that. One that more than 2 midgets can fit in, has a 5 year warranty, and isn't a Fiat.

[Simbu]

Supposed to be nice little cars, but i can't get past the body shape. Doesn't appeal to me at all.

[Gwagon111]

They are cracking little roller-skates. Proper fun to drive, revvy little engine, quite well put together, and cheap as chips to run. It won't set the world alight, as regards performance, but if you want cheap and cheerful, it's worth a look.

[CampDavid]

cheadle hulme said:

It's got a pretty good spec for 9k too. Decent stereo, climate etc. Anyone 6'3 plus drive one?

I'm 6'2 and I had no issue on the test drive. Really well spec'd, bluetooth is standard (as it should be by now on EVERY car) and it's a riot to drive.

Loads of room inside and all in a great little car.

I managed to get a dealer in Nottingham down to £7500 cash for a brand new one back in early 2008 before circumstances got in the way of buying.

[Papa Hotel]

HellDiver said:

You can get a real car for that. One that more than 2 midgets can fit in, has a 5 year warranty, and isn't a Fiat.

I suppose you've been in one?

If there is one thing that Fiat can do, it's tiny but cleverly designed and well-packaged cars.

[Papa Hotel]

CampDavid said:

cheadle hulme said:

It's got a pretty good spec for 9k too. Decent stereo, climate etc. Anyone 6'3 plus drive one?

I'm 6'2 and I had no issue on the test drive. Really well spec'd, bluetooth is standard (as it should be by now on EVERY car) and it's a riot to drive.

Loads of room inside and all in a great little car.

I managed to get a dealer in Nottingham down to £7500 cash for a brand new one back in early 2008 before circumstances got in the way of buying.

Bluetooth is NOT standard, not since earlier this year. The system was st and not compatible with modern phones so they binned it.

[Crook]

Younger brother has one, we drove 500 miles to Scotland. Me 6.0', older brother 6.1' and big chap and younger brother who is also 6.0'. No problems at all. Car is a riot, bit of a bouncy wardrobe but Crook younger, in his own words, 'drives it like a £$%& and still fails to go under 40+mpg'
Don't dismiss it.

[IanMorewood]

Sat in one (6'3") and was quite surprised by the space we had gone to look at a GrandePunto on scrappage that truly was a horrible deal.

[CampDavid]

Papa Hotel said:

CampDavid said:

cheadle hulme said:

It's got a pretty good spec for 9k too. Decent stereo, climate etc. Anyone 6'3 plus drive one?

I'm 6'2 and I had no issue on the test drive. Really well spec'd, bluetooth is standard (as it should be by now on EVERY car) and it's a riot to drive.

Loads of room inside and all in a great little car.

I managed to get a dealer in Nottingham down to £7500 cash for a brand new one back in early 2008 before circumstances got in the way of buying.

Bluetooth is NOT standard, not since earlier this year. The system was st and not compatible with modern phones so they binned it.

Ah balls.

I would love to know why bluetooth isn't standard on all new cars. To fit it across the range to every car would cost absolutely nothing, reduce road accidents and save lives, while meaning that I'd actually want to buy a new car

[Papa Hotel]

CampDavid said:

Papa Hotel said:

CampDavid said:

cheadle hulme said:

It's got a pretty good spec for 9k too. Decent stereo, climate etc. Anyone 6'3 plus drive one?

I'm 6'2 and I had no issue on the test drive. Really well spec'd, bluetooth is standard (as it should be by now on EVERY car) and it's a riot to drive.

Loads of room inside and all in a great little car.

I managed to get a dealer in Nottingham down to £7500 cash for a brand new one back in early 2008 before circumstances got in the way of buying.

Bluetooth is NOT standard, not since earlier this year. The system was st and not compatible with modern phones so they binned it.

Ah balls.

I would love to know why bluetooth isn't standard on all new cars. To fit it across the range to every car would cost absolutely nothing, reduce road accidents and save lives, while meaning that I'd actually want to buy a new car

It was supposed to be in mine when I got it, then I got home to find no mention of it in the manual and no way to connect my phone to the car. So, a whinge to the dealer and they fitted a Parrot kit instead.

[HellDiver]

Papa Hotel said:

HellDiver said:

You can get a real car for that. One that more than 2 midgets can fit in, has a 5 year warranty, and isn't a Fiat.

I suppose you've been in one?

Yes, I was in one, I drove one, and I walked away.

Straight to the Ford dealership, drove a Fiesta, walked away from that too.

Ended up buying an i30 1.4 Comfort. The i30 was cheapest, best equipped, and drives the best. Sweet little 1.4 engine that does 108PS, and is pulling 44mpg. Disc brakes all round, aircon, MP3 stereo, heated mirrors, 4 electric windows, alarm, 5 year warranty.

[Balmoral Green]

If you're internet shopping for the best price, Perrys is hard to beat. As long as you stick to your guns and don't get deflected by finance deals (unless they can do silly low rates on that too, but usually that's where they try to claw back margin) and any add'ons like paint protection etc. Just order, arrive at the dealer to pick it up, pay & go.

We bought our Panda from them for £4995 OTR brand new.

[CampDavid]

Balmoral Green said:

If you're internet shopping for the best price, Perrys is hard to beat. As long as you stick to your guns and don't get deflected by finance deals (unless they can do silly low rates on that too, but usually that's where they try to claw back margin) and any add'ons like paint protection etc. Just order, arrive at the dealer to pick it up, pay & go.

We bought our Panda from them for £4995 OTR brand new.

Not bad at all.

OT: You really need to buy a sports car. You've covered off everything else with your garage so well that it seems a shame not to have something with two seats and a convertible to finish things off

[jimbo2728]

I am 6'4", hired a Panda on honeymoon and drove half way down Italy in it. Cracking little motor, great fun and cheap to run. I have since driven a 100hp and it was top fun.

I hate the "get a proper motor" type of comments when this sort of car is talked about. Yes it's a small Fiat, yes it lacks major prestige, and yes people who don't know their cars will think it's a piece of c*ap, but for those who really know their cars, this is commonly regarded by pretty much every motoring journo on the planet as a brilliant little town car that will keep you smiling on every drive, at any speed. These journo's drive Ferrari's, Lambo's etc so if they like it and think it's fun, then it's got to be pretty good.

Anyone else concur??

[Balmoral Green]

jimbo2728 said:

Anyone else concur??

Our 1.1 Active (that's the base model) Berlin to Derby in one hit.

Edited by Balmoral Green on Thursday 9th December 12:23

[Papa Hotel]

jimbo2728 said:

I am 6'4", hired a Panda on honeymoon and drove half way down Italy in it. Cracking little motor, great fun and cheap to run. I have since driven a 100hp and it was top fun.

I hate the "get a proper motor" type of comments when this sort of car is talked about. Yes it's a small Fiat, yes it lacks major prestige, and yes people who don't know their cars will think it's a piece of c*ap, but for those who really know their cars, this is commonly regarded by pretty much every motoring journo on the planet as a brilliant little town car that will keep you smiling on every drive, at any speed. These journo's drive Ferrari's, Lambo's etc so if they like it and think it's fun, then it's got to be pretty good.

Anyone else concur??

Yes and no. I too had one as a hire car in Italy and became smitten by the thing, that went a long way to convincing me to buy one, not the mag reviews. Take most of what evo say with a pinch of salt, no-one drives their car at ten tenths on the public roads, most cars never get a sniff of a track. They say it's a bit bouncy, I say it's not if you're not driving like a dick. But yes, when the mags say it's a well-packaged little car, they're on the money.

[CommanderJameson]

Balmoral Green said:

jimbo2728 said:

Anyone else concur??

Our 1.1 Active (that's the base model) Berlin to Derby in one hit.

VMax on the Autobahn in a Fiat Panda.

That's pretty damned PH, if you ask me.