How I got a very cheap Fiat Panda Cross

[Foeux]

Dear Chums,

 

I recently sold my 1995 Volvo 940. I was sad to see it go but I was not using it and it was taking up a lot of space for something unused. I kept the main reason I bought it, the numberplate that reads 'MOTH' on retention.

 

I was working for a customer doing a non-standard, one-off job. On arrival, as a glib ice-breaker I offered to buy her Fiat Panda Cross (2015 1.3 turbodiesel in red). To my happy surprise, she said that would be absolutely fine. She was dealing with her mum's deceased estate, stood to inherit another, newer, lower mileage car and was happy to simplify her life by waving goodbye to her Panda. There was the small issue of having reversed it quite heartily into a skip the week before. This had led to the somewhat rash decision that t was only good for the bin... Not so.

 

Once we got to the pointy end of negotiations, I didn't want to rob her blind. On first asking what it was worth to her, she said 'oh, very little, I've had it from new and seen plenty of use out of it...' To be as egalitarian as possible, I sent some photos and details to the garage that supplied it new, asking what it was worth to them. They gave several prices; ready to retail, average and poor. There was a caveat issued that due to paint defects and the boot lid damage, they would not buy it to retail at all, they in fact, didn't want it. Gun-to-head, they would simply pop it in an auction and hope to cover the cost of teabags, biscuits and milk in doing so, hoping that the returning customer would buy something new(er). I showed the customer this and we agreed on a mutually satisfactory sum that would be given to her granddaughter.

 

I now have the car and I quite like it. We were given a panda hire car when we went to Greece last year and all three of us agreed there was some charm in its spartan simplicity. Spurred on by Grecian memories and a few videos of people extolling the virtues of the Panda Cross, I began using it and even put the old 'MOTH' plate on. It has become a bit of a hit. The boot lid damage has been repaired by taking out the trim and slamming the boot onto a scaffold pole with a welding gauntlet over the top for protection. The minor (ok pretty major) paint flaws and creases are, for now, taken care of with a pair of elastoplast plasters, crossed of course. The thing is wildly frugal, extremely, humorously, surprisingly grippy, not glacially slow, easy to park and actually capable off road.

 

As I am sure a lot of you do, I has a detailed sleuthing session through the history that came with the car. Almost £7k receipts with regular oil changes. Any criticism of the vehicle is soluble with the simple retort, 'CHEAP CAR, INNIT!'

 

Anyone else got or had one?

[bramz7]

Not owned but my mum has had 3 Panda 4x4s of that generation in a row now and bar an exploded diff on the first one, no issues to report. I think they're a genuinely interesting and nice to drive small car, but the budget cutting and ancient dashboard is obvious on the current 2021 one she has. 

Would, and will. Eventually. 

[richardmorris]

They are very popular with people who know about them. Check out the fiatforum.

 

https://www.fiatforum.com/forums/panda-2012.225/

 

 

[N Dentressangle]

I quite like them. Although they're way too new and electrodieselbollocks for my taste.

I'd be looking for a s/h bootlid in colour, too.

[stuboy]

looks all right that

[plasticvandan]

My landlord has a normal modern panda,has cost nearly £4k in 2 years in garage bills to keep it on the road,rear beam,all the brakes,all the suspension,electrics etc,because fiat,kind of put me off😅

[Shite Ron]

I think the Panda is great as a modern car, we have a couple of previous model 2 wheel drive with 1.2 petrol engines and they are great. I like the 4 wheel drive and would like one. They are certainly the car of choice for people who need a 4 wheel drive in places like Andorra and Cortina D’Impezzo. If I needed a 4WD these would be top of my list. It looks an excellent buy with one owner, service history and a good colour, well bought. I look forward to updates on what it is like to live with.

[High Jetter]

I'm struggling to get 'MOTH' from that reg plate! 😀

[Bmwdumptruck]

We had a basic 1.1 for quite a few years. Bought with only 19k on it, one old owner, every corner scrapped.  But it got both kids through their tests and early years of driving, then we kept it as a second car till my daughter finished her apprenticeship and bought a nearly new Mazda3 so we swapped to the swift she’d had in between.  We sold the P to a workmate of the wifes who put both their kids through their tests and we think still own it now. 
Only ever did basic servicing, plus a waterpump and belts etc. MOT guys do go on about the rear beams though, i ended up scraping the worst of the rust off and coated it all in grease as ours was actually still very good. 

[Shite Ron]

8 hours ago, High Jetter said:

I'm struggling to get 'MOTH' from that reg plate! 😀

This is the car and plate Foeux is referring to, as seen in the for sale thread:

As much as I like the Panda I would prefer the Volvo, a much more useful car.(unless you live somewhere with no proper roads)

[camryv6]

9 hours ago, High Jetter said:

I'm struggling to get 'MOTH' from that reg plate! 😀

Have you tried squinting ?

[High Jetter]

43 minutes ago, camryv6 said:

Have you tried squinting ?

Nah, can't see that either 😀 - best I get is Wu Is Znoozing

[Foeux]

4 hours ago, Shite Ron said:

This is the car and plate Foeux is referring to, as seen in the for sale thread:

As much as I like the Panda I would prefer the Volvo, a much more useful car.(unless you live somewhere with no proper roads)

It was useful but not as useful as a work van somit just sat doing nothing. Sad.

[Foeux]

12 hours ago, Bmwdumptruck said:

We had a basic 1.1 for quite a few years. Bought with only 19k on it, one old owner, every corner scrapped.  But it got both kids through their tests and early years of driving, then we kept it as a second car till my daughter finished her apprenticeship and bought a nearly new Mazda3 so we swapped to the swift she’d had in between.  We sold the P to a workmate of the wifes who put both their kids through their tests and we think still own it now. 
Only ever did basic servicing, plus a waterpump and belts etc. MOT guys do go on about the rear beams though, i ended up scraping the worst of the rust off and coated it all in grease as ours was actually still very good. 

I know Harry of Harry's garage extolls the virtues of a cheap panda.

[yes oui si]

Needs a lift kit and knobblies... 

[Foeux]

Reporting back in...

I went in London. It was foul. It was foul because it was expensive, full of litter and a twat to move around and park in.

I took me panda (had to pay ULEZ) and it was great on fuel (3 bars out of a full tank there and back from Wiltshire). It is definitely unfast but can do 80. Only a 5 speed box on the Turbot-Weasel means it gets a bit revvy. It can do overtakes but they require a bit of prior planning and momentum.

The Aircon is cold but only for about 5 mins at a time. Turn off and then turn back on again after 5 mins and it goes again.

Seat is 5/10 comfy. I've had and/or driven 'the comfiest cars' and it is nowhere close.

It is extremely narrow. There were a few of those width gates which sometimes take a bit of doing in a long or wide car. In a panda you can do a 3 point turn inside them!

I didn't see another one all day which means either they are medium-rare or, more likely, unwelcome near London.

The proprietary Bluetooth but of the radio is goosed so I will either have to not give a shite about that, repair it or replace it with some loathsome aftermarket thing.

I am at a little bit of a risk of losing the car. My partner is giving a quashquai back and has taken a shine to the panda. For now it is just 'oh, I'll take the panda...' but I envisage it possibly filling the gap the hateful Japanese sport shoe leaves. I wouldn't mind that at all.

Despite trying to be as negative as I can about it, the bloody thing is getting under my skin. I don't think I'll use it to move all 3 of us to France for summer holiday but for everything else that isn't a van job, I'll happily plod about in it.

It is also worth remembering; any criticism we can level at it is instantly nullified by 'cheap car!'

[stuboy]

On 22/04/2025 at 22:49, yes oui si said:

Needs a lift kit and knobblies... 

or modern version.............

[yes oui si]

Hopefully without Chimpy Chompy. 

[bigfella2]

Near me was a beautiful one of these in yellow, unfortunately it got pinched about a fortnight ago.

I'm guessing these can get pinched like the fiat 500's, so just be careful or make the diagnostic port difficult to access, as that's the method they use to reprogram a key and take the car.

Would hate the same to happen to you.

[Marshall2810]

I was surprised how good my 13 plate one was in standard form and really liked it.

[Foeux]

Panda ownership seems fine so far.

Bit of a knock/rattle over speed bumps but nothing major.

Any criticism of the car is immediately soluble with the tight retort "Cheap car!"

[warninglight]

Oh I like these! I have absolutely no use for one and a large part of the appeal is from buzzing around Spanish Islands in 500s and Pandas, which I suspect wouldn't be the same in Scotland.

I believe the Bluetooth issue is common and there's a fix - think its called the 'blue & me' module?

[Rocket88]

On 25/04/2025 at 21:02, stuboy said:

or modern version.............

“Lift kit and knobblies needed”.presume you’re talking about Brewer?

[Foeux]

11 hours ago, warninglight said:

Oh I like these! I have absolutely no use for one and a large part of the appeal is from buzzing around Spanish Islands in 500s and Pandas, which I suspect wouldn't be the same in Scotland.

I believe the Bluetooth issue is common and there's a fix - think its called the 'blue & me' module?

Thanks for this.

Blue and me seems to be some sort of proprietary Microsoft rendition of Bluetooth. eBay people will fix the unit on an exchange basis for £60. 

A bit insignificant part of me would like some foul max-power looking head unit with multicoloured pixelated dolphins sucking one another off (or similar).

However, I expect they are more than £60 and all I really need is to be able to play podcasts about eating ham sandwiches and smewthe jazz.

[GeordieInExile]

For what they are, they're pretty good really. More comfortable, practical and enjoyable to drive than they need to be for the size and price they were new. 

I'm amazed at how comfy my Panda is considering it's the 100hp and the seats are about an inch thick. If you set your expectations low with cheap little cars they will inevitably impress you. 

[uk_senator]

On 25/04/2025 at 20:38, Foeux said:

I didn't see another one all day which means either they are medium-rare or, more likely, unwelcome near London.

There's bloody loads in that there London! They aren't 500 common, admittedly, but they're not that far behind. You`d struggle to drive 15 minutes without seeing a couple of Pandas (+ 20x 500`s, 5x 500x`s, 2x Alfa Mito`s, & maybe a Punto or 2). I`ve toyed with getting a Panda 4x4 rear axle, bolting it to my 500, & putting an electric motor on the diff (maybe a 24v truck starter?), as some kind of weird part time AWD hybrid thing, for ice/snow, or, shuffling along for mile after mile in London's stop-start traffic without wasting petrol...

[Foeux]

Just before I stop off, I thought I'd issue an update.

The suspension is noisy (but still on) and the injectors are blowing like hell and making that horrible coal go everywhere.

 

Given to a very talented chum to remediate bit it will go again and of course, the retort to any broken car sulking to do with this particular panda is that it was less than ⅕ market value, so suck it up!

[Ronkey]

I like the idea of welding a spanner to a  slide hammer for injector removal. Clever. 

[Foeux]

9 hours ago, Ronkey said:

I like the idea of welding a spanner to a  slide hammer for injector removal. Clever. 

Another Autoshiter knows this man only half as well as I do and he is probably a wizard.

 

You could drop him on a desert island and see him a week later at his favourite pub in Wiltshire, having constructed a working vehicle and made 100 friends along the way.

 

He cut his teeth truck mechanicing in the desert and did the camel trophy. 

 

His motto is (in a broad Wiltshire accent), "I'll either fix it or fuck it up so nobody else can..."

[Foeux]

Whim-diddley and welcome back...

 

The panda is alive. The coke/coal/carbon that encrusted the valley in the cam cover where the injectors live is now cleaned out. The injectors themselves are reseated with fresh seals and leak off pipes. If you compare the picture of the outgoings seals to the new ones, you'll see they have totally lost their tetrametric symmetry, which is essential for a right seal between the nozzle tip and the head.

 

It feels a touch more peppy but that stands to reason as none of the decade-old horses will be sneaking out in vapour form.

 

To celebrate the joy of having it back, I took it green laning, mostly because the traffic in Devizes is extremely bad at the moment owing to a majestic bungle from the lads burying the cables that formerly strung between 13 pylons. Some say it is in order to enhance the natural beauty of the chalk down-lands, some say it is a more secure place for them to live, making them harder to interfere with. One thing any squabbling factions can agree on is that PBU Directional Drilling have absolutely ballsed up.

 

They elected to directionally drill beneath the main road, a 70mph dual carriageway between Swindon and Devizes (A361) to minimise traffic disruption. Sadly they shoved too hard, or perhaps not hard enough and now, both sides, there are 2 pretty severe speed bumps which launch anything skyward at anything over 60mph.

 

Anyway, less of the infrastructure infractions of my local area and more PANDUR...

 

We used one of the very conspicuous red towing eyes at the front of the panda to putt a rather recalcitrant mercedes Vito (white, 2012 116 dualiner with a terminally rogered OM651 if you're asking). It was most pleasing.

 

Today I've had a day off work to sort an international driving permit, a strange, esoteric counterfeit looking document, written out by hand and adorned with a pritt-stuck passport photo. It always used to be that you went to the post office and they would do you one. Now you have to go to Premier Stores. I checked the website and had to visit FOUR OF THE BLIGHTERS to find one willing to take my money and do the necessary.

 

My sulking was easily counteracted by 1) chucking the panda round every corner I could and 2) threading it through every narrow gap I found.

 

Whilst driving round, I induced significant pantal chubbate fantasising about a modest lift kit and some steel wheels. In reality, I probably need to look at making the suspension not rattle and replacing the sump guard with something a bit more serious.

 

If you're thinking of getting one, here are a few more insights:

 

-short geared

-very frugal

-very narrow

- stiffer suspension than you might think

-amusing to use off-road

-small boot (whippet and smaller will be ok)

-not much room to work in engine bay