All you need to know about the second gen Panda is that James May had one for many years and Harry Metcalfe currently owns one. A car can't get any higher praise than that.
IMO the 100HP is very overrated. I tested one when new and decided it wasn't special enough to be worthwhile. The motoring press enjoying it has pushed up used prices too.
@@Negativvv That's interesting. Always liked the Panda too and wondered about the 100hp. But part of the appeal is having a tiny frugal engine. Apparently the 0.6l is nice.
My assistant bought one for 365 pounds. It needed a new rear axel and she was only going to keep it for six months. Six years later it is still going strong. I love driving these cars around town. Soooooo cheap to run. Easy to park, cheap parts.
A well used small car, how a car should be. Never mind yer polished Porsches with 10k, this Panda is proper 'real world'. Hope it lives on for a few years more for someone.
My daily driver is a 1.2 petrol facelift (2015) panda. 55 mpg, happily sits at 75 on motorway, roomy, easy to drive in town, easy to park, drives like a minivan, nice and high seating position, good room for kids in the back, and when seats folded down, will easily carry a washing machine. So far, touch wood, only oil changes , tires , wiper blades, and one timing belt change. And a set of spark plugs. They're absolutely brilliant, and bullet proof. And not a lot of electronics to go wrong.
Matt, this is a cracking video, just what people need in the current economic climate. Your videos can inspire people to not want vast, expensive SUVs to maintain their ego, an A to B car is all that we need day to day for 90% of situations. Totally get why you would want this car, the Panda is a real practical winter go-anywhere car. I drive my old Picanto more than my Boxster S, especially in the winter. Both cars can do 70mph, but one does 50mpg. Such a great philosophy of yours, encourage others, and keep the Fiat.
Honestly mate, keep the little guy! My family's had a 2nd gen cross (the top trim panda, so awd, 1.3 multijet, a skidplate, and some fun changes to the looks) for years, and the little guy has crossed Europe multiple times and never let us down, it's cheap on the fuel, cheap on the maintenance, and simply one oh the happiest cars of the 00's. Best of luck with your business!
I’ve owned my Panda from new which I paid £5,000. I’ve had it 14 years it’s such a reliable car . When the power steering light starts coming on particularly in the colder weather it can mean your battery is on the way out.
Thank you for appreciating this little Panda! Until a month ago, I had a little red petrol one - sadly written off by a young female driver turning out of a side road straight in front of me. I’d had the car 10 years and put over 100k miles on it. Looking for another Panda now. Of course 🤗 As you and James May have said, it is just a simple, honest car.
We bought mother one of these back in 2004 it was the 1.2 dynamic in guacamole green with bright yellow interior and was by far the most fun you can have in a car with 59hp. Of all the family fleet that panda was always the first choice, everyone just loved its simplicity and ease to drive. It lasted about 12 years until the day my sister rolled it over down a field, and yet it still drove home...love the panda 🐼
Great video Mat, I actually have one Panda 1.2 Dynamic from 2004 with 258.000 km, in 19 years driving experience with this Panda witch still is going strong and fun to drive I can assure this have been the most reliable car I have ever owned. I will keep this car as far I can. Shame that I can't find a bargain like yours here in Greece.
Greece is the Word! A climate I have greatly enjoyed in vacation that does not foster rust. Many a car could last longer in such a climate so congratulations to Marko for his Panda.
I love these reviews of cheap, wonderful cars. In an era where cars are expensive and lets face it, boring, these are a breath of fresh air. Thankyou Matt
I've recently bought a little Panda 100hp, its a riot to drive and does 45mpg?! I'm comfortably middle aged but it seems to bring my inner hooligan out! Fiats can be surprisingly tough little things, like the Seicento/ Cinquecento I think these were built in Tichy by the polish who actually seem to be proud of what they've built.
Great video Matt.. People still slate Fiats for reliability and rust and from my findings i honestly don`t know why any more? the Panda and 500 which shares it`s platform are good buys, not the best for fit and finish but who cares when they are as fun and cheap to run..
Excellent video, Matt - a good, down to earth car and its evaluation - and all for under a grand! I love the way you can see value and objective pragmaticism for the benefit of us 'voyeurs'... And without indulging in car snobbery too! 👍
I had a Panda as a first car it was brilliant! Probably the most reliable car I ever owned literally only needed a battery and amazingly it's still going somewhere in Yorkshire, glad you like it!
More of these type of reviews please as it's always great to see how good a car that looks like it's virtually had it becoming a decent car for someone..excellent review & it makes for a terrific watch👌
The video's not finished yet & I want that for my Grandsons first car. I know exactly the feeling they give you, a bit like the original Mini or Morris Minor but way better & not nearly as expensive. Really Matt, I'll buy it off you !!!
Got one of those (petrol, 2005 reg) as a runabout here in London, fantastic little car. Cheap to run and maintain, practical, quite fun to whisk around in it and the petrol is even ULEZ exempt. No wonder you used to see so many of them around.
Hey Matt, good honest review and a good honest little car,if society didn't discard so many cars and instead learnt that cars such as these little wonders the planet would be far better off..cheers
Great video Matt.Fiats are great cars for the ordinary people.They are cheap from the start and the service parts are cheap.I have 2012 fiat bravo myself with 304 000 km with the weakest engine in the range ,1.4 90hp petrol with fabric lpg system. It only requires regular service like all other fiats including the panda and it starts everytime.
I bought a used fiat punto 2001, when I was in my 20s as a beater, because I had literally no space in my bmw z3 and I was afraid park it anywhere sketchy. Long story short, I still have my punto to this day after a decade and I'm surprised how reliable and fun to drive still is! Old fiats never fails to amaze me
Hey up Matt, going to give this one a thumbs up already, even though I have been called out to a serious work-related problem and don't have time to view it at present !!!!!! I will have to save it later when I get back from work !!! but guaranteed it will be up to the usual top-quality standard🙏🙏
Had a 1.2 for a year as my first car, sadly I had to sell it because of studying, however can definitely recommend this car, and as you say, there is just something fun about it
I have a MK3 1.2 petrol on a 14 plate it uses about a third of a thimble full of petrol each week locally. I managed to driving very carefully from North Yorkshire to Essex on just under half a tank of petrol. Very underrated little cars the 1970/80s Fiat image is long gone it's just badge snobbery. my 2014 Panda has a Bosch Engine Management System, Japanese sensors and plugs they aren't so much Fiat as you'd expect a Ford KA & 500 is just the same animal underneath the body.
Great value for money🙂 Really like these humble Pandas, the tiny torquey diesel matches well. Some love and bamboo daily and you have a nice local cruiser 😎
Our first car was a top-of-the - range original Guigaro Panda in the early 1980s. Great fun for a one litre "square-bear". My wife has had four Pandas since. Honest little cars. Never a breakdown, only minor repairs. Cheap as chips to buy and run.
Excellent video. We have the same Polish-built 1.3 diesel engine in our '15-plate Vauxhall Combo van (re-badged Doblo) with stop/start (or Eco Flex as Vauxhall like to call it). They are very tough mechanically. 90,000 miles and is still like new.
they are brilliant cars,my father in law has one and absolutely loves it,uses it for work and just running around town. Ive driven it loads of times and its great as your higher up. great video
I agree with everything you said Matt. Recently had one as a hire car for a week in Portugal (because it was the cheapest available). Should be rubbish on paper, but really enjoyed driving it. It was the petrol, but hardly used any fuel
This shape Panda is amazing. Ice owned 2: a brand new Active 1.1 base model in 2007 and a 100hp a couple of years back. Both equally as fun to drive. Great video, would love a follow up.
Brings back memories of my brother. He bought a new MK1 TT way back when. He was mocking my old Cavalier whilst he cadged one of several lifts to the dealer to collect his troublesome Audi. My 250 quid Cav was faultlessly reliable. Whilst his £20k TT was the polar opposite.
By coincidence I test drove a 17 plate Panda 4x4 1.3 multijet on Tuesday in my continuing search for a lane friendly Dartmoor car. I liked it a lot but struggled to fit. That's a good little car, scrubbed up well and looks like there's a decent turn to be made. Somehow the Panda seems no nonsense and real, whereas the 500 always seems overstyled.
Mothers in law got through two of these she was a terrible driver but they stood up to the punishment, last one was second hand at £1250 and in mint condition within weeks it was covered in dings and scratches, kept it going for a few years, when her driving career hit the buffers at 88 we still got £400 for it!
What a great little car Matt, definitely worth double what you paid for it but you're right maybe a keeper for a runabout and will cope quite well in the snow too, good luck with this one..
I had a 1.3 Multijet a few years ago and the mpg figures you can get are insane if you're careful. Over 80 mpg from London to Manchester drafting lorries.
I think this would be a nice raffle car. Raffle prizes don’t always have to be fancy. It would make a perfect first car as a parental gift to a teenager just passing their driving test and maybe needing something for uni.
That's a bobby dazzler of a idea. It'd also be great to see him give it to someone who's had a bit of hard time lately and needs wheels for them and family. I work for a cancer trust and it's tough sometimes seeing kids and their families coming in for treatment that have had to use taxis or buses to get the hospital. Especially this time of year. 😩
I’ve always liked these little things as well. We owned a 100hp version which was so much fun, despite having the hardest suspension I’ve ever experienced
Just shows you don’t have to break the bank to get something respectable to get about or just to have that handy second car. Great turn around example Matt. Keep up the good work 👍
LOVE the Panda. Bought an 07 reg 1.2 Dynamic back in February 08 when it was five months old for £4000 and enjoyed it for a couple of years. Sold it to my mother when I upgraded. Superb little car. Would actually quite like another one :)
I like these too, so many cars are based on them. The Achilles heal of them is the rear axle/suspension area corroding. My mother in laws ex bought one for £500 off Facebook, it seemed fine and did a few Leeds to London trips. But as I owned a mk1 Kia Sorento at the time, I was a bit obsessed with checking rear axles. And I noticed the rear axle on his Panda was very badly corroded and of questionable strength. I suggested he take it to get looked at and see if they could weld it or put a decent used axle on it. The garage agreed that it was hanging on by a thread, and he scrapped it. He was always pissed off at me about that, would he rather I said nothing and it collapsed on him at 70mph on the M1?.
Mine was scrapped because of rear axle rust aswell last saturday.. but it wouldnve been a real danger... for a long time.. atleast i got 400 bucks for it.. payed 1000 4 years ago, never had any big repairs.. so im not sad.. but ur right on the point.. it is a big weak spot for the panda.. esp if they are spraying salt where u live..
I rented one of these in Switzerland back in 2005. I was driving a 1.6 Nissan Primera in the UK. The Panda 1.3 diesel was a decent quality, spacious and very capable car, easily as good as the Primera. Me and the girlfriend (now wife) drove it to Chamonix and had a great holiday.
The 1.3 engine in these is the same as what Opel used in the combo van (and with many others). The combo van was used by Royal Mail with the 1.3 engine and they must be solid engines because a lot of those royal mail vans are still in use and I can't imagine they are cared for very well. Great video as always.
Yep, all early Fiat 1st and 2nd gen commonrails were good engines, later ones i'm not familiar with. My '02 Alfa 156 had the 115 bhp 8v JTD which might sound underwhelming today but in that 1200kg car with that nice manual gearbox it was quite fun and very frugal.
the lower-powered variants of the 1.3 and 1.9 JTD/Multijet are fairly reliable units, I had both (2004 Punto 1.3 with 70hp which I still have, previously I had a 1999 Alfa 156 1.9 with 105 hp). The 1.3 diesel has been used in 45 different car models from various manufacturers (Fiat/Alfa Romeo/Lancia, Opel/Vauxhall, Suzuki etc.), same goes for the 1.9 diesel which has been used in 30 models (including Saab and Cadillac).
@@HighPeakAutos Not at all, mate.Your channel is brilliant.Been living overseas for the last 30 years, but have to visit Blighty in March,Apr/May and I think it would be better for me to buy a decent and motor and then sell it on when I leave. Your channel has been a Godsend.
Bought my 08 1.3 Diesel in 2014 with 37k on the clock for under £4k. PX'd it in 2019 with 153000 on the clock for £350. It did an real world actual average of 63mpg, commuted 110 miles each day, took 4 of us down through Ireland and across France to Bordeaux and back - pulling a trailer, 4 bikes and with 2 roof racks. Then it did again the following year to Rioja in Spain. Came back both times with more wine than it should have. Only non consumable part is broke in that time was a windscreen squirting jet..... Loved it, miss it and would have another in a heart beat. Yours looked like it has AC too. May have been designed in Italy, but built in Poland I think - and well built at that.
Was that Wine or Whine? Drove a 80k mile MK2 Honda Accord to Malaga and back in 36 hours in the Eighties, needed both front wheel bearings after. I also have great respect for the little Fiat, after helping my daughter to one. After the rear torsion beam corrosion was corrected, it's been a belting little workhorse!
@@MarkDaleADV lol definitely wine 🍷 of the drinking variety. Learned to drive in a series iii lightweight Landover, anything else has quiet wheel bearings after that ...
I had three Pandas delivered prior to thier original launch. We took the bonnet off one, turned it upside down and used it as a toboggan. We managed to get all 22 body shop staff on it, racing down a local park hill in the snow. Worked well. We claimed body damage under warranty.
I had a 4x4 Panda, and I could easily whop all the big Chelsea Tractors in the worst ice and snow where I live. Really reliable, only real disadvantage is/was the small-ish boot space.
I know exactly what do you mean by considering to keep this 😀 I bought a very cheap Lancia Ypsilon for my sister-in-law and absolutely loved it for a week before giving it to her
It's Definitely ZED Matt!😂 I love this shape of Panda. The 100 hp ones are really cool.. don't ask me why. ... I own a Stilo. So maybe I'm a bit weird👍
You are wrong about the Panda. If looked after these are one of the most reliable small cars. They will be more reliable than anything from VW or Citroen/Peugeot. I have had several of these and they are robust and very reliable.
@@HighPeakAutos it's not a theory. As I said I have owned several of these and they have been very reliable. The only one to avoid is the later twin air two cylinder version. No they are not perfect but I stand by my original comments. NB there are many comments on your video also praising the Panda!
I have a 2009 with the 1.2 liter four cylinder FIRE engine. These are super reliable little cars and there's not much on them to go wrong. Provided they get regular maintenance, they go on and on.
I drive a little white panda, absolutely love that car. Its so simple that if anything breaks you can replace it yourself most of the time and parts are cheap. Ideal with this economy. Great video!
Put some knobbly winter tyres on it Matt and have a fun winter. With those narrow tyres it'll go up a houseside and anywhere in the show. Terrific vid again Matt Pleased you've rescued another, and look to make a bob or two on it. 😉
I have a 100HP which I bought to keep the miles off my Alfa Spider. Every time I got in it, it put a smile on my face - something the Spider never really managed to do, so I kept the Fiat and got rid of the Spider! I like small unpretentious cars like these which have a bit of character, the like of which we will never see again. Years ago I had a Mk 1 Panda which was fantastic - such a brilliant minimalist design. I await with some eagerness the production version of the Centoventi concept but I fear it will be too large and EV only.
So glad you did this trip. I did suggest it in the comments of the original video (don’t worry, you can’t read everything people post). Genuinely envious of the adventure and takes me back to having run cheap cars in my 20s. Changed them every 12 months for something with a new MOT. Had some hideous looking things (rusty 405, V6 Granada in gold with beige interior), Nissan 180sx, 605. Never had a problem with any of them and just carefree ownership. Just discussing last night as I think my partner should learn to drive-she didn’t when young and is nervous now-of I can persuade her, that is the car we are having. Can’t wait to see what follows
A good honest review Matt....I had a 2004 1.2 Eleganza ....served me well.Now I'm back with a 2013 1.2 Lounge ,an equally honest car....there is much to like about the Panda of any Mk.
Just something about the panda, always liked them. I'm a 35 year old male, I shouldn't like them, but i do lol. It must be the skinny tyres, high driving position and the body roll, mated to a small engine! Always fun lol
My favourite colour for this generation was the lovely Ambrosia custard yellow. I owned the 4x4 variant of this Panda and paid only £950 for one before prices went through the roof. Sold it about 5 weeks later for £750 as I'd spent over £400 on it within that time and was anxious that the rear beam was rusted through (MOT was a couple months away). I had seen that it passed its MOT with no advisories. To say that I was gutted was an understatement. Brilliant cars for their current money.
Always feel smug with my 2005 Panda in Waitrose car park. Straight in /out and lots of fun watching the Chelsea tractor’s struggling to manoeuvre. Agree with your and all comments, just fun to drive.
My GF had one, a guacamole green one with black roof that I drove. At first I wasn't impressed, but then you just like its honesty and genuinity. Makes you feel like you are driving a toy car. PS: I subscribed to your channel.
Can’t think of why I like them, I just do. I think it’s the raw simplicity of them. Sometimes it refreshing to drive something so basic. My stepfather has a 15 plate one and he loves it, really smart looking car, yet so cheap and fun. I think you’ve got a win win situation, because you can keep hold of it as a little run around and it’s cost you less than £500, or sell it for profit when someone is looking for an inexpensive run around 👍.
Love your channel Matt-and we share the same taste in undervalued cars-I found the channel looking for a review of the Skoda Yeti, loved your review, bought one, still got it and will probably run it till it dies or I do….. I bought a Panda-Sporting no less-2006 Multijet back in 2013 with 60k on the clock-sold it a couple of years ago as a mot failure to my local garage as he uses them as loan cars. One of the mechanics liked it so much he badgered the boss to let him have it-I still see it buzzing around-I have started looking for another one.
Great Video Matt as always love the comment about your last train ride in 1976 you wasnt even around in 1976 lol nice little Panda which one cant go wrong with and a bargain for you atb MIke
keep it matt.i bought a 1.3 ka mk1 2 years ago for 240 it s no oil painting but runs like a dream.even my boss used it 4 2 months while his new car came and he run a 19 plate amg merc
Great stuff Matt genuine little gem of a motor.it’s done well doing 150k mind-quick auto trader search and I could only find 11 other fiats with that level of mileage….
A colleague of mine in Asturias lent me his Panda (same as the one in this video) when I first came here. I also fell in love with it. My only critisicism of it was it felt a bit cramped, I am 6' 2" other wise, it was and still is a great car.
All you need to know about the second gen Panda is that James May had one for many years and Harry Metcalfe currently owns one. A car can't get any higher praise than that.
That’s true
As well as Richard Porter (sniff petrol) I believe he has a panda 100HP!
IMO the 100HP is very overrated. I tested one when new and decided it wasn't special enough to be worthwhile. The motoring press enjoying it has pushed up used prices too.
Who’s Harry Metcalfe?
@@Negativvv That's interesting. Always liked the Panda too and wondered about the 100hp. But part of the appeal is having a tiny frugal engine. Apparently the 0.6l is nice.
My assistant bought one for 365 pounds. It needed a new rear axel and she was only going to keep it for six months. Six years later it is still going strong. I love driving these cars around town. Soooooo cheap to run. Easy to park, cheap parts.
Love a cheap little runner round 👍
the power of a bargain shitbox is fantastic
A well used small car, how a car should be. Never mind yer polished Porsches with 10k, this Panda is proper 'real world'. Hope it lives on for a few years more for someone.
I think I've watched every upload for the past 4 months now, the videos are just too addictive matt
Haha thanks for watching
My daily driver is a 1.2 petrol facelift (2015) panda. 55 mpg, happily sits at 75 on motorway, roomy, easy to drive in town, easy to park, drives like a minivan, nice and high seating position, good room for kids in the back, and when seats folded down, will easily carry a washing machine.
So far, touch wood, only oil changes , tires , wiper blades, and one timing belt change. And a set of spark plugs.
They're absolutely brilliant, and bullet proof. And not a lot of electronics to go wrong.
Matt, this is a cracking video, just what people need in the current economic climate. Your videos can inspire people to not want vast, expensive SUVs to maintain their ego, an A to B car is all that we need day to day for 90% of situations. Totally get why you would want this car, the Panda is a real practical winter go-anywhere car. I drive my old Picanto more than my Boxster S, especially in the winter. Both cars can do 70mph, but one does 50mpg. Such a great philosophy of yours, encourage others, and keep the Fiat.
Honestly mate, keep the little guy!
My family's had a 2nd gen cross (the top trim panda, so awd, 1.3 multijet, a skidplate, and some fun changes to the looks) for years, and the little guy has crossed Europe multiple times and never let us down, it's cheap on the fuel, cheap on the maintenance, and simply one oh the happiest cars of the 00's.
Best of luck with your business!
I’ve owned my Panda from new which I paid £5,000. I’ve had it 14 years it’s such a reliable car . When the power steering light starts coming on particularly in the colder weather it can mean your battery is on the way out.
I concur, it could mean an old car battery.
So budget in another 14p for a new battery? 😉
@@autobahnproven would you please tell me where you buy your car batteries for 14p? 🤔
Thank you for appreciating this little Panda! Until a month ago, I had a little red petrol one - sadly written off by a young female driver turning out of a side road straight in front of me. I’d had the car 10 years and put over 100k miles on it. Looking for another Panda now. Of course 🤗
As you and James May have said, it is just a simple, honest car.
when the young lady rang her insurance did she tell them she had hit a Panda or Cougar.
We bought mother one of these back in 2004 it was the 1.2 dynamic in guacamole green with bright yellow interior and was by far the most fun you can have in a car with 59hp. Of all the family fleet that panda was always the first choice, everyone just loved its simplicity and ease to drive. It lasted about 12 years until the day my sister rolled it over down a field, and yet it still drove home...love the panda 🐼
Great video Mat, I actually have one Panda 1.2 Dynamic from 2004 with 258.000 km, in 19 years driving experience with this Panda witch still is going strong and fun to drive I can assure this have been the most reliable car I have ever owned. I will keep this car as far I can. Shame that I can't find a bargain like yours here in Greece.
That’s impressive
Amazing mileage!
That's epic! 🤩
@@adamanthony7465 It's 160K miles.
Greece is the Word! A climate I have greatly enjoyed in vacation that does not foster rust. Many a car could last longer in such a climate so congratulations to Marko for his Panda.
I love these reviews of cheap, wonderful cars. In an era where cars are expensive and lets face it, boring, these are a breath of fresh air. Thankyou Matt
I actually love these type of videos.
I've recently bought a little Panda 100hp, its a riot to drive and does 45mpg?! I'm comfortably middle aged but it seems to bring my inner hooligan out!
Fiats can be surprisingly tough little things, like the Seicento/ Cinquecento I think these were built in Tichy by the polish who actually seem to be proud of what they've built.
Great video Matt.. People still slate Fiats for reliability and rust and from my findings i honestly don`t know why any more? the Panda and 500 which shares it`s platform are good buys, not the best for fit and finish but who cares when they are as fun and cheap to run..
Excellent video, Matt - a good, down to earth car and its evaluation - and all for under a grand! I love the way you can see value and objective pragmaticism for the benefit of us 'voyeurs'... And without indulging in car snobbery too! 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Panda is one of the most practical cars on the market. Fantastic little things.
Only Matt gets me excited for £250 pandas
😂
I have always loved these little cars, keep up the great work!
You just can't beat an old Fiat Panda, robust and reliable, what more could you ask for!!! 👍🙂👍
I ran a Panda for 9 years. Most reliable car I ever had.
do u know james may
@@longbar2344 Where do you think I got the car from? LOL
I had a Panda as a first car it was brilliant! Probably the most reliable car I ever owned literally only needed a battery and amazingly it's still going somewhere in Yorkshire, glad you like it!
More of these type of reviews please as it's always great to see how good a car that looks like it's virtually had it becoming a decent car for someone..excellent review & it makes for a terrific watch👌
Thanks!
The video's not finished yet & I want that for my Grandsons first car.
I know exactly the feeling they give you, a bit like the original Mini or Morris Minor but way better & not nearly as expensive.
Really Matt, I'll buy it off you !!!
Got one of those (petrol, 2005 reg) as a runabout here in London, fantastic little car. Cheap to run and maintain, practical, quite fun to whisk around in it and the petrol is even ULEZ exempt. No wonder you used to see so many of them around.
Yeah definitely. I’d probably have something like that if I lived there
This makes so much more sense than spending £20-£30k on an EV “city car”
Hey Matt, good honest review and a good honest little car,if society didn't discard so many cars and instead learnt that cars such as these little wonders the planet would be far better off..cheers
I really enjoy this format of video Matt. We have a 2008 Panda in our stable and it’s great fun
Its great your buying cheaper cars and showing how they can be done up. Always good with your humor aswell. Keep up the great work.
The Marbella comment had me in stiches, I love this channel.
😂 thanks!
Great video Matt.Fiats are great cars for the ordinary people.They are cheap from the start and the service parts are cheap.I have 2012 fiat bravo myself with 304 000 km with the weakest engine in the range ,1.4 90hp petrol with fabric lpg system. It only requires regular service like all other fiats including the panda and it starts everytime.
I bought a used fiat punto 2001, when I was in my 20s as a beater, because I had literally no space in my bmw z3 and I was afraid park it anywhere sketchy. Long story short, I still have my punto to this day after a decade and I'm surprised how reliable and fun to drive still is! Old fiats never fails to amaze me
Hey up Matt, going to give this one a thumbs up already, even though I have been called out to a serious work-related problem and don't have time to view it at present !!!!!! I will have to save it later when I get back from work !!! but guaranteed it will be up to the usual top-quality standard🙏🙏
Had a 1.2 for a year as my first car, sadly I had to sell it because of studying, however can definitely recommend this car, and as you say, there is just something fun about it
I have a MK3 1.2 petrol on a 14 plate it uses about a third of a thimble full of petrol each week locally. I managed to driving very carefully from North Yorkshire to Essex on just under half a tank of petrol. Very underrated little cars the 1970/80s Fiat image is long gone it's just badge snobbery. my 2014 Panda has a Bosch Engine Management System, Japanese sensors and plugs they aren't so much Fiat as you'd expect a Ford KA & 500 is just the same animal underneath the body.
Another excellent video, Matt. These stories on old cheap cars are great.
Thanks!
Another turnaround video, spot on. Really enjoy these Matt. Have a great Christmas and hope we get some property update videos in the new year. 👍👍👍
Thanks! Same to you. All the best
Great value for money🙂 Really like these humble Pandas, the tiny torquey diesel matches well. Some love and bamboo daily and you have a nice local cruiser 😎
Our first car was a top-of-the - range original Guigaro Panda in the early 1980s. Great fun for a one litre "square-bear". My wife has had four Pandas since. Honest little cars. Never a breakdown, only minor repairs. Cheap as chips to buy and run.
Excellent video. We have the same Polish-built 1.3 diesel engine in our '15-plate Vauxhall Combo van (re-badged Doblo) with stop/start (or Eco Flex as Vauxhall like to call it). They are very tough mechanically. 90,000 miles and is still like new.
they are brilliant cars,my father in law has one and absolutely loves it,uses it for work and just running around town. Ive driven it loads of times and its great as your higher up. great video
I agree with everything you said Matt. Recently had one as a hire car for a week in Portugal (because it was the cheapest available). Should be rubbish on paper, but really enjoyed driving it. It was the petrol, but hardly used any fuel
I drove an original Panda to Mongolia 16 years ago. Great car. And my wife currently drives an 05 plate 1.2 Panda, superb little cars.
Oh wow
This shape Panda is amazing. Ice owned 2: a brand new Active 1.1 base model in 2007 and a 100hp a couple of years back. Both equally as fun to drive. Great video, would love a follow up.
Brings back memories of my brother. He bought a new MK1 TT way back when. He was mocking my old Cavalier whilst he cadged one of several lifts to the dealer to collect his troublesome Audi. My 250 quid Cav was faultlessly reliable. Whilst his £20k TT was the polar opposite.
By coincidence I test drove a 17 plate Panda 4x4 1.3 multijet on Tuesday in my continuing search for a lane friendly Dartmoor car. I liked it a lot but struggled to fit. That's a good little car, scrubbed up well and looks like there's a decent turn to be made. Somehow the Panda seems no nonsense and real, whereas the 500 always seems overstyled.
Mothers in law got through two of these she was a terrible driver but they stood up to the punishment, last one was second hand at £1250 and in mint condition within weeks it was covered in dings and scratches, kept it going for a few years, when her driving career hit the buffers at 88 we still got £400 for it!
What a great little car Matt, definitely worth double what you paid for it but you're right maybe a keeper for a runabout and will cope quite well in the snow too, good luck with this one..
To my mind the hallmark of a genuine car guy is when they find joy in even the most mundane cars. Keep it, enjoy it, drive it like an Italian!
I had a 1.3 Multijet a few years ago and the mpg figures you can get are insane if you're careful. Over 80 mpg from London to Manchester drafting lorries.
😂😂😂
Sticking to lorry asses with this little thing sure sounds like an adventure lol
I think this would be a nice raffle car. Raffle prizes don’t always have to be fancy. It would make a perfect first car as a parental gift to a teenager just passing their driving test and maybe needing something for uni.
That's a bobby dazzler of a idea. It'd also be great to see him give it to someone who's had a bit of hard time lately and needs wheels for them and family. I work for a cancer trust and it's tough sometimes seeing kids and their families coming in for treatment that have had to use taxis or buses to get the hospital. Especially this time of year. 😩
The ticket price would have to be 50p!
Who would pay for a raffle for a £250 car? The Idea is low outlay to tempt you in for a high value item in return..
I’ve always liked these little things as well. We owned a 100hp version which was so much fun, despite having the hardest suspension I’ve ever experienced
Just shows you don’t have to break the bank to get something respectable to get about or just to have that handy second car. Great turn around example Matt. Keep up the good work 👍
LOVE the Panda. Bought an 07 reg 1.2 Dynamic back in February 08 when it was five months old for £4000 and enjoyed it for a couple of years. Sold it to my mother when I upgraded. Superb little car. Would actually quite like another one :)
I like these too, so many cars are based on them. The Achilles heal of them is the rear axle/suspension area corroding. My mother in laws ex bought one for £500 off Facebook, it seemed fine and did a few Leeds to London trips. But as I owned a mk1 Kia Sorento at the time, I was a bit obsessed with checking rear axles.
And I noticed the rear axle on his Panda was very badly corroded and of questionable strength. I suggested he take it to get looked at and see if they could weld it or put a decent used axle on it. The garage agreed that it was hanging on by a thread, and he scrapped it. He was always pissed off at me about that, would he rather I said nothing and it collapsed on him at 70mph on the M1?.
Mine was scrapped because of rear axle rust aswell last saturday.. but it wouldnve been a real danger... for a long time.. atleast i got 400 bucks for it.. payed 1000 4 years ago, never had any big repairs.. so im not sad.. but ur right on the point.. it is a big weak spot for the panda.. esp if they are spraying salt where u live..
Great videos Matt. Soon as I saw the Springfield plate on the back thought Durham or Sunderland.
I rented one of these in Switzerland back in 2005. I was driving a 1.6 Nissan Primera in the UK. The Panda 1.3 diesel was a decent quality, spacious and very capable car, easily as good as the Primera. Me and the girlfriend (now wife) drove it to Chamonix and had a great holiday.
Those engines will go forever if regularly changing the oil 👌
The 1.3 engine in these is the same as what Opel used in the combo van (and with many others). The combo van was used by Royal Mail with the 1.3 engine and they must be solid engines because a lot of those royal mail vans are still in use and I can't imagine they are cared for very well. Great video as always.
Yep, all early Fiat 1st and 2nd gen commonrails were good engines, later ones i'm not familiar with. My '02 Alfa 156 had the 115 bhp 8v JTD which might sound underwhelming today but in that 1200kg car with that nice manual gearbox it was quite fun and very frugal.
@@sssssneaker Yeah i can imagine! I learned to drive in a 1.6tdi Skoda fabia with around 89bhp. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
@@archechme sounds like a rocketship compared to my learner Golf 1.9 SDI (no turbo one) with 60 hp :))
the lower-powered variants of the 1.3 and 1.9 JTD/Multijet are fairly reliable units, I had both (2004 Punto 1.3 with 70hp which I still have, previously I had a 1999 Alfa 156 1.9 with 105 hp). The 1.3 diesel has been used in 45 different car models from various manufacturers (Fiat/Alfa Romeo/Lancia, Opel/Vauxhall, Suzuki etc.), same goes for the 1.9 diesel which has been used in 30 models (including Saab and Cadillac).
@@sssssneaker yeah i bet they were very steady! good for learning though I suppose
One of these was a courtesy car at a local garage so I've driven one a few times. Really liked it. There's something kind of wholesome about it.
Great channel.Love your comments.Very truthful and candid with a lot of tongue in cheek and sarcasm.
Awesome watch.
Thanks!
@@HighPeakAutos Not at all, mate.Your channel is brilliant.Been living overseas for the last 30 years, but have to visit Blighty in March,Apr/May and I think it would be better for me to buy a decent and motor and then sell it on when I leave.
Your channel has been a Godsend.
Bought my 08 1.3 Diesel in 2014 with 37k on the clock for under £4k. PX'd it in 2019 with 153000 on the clock for £350. It did an real world actual average of 63mpg, commuted 110 miles each day, took 4 of us down through Ireland and across France to Bordeaux and back - pulling a trailer, 4 bikes and with 2 roof racks. Then it did again the following year to Rioja in Spain. Came back both times with more wine than it should have. Only non consumable part is broke in that time was a windscreen squirting jet..... Loved it, miss it and would have another in a heart beat. Yours looked like it has AC too. May have been designed in Italy, but built in Poland I think - and well built at that.
350 only if I could find a car thst cheap
Was that Wine or Whine? Drove a 80k mile MK2 Honda Accord to Malaga and back in 36 hours in the Eighties, needed both front wheel bearings after. I also have great respect for the little Fiat, after helping my daughter to one. After the rear torsion beam corrosion was corrected, it's been a belting little workhorse!
@@MarkDaleADV lol definitely wine 🍷 of the drinking variety. Learned to drive in a series iii lightweight Landover, anything else has quiet wheel bearings after that ...
I had three Pandas delivered prior to thier original launch. We took the bonnet off one, turned it upside down and used it as a toboggan. We managed to get all 22 body shop staff on it, racing down a local park hill in the snow. Worked well. We claimed body damage under warranty.
I had the same engine in my 06 Fiat Doblo Van and it was brilliant.
I had a 4x4 Panda, and I could easily whop all the big Chelsea Tractors in the worst ice and snow where I live.
Really reliable, only real disadvantage is/was the small-ish boot space.
I know exactly what do you mean by considering to keep this 😀
I bought a very cheap Lancia Ypsilon for my sister-in-law and absolutely loved it for a week before giving it to her
I’ve never had one of those. What’s the at based on?
@@HighPeakAutos it's basically a very high spec Fiat Punto from the mid 2000s
It's Definitely ZED Matt!😂 I love this shape of Panda. The 100 hp ones are really cool.. don't ask me why. ... I own a Stilo. So maybe I'm a bit weird👍
Hello I owned a stilo for 11years from new. One of the best cars I have ever owned.
@@bondjamesbond9041 Hiya.. ha ha cool.. I have a 3 door Schumacher GP.. I love it. But it keeps me poor!🤣👍
Had one as a hire car in Gran Canaria , loved it tbf , which I wasn’t expecting!
What a transformation!!! Lovely wee car, well done Matt
Thanks!
Why would a tyre company call themselves Triangle?!😂
No idea 😂
You are wrong about the Panda. If looked after these are one of the most reliable small cars. They will be more reliable than anything from VW or Citroen/Peugeot. I have had several of these and they are robust and very reliable.
I’ve got lots of stories which go against your theory
@@HighPeakAutos it's not a theory. As I said I have owned several of these and they have been very reliable. The only one to avoid is the later twin air two cylinder version. No they are not perfect but I stand by my original comments. NB there are many comments on your video also praising the Panda!
@@bondjamesbond9041is a fist panda 1.2 dualogic any good?
I have a 2009 with the 1.2 liter four cylinder FIRE engine. These are super reliable little cars and there's not much on them to go wrong. Provided they get regular maintenance, they go on and on.
Everybody loves them, and nobody knows why... Great job👍👏👏👏
Result! A cracking little car & the stereo works. It certainly spruced up well.
All the best! A continual variation from your earlier videos. A little surprising, given your recent video showing how much stock you have on hand.
I've had two of them, amazing little run-arounds for new drivers
Great vid. Understand what your saying about a small simple honest car. Strangely appealing
I drive a little white panda, absolutely love that car. Its so simple that if anything breaks you can replace it yourself most of the time and parts are cheap. Ideal with this economy. Great video!
Put some knobbly winter tyres on it Matt and have a fun winter. With those narrow tyres it'll go up a houseside and anywhere in the show. Terrific vid again Matt Pleased you've rescued another, and look to make a bob or two on it. 😉
I have a 100HP which I bought to keep the miles off my Alfa Spider. Every time I got in it, it put a smile on my face - something the Spider never really managed to do, so I kept the Fiat and got rid of the Spider! I like small unpretentious cars like these which have a bit of character, the like of which we will never see again. Years ago I had a Mk 1 Panda which was fantastic - such a brilliant minimalist design. I await with some eagerness the production version of the Centoventi concept but I fear it will be too large and EV only.
Cracking Vlog Matt ....orsm little Car ..I love it fair play if you keep it ..🙂
Great video HPA, great little car, great numbers as well,nice profit for you, apparently the 4x4 is a gem👌👍😀
Cleaned up very nice! Is that cool Merc up next 😃
As always, thank you. Hope you'll keep this Panda.
It is! Currently in the bodyshop
So glad you did this trip. I did suggest it in the comments of the original video (don’t worry, you can’t read everything people post). Genuinely envious of the adventure and takes me back to having run cheap cars in my 20s. Changed them every 12 months for something with a new MOT. Had some hideous looking things (rusty 405, V6 Granada in gold with beige interior), Nissan 180sx, 605. Never had a problem with any of them and just carefree ownership. Just discussing last night as I think my partner should learn to drive-she didn’t when young and is nervous now-of I can persuade her, that is the car we are having.
Can’t wait to see what follows
Always nice to find a comprehensive service history
Definitely keep it & it keeps things real every time you see & drive it brilliant
A good honest review Matt....I had a 2004 1.2 Eleganza ....served me well.Now I'm back with a 2013 1.2 Lounge ,an equally honest car....there is much to like about the Panda of any Mk.
Just something about the panda, always liked them. I'm a 35 year old male, I shouldn't like them, but i do lol. It must be the skinny tyres, high driving position and the body roll, mated to a small engine! Always fun lol
I agree I've got a old Toyota aygo as a second car and I find it more satisfying driving that daily as it's cheap and cheerful.
My favourite colour for this generation was the lovely Ambrosia custard yellow.
I owned the 4x4 variant of this Panda and paid only £950 for one before prices went through the roof. Sold it about 5 weeks later for £750 as I'd spent over £400 on it within that time and was anxious that the rear beam was rusted through (MOT was a couple months away). I had seen that it passed its MOT with no advisories. To say that I was gutted was an understatement.
Brilliant cars for their current money.
Always feel smug with my 2005 Panda in Waitrose car park. Straight in /out and lots of fun watching the Chelsea tractor’s struggling to manoeuvre. Agree with your and all comments, just fun to drive.
My GF had one, a guacamole green one with black roof that I drove. At first I wasn't impressed, but then you just like its honesty and genuinity. Makes you feel like you are driving a toy car.
PS: I subscribed to your channel.
Can’t think of why I like them, I just do. I think it’s the raw simplicity of them. Sometimes it refreshing to drive something so basic. My stepfather has a 15 plate one and he loves it, really smart looking car, yet so cheap and fun. I think you’ve got a win win situation, because you can keep hold of it as a little run around and it’s cost you less than £500, or sell it for profit when someone is looking for an inexpensive run around 👍.
Love your channel Matt-and we share the same taste in undervalued cars-I found the channel looking for a review of the Skoda Yeti, loved your review, bought one, still got it and will probably run it till it dies or I do…..
I bought a Panda-Sporting no less-2006 Multijet back in 2013 with 60k on the clock-sold it a couple of years ago as a mot failure to my local garage as he uses them as loan cars. One of the mechanics liked it so much he badgered the boss to let him have it-I still see it buzzing around-I have started looking for another one.
Love your work 👍
I'm on my 2nd. Had this exact model but in white. Bought the newer version, 2015 and it's still going strong. Can't beat them as a second car.
Has a few fiats over the years and they have all been great little cars for the commute. Great video.
Great Video Matt as always
love the comment about your last train ride in 1976
you wasnt even around in 1976 lol
nice little Panda which one cant go wrong with and a bargain for you
atb MIke
keep it matt.i bought a 1.3 ka mk1 2 years ago for 240 it s no oil painting but runs like a dream.even my boss used it 4 2 months while his new car came and he run a 19 plate amg merc
Great stuff Matt genuine little gem of a motor.it’s done well doing 150k mind-quick auto trader search and I could only find 11 other fiats with that level of mileage….
A colleague of mine in Asturias lent me his Panda (same as the one in this video) when I first came here. I also fell in love with it. My only critisicism of it was it felt a bit cramped, I am 6' 2" other wise, it was and still is a great car.