Reviews by The Panda Nut

How they fix a number plate to your new car
Pros
  • See photo
Cons
  • See photo
  • Two cars supplied by them both have the holes - NOW RUSTING- drilled in the tailgate when theyer are already 4 plastic fixings for the number plate fixings. I AM NOT IMPRESSED. 3 holes to repair and repaint as well as rust to treayNo evidence they ever painted the area the needlessly drilled. Draw your own conclusions
Two cars supplied by them both have the holes - NOW RUSTING- drilled in the tailgates when there are already 4 plastic fixings for the number plate screws. I AM NOT IMPRESSED. 4 holes to repair and repaint as well as rust to treat. There is NO evidence they even painted the area they needlessly drilled.

Ignorance, penny pinching, lack of supervision, couldnt care less attitide to the cars they sold. Draw your own conclusions. Do I want to use that branch or buy from them. No.
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Avoidance recommended
Pros
  • If you find one please tell me
Cons
  • Slow
  • Rude
  • Ignorant
  • Treat you like a moron
  • Cant identify a Panda 4x4 and think they are 1.2 engine!
  • Expensive doesnt cover it
  • Syupid lead in time to get anything done
Went for service and MOT. Was to,d my car was 2wd and 1.2. Sales people didnt even know what a Panda is...
Service and MOT price nearly £200 more than Desira
If I have to call on these people I will change the car first.
If this is Stellantis, KEEP IT
The Panda Nut does not recommend this dealership!
One member found this helpful.
Good but dealer prices
Pros
  • Still do a good job
  • price is OK better than Motorvogue
  • small enough to care
  • Good comms
Cons
  • No longer Fiat, Im not convinced thet still have Fiat dealer software
  • Twice since they became Suzuki have returned car with Service meter improperly or oddly changed. so I needed MES to correct it and do oil cgange reset
I still trust them to do a decent job but wish they were still Fiat 13 years with no problems. ALways helpful and friendly.
The Panda Nut recommends this dealership
The Panda Nut
The Panda Nut
That Panda Nut is amazing
Fiats for Sale
Pros
  • Straight and friendly dealer who loves small Fiats
I went to see a Panda and was impressed with Kim the owner who is very sraightforward and genuinely keen of small Fiats. If you are in the market and in the area he usually has a couple in stock. I looked at a Panda that was in good order and well priced accirding to Car Gurus site. I went for a newer onein the end but will definitely keep a watch for the future. We had a long chat about Pandas and 500s and hehas a passion which is a great indicator of a good garage.
no omplaints on serice
Pros
  • Did my 2 year service (Panda TA) No issues and they were careful to be covid safe.
  • No complaints
  • Work arried out on time as stated
  • Friendly staff seemed to know what they were talking about
Cons
  • Not the cheapest price for service
I was satisfied with the service and the follow up this year. i would use them again.

Sales department seem on the ball and offered a sensible px in 2019. Will be my first port of call if buying new in future.
The Panda Nut recommends this dealership
The Panda Nut
The Panda Nut
Went in today for a service and MOT price for my TA at 18000 miles. £500 was the stern response. I am afraid its just plain too expensive and reluctantly I shall take the task in had myself. I can buy the parts and the oil for £137 and it will take me a leisurly 2 hours to do and that includes decanting teh cars from the garage and opening and closing up the pit, changing and getting cleaned up afterwards. A dealer should be able to do the job in an hour so I cannot justify this cost. MOT will be done where I can walk to and from so thow on a £10 fuel saving to boot. Its all a bit sad. Charming staff and a nice warm showroom are not sufficient draw I am afraid.
Consistently fair - accurate diagnosos too .
Pros
  • History of reasonable price and reliable results. Latest quote for service is half that of Motorvogue (Mar 22)
Cons
  • Seem no longer to be a Fiat main dealer at this location and unsure if Fiat people are still on site in the workshop.
They have been excellent for 10 years. One workshop Tech was a Pole and familiar with 169 build so very good indeed. They seem no longer to sell Fiats here so I suspect its back to square 1 in terms of any relationship. Panda year 3 service £66 MOT £39
An odd part ordered last week produced when promised and at surprisingly cheap cost!
Staff always helpful.
Not impressed with sales dept and PX prices are bad.
The Panda Nut recommends this dealership
The Panda Nut
The Panda Nut
Visited today and was really in a bad mood about the exhorbitant price of two10mm plastic sealing plugs (£50+)!!! After venting steam at poor Neil the Service manager he kindly reduced the price as a gesture of goodwill by 50%, so it seems a whole lot better. Top marks for outstanding patience and service. I think maybe he just sold my next car today and will get a mention when the time comes. Considering my foul mood th man did very well. Having fitted the plugs its clear that the rubber bolt cover sleeves are either faulty or not correct for the car as the plugs I bought are too small to stay in the sleeve. I shall have to dismatle and change these too which is a royal pain but these were part of the kit so at least no further costs.
I stupidly closed the garage door down on my Panda and damaged the back edge of the roof / tail gate. Having tried chips away (useless) and other similar people who claim to do small dents, I was told they couldnt do rooves! I tried the big local body shops. The biggest was unable to rake the job for unspecified reasons and the next one wanter £420 and told me the high level brake light would be repalced as it would break on removal (£80) I decided to look for an independant body shop and ended up with Ashtons ClassicsI just go te car back and saved a clear £100. Not only this the car was still clean inside and out on return.

Nick Ashton removed and replaced the brake light and pushed the dent out without the need for body filler and the area was repainted. I cannot tell where the work started or finished its so good, and I have tried hard to see believe me.

One reviewer said "the best work you will get in Norfolk" and I have no reason to disagree. I would recommend Ashtons without reservation. They can be found at Unit 5 Rashes Green Ind Est Dereham Norfolk behind the Hire Centre - in fact through their yard. I would go straight to him if I needed work again.
The Panda Nut recommends this bodyshop
The Panda Nut
The Panda Nut
Two more jobs done by Nick Ashton. Aug 23.

Split front bumper repaired and repainted on my Panda Cross and
Thorough clean and waxoil of Panda 169 front end.

Cost seems good value and I am mega pleased with the quality. Its unfortunatley the second intervention in noops bodywork and try as I might I cannot tell its been touched however hard I look. The only tell-tale sign was how clean the front bumper is around its edges.

My neighbour said today that any garage that gets my thumbs up must be extremely good. I agree! Nick let slip he worked in a Fiat dealer for a while and has a soft spot for them.
My daughter broke down out side a year or two back. They helped fix the jammed window at a sensible cost on the day. I have been abck 2 or three times since and they have just done a front spring and MOT on our 20 year old Seat and had the time and courtesy to properly and correctly advise us.

The charges are honest and reasonable and I would not hesitate to recommend them. The owner knows his business and has my thanks for honesty and professionalism.
The Panda Nut recommends this garage
(y)
I ordered some scuff plates for the new Panda last week. After realising they were the ones for the 2003-12 model I contacted SG Petch and they kindly cancelled the order which I believe they were not obliged to do. This was much appreciated, and when I go for roof bars in the not too distant future SGP will be my first port of call. Its a nice surprise to receive good service like this and it deserves recognition. Thank you again.(y)
The Panda Nut recommends this dealership
Great Garage in Dereham Norfolk
Thanks to Mr Jarrett of Norwich road garage for being straight-forward and well priced. I have had several jobs done and have been delighted with the quality of service and clearly expert advice that has been freely proffered.

I have a few more expensive jobs that I cannot do to do shortly and hope to get them done.

Anyone local should find NRG behind the fire station.

It is really good to be able to praise a garage for a change.(y)
The Panda Nut recommends this garage
The Panda Nut
The Panda Nut
Just had the cam belt done on the 169 1.2 69hp. At the same time the spark plug that I cross threaded was resolved, and the suspected water leak thoroughly checked. So two extra hours for that need to be deducted from the overall cost, A full belt kit and water pump, refill of coolant with correct stuff and a new aux belt at the same time Cost £440 which I think is a totally acceptable cost. As Derek reported the cambelt was out of line by a tooth!!! and the aux belt didnt look as if it had ever been done (Thanks Inchcape Toyota who said it was done before we bought it) makes this money well spent. The car ran fine before but is markedly better now. I am delighted with the overall job at this stage.

Both belts and water pump for around £340 is good value. I still recommend these folk without reservation.
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The Panda Nut
The Panda Nut
Just paid for a total overhaul of the brakes on our 169. New calipers, new flxi hoses all round and strip and clean of the back brakes. 2.5 hours of labour charged plus parts which seems very reasonable and the o/s fisc is now starting to clean the outer 5-8mm of the discs of rust so at this stage I am very pleased, It would have taken me at least a day to do this and I cannot kneel at all today so make that 3 days. Total charge £480 of which an unfortunate chunk is of course VAT so I am happy with the cost as most of it was parts anyway. well done and thanks agai to NRG.
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