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Panda (Classic) My Purple Panda Parade Progress log

Introduction

Well folks, after keeping it under my hat all week (to avoid any embarrassment if the ebay winner actually collected the car) I have bought the purple panda parade from another user on here, neeny. They had sold it on ebay, and to cut a long story short the winner of the auction didn't collect, so the transaction was cancelled, and I offered to buy it in his place (I had actually nearly bid on the car on the original run but I confused myself and thought it was LHD which wouldn't have been any good to me) So I made the trip to fife (and on the way crossed the forth road bridge and saw the forth rail bridge which is a bit of an ambition of mine) and collected it. It took some getting used to driving! My current daily is a Citroen C2 GT, and the two cars are very very different. I have prior experience driving Fiats, as my first 3 cars were a mix of mk1 and mk2a puntos, and the first car I ever drove was my dad's tipo.

Anyway I digress, I drove it home in blizzard conditions and am very impressed with it! The only thing is that it has sat for a while and the brakes are very spongy (not a criticism of the previous owners, they were extremely honest about the car and answered all my questions, they were very kind and nice people and I hope to see them again, perhaps at a show) The Mohair twin sunroofs were slightly damp on the inside (again, not a criticism, it has been extremely wet in Scotland recently, and there is only so much it can take) not leaking or anything, just slightly damp, so I aim to treat this with fabric water repellant. There are some decals and stickers on it which aren't to my personal tastes, so I will remove these, and keep the ones which are to my taste :) The rear sunroof needs a new strap, so I will need to source one of these, or get my fiance to make a new one if I can get a hold of some leather or rubber if I find they are unavailable :)

I am very pleased with my new purchase, and consider myself very lucky to have managed to get it, the buyer on ebay should be kicking himself! And also I am very lucky to have met such kind people as Janine and Stewart, and to have found a forum with such helpful people. Anyway folks lets get down to business...photos! I apologize for the poor quality of some of these photos, it was dark before I took some of these and it is very cold so my hand was shaking. Hopefully you join me on my journey folks :) The panda is currently in my garage being aired out in an attempt to part dry the sunroofs before I bust out the hairdryer tomorrow :)

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I expect my Panda will get worse MPG than my Punto. On long motorway journeys I can get 50mpg out of the Punto with little effort, I doubt the 34hp 750 will achieve as much. Around town I normally get about 44mpg.

You'll get high 40s and possibly early 50's at a motorway cruise speed of 55-60mph (y)
 
I expect my Panda will get worse MPG than my Punto. On long motorway journeys I can get 50mpg out of the Punto with little effort, I doubt the 34hp 750 will achieve as much. Around town I normally get about 44mpg.

Charmania's about the same as your Punto around town but if you drive it at the same speeds on the motorway you'll get about 45mpg. The 5 speed gearbox, Seicento seats, and extra sound deadening has always made it one of the nicest cruising Pandas at 70 mph, but if you want to cruise at higher speeds fuel consumption will suffer.
 
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Charmania's about the same as your Punto around town but if you drive it at the same speeds on the motorway you'll get about 45mpg. The 5 speed gearbox, Seicento seats, and extra sound deadening has always made it one of the nicest cruising Pandas at 70 mph, but if you want to cruise at higher speeds fuel consumption will suffer.

Good to know, I never cruise for long above 70 in the Punto because my MPG plummets to about 36.
 
I'm a Sunday driver in the Panda, I'd take the Bravo otherwise and be in Audi driver mode in the outside lane :devil:

I'm afraid I take a certain perverse pleasure in taking the CL into the BM/Audi lane - oh sorry, no apparently it's not their lane!!! :rolleyes:

I make sure everyone knows it's more than capable of outside lane speeds too - it still does over 40mpg by the way, foot in the carpet.... ;) I can't do the same in the Sisley, and the 45's don't deserve such hooliganism! (y)
 
I'm afraid I take a certain perverse pleasure in taking the CL into the BM/Audi lane - oh sorry, no apparently it's not their lane!!! :rolleyes:

I make sure everyone knows it's more than capable of outside lane speeds too - it still does over 40mpg by the way, foot in the carpet.... ;) I can't do the same in the Sisley, and the 45's don't deserve such hooliganism! (y)

People used to overtake me in the C2 because it was a so called "boy racer car" and they like to get one over on boy racers (It may well be but for the record I am not one, nor have I ever been) Now they overtake me because even though I am doing the speed limit they think Im going slow because Im in a classic car, other drivers perceptions are funny :)
 
People used to overtake me in the C2 because it was a so called "boy racer car" and they like to get one over on boy racers (It may well be but for the record I am not one, nor have I ever been) Now they overtake me because even though I am doing the speed limit they think Im going slow because Im in a classic car, other drivers perceptions are funny :)

Yes you're spot on - people are weird! Sometimes they actually speed up when dawdling in the middle lane and see that a 127 or Panda is hoofing past them - idiots, I'd take their licence away for doing 65 in the middle lane with nothing on the inside - radical, maybe, but why should I go 2 lanes out and 2 lanes back just because I want to do 70??!! Sorry, pet hate..... :bang:
 
Yes you're spot on - people are weird! Sometimes they actually speed up when dawdling in the middle lane and see that a 127 or Panda is hoofing past them - idiots, I'd take their licence away for doing 65 in the middle lane with nothing on the inside - radical, maybe, but why should I go 2 lanes out and 2 lanes back just because I want to do 70??!! Sorry, pet hate..... :bang:

I get what you mean :) im always astounded as to some other peoples behaviour on the roads, how these people get licenses is just beyond me.
 
You know it could be that we all have inaccurate speedo's!

Speedo say's 80 in Fizzle - sat nav says 70.

Haven't you ever noticed in average speed camera areas everyone though in theory is doing dead on 50 many are overtaking etc?

At least the speedo doesn't make noises like a demented wasp in a jam jar anymore!
 
Changed my sidelight bulb today, one of the wires going into the bulb carrier must be slightly worn inside as i had to set the wire a certain way to get the bulb to work, I will replace this at some point but it is working just now. Also tried it without the bonnet scoop today to decide whether I like it better on or off. I have come to the conclusion I like it better on, its a bit bare looking for my taste without it. Also I removed the "retro satnav" ;)

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At first I thought you were going to keep to natural original look of the Panda and give away (hint hint) the bonnet scoop! ;)

I was all hopeful for about 10 seconds :(

I could put that "retro-sat nav" in my clock hole though! :p
 
What I do object to is if I'm punting along at the speed limit and overtake someone their ego's are so fragile they can't take it and have to pass me back even if it means making a mockery of the Road Traffic Act to do so.

I call it "Auto-dysfunctional Egotism"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQHWA8hgj_A&list=UUG5B_MzmD2bW4GZpGSMPA9g&index=5

...and there's a case study virtually every time I go out in my Fantasia.
 
You know it could be that we all have inaccurate speedo's!

Speedo say's 80 in Fizzle - sat nav says 70.

Haven't you ever noticed in average speed camera areas everyone though in theory is doing dead on 50 many are overtaking etc?

At least the speedo doesn't make noises like a demented wasp in a jam jar anymore!

Mine's not that far out - 90 is 85, oh sorry I mean 75 is 70 ossifer :devil:
 
At first I thought you were going to keep to natural original look of the Panda and give away (hint hint) the bonnet scoop! ;)

I was all hopeful for about 10 seconds :(

I could put that "retro-sat nav" in my clock hole though! :p

Sorry captain, if I had decided against it you could have had it, but im afraid its not to be this time :( although I did see a 4 x 4 breaking on Ebay, a black one and I got the timing belt covers and headlamp covers from it, the username is grandoldbob, good luck!

EDIT
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-PAND...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a7e0fa2aa
 
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