To get it featured on the front page:
2006 Fiat Panda 1.2
Bought it in May 2020 because we needed a new car, as the mighty Daihatsu was dying on me.
Having experienced a Panda for prolonged periods thanks to my brother-in-law, and these being actually reliable (yes, reliable Fiat), cheap to maintain and quite economical, it was a quick and easy decision. Had to be a funky colour though. Our first choice was apple green but those are rare. This specimen popped up for the right price with not much kilometers on the odometer. 1750 euro and 135k. Downside was the light coloured interiors they all have, but that was an easy fix:
Fancy faux leather colour matching interior for the win. And for the trained eye, the floor mats are also matching colours. Black mats with blue ridge. I also had to replace the shift boot. That has the same gray as the dash, with blue stitching of course.
So far we are approaching 50k in 2,5 years and apart from some minor shenanigans, a busted fuel pump, burst heater hose and a broken return pipe for the coolant, it has been smooth sailing and passing the yearly inspection without trouble.
I keep it well maintained with fresh oil and filter every year and a full service every 2 years. Replaced the timing belt as a precaution, replaced most of the suspension with quality Moog parts and a set of fresh shoes because the Chinese ones were way too noisy. Oh and I replaced the stuffing of the driver's side seat with fresh foam from a passenger side seat. They all suffer from collapsed seats. And the occasional electrical gremlin like a failing power steering mid corner or an oil pressure light that's stored in the ecu as an error but that's the Italian spirit.
Now, likes for Panda and a front page feature!
