Fiat Panda.....

Strider590

You can actually buy decals (from Fiat) for the car which look like dirty/oily hand prints on the boot. Fiat's admission of poor built quality perhaps lol

iolanthe07

You might want to look at a Hyundai i10 - another excellent little car, especially with the 1.2 Kappa engine, but with a 5 year warranty and proper tapered ends to the spring coils.

Kilty_2

iolanthe07 wrote: »

You might want to look at a Hyundai i10 - another excellent little car, especially with the 1.2 Kappa engine, but with a 5 year warranty and proper tapered ends to the spring coils.

I doubt they're cheap enough - I'm buying used.

Hintza

Kilty wrote: »

Which model/age/mileage do you have? Interesting to hear how they hold up if yours is getting on a bit.

Do you ever do any motorway work in it?

We have the 1.2 which is good for 80mph cruising anything faster and you will feel it. You can throw it around though and it is quite nippy.

We tend to use it for the shorter journeys but I have taken one down to Norwich (that was the one I bought for my daughter ) Not quite a grand cruiser and the older I get the more I like a decent car for long journeys, but it's fine.

Having a ball joint done on Wednesday which is a whole lower wishbone but that is part of the side that had to repair (second hand parts) when I bought it so I'm not reading too much into that.

Kilty_2

Would you buy a higher than average (~55k on an 07 plate) mileage one?

Hintza

Kilty wrote: »

Would you buy a higher than average (~55k on an 07 plate) mileage one?

Gosh ours is an 04 plate only on 45k. 35k which is probably our mileage in 4 years.

Depends on the price but it should be mainly motorway miles with that sort of mileage so it is probably fine. Just check all the suspenson thoroughly (although not expensive it s the only bit on both cars that have had to have any work done).

These cars hold there residual value well.

Kilty_2

I'd prefer a lower mileage one, seen a few 35k 06/56 ones.

All depends what they'll give me for my 07 2.0 Laguna (not much) :rotfl:

Gonna be a shock going from such an epic cruiser though

moggitymog

another vote for the panda, mine is the 1.2 eleganza, only bought it because I couldn't afford anything else and mine too was fab in the snow, apparently James May has one, so that has to be good!

Kilty_2

Can't find a bad review tbh

Jeannine

And another thumbs up for the Panda! I've had two from new; current one is a 2006 1.2 Dynamic Skydome, with 44000miles on the clock. Absolutely love it - watch out for a faulty tailgate switch, sometimes they stop working... Thoroughly recommended - low insurance, great to drive and I get about 50-55mpg according to the trip computer.:j