The handy Pandy! (Fiat Panda)

Member Name: Nolly

Product:	Fiat Panda
Date:	10/09/02 (584 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: retro-chic, nippy, very economical

Disadvantages: cramped for me, not a long-distance cruiser

Well, we have been and gone and taken the plunge- we've bought a second car! The reason for this is that, in spite of the fact that she is very pregnant, my wife decided to learn to drive! The problem that exists for us is that we live in a remote village in the wilds of Lincolnshire and it would appear to me that if you want to catch a bus you have to apply 3 months in advance- anyway, I digress....

We needed a car that would provide basic and reasonably economical transport for my good lady and the nipper, and also for the one due imminently (Nolly pauses to hear a groan- no it's not the onset of labour, it's his waistband!). The boot would have to accommodate a few shopping bags and a buggy, the insurance costs would have to be low- my Volvo is Group 14 and she couldn't drive it even if she passed her test!

So we scoured the local small ads and came across a 1992 Fiat Panda 900 Dance- all in beautiful white (I would call it gleaming white if I were the type of soul who could be bothered to clean cars!). It was group 1 insurance, has the kind of street image that would render it left alone by even the most desperate of thieves, and was a snip at £225.

Teacghing my wife to drive in 'Pandy', as the car became affectionately known, was not an onerous task. It was nippy, could hold its own at 60mph on an A road, and didn't roll about too much whilst cornering. The ride is okay, but a bit basic. When you are used to Scandinavian luxury, bare metal doors and a tiny gear lever are a bit disconcerting to say the least.

And now I am the main driver. Why? I hear you ask. Well, the problem is that she didn't pass the test, and we are seeking to cut down on motoring costs. My Volvo will do about 28mpg in town, whereas Pandy is doing about 50mpg! Therefore it has become my mode of transport for commuting. Every morning I pour, for want of a better word, my 6 foot 7 inch frame into the car, perch behind the whe
el and scoot off to work. It feels like riding a motorised roller skate to me, and if I put my hand out of the window I can almost touch the ground, but it has a uniquely quirky feel that has won me over completely.

The cdar boasts winding windows, a 2 speaker stereo, 5 speed gearbox, 2 speed fan and 2 speed wipers (fast intermittent and continuous). It is, and I run the risk of repeating myself here, not a glamourous passion wagon, but it is nippy and very frugal and, at the moment, I wouldn't do without it! The Scandinavian beast is taking a well earned break (8 thousand miles in 6 months) and is getting ready for the speedy dash to Lincoln County Hospital. Which reminds me, the steering, although heavy, is okay and the car can be manoeuvred into tight spaces (you can't do that in a Volvo 850!)- it is a little bit bigger than a mini, and it deserved cult, if not icon status.

Be somebody- drive (or in my case almost wear) a Fiat Panda- go on, you know you want to!



Neil
September 2002

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