Car buying bleat.

[gaz_l]

Well, I need to whine and here's as good a place as any. Looking at replacing the Fiat and my requirements are specific, very few cars meet all the criteria.

Recently I've been looking at the Chrysler Ypsilon - and if you say "whassat?", I don't blame you. Fiat/Chrysler decided to bring the Lancia Ypsilon (basically a posh version of the Panda) to the UK, but the marketing department bottled it as people in the UK have long memories and the word Lancia apparently still brings to mind 1970's Betas dissolving in the rain. They're not like that nowadays, the Ypsilon is a nice little car (I've had one as a rental in Sardinia before) and if you go to Italy there's loads biffing about. Panda = cheap and cheerful, 500 = cute and fun, Ypsilon = stylish and luxurious is about how it's pitched.

Anyway, Fiat decided to badge the cars up as Chryslers for the UK, making people think that instead of buying rusty Italian rubbish they were buying badly made cheaply built American rubbish. Good call. As a result, they bombed and they hardly sold any. 4000 odd in the 4 years or so they were on sale, most of which I believe went into the rental fleets. So the majority of the second-hand ones will have been thrashed, then.

Chrysler subsequently withdrew from the UK, but although the dealerships have gone there are still a few delivery mileage ones knocking about. Such was the one I found last night, 64 reg but basically unused with a whopping 259 miles on the clock. All the good stuff, moo, wind, pano roof, self parking, the whole 9 yards. Showed Mrs. Gaz, who although basically indifferent to cars thought it looked "quite nice", high praise indeed.

Now given that this ad only went live last night (according to eBay) and I couldn't get to the dealers until Thursday morning earliest I thought I had a bit of time. Not a popular car, it was at the very top end of what they go for (although a substantial saving on new), no dealers any more, who's gonna buy it? Plus I had shed loads to do at work this morning, so pressed on with the intention of giving the dealers a call at lunchtime.

Guess what? Gone by the time I contacted them. The moral is, if you see something you like get on the case straight away. Not the first time a car has slipped through my fingers in this manner.

Oh well, the search continues..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[alymac]

"What's for you won't go past you" , so they say Gaz, so this one must not have been for you, my neice has one, it has all bells & whistles & she love's it, to be fair it''s a lovely wee car, good luck with the search

 

[moonloops]

Chrysler Ypsilon

Sorry, I didn't realise you are a registered blind person

 

[Abb]

^^^ That's a bit harsh.....funny but harsh

 

[gaz_l]

'Twould be a dull world if we all liked the same thing. I think it's a funky looking little thing, more interesting than a Fiesta/Corsa/Hyundai whatever..









YMMV, of course. But they're kitted out with all the toys as well, if you find a good one.

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Driver15]

So what is the car under the shell ? ie.. so if you need to get a spare part ?

 

[Driver15]

Different.. i give you that and when you pitch it agaisnt as you say a Fiesta or a Corsa... i see your point

 

[gaz_l]

So what is the car under the shell ? ie.. so if you need to get a spare part ?

Basically a Panda/500, although the floorpan is stretched 3" to increase rear legroom. With 3 grandchildren in their teens now, this is becoming more important..

Engines/drivertrain/suspension are all common and out of the FIAT parts bin. Bodywork and interior are different, of course, but available on the continent - it's not like Rover or SAAB where the manufacturer closed down and availability of parts becomes a problem. If I do get one, TBH I'll probably hunt down the trim and badges and make it a Lancia again I've always had a thing for Italian cars.

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Brizzle]

Basically a Panda/500, although the floorpan is stretched 3" to increase rear legroom. With 3 grandchildren in their teens now, this is becoming more important..

Engines/drivertrain/suspension are all common and out of the FIAT parts bin. Bodywork and interior are different, of course, but available on the continent - it's not like Rover or SAAB where the manufacturer closed down and availability of parts becomes a problem. If I do get one, TBH I'll probably hunt down the trim and badges and make it a Lancia again I've always had a thing for Italian cars.

Cheers,

Gaz

Actually SAAB parts are plentiful and cheap - still being made by a company in Sweden using the original tooling which they bought from the defunct car company.

 

[Tim203]

Basically a Panda/500, although the floorpan is stretched 3" to increase rear legroom. With 3 grandchildren in their teens now, this is becoming more important.. Engines/drivertrain/suspension are all common and out of the FIAT parts bin. Bodywork and interior are different, of course, but available on the continent - it's not like Rover or SAAB where the manufacturer closed down and availability of parts becomes a problem. If I do get one, TBH I'll probably hunt down the trim and badges and make it a Lancia again I've always had a thing for Italian cars. Cheers, Gaz

Looks cool in red/ black. I'd feel the same Gaz, had loads of Fiats and Lancias and would prefer the Lancia badge. I still miss my Delta HF Turbo!

 

[EdmundIJones]

Looks like a rebadged Alfa Romeo Mito to me from the front and side profiles:

Just a few styling changes to the grill, wheels etc.

 

[def90cars]

Looks like a rebadged Alfa Romeo Mito to me from the front and side profiles:





Just a few styling changes to the grill, wheels etc.

And two extra doors

 

[def90cars]

Both are Lancia (Chrysler) Deltas......

Sorry 1980's rally fans

 

[Simon_M]

I had one of these as a hire car last year. I was disappointed it did not get a Fiat 500 as I wanted to try one. I cannot say I was impressed, it was the first car I have driven for a very, very long time where u pulled out to overtake a Transit Van towing a horse box and the van driver actually gesticulated out the window that I should get 'the hell by' but my foot was flat to the floor and revving the nuts off it.

Of all the hire cars I have had over the last few years, the one that impressed me the most was the Citroen Cactus, but it was new so I imagine it would be a tad rattley after a year or so.

Go on, Fiat 500 or a new shape Panda, you know it makes sense, or is a Skoda within budget?

S

 

[gIzzE]

[URL="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/


Blimey, I always so 'each to their own' but I really don't get that design wise at all.
That actually makes my teeth itch looking at it, the only other car that has done that was some Sayyyyyoooong 4x4 thing, and the PT Cruiser.

 

[bpsorrel]

In the metal these little Ypsilons look quite nice IMO. SWMBO liked it (as well as the MiTo) but chose a Peugeot 208 instead.

I've always loved Lancia (my first job from school was for them) and hated the Chrysler rebadge. I'd also hunt down the Lancia badges (easy in Sardinia!) and replace the crud Chrysler ones!

 

[gaz_l]

I had one of these as a hire car last year. I was disappointed it did not get a Fiat 500 as I wanted to try one. I cannot say I was impressed, it was the first car I have driven for a very, very long time where u pulled out to overtake a Transit Van towing a horse box and the van driver actually gesticulated out the window that I should get 'the hell by' but my foot was flat to the floor and revving the nuts off it.

Of all the hire cars I have had over the last few years, the one that impressed me the most was the Citroen Cactus, but it was new so I imagine it would be a tad rattley after a year or so.

Go on, Fiat 500 or a new shape Panda, you know it makes sense, or is a Skoda within budget?

S

Simon, the problem is SWMBO's list of desirables. Although we both like the 500, it's actually smaller and less practical than the Panda. So we need 5 seats not 4 (currently can't get all 3 grandkids in the back at once), she wants parking sensors front and back as she's seen the ones in the SLK and likes that idea, and she doesn't want a big car (a Focus meets the definition of "big" in her books). She also saw the reversing camera in the Range Rover Evoque we were in at the weekend, don't get me started on that!

The list of cars that meet the requirement are very small, basically the Ypsilon (also has "magic parking" which is a bonus) or a W169 A class is all I've come up with at the moment within the budget (7K tops). I can't find a W169 that ticks all the boxes, and I've been looking for a while. Also, it must be petrol and not French (my requirements ). Not really interested in anything with more than 40-45K on the clock, we don't do many miles so no point in buying something leggy.

I'll keep looking, something'll turn up!

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[gaz_l]

Well, the deed is done! Signed on the dotted line today for this one, pick it up Friday once it's had a service and a fresh MOT..

For a little car it's loaded with toys, leather, air, front and rear parking sensors, auto (parallel) park, cruise control, the whole shebang. A comedy engine too, 875 cc and two cylinders of turbocharged fury . OK, it's not going to win many drag races but the torque is actually very impressive - it's not a high-revving lump (it's all over by 6000 rpm) but in the midrange it punches well above its weight. Certainly it's gruntier than the Panda it's replacing, which is a 1.4..

It's a 61 plate with 25K miles, but TBH it's completely unmarked, it looks like a new car. Got a good deal on it too, so I'm a happy bunny .

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[KillerHERTZ]

The central dash cluster would drive me mad. Why isn't it in your line of sight? Awful design.

(Yes I know it's cost cutting so they don't have to make a RHD and LHD dash)

 

[gaz_l]

The central dash cluster would drive me mad. Why isn't it in your line of sight? Awful design.

(Yes I know it's cost cutting so they don't have to make a RHD and LHD dash)

It would be better if they swapped the speedo/tacho over for RHD versions - the speedo is on the far side of the dash on the RHD. At least it leaves a clear line of sight in front of the driver - most of the time it will be pottering around town on my 3 mile commute and speed isn't really a factor. If we do decide to take it on a journey, it'll have the satnav in line of sight which has a built in speedo view anyway.

Cheers,

Gaz