I am looking for a used Panda with 3 seat belts in the back. Nearly all the UK models seem to have 2 rear seat belts only. I've been told the 3rd belt is a factory option which is seldom specified. Apparently a lap belt is no longer allowed, so it has to be fixed to the roof (although I did drive a new Panda in Poland in 2006 which had a lap belt). Anyway, can anyone help me to find one with 3 seatbelts on the rear bench? There must be one out there! I will pay a fair price.
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Can they thord belt not be retro fitted? If it is a factory option I bet the holes etc are already there, hiding behind the seat and roof trim? Have you asked a dealer about them?
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Consider a new one and then get it specified.
A secondhand one will cost you £3k minimum i would have thought. A new one can be yours for £6k ish.
Warrenty, MOT etc considered you won't be out of pocket by much if you consider total cost of ownership.
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Before you buy, try sitting three people across the back seat of a Panda. There isn't enough room. And the seat runners can carve up your shoes.
HJ
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HJ,
I gather from his other post over in Classifieds, the back seats are mainly going to be used for his 3 children to sit on, hence why he wants one with 3 seatbelts in the rear.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 16/01/2008 at 11:01
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Current Panda is strictly a four-seater - you cannot specify a third rear seatbelt as there simply isn't room to seat 3 people in the back, as HJ says. OP is, sadly, going to have to look elsewhere for family wheels.
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A 3rd rear seat belt is listed as a £150 option on the Fiat website and on Drive the Deal
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I'm puzzled :-)
The OP wants to put 3 children in the back of a Panda - but doesn't this now require 3 booster or child seats ? And they are difficult enough to fit in a Mondeo. And if children are too big for the booster seats, then aren't they too big for the panda ?
There was an excellent - though expensive - solution posted in the BR that provided 3 or 4 child seats across the back seat. Perhaps the 3 seat version would fit the Panda ?
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If you search Autotrader for 2004 04 Reg FIAT Panda 1.1 Active the photo's of the one for sale at Foxfield Motor Village show that there are three belts in the rear.
Edited by normd2 on 16/01/2008 at 14:13
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Thanks a lot for the advice. I have now managed to buy the car I wanted, not this one because it's 150 miles from where I live, but your tip gave me hope, and in the end the wife spotted one on E-Bay! Cheers everyone.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 23/01/2008 at 21:27
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A 3rd rear seat belt is listed as a £150 option on the Fiat website and on Drive the Deal
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I stand corrected. Could have sworn that wasn't available when we bought either of ours - perhaps you need also to specify the split-fold rear seat to get it. I shall have to have a look at my mother's 100HP at some point and see if that has a third belt.
Certainly in the back of Mrs B's current one the two buckles are so close together in the centre of the seat that anyone trying to sit in the middle would be sitting on them - not very comfortable.
One thing I do know for certain is that Britax's fitting guide specifies a maximum of two child seats in the back (or at least it did when we lasted checked). Not sure about booster cushions though.
Far be it from me to dissuade the OP from buying one of these - they're great cars imo - but it really doesn't seem the best choice if needing to seat 3 in the back is essential.
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HJ
It certainly wouldn't be the main family car (that is a Honda Shuttle, running very well.) I'd mainly use it to drive to work, solo, but I'd like to be able to carry the wife and 3 children on occasions. 18 months ago on holiday in Poland I spent a week driving long distances with said wife & 3 kids in a Panda, and I was very impressed. Over there 3 kids in the back of a Panda is normal, and indeed 3 kids or 2 adults in the back of a Fiat 126 is not uncommon (and the 126 makes the Panda looks like a Roller!)
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