Importing a wee Eastern European lady

MugMugs

Well folks.

This came up in another thread.

Basically, years back a mate and I bought a wee FIAT 126 for little to nothing and drove her more or less around Poland trouble free.

I got to thinking that it'd be nice to bring one into Ireland and make it my wee project for next summer.

I'm concious that we have some Eastern European posters around and was wondering if anybody knew of anywhere in Poland or the sorts where I could source a 126 and have it shipped to Ireland ?

It'd be a cracking wee motor to have for some fun !

ojola

whats a 126 mate?

who the fug

ojola wrote: »

whats a 126 mate?

The main form of transport for people in Ireland during the seventies

WestWing

Owen

They are everywhere in Poland, the Maluch. If you go to Allegro.pl (Their version of eBay), you'll find hundreds.

MugMugs

Sorry should have stated.

Fiat 126

who the fug

What are they like for rust, remember the irish ones being covered in it

MugMugs

who the fug wrote: »

What are they like for rust, remember the irish ones being covered in it

The red one we had was all red. Was in very good nick and no evidence of rust anywhere.

vectra

ojola wrote: »

whats a 126 mate?

Fiat 126








Then when you get bored you could turn it into something like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmF8EYm5Ywc

CiniO

Here's 207 examples of them, varying from 100 PLN to about 16000PLN (€22 - €3550).

http://otomoto.pl/index.php?sect=search&sub=car&page=1&qid=2111400486&order_by=p


Hence though that most of them are in horrible state, and probably so rusty they would break in half on a first ramp
On the other hand, there is few restored to like-new condition, but it's considered a classic car, so the price is adequately big as well.

Transport wouldn't be cheap anyway. It's about 2000km from Dublin to centre of Poland.
I'd say €1000 for transport would be cheap offer.
Maybe just finding reasonable one and driving it back to Ireland would be an option.


Edit: Here's a good few of them as well
http://moto.allegro.pl/fiat-126-4059

I'm not sure but they were produced between 1973 and 2001 so there is big variety of years available.

who the fug

MugMugs wrote: »

The red one we had was all red. Was in very good nick and no evidence of rust anywhere.

Mind you, my aunt did live besides the sea, she use to get a fair old load into them 5/6 kids as a minimum

MugMugs

Cheers CiniO

Fancy being a translator if need be ?

Simo65

CiniO

Simo65 wrote: »

Would be perfect for coming winter months

CiniO

MugMugs wrote: »

Cheers CiniO

Fancy being a translator if need be ?

I'd say easiest for you would be to use this:
http://translate.google.com/#pl|en|

You can put the website link, and it translates whole website.
Surely some things won't translate properly, so obviously you can ask me

exaisle

All FIATS should be coloured brown...

CiniO

exaisle wrote: »

All FIATS should be coloured brown...

who the fug

CiniO wrote: »

See post 7

vectra

CiniO wrote: »

Brown = Mr.Hanky

CiniO

who the fug wrote: »

See post 7

Agree.. All fiats up to beginning of 90's were absolutely utter sh1te for rust.
Then from models like Cinquecento, Bravo, Marea, etc - they started using zinc galvanizing, and problem with rust almost doesn't exist with that models.
My friend has 1994 cinquecento in Poland, and there is no sign of rust.
I have a 2001 Bravo here - no rust at all as well, while on 2004 mazda, therre is good few traces of rust.

I'm not sure though, if after 1990 fiats 126 were zinc galvanised.

langdang

Buckets of 126s knocking around southern Italy still. Climate is kinder to them there. If you go to Italy for one, would you tow an Ape back for me ;-)

RobAMerc

I dont think you'd find it too difficult to pick up a reasonably priced rhd BIS model ( hatchback produced in Poland ) in the UK. They stopped making them in about 2000 I think. not sure when RHD production ended though.

a quick google search came up with this

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page/156710/

or try ebay.co.uk - they are still relatively popular - there were 3 million odd of them produced.

cheaper than a trip to Poland I'd say.

CiniO

RobAMerc wrote: »

I dont think you'd find it too difficult to pick up a reasonably priced rhd BIS model ( hatchback produced in Poland ) in the UK. They stopped making them in about 2000 I think. not sure when RHD production ended though.

a quick google search came up with this

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page/156710/

or try ebay.co.uk - they are still relatively popular - there were 3 million odd of them produced.

cheaper than a trip to Poland I'd say.

But car price itself might make a difference.
What you showed in UK is over €1500 while f.e. this looks similar and costs only €300.

Our man in Havana

Won't the Irish government absolutely arse rape you on VRT on something like that?

beazee

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Won't the Irish government absolutely arse rape you on VRT on something like that?

Me dont thinks so. VRT should be in €350 range.

Found her few weeks ago on Waterford Woodies DIY car park:

Our man in Havana

Quite correct. €320 according to my search. There used to be a min charge of around €750 for VRT.

deadlast

I love these since the first time I seen one in Poland. They seem to hate them over there, bad times I suppose. I get laughed at anytime I talk about wanting one.
I'd really love one myself but could you imagine the hassle of driving one from Poland!

Our man in Havana

There wouldn't be any hassle.

CiniO

deadlast wrote: »

I'd really love one myself but could you imagine the hassle of driving one from Poland!

If you ever made it without breaking down

Probably safe cruising speed on motorway would be around 80km/h. I don't think 126 would survive traveling for like 10 hours at 100km/h, as 105 is her max speed AFAIR.
If you travel at 80km/h max, your average speed would be probably about 60km/h or less, so it's about 35 hours of pure driving + rests + ferries, etc.

RustyNut

ojola wrote: »

whats a 126 mate?

who the fug wrote: »

The main form of transport for people in Ireland during the seventies

And where your mammy and daddy used to .....
Well you know

beazee

CiniO wrote: »

as 105 is her max speed AFAIR.

She, dressed plain green, was my first car back in 1999.
She could easily do 120, downhill But the fact is the engine was screaming!
These were the days...

As time passed by you got used to virtually sitting in the same compartment with engine. Nowhere close to quietness of todays cars.
And four gears! Doing 90kph, reduction to gear three and overtake that lazy bastard in front

deadlast

I'd say you'd be doing well to get one back without getting stranded on the side of some random European road...

who the fug

RustyNut wrote: »

And where your mammy and daddy used to .....
Well you know

The logistics are mindboggling

Our man in Havana

deadlast wrote: »

I'd say you'd be doing well to get one back without getting stranded on the side of some random European road...

Oh yee of little faith.

MugMugs

deadlast wrote: »

I'd say you'd be doing well to get one back without getting stranded on the side of some random European road...

The pure simplicity of them is one of the attractions. Also bare in mind you're talking about a car that's been knocking about since soviet communism. Fantastic cars!

RobAMerc

deadlast wrote: »

I'd say you'd be doing well to get one back without getting stranded on the side of some random European road...

is this an opinion based on experience of some sort or is it based on it being an Fiat and you've read here that they are not very reliable ?

CiniO

RobAMerc wrote: »

is this an opinion based on experience of some sort or is it based on it being an Fiat and you've read here that they are not very reliable ?

To be honest when we are talking about Fiat infamous lack or reliablility, 126 would be the perfect example.

I agree though it's a great car and I would like to have one as well.
I was actually thinking about getting one for last few years, but never done it so far.
Maybe next year.

My grandpa had one between 1976 and 1988.
Other granpa had one from 1979 to 1992, and then he bought another one in 1995 which he had until his death in 2005 (granpa's - fiat was still allrite).
My dad had one between 1983 and 1991

Generally speaking all my family had them, and I was never so lucky.
I actually only drove them once or twice.

deadlast

RobAMerc wrote: »

is this an opinion based on experience of some sort or is it based on it being an Fiat and you've read here that they are not very reliable ?

it's based on me thinking that buying any €300, circa 25 year old, car and attempting to drive from Poland to Ireland with very limited mechanical know how is likely to leave me practicing my Ray Mears skills in a german forest.
I've no bother with fiats at all. ;-)

RobAMerc

deadlast wrote: »

it's based on me thinking that buying any €300, circa 25 year old, car and attempting to drive from Poland to Ireland with very limited mechanical know how is likely to leave me practicing my Ray Mears skills in a german forest.

makes sense I suppose - I thought you were having a cheap shot which is far too common here

unkel

CiniO wrote: »

they started using zinc galvanizing stopped using utter sh1te Russian steel, and problem with rust almost doesn't exist with that models.

FYP

argosy2006

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/2755005

Kintarō Hattori

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/1894787142/in/set-72157602093506025

I do enjoy seeing these whenever I'm in Poland. There's simply loads of them on the roads.

Go for it OP!

CiniO

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/1894787142/in/set-72157602093506025

I do enjoy seeing these whenever I'm in Poland. There's simply loads of them on the roads.

Go for it OP!

Unfortunately there's less and less.
As 25 years age, every second car on Polish roads was 126 (and I do mean it), 10 years ago there was still a good bit of them, usually driven by young lads as their first car, or older man as their last car , so nowadays I don't see them really.
When I was in Poland 2 months ago for a weekend, I think I saw only one or two over 3 days.

who the fug

CiniO wrote: »

Agree.. All fiats up to beginning of 90's were absolutely utter sh1te for rust.
Then from models like Cinquecento, Bravo, Marea, etc - they started using zinc galvanizing, and problem with rust almost doesn't exist with that models.
My friend has 1994 cinquecento in Poland, and there is no sign of rust.
I have a 2001 Bravo here - no rust at all as well, while on 2004 mazda, therre is good few traces of rust.

I'm not sure though, if after 1990 fiats 126 were zinc galvanised.

Funny enough rust wasn't the main issue on the Fiat 131 the father had, the electrics where a compete and utter pain

Can't say Magneti Marelli without twitching

Cedrus

There used to be a guy in england in the 90's DRAG RACED a 126 or maybe a 127 with a giant wind up key sticking out of the back run of a starter motor. Mind you I think he had a rover V6/V8 engine in it.:cool:

CiniO

Cedrus wrote: »

There used to be a guy in england in the 90's DRAG RACED a 126 or maybe a 127 with a giant wind up key sticking out of the back run of a starter motor. Mind you I think he had a rover V6/V8 engine in it.:cool:

Over last few years there was a guy in Poland who used to rally in Fiat 126.
He became very popular, as his driving was always very spectacular.
He took part in many rallies as part of Polish rally championship, and few times he has really good results (I think 5th in general classification once) being better than many rally subarus, and some super1600 cars

Also worth mentioning, that obviously his 126 was modifies, but it was still regular 650cc engine.


Here's an example of his driving:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y06PvDdPkIw

And here a bigger compilation from different events over few years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkE-VdMazlU

Cedrus

Fab!:cool: Much more animated that F1 could ever be.
He seems to be countersteering a lot - turning the wheels left for right handers &vv (on the snow and dirt but not on tarmac), I didn't know that was possible in a car? Or is he brake steering and then correcting?

Our man in Havana

How much would the temp registration and insurance cost for the trip back to Ireland?

Mar4ix

what drive they are ? front or rear wheel ?

CiniO

Our man in Havana wrote: »

How much would the temp registration and insurance cost for the trip back to Ireland?

Nothing.

You can leave previous owner registration number until you register it in Ireland, and previous owner insurance would be valid for you as well.

CiniO

Mar4ix wrote: »

what drive they are ? front or rear wheel ?

RWD.