1988 Polski Fiat 126p Review - The People's Car From Poland!

[@eljot001]

Glad you enjoyed it! One correction here: the example here is a 650cc air-cooled one. There was a 700cc water cooled version, it was called the 126 BIS and it was hatchback evolution of the original 2door design

[@huyra8019]

Love how they called it bis lol

[@carllinden533]

I was going to comment that it didn't look water-cooled to me!

[@srhondapro38]

Correct this is an upright 650cc 2 cylinder air cooled engine which my dad had in 80s.. 😊

[@rhrynq]

In Poland they are a rare view nowadays, though you can spot one from time to time owned by either an elderly pensioner or a hipster. Those from the early production stages are the ones most sought after - chromed bumpers and hubcaps etc. In the early 2000's when they were dirt cheap people used to replace stock engines and gearboxes (and various other mechanical bits) from Japanese super-bikes like yamaha or honda to get 100-150bhp mini-racers. Vast majority of 126p "Maluch" (spelled "maluh") Fiats ended up in a ditch or in a junk yard, but people do have a nostalgia for them nowadays, thus driving up the prices of those few left.

[@supreme3376]

But i i see that bad boy I SMILE EVER TIME AND I GIVE A BIG THUMB UP TO A DRIVER

[@jpzajackowski]

My uncle had one of these until the early 2000's. Seeing this brings back memories.

[@Nimrawid]

I remember buying those for 500 PLN and trashing them with friends lol. Now they cost a lot because of the nostalgia collectors.

[@DioTheGreatOne]

Happens to the "people's car" of almost all countries: Fiat 500, VW Beetle, Citroen 2CV, The Mini... they all rust to death and become extremely rare.

[@skytheguy0438]

THE NUGGET!

[@TheMicro4]

Dankpods REPRESENT!

[@skytheguy0438]

@@TheMicro4 HELL YEAH

[@ethand4784]

some say they spawn at cashies

[@BrendenPragasam]

The nugget's too crispy you gotta let "the James" look over it 😅

[@blakebusters7831]

NUGGET!!!!!!!

[@AlexTenThousand]

Fun fact about the 126 - Fiat built it to replace the Fiat 500, but when Fiat halted production at the Turin factory, they kept selling the Polish-made ones alongside its own successor, the original Panda, with added bits over the years like electronic ignition and better heating and engine control.

[@classicandclunker]

They were sold in Australia as "Niki" and I now own my third one - a red Maluch. It gets around OK

[@florkgagga]

I'm 52 now, when I was 18 I (6'2") sat in the back with another mate and the 4 of us drove to school (10mi) that way, twice a week. People from Poland visited Yugoslavia in the 80s, driving 1000km and more, with family, luggage and a trailer in this thing!

[@CorvusCorax.]

"Pressure makes diamonds" That's brilliant!! Didn't know that one 😂👍

[@-Yurkey]

I remember this car from my childhood... The others were Zastava 101, Yugo koral 55, Renault 4, Citroen 2CV (then Dyane), Škoda Favorit, Opel Kadett... Get your hands on any one of these and you'll have an awesome time 🤩

[@mitko_dsv1999]

My childhood was with 1976 Polski Fiat 125p 1500 and 1986 Opel Kadett E 1.3N sedan. Still have the Fiat, actually repairing it with my grandfather to drive it. Miss the Kadett, though (was sold a few years ago, my grandfather regrets selling it), hoping to find one in good condition to buy when I can afford to buy another car. By the way I'm only 23 years old.

[@-Yurkey]

@@mitko_dsv1999 cool stuff man, I'm 34 lol 😂 ... My father had a Zastava 750 (Yugoslavian Fiat 600) in the 1970s and he loved it to bits, but being a Fiat in camoflauge it died and needed a new engine so he sold it... Next he had other Fiats but I mostly miss his Škoda Favorit in cherry red from 1989...it was such a great car for a family. Practical cause it had 5 doors and 5 seats, it was a 5-speed manual, parts were available, I think the engine was still of Czech design (before VW) and it was realiable... If he wasn't rear ended in 2007 I am sure he would still be driving that car....I didnt continue the tradition, I had Mazdas and Fords 😂

[@antesosic1600]

The nickname for the 126p in Croatia is 'Peglica' wich translates to bumper car, like the amusment park attraction. My dad has a funny story witg the 126p. So in the late 90s/ealry 2000s him and 3 of his friends went to a wedding in one haha. 4 6' dudes in a tiny tiny car, and thats was normal back then.

[@JohnnyRoku]

Great video zack! It’s awesome how you have been reviewing people’s cars from all over the world both East and West. It’s very unique and extremely interesting! I also really liked the historical connection in the end, keep up the good work!

[@piotrg5]

IS THAT A 126?!!!! (Starts breathing heavily)

[@andrzej2501]

Nice review, three issues though: 1. It is an air-cooled engine. 600cc and 650cc versions were all air-cooled. Bis, the liquid-cooled variant, had 700cc engine. 2. Those cars are quite rare now in Poland. One of the reasons (besides size and obsolescence) is that they tended to rust horribly. I remember my father had the whole body replaced at one point. One is such a nice condition would fetch at least $3000 if not more. 3. That tire pressure picture is just that - a static picture. It is not a tire pressure sensor, just information what the correct pressure is. Also - the starter handle. Weird, I've never seen one with that cockpit and that engine with that kind of starting mechanisms. The older ones did have that - and the line broke quite regularly so every driver had a stick to operate the starter motor inside the engine compartment. And another funny image - as it was a family car you could back in the day see one of those quite often with the parents, two children, roof rack full of suitcases AND a camper trailer hooked behind. It was a small one (coincidentally named N126) but was larger then the car itself and the whole contraption looked ridiculous. It often drove in that configuration with the engine compartment open to improve cooling.

[@pucus21]

There are bunch of these in Chicago. People imported them from Poland.

[@bwofficial1776]

Chicago is known for having a lot of Polish people so that checks out.

[@markhealey9409]

😮

[@atabeel]

2:32 no it's not ;) Only 126p BIS was water cooled besides some prototypes. Till the very end of production 126p had air cooled engine. But overall great review. My parents had one and i remember sitting on some blankets and sleeping bags (as there was no room in trunk for these) back there where we were driving on vacation.

[@Kris_PL_CDN]

I remember my grandpa had one with this exact colour when I was a little kid in Poland. I've always loved these cars, as it reminded me of Poland growing up in Canada. I've seen a few in Canada, as some Polish people imported these here. They truly were everywhere, as you'd seen them parked on every street, cause that was the only car really available to most common people back then. Btw.... they were AIR cooled. There was a model called the BIS that was water cooled, but that one didn't last too long. They ended production in 2000, finally lol... that's how culturally popular these cars were to us Poles

[@Mladjasmilic]

5:50 Maluch, (ch in Polish is just H), means little one. Because there was 125, which was 'big one', large family car.

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

Great video with some great info. My father had one from 1988 to 1990. It had a very FIAT sound. They call it "a flea", but also "kalimero". We were in Ex Yugoslavia that time.

[@speckledjim_]

The model above that, the 127, was a great little car, especially the hot version

[@ethand4784]

I thought this was garbage time for a sec, but it's a different red nugget-mobile

[@cxhatchboy520]

Lovely car and a great review! It's a nice little touch to have the front and rear tire pressure specification on a little graphic on the instrument cluster, as the specific front and rear pressures were pretty important for road holding ability.

[@agingmillennialmainer]

Cute back seat review. Thanks for sharing the oddities and attributes of this one. I love the windshield sticker

[@OdykKayne]

That isn't a water-cooled 126p. The water-cooled version was the 126p BIS and had the engine laid flat under the rear floor with a functional rear hatchback trunk. The car you drove actually had a 0.652L engine, not 0.7L. The 0.704L engine was only in the water-cooled BIS cars. :) As for the 'bar' thing on the gauge cluster....it's literally just a tire pressure plaque! Pressure for tires is more often measured in BAR in Europe rather than PSI, so that diagram just shows you the recommended pressures for the front and rear tires....no sensors whatsoever. :) That little vent door in the front trunk - the car you drove would've been a lesser-optioned car as one option was to have a blower fan/motor mounted at that door to actually BLOW air into the cabin for the driver/passengers! The switch for it would've been the top-right switch on the dash of those banks of switches to the sides of the gauge cluster :) Glad you liked it through! That's an 'FL' generation car - they ran from about '84 through until about '94 when the EL and subsequently the ELX took over. I did a whole write-up on the 126 variants over the years over on Opposite-lock if anybody is interested! They are my favorite car along with the original FIAT 500 :) opposite-lock.com/topic/53136/the-fiat-126-and-126p-a-historical-guide

[@bwofficial1776]

That's one of the best write-ups on any car I've ever seen.

[@OdykKayne]

@@bwofficial1776 Thanks so much friend! That means a lot! :) I did one on my other favorite car as well (the classic FIAT 500) if you were interested! opposite-lock.com/topic/310/the-fiat-500-italy-s-cheerful-jelly-bean-a-historical-guide Oppo is a great site too - join up and say hello if you'd like! Oppo is just a community of car lovers who mostly post car stuff (but also boat, ship and plane stuff...mostly car stuff though...), but it's a very welcome and open place so people talk about life stuff there as well. It was originally a spin-off of Jalopnik way back in the day. We have folks from all countries and all walks of life who love and own everything from Ferraris, Alfa 4Cs and Jaguars F-types down to Jeeps and Hyundais and Chevy Cruzes....nobody harping on people for their rides being better or worse, just a lot of folks who love cars :) opposite-lock.com Some folks write researched long-form stuff (like my articles) and post those and there are a few running series on Oppo as well. Cheers! ^_^

[@Roger_Ramjet]

​@@bwofficial1776other than the errors

[@novislavdajic983]

Polish water-cooled 700 cc engine was mounted in 126p BIS (it had a trunk in the rear, larger rear window and no air vents on the cover) and a bit later in Fiat Cinquecento, also produced in the same factory as a succesor of 126p. First batches of 600 cc engines assembled in Italy were used only in first year or so of production, between 1972 and 1973 and was replaced by Polish-built 650 cc engine in 1977. What you drive is plain and simple 650 cc air-cooled 126p FL. Also brand "Polski Fiat" has a pre-WW2 pedigree when Fiat 508 was built in Poland. It was resuscitated in 1967 when new license deal between Fiat and communist Poland was struck, for production of Fiat (an later FSO when license expired) 125p - bastardized Italian 125, on a floor pan, engine and gearbox from earlier Fiat 1300. Licensing 126p was an extension of the previous deal with Fiat.

[@BenyKorenberg]

You know there is something kinda weird in this if you think about it... The RAM Promaster you reviewed earlier, and this, are kinda related... And the LADA is also related to this family, since it was originally a FIAT too... Fiat 124 if im not mistaken was the base for the original Zhiguli model of LADA or as they are also known the 2101...

[@piuthemagicman]

You are 100% correct! Dodge sells Alfa Romeo Tonales even badged as Dodge Hornets nowadays in the US 🤪🤣

[@extralock1045]

I kind of want one of these as a daily driver around town, or sometimes take it through the mountains. It sounds really fun, although not safe.

[@grudzien9784]

I grew up with “MALUCH” , the ignition was between the front seats 😊 which was so so so cool for kids!

[@grumpybulldog19]

Thank you for understand what this car represents instead of make jokes.

[@mateuszkocioek8961]

My mom once told me that when she was young she once travelled with her family (4 people+luggage) 1400 miles to Bulgaria from northern Poland in this car (!)

[@markhealey9409]

The Polski Fiat family car was actually a sedan,more the size of Lada sedans..They also had FSOs,which were larger & sedans,also similar to Ladas...FSO was a Polski car company,but they mostly used old Fiat designs,as did Lada & Zastava,of Serbia/Yugoslavia & I think also Tofas(pronounced Tofash) of Türkiye.

[@lucyinthesky288]

Dankpods would be proud

[@Mladjasmilic]

7:05 There was newest version 126p Bis, which was water cooled, had slanted engine and was a hatchback.

[@maxcars4548]

Love this review. Thank you so much for reviewing this car.

[@Mrmatteo08]

I'm from Italy. My mom had a white Fiat 126bis, the last 126 for western markets before the new Fiat cinquecento (not to be mistaken with the new Fiat 500 of 2007) and it was a spectacular uncomfortable unreliable little car! Of course it was a third handed, but in nicer condition than this one in the video, and we somehow managed to stay in 4/5 inside. On the rare occasions when I see this little car I always smile looking how small it looks compared to the nowadays mid-size SUVs

[@TheWhoshoyu]

Just found your channel. Love your vids. Just subbed. I'll keep watching as long as theyre all this good. Keep it up.

[@IVMM245]

Fiat 126 is the best choice for madmax scenario. 😅 Easy to repair. Big enough and quite economic 🙂

[@pentherapy]

What a lovely little friend. 🥰

[@francisjo3]

Great review, maybe your best yet!

[@maxbaszkiewicz3199]

the fiat 126p been never water cooled in mass production the only water cooled version was fiat 126p BIS but that is not popular version

[@KrzysztofK1982]

These cars are still very common and popular in Cuba

[@bazilwreckerloughead]

I'd love to have a car like this for driving back & forth to work.

[@MotorheadRedo]

And people complain about the Mirage having only 78 HP

[@mattwolf7698]

4:10 that radio isn't designed to work in the US anyway, the frequencies are too low.

[@Nimrawid]

Funny thing the keys had limited variations so sometimes you could use your key on random car xD And believe me 90% of cars were Fiats back in the day :D

[@bkroeckel]

TONY!!!!!!! *inner Dankpods intensifies*

[@Baklaz360pl]

maybe polonez 1500 or caro in next vid? 😅

[@bwofficial1776]

Cool car and that's the most unique starter I've ever seen. Like the Fiat 500, this was a family car. Inconceivable that you'd put a family and all their stuff in and on such a small car but you make do with what you have. It's only slightly more complicated than a lawnmower to keep going and it'll run forever because there's almost nothing to break. Cargo space? Car no go space, Poland cannot into space.

[@Les3portes]

Great car ever! Was my first car, and even if I got more than 10 times more powerfull cars I still enjoy it!

[@TheBarth79]

Where did You get it?Hiob tuck driver own one.Crash zone same as Volvo From front bumper to enginie bay.That we were talk about these cars in Poland.

[@DetroitYugo]

Ooh! It’s the dankpods nugget! Kinda.

[@-aid4084]

I'm pretty sure I saw one today in rolleston, nz

[@maxeluy]

That Lada, every time I see that magnificent car i want one sooooooo bad!

[@Casual_01]

Noice now make a Video about another polish car Polonez

[@mazenthecarguy1794]

I really thinking to buy one of those as an project next to my project car that I already have witch it is a fiat 128 abarth but after I graduate from high school

[@bid84]

This car will get 300 hectares on a single tank of kerosene, put it in H!

[@maxcars4548]

I told you its going to be. A great video. I’m polish. Max video

[@gerardocruz8946]

I drove a 126 BIS in Poland (have video to prove it ha ha ha!) very tiny inside. My head was touching the ceiling the whole time. Cool car.

[@huseyinuguralacatli5064]

I have 91' BIS in Turkey and I can't run it properly and any mechanic wants to fix it because lack of spare parts. It's a gift from my grandpa and I want to fix it. Do you know any ways to get whole engine from Poland cheaply?

[@markpera2501]

I genuinely want one. Those are so cool.

[@pipoms]

I love this car, is super cute , like the ComutaCar. I would love see a transformation of this fiat to a electric car, may be removing the back seat or something

[@zaidkidwai7831]

The camel banner 😂

[@snsayy]

2:33 it's not water cooled only the fiat 126 bis is water cooled

[@seanyoon636]

Where can yoy get those classics? I am very interrsted!!

[@lubomirkuca2998]

It is pronounced more like"MALUKH." Greetings from Slovakia.

[@marcinmamrot1594]

To say Maluch, word ends very simmilar to some german tank named Luchs but without S ending the word. In polish u accent part of word previous the end. So to assume u say Ma - Luch with silence after ch. I hope it would work in practice XD

[@skytheguy0438]

is this in Crystal Lake?

[@kovalsci]

Zack nice video but this 126 is a 0.65 liter (650cc) the newer 126 bis had an 0.7-0.73 liter (700-730cc)

[@rushnerd]

Okay, just looking at this, it's the most Euro car ever. But how does a 23HP car even function? I assume this is maybe the lowest amount possible for a car to push itself and it's drive (much less passengers) along the road, but I could be wrong. Obviously it wasn't meant for big American Highways, though I do find it utterly fascinating. The most basic car possible and one that was probably extremely affordable.

[@fallout0624]

At 23 horsepower the car will be extremely slow by modern standards but the car is so light it doesn't need that much power to move along it's comparable powerwise to a model T or fiat generation Beetle

[@rushnerd]

I know nothing about Model T's, but I assume they are probably heavier (maybe?) But obviously were designed for the time and certainly not when this was in the modern world. Conversely, if you stripped this thing down to a go kart, it would be pretty fun. @@fallout0624

[@nmpawel80]

Polska BABY !!!!

[@92-SC300]

I cant believe this POS was being sold at the same time Lexus was launching and Mercedes had just redesigned the R129 SL

[@carllinden533]

Why don't people compare the Fiat 126p & Trabant 601?? They weigh the same, make the same horsepower AND were built in very similar numbers. Somehow they're never brought together in discussion.

[@huseyinuguralacatli5064]

Fiat is 4 stroke an much more reliable.

[@2112SSF]

Still has polish licence plates

[@josh1alderete]

That thing is rad 👌🏽

[@keithdosik]

Daniel; if you’re reading this. Can I buy this car from you?

[@torosss125]

bro its time to pick that penny up 2:48

[@ydmf2]

Makes me want to import a cool car. 👍

[@snsayy]

0:21 it's a 0.65L engine ^^"

[@ryandontlikeyou]

Tony!

[@ridleylegassy]

So weird to see it looking as nice as it does inside. I’m used to seeing it looking like a total nugget. She’s quite alright

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Cool😀

[@julianrzodkiewicz7303]

POLSKA GUROM!!!👆👆👆👆👆👆✋👆👆👆👆polish mountain

[@dave11686]

Also known as the Kurwaghini

[@FELIPE8226M]

That thing would be outright dangerous to merge onto any roadways or freeways 😂

[@taffingtonboathouse5754]

Tony doesn't look like garbage? Unusual

[@BokBarber]

Or as Dank Pods calls it: The Nugget.

[@taffingtonboathouse5754]

Or tony

[@Zoltarius666]

Absolute crap. Had one back in the days. Even then it was a joke. I still can't believe I survived a head-on collision in this sardine can.

[@eryk.gry1323]

My dad has a Polski Fiat 126p

[@mmiski]

Anyone else watch this whole review in 144p?

[@Ardy-qg1pi]

かっこいい僕この車買う

[@IamJoeyDentinger]

ITS A NUGGET

[@themumblebrapper]

idk why but I seen mlp memes with this car

[@nkhalmizahar]

Baby fiat 127

[@5505daniel]

IT IS in fact not water cooled

[@5505daniel]

watercooled version is 126 Bis

[@williamwildcat]

Tony

[@lucaseq77]

Only 136 BIS, 703 cc was water cooled....the 126p was always air cooled. You lost me in first minute....lame

[@Lorre982]

Come on even the lada was a fiat 124

[@runoflife87]

This one is a real stinker. Small, rear-engined, bad quality.