Retro car review | consumer test | Ford | Volkswagen | Fiat | Renault | Drive in | 1977

[@tomlanigan4308]

Thank you ThamesTV for the archived car content - wonderful

[@Seiskid]

This is frightening. 9:15 where we learn that your new fiat is guaranteed not to rust out from under you for a whole two years seems incredible now.

[@benschram]

it's a well known fact and joke that Fiat's are infamous for rusting. I know because I own one and the first question everyone asks is "how's the rust?"

[@RoadCone411]

I know people say this all the time, but it's worth repeating that rustproofing was not great on any car back in the 1960s and 1970s. Fiats - and most Italian cars - earned a well-earned reputation for rust and rot perhaps because it was less of a problem in Italy than in rainy Britain. Of course, Vauxhalls of the 1950s and 60s also rotted away before your eyes, and although there were improvements in the 1970s, they didnt kick that reputation until the 1990s! Any of these four cars were pretty much rustboxes

[@jeffskillman6161]

If you ever want to restore a 1970's Fiat, the best material to replicate the steel to the same standard is Weetabix. Simply spray it silver and it behaves exactly the same in your hands.

[@herrfister1477]

Fiat guaranteed not to rust for two whole years??? “That’s quite an achievement.” Yeah nice one lads.

[@ghostinthemachine76]

Nothing’s changed since. They’re still rot boxes now 😂

[@V8Operator]

In practise the Polo was totally corroded into car heaven before the Fiat had shown the first rust bubble... but the statement of the FIAT sales guy "thats quite an achievement" was really great... 10 out of 10!!!

[@sutherlandA1]

The fiat survived longer than the polo

[@kristallpalats]

Not sure how the first 127 were when they came in 1971, but this is from 1977 and then Fiat 127 did well from the rust aspect. Better than most cars. So was the Fiesta. Fiat 127 & Ford Fiesta did manage rust quite ok.

[@crumplezone1]

Yeah it was rotting beneath the `underseal` as they spoke ! but I do miss those times, what a cracking pice of TV that , now all they have is Love Island :)

[@georgebogdan397]

Ford Fiesta top specs: seat belts and carpets

[@bradlemmond]

*L U X U R Y*

[@philpaxton2078]

Static belts on the base model 😁

[@georgebogdan397]

@@bradlemmond howdy partner

[@k.j.g.9601]

Hahaha, was thinking the same thing “my advice, spring for the breaks...that is not standard on this vehicle...” All these cars looked old the second they rolled off the production line

[@paulsz6194]

Yes jerzy bogdan, I thought the same thing. So they are saying that the mandatory safety equipment is standard( plus some carpet, instead of rubber)?

[@zippy963]

All the customers look like Fawlty Towers guests.

[@ronaldvermeulen9561]

Don't mention the war then!

[@notroll1279]

@@ronaldvermeulen9561 This is typical.... absolutely typical...

[@ghostinthemachine76]

😂😂😂

[@tonymoruzzi]

It won’t be long before they’re all beating their new cars with a tree branch to get them started.

[@jamesnewman4351]

I'm not a violent man Mr Fawlty ...

[@rjft7003]

Legend says 37 year old Peter Sellers is now a 80 year old Briton still travelling around Europe in a 70's Ford Fiesta.

[@Ul.B]

Information about the cars in this video: - PNO 624R (Ford Fiesta) - First Registration: December 1976, Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 23 November 1989, tax due 1 November 1990. - PYF 334R (VW) - Date of first registration January 1977, Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 15 February 1983, tax due 31 August 1985. - PLU 928R (Renault R5) - Date of first registration September 1976, Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 13 May 1986, tax due: 1 Aug 1986 - PLM 832R (Fiat) - Date of first registration September 1976, Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 21 July 1986, tax due 1 February 1988

[@vlota]

I'm glad you did this and saved me the time. It's the kind of nerdy thing I 'd do.

[@sebastian0107]

Extraordinary outcome! The Ford outlasted them all! Well, we don't know how they were treated. 10 years average was normal back then.

[@jeffskillman6161]

The Fiesta PNO624R was a Ford press fleet car at the same time as Doyle's white RS2000 in The Professionals. This was PNO672R but ficticiously portrayed as PNO641T to appear new. It had the same GB sticker on the rear as the Fiesta but you could tell it was older as it had F O R D on the boot instead of the blue oval.

[@lanehogger1532]

That rep having to travel 25-30k a year in a 1 ltr car. Poor sod should be driving a Cortina.

[@philpaxton2078]

40bhp for driving across Europe. Leisurely progress indeed. At least the Polo engine is very refined.

[@fasthracing]

Hi has his flat cap and pipe for company though.

[@philpaxton2078]

@@fasthracing Not only that, but cloth trim and a reclining driver's seat. Luxury indeed.

[@bid84]

A load of ballyhoo if you ask me.

[@OAKSEY-wd4vs]

Or a Granada

[@mustangtel9265]

Back then brand new cars looked like they were already 10 years old.

[@TVHouseHistorian]

I was thinking more like 30 years, but otherwise I am in full agreement with you.

[@leumamk5259]

Nowadays, we have the Mitsubishi Mirage.

[@Wollie1979]

Lol! First thing I thought when watching those full color lollipop lookalikes

[@michaelkeen5010]

Having been a car owner through that era of the mid-late 70’s, I can assure you that these cars were very much up to date back then, bearing in mind that transverse engines and front wheel drive were still fairly new to manufacturers. The Fiesta was the first U.K. Ford with front wheel drive and transverse engine, and the VW Polo likewise for VW. The Fiat 127had been around for a couple years by then and the Renault stuck with a longitudinal engine with front wheel drive. I was a VW Polo man, and owned several during this period.

[@petetaylor9370]

The engine bay on the Polo looked rusty!! 😂 still love them all though. I’d love a 127!!

[@jezstokes8592]

11:34 “join me for a second love” This is great to watch to see how things have changed!

[@jareknowak8712]

100%!

[@woodyeckerslyke9676]

Surprised he didn't pat her on the arse as she walked away.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

"corpet"!!! Is not that out of Tony Greig's book of pronunciation!!

[@jezstokes8592]

Woody Eckerslyke Now that would have been so funny!!

[@bluegtturbo]

Nowadays it'd be straight to HR for a stiff talking to...lol

[@dafunkester]

Now that's how you do a car review show.

[@johnnycage3673]

So you aren't a Supercar Blondie subscriber?

[@guidopiano8390]

Having cars tested by standard ignorants?

[@mattreed3260]

"overtake Leyland as market leader in Britain" Crazy times.

[@markfindlay8636]

😂 and two 🌟 petrol.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

"...Will help Ford overtake Leyland". So it was being eagerly ANTICIPATED that Ford will overtake Leyland as the biggest car sellers in Britain!!!

[@666louis]

Back then, when a family car was a small hatchback. Nowadays the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cars of the family are just SUVs ranging from monstrously huge and overweight to just mildly obese and just big enough to ruin the sightlines of everyone driving behind.

[@jeroenjansen2709]

I came back from SUVs to a suzuki swift

[@hugglescake]

Excluding the Mustang, 2021 is the last year Ford will be selling sedans in the US. Trucks and SUV's will be your only choice.

[@m4rs12]

Have you noticed the size of family members nowadays? 😂

[@DewtbArenatsiz]

Big blobby things

[@donaldasayers]

"And the rear door opens." I should bloody well hope so.

[@ghostinthemachine76]

Donald Sayers 😂😂😂

[@becconvideo]

With the Allegro it didn't - that's the punch line.

[@civlyzed]

@@becconvideo Wow, I didn't know that! I'm not familiar with the Allegro, but I recall seeing them on TV when I was a kid.

[@mickflick8998]

The customers look ten years older than their reported age?

[@michaeldawson6309]

Good old 70's fashion, probably lack of makeup and poor living conditions for most of their life. The kids today don't appreciate how good they have it.

[@butterairways]

Yeah they do as well 🤔

[@timhulio1]

37 years old sir? You'll be wanting a flat cap and a beige overcoat. Can I also suggest the pipe and slippers?

[@MMM18092]

I think people didn't aspire to look younger than their age back then. You entered midlife in your late 20s and stayed there until you turned 65.

[@silenthunteruk]

@@michaeldawson6309 The people older than this group would have grown up during the war. Very high stress time and that ages people.

[@notroll1279]

This is the best cure against car nostalgia. "They don't build them like that any more..." - thank god for that!

[@stuartaharris]

Too broad a brush. There are classic cars and then there's this pile of poop - the worst of the the worst - tinny 70s rot boxes!

[@jezb9762]

Not many people dream of owning a base model shopping car anyway.

[@notroll1279]

@@stuartaharris So which cars of the 1970s were made considerably better and lasted a lot longer (unless you never drove them in the rain or outside)? And how few cars of the millions made did really attain classic status? I think the whining about "they don't make them like that anymore" is too broad a brush... and that's all I'm saying.

[@notroll1279]

@Andrew Battersby Many of the 1970 cars were so "meh" nobody actually noticed their rusty disappearance. When did you see a Renault 14, a Peugeot 405 or a 1970s Vauxhall Viva for the last time? They were mass produced to rot away. I give you that the Renault 5 was an interesting car with its plastic bumpers I wish more modern cars have. But any designer with a brain and some imagination should have realized how dangerous this gear lever was in case of an accident...

[@michaeldawson6309]

@@notroll1279 If I think back the Jensen Interceptor was made of fibreglass and looked very cool back in the day. But I guess it had a crash rating of -5 stars :-) The Ford Granada was also a nice car 3000E auto was nice and comfortable and fast for its time.

[@TheStevenWhiting]

Back in the day where 37 year olds look like they are in their 40s. Just like in Bullseye, with the 20 year olds looking like they are in their 40s.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

That couple; the 39 year old man looked 49. The woman looked at least 45.

[@infrasleep]

It was American TV and films like Grease that scared me. I thought the school leaving age in America was 36 and we in the UK would follow suit ;D

[@mfitzy100]

I’m the same age as him and was kinda shocked...he looked about 50 to me on first glance!

[@Ka9radio_Mobile9]

@@infrasleep I think you have! Lol :-D

[@EgoShredder]

I've seen many 20+ yr olds that look in their 40s and 50s, just with better skin. They have that older mature expression on their faces, and the same vibe coming from them.

[@johnsinclair4111]

Thinking about the price, I paid £2000 for my first flat in 1976!! Could you get a perfectly reasonable flat in 2020 for the price of an average super mini? We are always being told how much better life is today. Don’t think so. Bring back job security and genuinely affordable housing.

[@DiscoFang]

That's £13K in today's money. And you often can't get the cigarette lighter any more!

[@michaeldawson6309]

My first car was a 2 years old Cortina Mk3 1600XL it was £2500 in 1979 I loved that car. The biggest problem for the next 20 years was rust the manufacturers were reluctant to fix that until competition forced them to sort it. It was a commercial decision I would say to make a car that rusts after 2 years ... sell more frequently.

[@Commentator541]

You can have affordable housing, just don’t live in London.

[@Deano14397]

But the morons keep voting Tory

[@metivs]

well, at least "diversity is our strenght", thus you have to pay more...

[@mattp4806]

This is Sunday morning bliss for me!

[@Aleksandar_M]

This is back when having a car was a luxury in itself!

[@Arltratlo]

we had 2 Passat, 1975 and a 1979 at the same time...the 75 model been sold by my sister after 20 years, the 79 sold after 12 years... i replaced it with a 1982 Santana turbo diesel!

[@PiggyWiggyO]

It was when a couple had 2 cars outside their driveway.

[@darrenwilson8042]

Not necessarily - I passed my test and got my first car just under 3 years later...... a 9 year old Avenger I bought for buttons and towed home from an auction ha ha

[@sugreev2001]

Thought that was Peter Sellers for a moment

[@jareknowak8712]

It was His lost brother, the Beige Panther. :D

[@aliancemd]

From the side, looked like young David Letterman

[@davewilliams9471]

That’s Shaw Taylor😂 He also used to present Police 5, “keep em peeled” was his catchphrase 😎

[@johnm9845]

This is an early Harry Enfield sketch. Love his matching coat,tie and shirt. Mr Chumley-Warner with anorak and clutched pipe as accessory- nice touch, seriously considering a Fiat 127 to travel widely throughout Europe is a bit far fetched though. " How do I stop the interior misting up? -Well,on each door you'll see a little winding mechanism which enables you to lower the window. Also, the Fiesta comes with optional sun glasses. All right love,go make me a cup of tea while I talk it over with your husband.

[@fransb8543]

Well it is around 40, 45 years old this clip.

[@briforks7681]

2 year anti trust guarantee,no one else offers this.That Fiat salesman was a one off.

[@forresg500]

Fiesta had 6 yr paint warranty back then I think?? And 1 year unlimited on everything else

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Well you must give the later series 127 that they at least did not rust anymore.

[@briforks7681]

@@ronaldderooij1774 not for 2 years anyway.

[@replevideo6096]

I bought a Fiesta L in 1980. Underseal was £100 extra but I got it for free because I was paying cash. The underseal had a longer guarantee than 2 years. I think it was 5. I paid £2100 including underseal and mudflaps for free.

[@replevideo6096]

@@forresg500 The 1 year was a legal requirement under the Sale of Goods Act so all the cars had that.

[@Chris-ln6so]

‘Would you join me over here a second, love?’

[@richardgreenwood3355]

😂 I read your comment before I got to that bit in the video. I assumed it was going to be one of the husbands.

[@ghenkhoash2440]

No

[@DolleHengst]

Nothing short of Irish xD

[@tonyhancock3912]

He'd get a knee in the bollocks if he said that today

[@scottirvine121]

I’m almost sure she is the pornography actress of the 90s

[@jareknowak8712]

Wow! Free seat belts! What a profligacy! :)

[@georgebogdan397]

That 37 year old Borat looks like a 47 years old

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

more like 55

[@michaeldawson6309]

Wonder if he has a Borat mane down below too :-) That mustache is just a fashion crime along with the clothes. Poor sod I feel sorry for him as he seems so comfortable too with his appearance. I had a mate who also drove a MGBGT and he too smoked a pipe ! Must be a MGBGT thing.

[@gregsmith1070]

@@AlfaGiuliaQV more like 77

[@Flughafenkaiser]

I always wanted a car with a screen wash function and with seatbelts as standard.

[@dm5374]

I'm a carpet fan myself...

[@MarkPMus]

If you’re good I’ll let you have a steering wheel….

[@fosterfuchs]

In 1992, I rode in the front passenger seat of an unmarked Crown Victoria police car in Boston, Massachusetts, after I had become the victim of a crime. The seatbelt had been removed.

[@raidsdamaltaportugal3925]

...with Itens like carpets...”! This reminds me of the days gone by, where the simplicity and choices were pragmatic and focused on usefulness. I remember traveling in a Renault 5 and thinking of how “modern” (integrated bumpers) and “luxurious” it felt, with a specific location for the stereo in the dash!

[@philnewstead5388]

Times Arrow I have totally given up with Top Gear since Clarkson et al left, whilst I think there is a place for things like the Grand Tour as they are quite entertaining and I do like watching the tests on cars I could never afford I would like to see a return of the old fashioned magazine programmes where they test a car in it's intended environment. Most modern motoring journalists seem to think any car that isn't developed on a track and can't go sideways at 300 mph is rubbish. Unfortunately if I'm buying a Volvo V70 as a workhorse I want to know that I can get everything in with ease and that it has a reasonable level of performance, comfort and refinement and that I don't need an engineering degree to roll the seats flat in the load area. The other thing I don't need is the ridiculous under music so loved on modern documentaries that all but drowns out the commentary. Sorry rant over still love these old clips.

[@becconvideo]

Beautiful. Good old England. - 43 years later it looks like commedy - but it was real.

[@Ravensclawed]

You can almost hear them dissolving in the damp weather

[@sebastian0107]

Except for the Polo, they all lived up to 10 years; Fiesta 13!

[@660einzylinder]

Naughty Tony, he transposed the engine sizes of the Fiat and Renault, which should have been 903cc and 956cc respectively. Having driven all of those models, and owned the Renault, I know which one I would buy.

[@raycroal]

well?

[@660einzylinder]

@@raycroal certainly not the Polo, they were awful things in that original incarnation, especially the dreadful brakes. Not the Fiat either, to noisy and the ones I drove had fairly awful gearshifts, but they did come with a nice tool kit in a little plastic box. In 957 form the Fiesta always seemed a bit wanting in performance, but was let down most by being heavy on fuel if you drove them hard......so, I would still go for a 5. I had a 956 TL, 1300 TS, 1108 GTL 5 door, and a 1400 5 door Auto. the best of the lot was the GTL, but I really liked the little TL. You could drive it flat out for miles on end and it never faltered, and returned good fuel consumption, all of mine could easily manage over 40, which was pretty good for the time.

[@raycroal]

@@660einzylinder as i looked at the cars i was surprised to find i liked the look of the fiat and renault over the other 2. but my god how much more comfortable cars are now

[@Zeem4]

I came here to comment the same thing about the engine sizes, but you beat me to it!

[@PeterTOrganist]

Yes I noticed that. I have had three Renault 5 and still own one now, although it is the later Super Five. The Renault would certainly be my choice of the four.

[@fredperry9235]

Is this Monty Python?

[@V8_screw_electric_cars]

Now stop this it's silly!

[@Spookieham]

The wife and I used to hammer up and down between London and Plymouth in a little fiesta 1.1 loaded to the gills and it was a great little car.

[@silverliteway]

Love the ‘automatic’ screen wash...makes me imagine the manual version and to have a hand pump in the dashboard ;)

[@georgebogdan397]

Being a post office engineer ...what a time to be alive

[@18in80]

Post Office/GPO as it was before British Telecom. He'll be on a good final salary pension scheme like many employees used to get. Sadly not for us younger ones.

[@insertnamehere5146]

@@18in80 Dave you are about to be shafted again on the pension. if you are a recent joiner your will lucky if you can get a pension at 80 that you can live on. Post office engineers were on a gold plated pension that disappeared in 1979 ish

[@manos3790]

Pensions are fast becoming, rarer than hen's teeth.

[@replevideo6096]

@@insertnamehere5146 At that time the PO pension fund had way more money in it than it was committed to pay out.

[@michaeldawson6309]

We had rubber wings on GPO vans back in the 70's I beleive. Being a kid in the 70's I never got to play bumper cars on the road :-)

[@Ka9radio_Mobile9]

These folks are in there 80s now! :-(

[@ricomartinez2869]

ka9radio Or dead...

[@Ka9radio_Mobile9]

@@ricomartinez2869 I was going to say that but I wanted to be hopeful. :-)

[@hideouslyugly]

They weren't far from 80 then! All looking in their late 40s to late 50s.

[@TakeMeOffYourMailingList]

Even the kids?

[@Twit.Tw00]

The kids will be around 60 years old 😳

[@woodyeckerslyke9676]

Peter Sutcliffe and John Cleese talk cars @ 10:46

[@georgejacob3162]

I thought it was more like Peter Sutcliffe and Boycie myself!

[@woodyeckerslyke9676]

@@georgejacob3162 Yep that'll do as well !

[@PeteretePeter]

😆😆

[@michaeldawson6309]

@@georgejacob3162 When I was at college in the early 1980's you know the politically correct era ... our lecturer looked the spit like Sutcliff and got the usual jibe hey 'Sutty' where your hammer :-) Oh those were the days when you could speak your mind and have a chuckle. I bet these days you can't be seen having a good laugh at a poor sod slipping on a banana skin anymore :-)

[@gabrielphelps1555]

Actually thought it could have been Noel Edmonds, from Swap Shop to presenting this!

[@scottirvine121]

Such posh accents! Was this representative at the time? Or just what tv selected back then?

[@user-Jon526]

Found this channel when I was searching up 70s cars. Best recommendation. I am 31 years old and I am into a types of cars.

[@fahyforever]

The best way to test seats is to repeatedly jab a biro into them take note Clarkson

[@giulioz.4928]

I might go and ask to see a BMW and do that. Just to see what happens

[@Nickos1b]

The Fiesta was the freshest design then but if I had a choice between those cars today I would choose the Renault 5. Such a classic design. By the way a friend had an Escort with that high output 1.1 engine they talked about and it was really going!

[@timhulio1]

"It's got everything: radio, headrests... carpet". God these were horrible little things.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Not in the western Europe of the 70s!!!

[@hjorleifuringason2778]

I did have a new Fiesta in 1978. I really liked it and this car still looks very good

[@neilchapman5145]

My first car was a fiat 127 just like this. Great little car and all I could afford

[@426dfv]

people's expectation were much lower those days. There's hardly any family of four in 2020 will think about getting a fiesta or polo with 1L engine in it...

[@simonlloyd7557]

There's hardly even a family of four anymore...not if you mean a married man and woman parenting their own issue. Now, the father is booted out of his own house and the state pays the mother to sit on her arse so that she can complain about oppression.

[@georgejacob3162]

10:50. Boycie buying a car instead of selling one!

[@boeingdriver29]

In Australia at this time you either bought a Datsun 120Y or 180B. They were everywhere.

[@michaeldawson6309]

At least the Datsun started every turn of the key because it had electronic ignition. But paper thin metal that rusted badly in the UK's glorious weather :-) But a damd good car for the day pitty about the rust though. At least they were on the right track. p.s I forgot they also came with a nice radio as standard :-)

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Of course rust is a no problem in Australia

[@DashDrones]

2:04 Automatic boot opening Ford was really ahead of it's time... 😂😂😂

[@bluegtturbo]

I had a Fiat 127 with automatic boot opening too - it was liable to open at any time.

[@DashDrones]

@@bluegtturbo 😂😂😂

[@DashDrones]

@@bluegtturbo similar to the bonnet on my triumph herald 😂

[@bluegtturbo]

@@DashDrones Not a great feature at 50mph on a narrow bendy road! 😂

[@MrPabsUk]

I`d love to know how they did that, I mean, was John the sound guy laying in the boot with a piece of string tied to the lock rod, waiting for John the director to yell "OK! NOW John!

[@Dr.D00p]

Even when these cars were brand new they looked like they were about to rust away and fall to bits in front of you...

[@owrang9756]

From their look, I thought they were second hand at first

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

These looked as if at least 5 years used. No shine in the paint.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

That´s the 70's for ya.. everything looked drab, the weather also. And an explosion of beige.

[@hideouslyugly]

@@kamrankhan-lj1ng the cars still looked younger than those testers...

[@CastwenteKampkuiper]

And Today's Cars Look Like They Can Be Computer Hacked Every Minute.

[@weallmakechoices7456]

Those were the days. Not overrun with people, and peaceful. Motoring was still an adventure, you could service the cars yourself, and if they broke down, you could normally knock up a temporary repair. I’m glad I was alive back then before the age of mass immigration and surveillance.

[@YouDingo88]

Didn't bother you when you overran half the world.

[@PhilOsGarage]

Are you kidding? It looks dreadful.

[@MarkPMus]

Amazing to think that some cars had basics that we take for granted as options. Reverse lights, seatbelts and rear screen wipe. “But what if I want wheels?” They’ll cost you £30 each….

[@Nooziterp1]

And now most cars come with electric windows and air conditioning. How things have changed!

[@michaeldawson6309]

Those were the days when you bought a brand new car with rust already visible at times. That lime green Fiesta looks like a banger how funny. One thing you saw a lot less of was white cars due to the rust showing through sooner than a gold or brown car :-) My first car was a Fort Cortina Mk3 and I loved that car but rust in the 70's and 80's and even early 90's was the problem. These were the days when you literally changed your car because it rotted away. Thank god we have modern manufacturing processes. I am glad to see the back of this era for car manufacture.

[@jeffskillman6161]

True but they were simpler to work on and didn't have all of the over complex electronics. A classic 1970's Fiesta go for high figures now whereas a new Fiesta today might not rust but it will be scrapped when it's Ecoboost engine fails or the electrics become too costly to repair.

[@geoffk777]

I owned an R5 and can confirm that the shift linkage was quite bad. But the ride and seats were very good, the handling was decent and the car had bags of style. Even the door handles were unique. And it could hold 4 or even 5 people fairly comfortably. Mine also had the big canvas sunroof. Compared to the boring and uncomfortable competition, I think that it was a cracking little car.

[@fasthracing]

Why is every extra on the Renault 5 "about £33 -£35" ?

[@ModMokkaMatti]

Convenience for the accountants tallying up the profits.

[@owrang9756]

He should have gone for the GTL which had all the extras he wanted as standard. My first car was a V reg GTL.

[@michaeldawson6309]

Lack of SHARP calculators in the sales office.

[@Twit.Tw00]

Sounds like a lady that I used to know last year, in the next town.

[@markfindlay8636]

They look alot older even the little kid looked like a teenager!

[@spankysmp]

4:27 totally classic 70's driving garb - flat cap, driving coat,kipper tie and driving gloves. I missed the briar pipe at 10:51

[@bernardkavanagh3528]

That's Basil Fawlty

[@BokorRider]

Great ....any more like this please upload them :D

[@keithe8449]

Good old Shaw Taylor Keep' em peeled 👀

[@mikeg8835]

The greeness of that fester !!!! and underseals a luxury on the Fiat !

[@mpwheatley]

That Fiat will be a rotting mess by 1980.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

@@mpwheatley That poor girl probably got to see it disappear in front of her eyes.

[@DiscoFang]

The Fiat lasted till 1988 apparently. Some else looked the plates up and ranked them. Only the Fiesta lasted longer - 2 years till 1990.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

@@DiscoFang At least we then have a winner of this test :)

[@gotham61]

I had a Mk1 Fiesta in that colour

[@anthonymillar6183]

Actually enjoyed watching that it’s nuts spec of cars then and now !!

[@upsidedown4155]

" I believe Fiat have improved the rust proofing" none of them were great but thats hilarious

[@michaeldawson6309]

Now Fiat have been shown how to make cars by Chrysler the rust proofing got better :-) but I think the rust issue is now in the past becasue of better prep and etch primer and full electro panel dipping and maybe better grade steel. They sure knew how to cock up a car in those days but were they smart? They sold a lot more and frequently becasue they usually lasted 2.5 years before rust was showing somewhere. :-) Oh the old days. Crap

[@upsidedown4155]

@@michaeldawson6309 lancia owned by fiat in the 80's when they had to buy back all the cars sold in the uk because they rotted in no time and thats when lancia stopped being a brand in the uk after that, from what i recall it was from using low quality steel in there production and regular strikes, Some rumours it was russian steel given to fiat for building a factory in russia but no real evidence of that, The last fiat i looked at was a brava, the rear brake pipes corroded and leaked because they were hidden around the fuel tank and having plastic covers that held all the mud and road waste which encased the pipe and degraded it

[@michaeldawson6309]

@@upsidedown4155 Can't agree with you more :-) Your correct. Most cars had inbuilt obsolescence. An example on the Cortina MK3 was mud traps behind the from wing indicators and along the rear panel edges. Ideal rust magnets that ensured the panels would last less than 3 years before rust became a problem. No underseal or protection was also common especially inside doors, wings and sills. I find it a crime to build an exposed brake pipe of unprotected ferrous steel. Still it was the 80's live life fast without a care :-)

[@upsidedown4155]

@@michaeldawson6309 was it also the mk3 (life on mars car) that had the fuel lines run inside of the car that tended to leak, they tried making that one look american, seemed like they were trying to make a European version of the exploding pinto lol

[@michaeldawson6309]

@@upsidedown4155 Yes that car in Life On Mars was a Cortina Mk3 2000E excellent car for the time. I think if I remember that you accessed the fuel tank by removing the back seat.

[@insertnamehere5146]

browns, greens and orange was very popular colours back in the 70s,

[@stevetaylor8698]

Yep, I was a young adult in the 70s. Ghastly decade. Labour governments, suicidal unions, awful, dreary, (socialist) fashions. The eighties was like someone turned on a light.

[@STARDRIVE]

Don´t forget the purple ;) Even sanitary was in those shades. Apart from the music, it´s an era best to be forgotten. A depressing, 2nd dark age. Heavy wooden furniture, huge masonry fireplaces and fake wooden beams on the ceilings. The roads were getting crowded, and just about every car interior was plastic with black or brown vinyl. And better buy a brown car, because in 7 years they were rusted out. There was the cold war, and there was little respect for pre-war architecture. Stuff from the 50´s & 60´s wasn´t vintage yet; it was just old junk. Indeed, the 80´s were very refreshing. It was more futuristic than today, with a brighter outlook. The 90´s were fine too, but the writing was already on the wall.

[@popindosin228]

Now you cant even get them as option.

[@michaeldawson6309]

I wonder why White the most popular colour now was avoided like the plague? No prize for the correct answer below :-)

[@jareknowak8712]

Thank You for car content Thames!

[@TheBuccaneer1975]

Listening to the cars they're trading in I'll bet they're kids wished they had kept them.

[@johnnycage3673]

They aren't kids.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

@@johnnycage3673 They are in their 50's now

[@TheBuccaneer1975]

@@johnnycage3673 lol yes I know that, it's turn of phrase your kids will always be your kids. - I'm 45 XD

[@markfindlay8636]

No extra charge for the underseal, or Sunday gravey as it's also known as. The magnolia emulsion paint is an optional extra though!

[@Monkey_Joe_Tokyo]

You look at those cars, brand new, and they were crap even then.

[@2Str0k3]

As much as i hated your comment at first, i have to say that you are completely right. Those really are heaps of crap even for the era.

[@timreynolds99]

I’ve owned the R5 TL and the 127 and yep! At least Fiat were honest enough to guarantee the car would rust in 2 years!

[@samisilander9305]

I have to disagree when it comes to Fiesta; my parents and I toured central Europe in Ford Fiesta in the mid 80s. We avoided Autobahns though.

[@lriper4702]

i dont think they were crap at all

[@doktergroen]

Hold on, love, it’s 2020 and I drive a Fiat 127. Call me old-fashioned, but I am old-fashioned.

[@philhealey449]

VW Polo features a polythene bag around the distributor ! Was that listed as an option or standard in the sales brochure?

[@vlota]

I know it was fitted as standard by drivers of Minis at the time. They were notorious for conking out in the rain, if you didn't bag up the distributor cap.

[@MINKIN2]

"Linda Leigh is 25 and Single" Only one of these descriptors I believe.

[@seppopakarinen7097]

A very down-to-earth consumer review. There was one error in the technical specs, though: Fiat 127 has a 903cc engine and R5 a 956cc engine, not the other way around.

[@club1fan552]

To think the Mazda 323 was released this year and was miles ahead of these tin cans. Even the Honda Accord, which I know was much more expensive but was also released this year and compared to these cars, seemed to come from another planet!

[@gotham61]

A Civic would be more comparable.

[@club1fan552]

@@gotham61 You're right.

[@franzchong4688]

A 323 was a size bigger and it showed.

[@club1fan552]

Yes you're right.@@franzchong4688

[@club1fan552]

@@franzchong4688 Actually you're right and worth shelling out extra coin if it cost more and one could afford it. A Civic would have been pretty close in size I would imagine and superior.

[@javautube]

This is the best Monty Python sketch thus far. Bravo!

[@GlossaME]

It's impossible that Bob is 39

[@Nooziterp1]

When superminis were just that - super minis. The successors to all these cars are a lot bigger. In some cases as big as the next model up would have been. Which is why the car industry has had to come up with new class of car - the city car. Today's city cars are around the same size as the superminis of this era.

[@ijaen]

The mother at 12:50 pushing the kid ever so subtly 🤣😂

[@daveturbo6292]

So funny

[@emmanueladeyosoye4070]

Noticed that try that with kids today .. they would kick off

[@FlorinC1984]

This is even better than Motorweek's Retro Review! Awesome idea!

[@peterbustin2683]

1:50 I dont think the Fiesta 957cc had a brake servo. Mine certainly didnt !

[@frankbarratt1165]

You can see it in the engine bay right hand side.

[@peterbustin2683]

@@frankbarratt1165 Not on mine !

[@Zeem4]

My 1982 Popular Plus didn't have one, but higher-spec models may well have had them.

[@alexandermossel6466]

They offered a boat anchor for £ 35

[@gotham61]

My 1976 base trim 957 low compression Fiesta didn't have power anything.

[@Pjh495]

jeez... we have come a long way since the '70s and also cars have too !

[@simonnelson7770]

Richard surely isn't looking for a small car if he's doing 30k miles a year? And there's no way Bob is 39!!

[@ricomartinez2869]

Simon Nelson People look older back in the day

[@owrang9756]

Exactly what I thought

[@davidlima9335]

I'd love reviews of cars like this made now. Putting them against today's standards never forgetting their charm

[@willemm]

I assume all the salesmen were arrested, especially the Fiat one.

[@markcross6864]

Little Mark is the same age as me lol . Love these clips 😊

[@simonmartin4599]

Love the colours!

[@daveturbo6292]

Yeah nice colors we have old hag diarrhea green ,turd brown , morbid abyss grey and my favorite , fart.

[@jeffskillman6161]

The top selling points in those days were a laminated windscreen, dual circut brakes, 2 speed wipers, a 3 speed blower, reclining seats, carpet and seat belts. The most unbiased advert by VW was a photo of a Polo alongside that of a Fiesta. Under each car is stated "Underneath it's still a Ford" and "Underneath it's still a Volkswagen" playing to each brand identity and reputation.

[@pit_stop77]

I had the 127 special, only because I couldn't afford the others 😆

[@smorris12]

And they fell off the road tax register: VW Polo: 1985 Renault 5: 1986 Fiat 127: 1988 Ford Fiesta: 1990

[@mfitzy100]

The Fiesta looks old already! Still great cars though

[@Twit.Tw00]

😂

[@PeterTOrganist]

I don't think the colour helped

[@Mudge07]

An entertaining look back at not just the choices and the cars but also the social history through the dress, mannerisms and conduct of the whole show via “typical” drivers who would purchase and use them. Yes, compared to modern vehicle the choice is very sparse, but these are small, family cars (apart from Fiat’s 500/Cinquicento) with starter range of engines. I remember my previous generation of vehicle with push-operated windscreen pump and vinyl seats and rubber-like mats. If you wanted to pour money down the drain the 5 Star fuelled gas-guzzlers were way up market from these.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Great era for telecast and presentation quality! Not so much for car quality though!

[@Landie_Man]

Depends on the car. More expensive ones would have been not too bad.

[@davewilliams9471]

Shaw Taylor he was a great presenter on Police 5😎

[@schneil]

2:30 Plastic bag on the distributor? Is this factory spec?

[@hoedenbesteller]

If water came near it, it would most likely stop running directly

[@infodrop231]

Have you noticed it was always raining on British 70s TV?

[@forresg500]

Can't believe some of what I hearing Underseal extra!!! 2 year warranty on paint, doesn't expire much confidence !!

[@lundsweden]

Arrgh, these newfangled cars with their front wheel drive, east west engines!

[@geirjohannessen8132]

Fiesta and polo are still sold to this day.43 yeares after..

[@joebloggs9392]

Yes, and how many more improvements! Unreal just how much cars have changed, and about to change again!

[@Milnoc]

@@joebloggs9392 Computers probably helped a lot. Today, there's no longer a need to add a ton of mechanical gizmos to drive certain components. One computer can take care of everything as well as greatly improve both the engine's reliability and the gas mileage.

[@gotham61]

But it's just a name. Nothing in common.

[@jeffskillman6161]

The Fiesta has since been dropped leaving just the Police

[@Filipe1020]

The quality of this video is so impressive it looks like they recorded it in the early 90's.

[@HiKennyS]

Good to have "Drive In" back - but I hope the comments are better moderated - More Taylor, Less Trolls. 👍

[@EgoShredder]

Just leave people be instead of micro controlling them. Don't bother replying to comments you do not like.

[@neilgorin1037]

Keep them peeled....

[@Philmitchel69]

My first car was a red fiat 127 GT Sport... such a cool little car wish I still had it

[@the.internet]

We had a 3 door white 'Popular' '82 Fiesta growing up, my dad's car. Between that Fiesta and train journeys we had many an adventure. Our Fiesta was low spec - no rear wiper, no radio. I used to put my cassette player/Walkman on the dash with some big headphones connected to it and play music that way for us all. That little 3 door car did everything we needed until it had to go due to corrosion in 2001. I think if you interviewed families in 2021 things would be very different. Besides the obvious missing optional extra (a father figure) they'd want an SUV with the biggest consideration being how much it one-ups their neighbours. Built in everything in headrests and whatever else to stop the kids from gaining any kind of self control and looking at things outside, as standard. Ok, cars have gotten better where safety and features are concerned for sure but man I miss seeing the cars from the video on the road today.

[@charlesmacgilchrist3648]

I think that rep may have actually bought the polo because it was scrapped after 8 years probably after 200,000 miles.

[@ricomartinez2869]

Probably that Fiesta was spanish or german made. UK Fiesta production only started in 1979.

[@mikemartin2957]

No; that IS a Dagenham built Fiesta ; the assembly line that had been for the Mk1 Granada /Consul saloon and estate was changed during 1976 to accommodate the Fiesta for going on sale early '77. Dagenham Fiestas usually had Triplex glass ,Girling brakes and Lucas electrics. Chassis code begin with BA.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

@@mikemartin2957 Lucas, the inventor of darkness.

[@TheCatBilbo]

Acid green Fiesta? That's daring for 1977.