Real Road Test: Skoda Estelle 120L - it's no Joke!
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- Опубликовано: 11 авг 2021
- Czechoslovakian budget favourite put to the test! The Skoda Estelle was the last in a long line of rear-engined Skodas, but were they as bad as every said? Of course they weren't! They now make a superb family-friendly classic car. This one has the luxury of a five-speed gearbox and everything.
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Worked for a Skoda dealer back in early 80's. We had a Bright Green 105 S delivered from the importers. This was the very basic car. Under powered, no radio, absolute basic. It sat in the showroom for a month, no-one was interested in it. So the boss decided to add a couple of bits to it. We put a manual Sunroof in and on the sides running along the bottom of the doors in 30cm high Orange letters 'Skoda'. We also put in a radio/cassette with 4 speakers. It sold in 2 days. We got 2 more and did the same to them. Both sold in a couple of days.
Frank Voisey?
@@tracypanavia4634 Eastwood Motors
What a great story, thanks for sharing!
These export cars were never the real "basic" model, which were sold in the Czechoslovakia. They all had something added and the quality control was much higher than what a common bloke could get in it's communistic home. For example, almost all export cars had 5 speed gearbox, the standard was 4 speed tho.
What is the nonsense with access to the engine trough the back seat? There is only battery there - engine bay iss accessed normally from outside.
This is what I miss. In the 80s different manufacturers did things their own way; Skoda, Saab, Volvo to a degree, Citroen. They all had their quirks and characteristics. Sometimes that may not have been a good thing, but variety is the spice of life.
I agree. Cars are all the same now. Grey SUVs, that if you removed the badges, you'd have a hard time picking who made ém.
Very true. Todays cars may appear to be different to each other, but all too often they exactly same underneath.
People unfortunatly do not buy new cars that are different.
Saab, Lancia, lada. at one point people just stopped buying them
@@jackthelad9933
they make what sells.
Everybody is trying to be vw and toyota
Yes now they’ve all been amalgamated into boring monopoly manufacturers were their all owned by 2/3 big manufacturers so all cars are basically the same.
This is my old car, the mileage is genuine. The old chap who owned it parked it up when he stopped driving, I rescued it from his garage - got pics of how it was when I found it. Good to see it back on the road!
We had several 1300s and Coupes loved them and great in the snow
Nice to see an old car in such a nice condition. I actually think these cars look and sound very cool, wouldn't mind owning one, and thought you could now pick them up cheap for maybe a few hundred pounds. Nope, can't find a decent one for less than a couple of thousand.
that car is in fabulous condition, has it been restored ?
@@starbarrothschild6597 Read James Wood's comment, please!
Could I ask did you get it from mossley???
I'm from Czech Republic and these were (obviously) the most common cars even after 2000's. In my family, we owned more than 4 of these, the 105, 100, 120 and even a Rapid.
Always loved the sound of the doors closing.. those two little "clap-clap".. ❤️
Old Skoda joke, `why did the Skoda 120 have heated rear windows?` answer ` to keep your hands warm when pushing them to the garage`
Swiss man here - I had a 120R in bright orange in the 1990ies - man did I love my little rustbucket. there's a motorway section with a moderately steep climb where I had to put it into 3rd gear to keep 95 kph going. The engine thanked me for that abuse by leaving a coat of oil on the rear cowling. Unfortunately, after about two years, one of the attachment points of the steering became loose due to rust so I had to abandon it because it had become unsafe to drive. Still have some photos in the trunk somewhere...
@@JosipRadnik1If you still have it dig it out repair the steering as it is a classic now .Good luck.
Don't forget the other old joke: Skodas have two dipsticks, one on the engine and the other in the driver's seat! Loved the old LADA joke as well: What do you call a LADA with a sunroof? A skip!
What I love about older cars that doors were designed to be slammed in order to shut them properly. Oh wait people still slam doors on any modern cars.
awesome. I learned to drive in primrose yellow one back in 1984. Imagine my disappointment as a 17 year old as it pulled up outside my house. but my instructor was quite a character - An Italian. In lessons in the Skoda he used to make me drive circuits around the market square in the centre in Bedford whilst he leaned out of the passenger window shouting at girls "Hey, Maria! Che bello!....Tim, go around again one more time..." On my last lesson we dropped the Skoda off at a garage where he needed to collect his own car. After what seemed like an hour of discussion in italian with the mechanics he gave me a lift home in his bright red Alfa GTV 2000. I can honestly say that I have never been driven as fast in my life. It made a lasting impression on me (you can imagine the impact after the Skoda) and think that one short experience made me a petrol head. Great people, great cars, great times.
If you went to Pilgrim, your lessons would have taken place during the time that you and I knew each other slightly. My Bedford driving lessons a few years later were much less exciting than yours sound...
I learned to drive in Bedford in 1983 and missed this, sadly, having to make do with a Metro... I am now jealous!
@@stewartellinson8846 Your name is also familiar...from the school I enjoy forgetting about.
Tim...loved reading your experience. I was stationed at RAF Chicksands, and in 82 or 83 needed a new car, so test drove a Skoda, a 2CV, and a Mini Mayfair. Bought the Mayfair and never looked back, but the Skoda was #2 on my list.
@@mike969696 I'm surprised that anyone remembers me at all!
5 speed, us Aussies still had to deal with 4 speeds on the falcons and commodores. Skoda perhaps the best eastern block cars, very underrated, and don't deserve the hate, they did the best they could with the limited budget the state gave them.
Most Škoda cars had four-speed transmissions. The first five-speed transmissions had 130L in 1984, types 105 and 120 still had four-speed. In 1988, the 120L received the first five-speed transmission and in our country it was renamed 125L (five means five-speed). Export Škoda cars had slightly different markings and better equipment than in the then Czechoslovakia. What was progressive about the Škoda were the aluminum engine blocks that are common today.
Czech' has always been innovative people. Still are, and down to earth. Unlikely their uptight bureaucratic minded neighbours...
In the US you could still get 3 speed manuals in pickups in the 80's.
Big understressed engines like in the Falcon don't need as much spread of gears as a wheezy little four.
The fourth gear in the Falcon, Commodore and Valiant in the 70s was the overdrive.
@@ahoneyman I had a 1985 Ford Falcon station wagon with a 3 speed manual.
I really enjoyed watching this. I bought my first Skoda, a bright orange 105 in 1986. An unusual choice of car for a 22 year old lad and it's fair to say I had the pee taken out of me on a regular basis. As I'd just "traded up" from riding a Tomos moped though I'd become rather used to that. Times were hard in the early 80s though and although I dreamed of owning XR3i's and Astra Gte's they remained well out of my budget as a lowly supermarket assistant. Still my bright orange skoda gave me freedom to explore the cotswolds and South West and despite all the jokes she never once broke down on me.
I did have to have the clutch replaced and was loaned a brand new 130LSE 5 speed Estelle for the day. My God it felt like sheer luxury, so smooth and quiet, fast too. I even got it up to the heady heights of 80mph on the newly opened super smooth Evesham bypass. Sunroof open and my Level 42 tape blasting from the speakers of the Phillips radio cassette player. I was in sheer ecstasy. So began my life long loyalty to these quirky little cars and even today I drive a Fabia.
Now at home receiving chemo and fighting cancer this video made my day. Hearing that Estelle's engine and seeing its interior as it bobbed down the road I was briefly 22 again. Now where did I leave that Level 42 tape ?
I hope you recover from the awful C word, and have many more memories....
@@supergeekjay Thank you so much for your kind message. Take care of yourself. Martin 😊
Get well soon, dude.
It's funny how these little "magic moments" stay with you, isn't it?
@@Rapscallion2009
Thank you my friend. Yes it certainly is. Take care, Martin 😊
Good Luck, sincerely.
The Skoda was popular on both sites of the iron curtain. For East Germans it was a bit easier to buy than a Lada. In the West it was a reliable budget car.
Except the head gasket blew every now and then.
Reliable? This car was broken every 200km u donut.
@@suomenpresidentti Yes mine did. But you could do the repair yourself, very easily and with basic tools.
@@BruselskySluzebnik Mine was reliable generally. No worse than other affordable cars of the era.
if skoda had anything to do with the iron curtain it would have rusted away..
Great example, cool video Ian. My grandparents drove these Estelles in the 80's (Holland) up until the mid '90s and as a child, I spent many hours on the back seat. Now, 30 odd years later, I am the owner of 5 Estelles and 2 Rapid Coupés. Over the moon with that, and they are getting really rare now in our country. Apart from that, the nice reactions whilst driving them prove that the Estelle and Rapid series have become true classic cars now.
Couldn’t agree more. And we still use them on a regular base. We even take them on holiday to the Czech Republic. Brings back memories of old family holidays.
Dutch communist party on the road??
@@OmmerSyssel No.
The ONLY car I ever knew that you could buy half a bumper. Very cheap on accident repair we loved em.
Saw a few with one really new black half and the other side was really grey and sun damaged. Probably looked worse than a damaged side !
@@chrishart8548 LOL yes mate the plastic was a bit poor.
I used to have fun visiting scrap yards and literally upgraded my 1983 Skoda Estelle 2 with cheap parts unbolted from accident Estelle’s.
There was a tan coloured F Reg Estelle with frontal damage - but an intact interior.
I literally gutted that vehicle and swopped seats, door panels and the upgraded dashboard into my old A reg. Took the more modern alloy wheels too - they came complete with barely used Goodyear Tyres - I was totally ecstatic.
The funny thing was it was all plug and play - the wiring loom for the dashboard was literally identical! And all for well under £100…!!!
By the time I was done with the Skoda which also acquired a fog lights grille and a whale tail spoiler (the latter, £1.00 from a boot sale) - everyone thought I was driving an old classic SAAB….🤣🤣🤣.
True budget motoring and I enjoyed every minute of it 😃👍
@@datathunderstorm I did the same in the past with ford's. Never with a scrap yard though those guys are often really gready. Friend bought a whole car from a scrap yard and it cost more than a used private equivalent and it was only a parts car. I once swapped everything from a 2.3 ghia Sierra onto a 1.6L bumpers, alloys, whole interior. Dash seats all electrics windows mirrors fuel computer etc. Sold the L spec gear to an old guy he never even noticed just happy it was a clean car with mot.
@@datathunderstorm Nice one.
This is peak Hubnut. A balanced, intelligent look at an overlooked and unfairly maligned car range. As you say British humour looks for people or things to knock, often based on class and perceived status. My dad nearly bought one of the early ones in the 1970s. He bought a Vauxhall Viva which was so unreliable. Always wonder what Skoda family life would have been like. Thanks for this video.
My dad did buy one, Skoda life was all your mates/kids laughing when he picked you up!
I remember way back in 1988 a guy in our office bought a new Skoda Coupe and the amount of stick he took was unreal. People seemed to ignore the great success they had in rallying. I think they where the best of the eastern block offerings.
Yes, the ridicule and mockery that Skoda and their owners had to endure, was totally inappropriate and unjustified. But skoda owners are the ones who are well and truly laughing now!!!!!
*were. *bloc.
Funny how back in the day I wouldn’t have wanted to be seen dead in one, but now I think they are super cool and would love one on my drive
Proud to say I always liked them and still do. And totally true, many people who hated them back in the days nowadays like them.
I completely agree. I specially like the coupes.
Exactly my thoughts .
Completely the same here. Would go a treat next to the Proton. 😉
I'm not a fan of modern cars but honestly this is one of the few classic cars that I'm not ok with
Hi Ian, I myself owned a 130lse and it was an absolute brilliant little car. I used to travel from Coleford in the Forest Of Dean to Gloucester 6 days a week for work and my Skoda managed to do this every week rain or shine for just over 5 years without any trouble what so ever. I would have it serviced once a year and I managed to rack up 100k miles in mine. It was a lovely little car.
Rather ridiculous obsession with this mediocre type of car.
There's hardly anyone left for obvious reasons, while Volvo Amazon is still running perfectly and sells for the same price as new.
Nostalgia blurs the mind...
@@OmmerSysselthose old skodas are quite expensive now.
@@OmmerSyssel I don't understand what you mean with "mediocre type of car". Can you elaborate?
I used to get a lift home from work in the late 80's in one of these. To me it seemed a perfectly good car and certainly more comfortable than some of it's contemporaries.
My grandpa owned one
Extremely popular in Greece back then, as there were of the cheapest cars in their category!
Lots of competition with Ladas, Dacias, Zastavas & Polonez in the Greek market!
The polonez was a better car than the estelle.
Rear wheel lada's,Favorit's still can be seen in Greece.
RWD Skoda's,Trabant's , Wartburg's and Zastava's are rareties.
My friend’s Dad had one as a company car. He worked for Gledhill Boiler and Central Heating. Whoever selected the company cars certainly had an eclectic taste, as said friend’s Dad had a Morris Ital, then a Maestro, followed by a Lada Riva, then the Estelle and finally a Citroën Xantia.
that last one is a bit of a jump! did the choice of car mirror the company's fortunes at all? :-)
I always liked the Skodas of that era, at the time it was like having a secret crush on that girl who wasn't cool and maybe looked a bit different...but was attractive BECAUSE she was different and you just knew she'd be a lovely person. As a grown man I now openly proclaim my love for this car, and if anyone wants to make fun of her I'll give you a belt up the bracket!
I had a 120L5 from new… and it was one of the most glorious cars I’ve ever driven. Where we lived there were a lot of lanes… and a lot of ‘luxury’ marque owners who got very incensed when the found a Skoda in front of them - it was so satisfying to wind them up by doing the speed limit… and then leaving them for dead on the nice twisty lanes! There were a lot of of very upset Jag, Volvo, Saab and BMW drivers in that part of Surrey/Hampshire… when their ‘phallic symbols’ were made to look like Matchbox toys….
Before the iron curtain Skoda made prestige high quality cars but during the iron curtain years they were greatly restricted on what they could build and were forced to use components they new were sub-standard so had to do the best they could. One reason they did so well at rallying was because they were aloud to fit what they wanted to the rally spec cars so could show how good the cars could be given free rein
My dad bought one in this colour without telling us at the time when Skoda Jokes were rife. In short, I wouldn’t take it when offered it for free. I used to drive him to Clacton with a 40kg bag of sand in the front to aid steering. My brother had a red one that broke down in the way to the airport. In short, I miss it and would love another in beige of course.
My mate had a beige Rapide. At the time it was a bit of a running joke, but I'd love one of these now. And I bet they can do snow properly.
And that car in good condition would be worth a small fortune now.
@@TomAlter1000 Oh christ, a bolt counter. Who cares, does it matter? I think people know what I meant.
These where everywhere when I was a kid but now you never see them. Good to see at least one has survived!
My first car was Skoda 105L. I got it from my grandfather who bought it new in 1987 and drove just 25000 km till 2001. It even had original tires Barum OR 6 which allowed you to oversteer the car at 30 kph if you wish to do so. You could drive through your neighbourhood like being in a slow-mo movie chase :)
I love how encouraging and passionate you are while introducing Soviet Block cars. I was also born in Czechoslovakia and drove a 125L for the first time (with new design of gauges from the very end of production). Many families had a limited choice back then and waited even 5-6 years for a new car during 60s, 70s and mid 80s. And like admirers in the UK, our parents and grandparents also treated these vehicles as family members. It was very easy to repair them, although spare parts used to be challenging to get (sometimes). Keep it coming, share your true feelings from a test drive as you always do, only those laugh on them who haven't experienced how they run long-term. Thumbs up for your work mate!
Exactly right. My mum has a 130, saved from the scrap 22 years ago, still going well and for sure it's a member of the family, its never left wet after rain when garaged at the end and she is happy to see it and take a drive.
Come on, spare us that romantic crap.
Those days Soviet Block cars were mediocre products, to put it mildly.
Why don't anyone boast about the mileage done by this crap?
Those days Toyota, Volvo or VW is still running perfectly well, usually half a million kilometers and often 7-800.000.
None of those Eastern Block cars could stand that amount of mileage!
@@OmmerSyssel (and Tomas), Soviet Bloc, not block. Your pedant ambush of the day. Toodle-oo.
The front storage area in a car should be known as a "froot"... 😁
Fond memories of my 130L in that 'burnt orange' colour. Daughter stated I doubled it's value by putting a black vinyl roof on, like you did in the late 80's. Bought for £25 with 6 months Tax & 1/2 tank of petrol, next door neighbor was scrapping it having got a cheap Maestro Estate via BAE where he worked. Cam chain a doddle to do wiz the rear panel off and lower tube cross member, about 8 bolts I think. Mind, the rear axle nut took a 10ft scaffold pole and the taper fit hubs a nightmare to remove. Scrapped it for £50 3 yrs later!👍🤭😎🇬🇧
Maestro estate?? I’m guessing Montego. Cool story though 👍
@@OldCarsNewVan Corgi did a 1.43 scale version of a maestro estate, like you Mike, never seen one.
@@OldCarsNewVan Hah, 68yr old brain fade got the 'M' & 'O' in the right place though..🤔🙄👍
😂😂👍
Fill up the petrol tank and the car doubles in value!
This is without doubt one of my favourite model types, from a manufacturer I have had an obsession with since childhood, this is a lovely original example, which really set my pulse racing❤️.
I`d do an ev conversion on it :):)
When I was 17 and passed my driving test in 1989, I was working for an overseas property company called Costa Blanca Property (Ely)...they gave me the company car, a 120 LSE - I think it was an LSE anyway. It was very unique and the only one like it in the world....it had the company titles written in great big letters down each side and on the "frunk" was a massive yellow cartoon sun wearing sunshades 😂 and ya know what??....little 17 year old me and my mates loved zooming around in it 😂
My dad had one of these in 'fastback' form for a year or two, back in the early 80s. I did borrow it from time to time, and it wasn't nearly as bad as people made out. It did sound a little agricultural, however. After a while he replaced it with a Hyundai Pony hatchback, which seemed something of a step up. Then he got a Toyota Carina II, which was a step up again. But I quite liked the Skoda, and didn't encounter any handling problems myself.
You need to really put your foot down to find the limits pal
When I changed my second 120L for a Favorit GLXi Estate in 1996 that felt like a quantum leap forward. Two Felicias and a Fabia later I can say each one was better than the previous model, but imo, the Favorit fuel injected models were the great leap forward for Skoda. Even so, I still miss my old 120Ls. They were interesting and unusual cars to drive and quite solid and reliable.
Beacuse "fastback" (called Skoda Rapid) had more sophisticated rear axle than common Estellas and have much much better hadling and much les vibration and noise from engine.
My father used to own a Skoda Estelle in white and it was an excellent little car! Granted the car he had was not in top health suffering from a blown head gasket but man was it hilarious and really fun to work on with him! Fun story on that as well was that it had a few weird issues which were understandable but nevertheless bowel movement inducing such as the understeer, the really fun lift-off oversteer and the fact that the engine would spit fire! I think it was a 1.6 and sounded like a mini rally car with it's awesome exhaust note and engine.
I remember he took me to school in it once and nobody there knew what it was as these were super uncommon in Wales at the time and everyone was asking me all day what the car was and how my dad got it. Bloody loved that old car and it was sold on to a restoration company so hopefully it's still out there somewhere enjoying the good life.
Many head gasket failure were down to lack of sufficient anti freeze and a common failure of the radiator temp sensor stopping the cooling fan operating……i always added full gallon of antifreeze and bypass switch on the rad fan….never had an issue on the three cars i had.
I worked with a lady who had one in the mid 80s, she had a paving slab in the front to improve the handling.
It never let her down
Thank you for that trip down memory lane. I owned a Rapid for a few years. Great fun. The ceramic hob sunroof and that very distinctive engine. I found a bag of cement in the front helped the handling. Mine used to eject the tape from the stereo at 90 mph (yes they could shift). Really was a fun car and so much better than ever given credit for.
My dad had a 105 lux 4 speed in the late 80s when I was a teenager, we used regularly go from Bolton to Paignton to visit our grandparents, 2 adults, 3 kids and a Jack Russell with suitcases on the roof rack. Very reliable car.
My father test drove one in 1985 - I still have the (Canadian) sales brochure with his notes re: price on it. Canadian market Škoda's were sold under their alpha-numeric names, 105L, 120GLS, etc. The last Škoda model sold here was the 135GLi, which was also sold in Finland and Austria.
My father's last two cars were Estelles and were more reliable and economical than the Triumphs he had been loyal to until BL wrecked that marque.
Often if he was working night shift in our east midlands winters his was the only car to always start without bother and his Estelles were frequently used to assist failed flashier cars.
There was definitely a technique to driving Estelles in snow and ice and the dealer in our town arranged for free tuition in the finer points of "even driving" and using the gears for gentle braking.
That said, I recall how quick off the lights the Estelle could be and its ease of parking as well.
I don't know how it is in Britain, but when I got my driver's license in the Czech Republic, the teacher also taught us these things on much newer cars
My dad used to buy these from auctions in the 80's and do them up and sell them on for a profit. At times there would be 6 or 7 of these outside our house along with 3 or 4 minis. Great times, lmao.
Great video! I really enjoy your intelligent and decent commentary all way through. I drove four different Škodas of this line: Two 105L's, a 120L and a 120GLX. Iconic cars of the 1980's. Cheers from Czechia!
We had these in Canada, and have always really liked them. Quirky and cool. Very scarce now. This one looks like a beautiful example😍
I had the 120 L with the steel wheels and chrome hubcaps, yellow paintwork and black vinyl roof no less! it was my 2nd car as 19 year old because a motorbike ran into to the back of my Escort 1100 mk1 and wrote it off!. But, for a teenager on a budget it was DEAD EASY to work on, you could change the complete exhaust system in 10 minutes, it had i triplex timing chain with no tensioner , the idea was to renew it at every 33K, the water pump even had a grease port, the non servo brakes ( on my model) had quite a hard pedal but was normal. it had a replaceable cartridge type oil filter , which is becoming the norm now. You could get parts anywhere. if you looked after it, it looked after you , very reliable on that basis, in the coldest of winter days, remember to start it and back off the the floor mounted choke to keep revs down until it thoroughly warmed up before driving off because if you did not yo could induce some kind of thermal conflict that could cause it to overheat, not a technical expert but that was my experience ,(only happened once no damage done, but sussed it out). it looked to me as though the same water pump from the rear radiator models was over worked with the plumping to the front radiator. When you went round corners the fuel gauge freaked out, wow nostalgia or what !! how much you want for it ??
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Had one same green. Drove it 90 miles a day, 5 days a week. 50 weeks a year, for 12 years, plus additional fun runs. In the left hand drive version the wheel well made a fantastic foot rest so extremely comfortable to drive long distances. Also would not have called it cheap, but rather inexpensive. Would buy another in a heartbeat.
Nice to see the Estelle getting some love. I always fancied the Rapid, which was quite a lively beast. A guy I used to work with had one and loved it. I did have a Favorit estate and later two Felicias, the first with the Skoda engine and the second with the 1.6 VW Polo motor. That was a very competent car and served me well for several years.
To really enjoy and appreciate a Skoda like a Czech, you probably need to wait five years to get one, subject to approval.
why is that
@@Definitely_Someone Communism solution to prevent high demand driving prices up to unaffordable levels, rather than market setting the price the state puts you on a waiting list in terms of prestige and needs and regulate amount for export. If say you were a doctor, government will official you might get in a year. If your were a factory worker with no family it might indeed take 5 years.
@@jondonnelly4831 nonsense. The entire Eastern Block chronically lacked sufficient supplies because of their hopeless inefficiency in all production and supply chains.
Their leaders actually chose high quality Volvo, while the ordinary comrades has to wait for crap like Trabant or Skoda!
@@Definitely_Someone ever seen an efficient communist country or production?
Guess why.. It doesn't exist and never will!
Contrary to popular belief in the 70th and 80th one could buy some new Škoda without any problems, you did not have to wait longer than a week or so. Having said that one had just narrow color and type choice. But if you needed to buy a new car, you could get some.
My granda had one of these in duck egg blue. He loved Skoda cars and Leyland lorries. I still have his old toolbox with his spanners and socket sets.
What gets me is remembering the little grease pot on the distributor to aid lubrication and maintenance then comparing that to the hundreds of pounds "disposable" light and indicator clusters on modern cars and lamenting what "progress" has now become.
Finally, a REALLY decent car! Used to be loads of them about, sadly seem to be fo few on the road now. Seriously underrated cars,
Always found the shape of these very easy on the eye. My Hungarian Aunt and Uncle had one when it was still a communist state, a white one. When we first went over in the 80s, I was always captivated by the picnics that were lifted out of the frunk! I remember it being really noisy, but it was fun. I have a soft spot for communist cars as I understand their reason for being and the part they played in mobilising eastern bloc countries. They're also very quirky!
Hi Ian just wanted to say thank you and to miss Hub nut and Steph for arranging the meet up today, after 18 months not interacting with people found it daunting but fun, all hub nut people are lovely. Hope you like the tea sorry loose leaf, it isn't builders tea , keemun a delicate chinese tea, just add splash of milk. Thank you again. Kind regards Gerry
Your best video yet! I'm on my fourth new generation Skoda,they are simply brilliant cars. I would dearly love a rear-engined example but prices are rising rapidly! A friend of mine has a similar example to this which I've sat in but never driven. He also has a Yugo,a Felicia,a Citigo,a Mercedes Optare bus,a Leyland Atlantean bus and a share in another!
Oh blimey....I have mixed feelings. We had one of these while I was a teenager at school at the very height of the Skoda joke epidemic. Takes me back, not in a good way. But, now I can certainly acknowledge, some 30 years on, that this is an interesting little car with an undeserved reputation.
Bought a very used Skoda 105 as my first rear engine Skoda.
Few years later when I could afford a new car bought a new Skoda Rapid 136 sport, one of the last rear engine cars sold in 1990, in racing baby poo brown which was damaged at a few weeks old so they lent me a 120l five just like the one you tested.
The 120l was quite a lowly spec as didn't even have a radio & I was overjoyed to get the Rapid back after a slightly delayed repair as the parts had to come from Czechoslovakia.
I have some very happy memories of driving the Skoda's. Yes I did get some stick for driving a Skoda & sometimes ended up hearing all the Skoda jokes several times a day.
Your test brought back a lot of memories.
Jeez, that's a belter of a memory jog, my dad bought one in blue, probably around the 85 era, my dads friend used to sit in the back when they went to work in it, little did they know the back window leaked, dads friend was wearing a grey suit, looked very much like he'd had an accident in the toilet, he had to hide for a bit until his trousers dried before he entered the office. Also seem to remember dad going through starter motors though, weren't tough enough. Superb vid, cheers for the memory.
This is exactly why I enjoy the Hubnut channel. This man “gets it”, the charm of just enjoying operating a piece of machinery, complete with all its charm and personality. Enjoyment is far more than just 0 to 60 times. This car, and so many of the humble former communists cars , are enjoyable in their simplicity, and the simple pleasure of “going for a ride”
Really good review Ian, I have watched it a couple of times. Our family run two Estelles, a 105 and 130. We have owned them both over 20 years now and they have been as good as a car can be, reliable, enjoyable to drive and part of the family. I do remember the last of the 'old school owners' who used to salute me as they passed by. One thing I still appreciate is how with not too much effort, they pass their MOT every year.
if it's older than 40 years no mot required..
Had Skodas since 1991, including 2 Estelles - 130LSE and 130GL. Loved them - so much fun to drive. Yes, you needed a new exhaust every year, but hey, they had variable intermittent wipe! Best moment I ever had was a gear lever coming off in my hand at 70mph on the M6. Thanks for the video.
Back in the 90s, I had the steering wheel on my 120L actually break off at the spokes whilst driving. Fortunately, I was able to steer using the centre stub, and being near Lowestoft, I remembered there was a main dealer there. It was fixed in 2 minutes as the service manager had an old steering wheel in his scrap pile. 'Call it a fiver, mate?' and I was on my way again.
I had an 02 1.8 T and after 350k it was still living up to its name Superb. I always thought of a Favtrit as a thinking man's Golf
I've driven those rear engine models and what a hoot they are. Underrated by many appreciated by the intelligent.
My girlfriend's father had one of these in the mid 80s. I wasn't impressed at the time but now I can appreciate it for what it is. He wasn't 'cheap' as he also had a Commodore Amiga which I used to play on when not engaged in other activities at their house.
A very underrated classic, that I should love to own! I actually own an even earlier Skoda, the 1960 Skoda Octavia Super!
It's unbelievable that the Octavia with Its chassis and engine dating back to the 1938 Škoda Popular 1100 was still quite modern in 1960 wheb your Octavia was made.
They where really robust cars, you could see them driving around as daily drivers even into the 2000s here in Czechia.
I'd love to own the 1970 Octavia Combi.
1:55 - when I had an Estelle, one time I was in a supermarket car park loading shopping into the boot when a small boy of about 9 wandered over and was puzzled as to why I was putting shopping on top of the engine. It was a bit of an education to him to learn that the engine was in the back.
I worked in a garden centre in 1997 I was 17. Imagine my amazement when the lady opened the bonnet and asked me to load the bags of compost she had purchased into tht front. "does this car run on soil?!" I said!
@@andrewmairs5865 Just shows that most people don't know the Estelle engine is in the back. It just doesn't look like a rear-engined car. There is a reason for this - it was originally intended to be front engine front wheel drive, but Soviet Russia, who were stumping up the money to put it into production, refused to pay up on the grounds that Czechoslovakia as it was then would have a more advanced car than they did. So Skoda had to base the mechanicals on the Estelle's predecessor the 110R.
I never ceased to be amused by the looks I always got, when loading the shopping into the Frunk of any of the 4 Skodas I owned.
Absolutely hilarious!
People were eager to laugh at the car, but they didn’t have a clue about how versatile it really was!!!
@@datathunderstorm Indeed. They were good cars within their limitations. Just not mainstream and 'trendy' as most car buyers did and still do think is important in a car. They did just as they were intended to do - cheap basic transport.
@@Nooziterp1 USSR stopping development is popular urban legend, Skoda did develop front engine, rear wheel drive models 720 and 740 in late 60's, but at time, government plan was to industrialize Slovakia (result was BAZ - a car factory with no car to make), so there were no funds left to make so radically different cars - so Skoda only used some of styling of 720 (which was designed by Guigaro) for a new model based on 100.
The 740 was replaced by FWD 760, which was codeveloped with Eastern Germany companies (they had technology needed for fwd, in exchange Škoda would supply engines and gearboxes) - but lack of cooperation doomed this project, too.
AAAAH, the memories, My very first car in 1985 was a red 1981 Skoda 120L, quite rare in Australia, I'd never seen one before I saw mine at the back of a used car lot, It was only 4 years old and burning oil like it had gone out of style, my father paid the princely sum of $500AUD and we rolled the motor out on a pallet and a couple of skateboards, great times, we rebuilt the engine together and I still remember coming home from passing my driving test, jumping in my Skoda and feeling the freedom, I ended up buying another (white) one, most people had never seen one and I had 2, lol loved my little Skodas, thanks for doing this test drive, brought back many memories.
Always such a calm and matter of fact intro on this channel. Super refreshing. I would read about these cars in CAR magazine and thought it was so grand that they were still producing these new in the late 80's. The magazines would have a field day with them but I loved the styling and the balls it took to keep a car like this on sale with modernized flush headlights and black trim. Would have been unheard of here in the States with so many tight regulations. So my fascination with these cars grew and I learned they even rallyed them. A true enthusiasts car. And now I get to see it in detail thanks to HubNut! With a classy presentation that only he could provide.
Always thought an Estelle is your ideal car. You suit it, very hand in glove and a really fair assessment of a car far better than it was given credit for.
I can't remember ever getting my Estelle out of shape on bends. The most memorable features were the heater, which has yet to be surpassed in far more expensive motor cars, and a generally comfortable ride. The negative was that aluminium head on a steel block. Combined with less than brilliant rubber (reputedly from China), subsequent water shortage meant overheating and a warped head. A decent set of piping would have fixed the issue, a good ship ruined for a happorth o' tar. The jokes were mostly from Vauxhall and Ford owners, not Porsche and Lambo drivers, and reflected their status anxiety rather than any shortcoming in the Skoda.
You are right - it was pure snobbery and the opportunity and relief of being able to 'look down' on someone else because you drove a Cavalier 🤣 Silly humans! Porsche and Lambo drivers would be generally interested in looking around this quirky little car if they hadn't been up close to one before. Ford and Vauxhall drivers wouldn't want to see their dead reflection in its windows.
I've driven many thousands of miles in Estelles, both swing axel and semi-trailing rear suspension, and despite some very enthusiastic driving, I always found the Estelle to be forgiving and predictable. The Estelle remains one of the best handling cars I have driven, and a complete joy to own.
I've not had issues with any rubber hoses, and haven't had to replace any of the bespoke items (though that isn't to say there weren't bad batches). The one time I did suffer overheating was when the waterpump gasket leaked collant on a long journey and the engine overheated on the motorway. Allowing the engine to cool a little, I topped up the water and made it home. The heat had, however, damaged the head gasket and the car tended to overheat because bits of gasket kept blocking the system. A new gasket got things back to normal.
Comfortable ride? I've had both Mercedes and Volvo owners compliment the quality of ride in the Estelle.
An unusual feature in the 130GL and Rapid was the 3-stage intermittent wiper setting; each setting doubled the number of intermittent cycles the wipers made per minute.
Good heaters in these too, but for those who dont know the heater lever to get heat to the rear passengers feet was under the dash and impossible to reach when driving. The air vents for the rear passengers feat was openings at each side of the central tunnel.
@@josephmullin5845 Yes, I used to love mentioning that my Rapid had 5 wiper settings when discussing my car!
I think the theory for the rear heated footwells was that if you carry rear seat passengers, you'd turn the air valve before winter. A little rudimentary, but it did give you the option.
@@gord307 these were the only cars to have that intermittent wiper option I think. Despite them being outdated for their time they were basic and easy to work on from home. A good way of ensuring the radiator fan worked when needed was to add an override switch just wiring up a toggle switch and connecting it to each terminal at the thermo switch on the radiator. That prevented overheating in the longterm.
Love it! The two door coupe was even better - Motor called it a budget Porsche 911 in their test!
Thank you for describing this motor car in the way it deserves. I was desperate for wheels and bought one with serious tappet chatter early 90s. Became very happy driving the old girl. Went on to a Favorit, then 2xFelicias. Motability became available so an Octavia and 2x Fabias. Unfortunately my needs are different now, and Skoda is off limits. Still very much a fan, and I'll always remember that Estelle!!!
I had my car written off in an accident a week before my eldest daughter was born.
Consequently I needed a replacement car in a hurry while I waited for an insurance pay out. I bought an Estelle 120 for £150 with an MOT and ran it for a year and it was totally reliable.
Although I replaced the Estelle with a family hatchback I went on to buy another Estelle around 18 months later.
They were characterful cars and I think you summed it up when mentioned that they have charm. They were definitely not the fastest or most refined cars but they were cheap and as long as you respected that swing axle suspension, they could still be hustled along a country road. Listening to that engine note in your video brings fond memories.
Always had a soft spot for old Skodas, nearly bought a 110R years ago. Still have some old brochures from the 1970s and a poster from same time too with vintage Skoda on the front and what appears to be a Skoda concept/sports car on the back. Skoda used to also make tanks! Thanks again for a great video.
Would e a good starting point for an ev conversion :)
Keep on dreaming, those days East Block cars were mediocre products, mildly said.
Well this video set me off! That engine sound and then the mention of loyal owners! Had 2 120L's and I loved each one. Was young and daft and traded my second 120L in for a Lada Riva Estate, which was also a great car but didnt have the charm of a 120L. I was certainly unusual as a 20 something for driving around in Skodas and Ladas back then! Thanks for featuring this car. Many happy memories!
Nostalgia! My debut was in '84 with a '70 Skoda 100 L. Living in Norway it was unmatched at getting along during winter having most of its weight on the driving rear wheels ... but the narrow wheel base made it difficult to use the tracks in the snow left by "normal" cars. Great fun, and fond memories. Thank you for sharing.
I owned two 120GLS, two 135GLi, and one 130 Rapid here in Canada where they were sold new. The 120GLS was for me at least super-reliable even though it was 25 years old. The 135GLi let me down a few times, but nothing major (hick-ups with the FI system). The 120 could cruise at 120km/h no problem, easy to steer, comfortable, great rally history. Love these and miss mine!
Gosh this takes me back, me and my best friend at middle school in England were obsessed with Skoda! We would write to dealers telling them we were huge fans of their cars, they were always so kind and sent us brochures, stickers, promotional material; we thought they were the best, they were so unique compared to all the Western European and Japanese products; we knew they were crude and cheap, but they had so much charm.
Needless to say; we didn't have many other friends at the time!
What a joy to see such a tidy example. This takes me back: their rally prowess was legendary, all that grip made them snow mobiles and with a bit of practice you could drive them sideways in the white stuff! And as for access to the engine, my original 130 (same green as this one) blew a head gasket and seized. My friend, who was a mechanical apprentice, and I completely swapped the engine in 90 minutes. When we started her up we discovered the clutch had gone, so we dragged it back out, fitted a new clutch and had it running in a little over a hour!
Good review, I have a lot of appreciation for cars such as this skoda because when they were new they were cheap enough to offer brand new motoring to people who might not have been able to afford it otherwise.
I recall that in the very early days of the Estelle there was a spate of inexplicable crashes, until it was discovered that there was a fault in the steering geometry whereby a linkage could go "over-centre", so the harder you tried to straighten the wheel, the more lock was applied. It was also reported at the time that the car had been designed to have a front engine, but the engine designers were so far behind that the company had to quickly revert to rear-engine to get the car to market. I always thought they had rather nice, if functional looks.
The Estelle wasn't the first, that's just the late 70s model name, they go back to the 60s with 1000mb , and no it was never meant for a front engine, because they always aspired to make a version of the beetle for themselves
They did want to build an FWD car as early as the 1960s, but while the odd prototype was constructed, the never had permission to build one for production.
@@HubNut The prototype FWD model is at the excellent Skoda Museum at
Mladá Boleslav in the Czech Republic, about an hour and a bit north of Prague. It's an attractive looking car, similar to the 120L, but looks a bit more balanced as the weight is at the front. Hope you get to visit it one day.
@@HubNut Would make an interesting ev conversion :)
@@frglee The never built type was Skoda 720, few prototypes were built ready for production, but stopped by political decision in early 1970s ruclips.net/video/DWLTrxXOTKQ/видео.html
Great report!Just bought a RHD 120L from Malta in that colour. Also been offered another 105 lux for very little money. Keep up the good work.
My very first car was a second hand chocolate brown Skoda Estelle 120LSE, it had the twin headlights, sunroof (which leaked). I remember going through a car wash and laughed as water came pouring through the footwell and once when I was driving on the M25, the spare wheel dropped down onto the road making lots of noise and sparks. It was a fun car though and I loved its quirky character. My heritage is from the Czech Republic of which I am very proud
Great memories. The first new car my dad ever bought was one of these in "Soviet" grey.
So did my dad. He bought a new one in 1989.I spent many hours driving around the country rescuing him. It was awful!!! Forever breaking down. Even he had to admit defeat and changed it for a favorit estate ☹
Same here. Ours never broke down but its brakes had problems as I remember, and it was the worst car to learn to drive in. Horrible sticking accelerator made clutch control a chinese puzzle for a newbie driver. The gearchange was clunky and imprecise (I swear I typed those two words about 30 seconds before Ian used them!) due to the connecting rods going all the way to the rear. The steering was horribly light with no feedback whatsoever.
The engine truly was gutless and could actually have difficulty even in first gear if attempting to climb a very steep hill (this did happen to us, I'm not joking). But of course, my Dad loved it, I think mostly due to being able to bask in the glory of being counter-culture and giving a two finger salute to the world (at the expense of his teenagers street cred and sanity, which seems silly now of course, but was no joke back then, let me tell you).
@@frazzleface753 I remember trying to play a cassette and the unit fell into the centre console!
@@rodhili3946 Oh bloody hell yes, the radio cassette deck. I forgot about that. With the aerial being that sun pattern in the sunroof, apparently.
Nice colour,very much used today in high performance cars,come on a long way the colour grey 👌 🤣🤣
I remember in the early 80s, my Uncle, noted for his thrift, used to buy one of these brand new every couple of years. He swore by them and wouldn't buy anything else.
The jokes didn't bother him one bit, and looking back I realise how sensible he was.
My first car was a 105S. I have no idea what the "S" stood for.
I paid £50 for it, it lasted 5 years, I drove it across Europe. Parts were stupid cheep, repairs easy to do.
It's the only car that I have ever given a name to. She was called Annie.
The car takes me back to my childhood and riding a Maroon Estelle in the 90's which belonged to a family friend. What a great ride it was, many fond memories of the car.
The great thing about these Skodas is could buy any part for it if you lost the small screw in the distributor you could buy the small part everything could be bought plus it was tough . Also the ignition lock was very difficult to pick !
I'm quite struggling with parts in this day and age.
Got one I'm restoring, but certain parts are just impossible to find. Lenses for the blinkers, taillights, interior bits, brake calipers.
I'm doing a lot of custom machining on this car. It's gonna end up with a Western braking system and non-OEM looking lights because I just can't find the originals. The body of the original carb was done for rendering the carburettor not rebuildable. Searched all across, but ended up putting a brand new Weber on it with the same bolt pattern. These OEM carbs are notorious for having the body wear out causing internal leaks.
Even talking with people from Czech Republic, the Skoda enthusiasts there are struggling with the same problem. Some very kind person made reproduction blinker lenses for me. While they don't look like the originals, I'm very happy to have them!
Fortunately a lot of parts from for example the suspension are simple universal bushings and stuff, but I wouldn't know where to find a wheel axle if I needed one.
That's a great car in beautiful condition. So much character. I remember sitting in a Skoda Rapide at a car show in the mid 80s when I was a kid. I remember really liking it..its stuck in my memory! I had brochures as well. Just can't find them anywhere. I must find them!
They are getting quite expensive, even in the Czech Republic. Even there, they're becoming collectors cars!
Those brochures will be worth money now!
@@stephenswift9868 I know...that's why I'm desperate to find them! They are in my dad's loft somewhere I'm sure
That is a superb review of a car I had little knowledge of. Thank you.
Watching your channel has brought me a new appreciation of a lot of cars (Morris Marinas spring to mind, although my 14 year old nephew saw a Marina pick up the other day and declared it very cool so maybe it's in the blood after all), but the one car I've always liked no matter what people said about it was the Skoda Estelle (and the Rapid, which a mate had and loved), thanks to the rallying and a Matchbox model of said rally car! Thanks for a lovely review of a great car!
I grew up in Czechoslovakia in the 80s and these cars were everywhere, ppl were waiting for years to buy one. They were reliable -only typical issue was the overheating of the water in long traffic jams in the summer -. In some villages old ppl still daily drive these rwd Skodas, however in the cities its hard to find them any more. compared to todays cars they are underpowered and noisy.
Imagine how bad was the overheating issue in Greece. Most were retrofit with a manual switch for the fan, after having blown the head gasket and having the block redecked.
One of the biggest reason for their overheating is thinking tap water is just as good for colling as a normal cooling liquid, which resulted in mineral stone forming in cooling pipes.
I understand, that cooling liquid could have been rare, but come on, how hard is to get couple of liters of coolant every couple of years.
Simca 1000 had the radiator also in the back and they were sold by the millions, only the 1000 Rallye models had them in front. So that was quite nicely done by Skoda, though the 1000 was discontinued in 1978.
I guess the Reno. R10 was another one with the cooling in the rear…..Caravelle too??????
@@peterriggall8409 rear engined Renault also had their radiator in the rear (literally at the back of the engine) but these were long out of production when the predecessor of the Estelle (105/120) started its life in 1976.
And all rear engined Fiats too
I worked at a Skoda/Reliant dealer in Gloucester back in the late 80's. I never drove one but remember the carpets felt like they were made of recycled material and apparently the speedo was from a motorcycle. Great video Ian, Takes me back.
Love your videos. You always talk respectful and positive, with humor. Greetings from the Netherlands
My first brand new car was an Estelle 2; she was a lovely reliable car; I think mine was a 120LSE I know it was top of the range). Mine was a C reg; and I think a 130, no electronic ignition then either. I can also remember a lot of Skoda owners waving to each other back then too; that sadly has gone away now though you do still meet some that are enthusiasts and not just taxi drivers.
I remember when my dad had an incredibly unreliable 1980 VW Passat, and once ended up getting towed home by a friend with an Estelle 105 Lux. It pulled the Passat along with no problems at all.
Funny, the Passat was sold as a Dasher in the US my father bought a brand new one it caught fire within two weeks of purchase. VW cut him a check, he bought a Rabbit (golf) Diesel to replace the Dasher.
I had a rover Sd1 (a red Y reg) which wouldn't start, my brother towed me home behind his Skoda rapide.
I felt so deflated.
My Auntie had one in orange I love going round in it. Just made me laugh when my friends would get in as it was left hand drive and they were shocked when they sat in front and found the the steering wheel. It took ages for people to adjust. We still laugh about it now! Great test thanks HUBNUT keep up the great work!
wow. actual review of this great car! i remember there being a mod of this in beamng drive, very fun car to drive, especially since it was rear engined. good to actually see it in detail now! thank you!
How the humble has risen. Todays skodas are among the best cars on the road thanks to VW.
I have great respect for cars made behind the Iron Curtain, having owned several Ladas back in the 1980s. My brother-in-law had a 105s Estelle and it was a great little car, if a little under powered. I don't recall him having any problems with it, and it was driven hard! Good to see one again, and what a colour! Please everyone, leave the Skoda jokes to die, the little cars deserve so much more. Modern Skodas are excellent cars, but I think the rear engined cars had so much more character.
Lada was absolute crap!
Only ignorants or fanatic lefties bought those shitty East Block cars.
They are all gone for obvious reasons.
While Volvo, Saab and Toyota is still running perfectly well.
@@OmmerSyssel I resent being generalised as an ignorant leftie! For your information I have 42 years of experience in the motor trade, am a qualified MOT tester, have 7 O-Levels, and certainly have worked on more cars than you have had hot dinners! My colleague at work bought a flash Volvo; after only 4 years and 20,000 miles, BANG! No warning beforehand, new engine required, £12,000 bill. Common fault it appears. I could reel off hundreds of similar examples... Need I say more? Agreed Lada build quality was poor, but with regular maintenance they kept going! If you want reliability today look to Japanese brands.
@@OmmerSyssel Lada still exists, you ignorant gob.
@@jakekaywell5972 Yep, Lada is still around and releasing new cars, where's L R's precious Saab these days?
Great memories! My dad bought a 120L brand new on a D plate from Hayes Garage in Little Clacton, Essex (still there, albeit as an independent Skoda specialist). It was the first new car he’d had, and he was very proud of it. The car was brilliantly reliable and dependable. I don’t remember it having a capitalist sunroof, mind. The whine of the gearbox and clack of the engine brings back memories. If you think the rear legroom is tight, imagine being a rear passenger with your brother on long trips down to the South of France, with the foot wells stuffed with sleeping bags and other luggage! One enduring memory of the car was the impossibly thin and cheap synthetic material of the seat covers.
My mum had a rapide and 3 Estelle's.
My sister then had one of them after passing her test and it snapped the stub axle on a dual carriageway.
So many childhood flashbacks in this video, thanks.
They were very common in Denmark when I was growing up in the 80’s. I think at least three of my class mates parents had one. Cars were (and still are) relatively expensive, so this was the choice for a tight budget for some 😉
IIRC they were the number one best seller in Denmark for at least one year.
@@cornishhh 1982 🇩🇰💪
They competed with Lada, Selling the cheapest car. Remember a Lada advert “ tag 2 for 100000” 😂
@@Bonzoguy66 never mind the price tag, still crap...
Oh, how much i'd love to have one of these!
To my western mind, all eastern bloc cars are interesting but these Skodas definitely are among the most interesting ones.
Always kinda secretly liked these even back in the day. I never drove one but a neighbour had one. A very rare sight now. Glad to see another one getting the Hubnut love.
My old man had a few Estelle's but by far the best one, was the 120L five! Petrol blue in colour and had the rubber spoiler on the back! he dropped a couple of bags of sand under the front, helped LOADS with the lift off oversteer (and the light steering in general). its interesting to note they had lots of clever little developments, probably the best, that HubNut missed, was the lack of an aerial for the radio! well, that spiders web you see in the sunroof, there is the radio aerial! great motors, shame they mostly got sent back to Czechoslovakia as they are now few and far between! good video, brings back tons of memories!
I have distant memories of these roaring through the Welsh forests on World Of Sport.
‘Dickie Davis eyes’
@@AtheistOrphan half man / half biscuit?