This was the last car Škoda produced before it was bought by Volkswagen. It was also the first Škoda car with front-wheel drive. There was also a two-seater roadster version. The station wagon was mainly intended for the police.
@@TheDirtypair, yes in Scandinavia it used to be popular to AGU (1.8t) swap them as the last ones had a 1.4 VW engine and the mounts would line up with Mk3 and Mk4 Golf engines 😎
I think I know which one you are referring to. It was a showroom version which was not for sale, it was just for dealerships. It was a pick-up, not really a roadster, but back wall with the glass folded down, making two more seats and, of course, it was opened in that case. A friend of mine managed to buy it from them, officially it was wrecked, since they were supposed to return it to the factory and not sell it and he ''restored'' it. Later I wanted to buy it from him, but he wrecked it. This time for real.
There are many Skodas in my country (Georgia 🇬🇪). Police and Service Agency have them. I did my Driver's License Test on one of those and I liked how it feels on the road.
Probably the most important Škoda ever - when it was launched in 1987, VW drove the Favorit as part of its market research and praised it in an internal memo - VW was particularly surprised by its comfort, vibration behavior and high-quality interior by Eastern Bloc standards. So much so that Škoda was believed to have the potential to survive after the end of the Eastern Bloc, which is why VW gradually bought out Škoda as it became possible. Fun fact: Before 1990, the Škoda Favorit sold so well in the enemy countries of Western Europe (especially in the UK, but also in West Germany) that it was not sold at all in friendly foreign countries (e.g. East Germany).
It was not sold to Eastern GDR because all Countries in the East needed western currency and the production capacity of Skoda was limited to about 200.000 units or less. Eastern Germany normally would have exported Trabant and Wartburg to Czechoslovakia but the government there decided because of emissions not to import two stroke stuff anymore. The former CEO of VW Carl H. Hahn has bohemian roots his grandfather was administrator in a big bohemian forest area for a baron… Therefore the VW were positive interested..
Cool, my Mom had one of these in the early 90es. These Skoda Favorit`s are rarely seen in Europe and even in the Czech Republik these days! The most of them are simply rotten away... Fun to see these things also get to the US. 😀
In the area where I live in Portugal there are at least four: one Favorit Forman, one 90's Felicia and two 90's Felicia pickups, a normal one and one Fun model, both with the 1.9 D engine. 🙂
@@module79l28in Czechia Felicias are still very common, much more than the Favorit, those are becoming very rare. Most of them have rotted away sadly, I expect you don't have so many problems with rust in Portugal
As a proud Czech Iam happy that you like skodas, my dad used to have a favorit but he sold it, I hope you come to my country one day and try driving a Octavia Rs or some other models, also fun fact a skids da could technically go faster than a Lamborghini from the 90 and newer
The first Skoda Octavia RS (VRS in some countries) was really exciting back in the days. I assume it has similar engine as Golf GTI had same time period. Here in Finland the Octavia Combi 1.9-2.0 TDI is still the most popular model and was very popular for a long time. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0koda_Octavia#/media/File%3A2005_Skoda_Octavia_VRS_1.8_Front.jpg
My first car was škoda favorit after my grandpa, manufactured in 1989 with Italian carburator Pierburg, so it was actually one of the first ever made... i got it with 78000km and have been driving it for 5 years... I loved the car, really learned me to drive i think... No ABS, no ESP, manual, no power steering, nothing... Batttery was in the car to start it and for the lights... no electronic whatsoever... So I added CD player and even central locks with remote =D was so much fun... I also had to setup the engine to run good and so on... Really learned a lot on this car
I've owned two of this generation. First up the Favorit 135LE. Followed by the "upmarket" Forman 136 GLXe. Estate car, electronic injection! Door cards fully covered! What a luxury car! Actually followed Skoda since 1988. 130GLS, Rapid 130, Favorit 135Le, Forman 1,3GLXi, Felicia 1.6 Fabia 1,4 100hp, Octavia 1,6MPI and current Fabia estate 1.0TSI DSG. I actually engaged in establishing the Skoda Klubb Norge, in 1998. Happy days! Has Skoda evolved over time? You bet!
Škoda Favorits were common here in Croatia back when I was a kid in the 90s and early 2000s. Now they're fairly rare,but I still see them around town every now and then.
Škoda Favorit was designed by Italian designer studio Bertone, there was fuel injection from 1992. Engines were 1289 ccm from 40kW to 50kW. Max speed 150 kmh (93 mph). Racing Škoda Favorit for Group A was very successful and in 1994 won WRC in W2L group (FWD or RWD, engine less than 2 litres). It had 1299 ccm OHV engine, 105 HP, 117 Nm, max speed 170 kmh, 0-100 in 10 sec. Weight 830 kg (1830 lb). I still remember that gummy sounds when you change the gear.
I had a few friends with these. In this colour as well !! I have a penchant for oddball / leftfield/ underdog cars, this is fantastic. I have a Skoda dealer a few miles away, that has sold them since the 70's, and every now and again they get the rally cars out of storage and put them on the showroom floor........... a 120 and 136 👍
ah yeah, thats 90s czechia :-) Favorit had also few nicknames, like Fávo (parody of Bávo, which was common nickname of BMWs), Fáčko or Fafen. and specially in this green color it was often called Fazol, which was colloquial for bean. but the only thing it misses is the tree shaped air freshener hanging on the mirror :D
@@tomaskilian8489 nowadays, there are more and more here in germany too, but I don't like them anyway. Instead there are "hands" with different smell witch you can stick on the windscreen. I think, they are better than this awefull looking trees! ;-)
Reminds me of the '85 Golf I beat on when I was a teen. Small, rugged interior, manual window and sun roof cranks. Manual doorlocks. Steel wheels. I drove that like I rented it back then.
Wow, you brought up an ancient memory for me. Back in the 90's, when I was at University, one of our mates had one of these. On nights out, we would roll back from the club about 5 am and, if he wasn't with us, we would pick up his car and turn it the opposite way. He would wake up the next day in utter confusion. We didn't admit it was us until the very last days of our course ending. Good times!
Skoda? Reliable? Sorry man. I remember my grandfather talking about buying Skoda 1000MB new back in the day in Yugoslavia, and he said his Yugo was more reliable than it. It overheated constantly. And he lived in cold climate. Actually that Skoda had a nickname in Yugoslavia "1000 malih briga", which translates roughly to "1000 worries". Skoda got reliable when VW bought them.
I like how owner kept original stickers from technical and emission inspection, also as I noticed, car originates from Slovakia (or were sold in Slovakia) LPG was mounted in Slovakia as well! Lovely car, my grandfather used to have one like this but in yellow. Someday I'd love to buy that Crown Vic of yours and have something special on EU roads as well haha
Great points about the stickers and LPG. So fascinating to me that this car spent so much time in Slovakia 🇸🇰 and now here it is in Chicago 🇺🇸 And I’m sure it would be interesting driving my Crown Victoria on EU roads haha such a nice car to drive, big and robust. Would get a lot of attention and curiosity over there I bet, just as this Skoda does over here 🎉
@@IWrocker Some people actually import Crown Vics here as well, I think the Favorit in the US is a bigger unicorn than a Crown Vic here, we have a lot of US car fans, check out the První Jarní Bublání car meet, organized annually in Jizbice. Greetings from the Czech Republic ;-)
@@toycarcrush Can we just thanks for the minds that developed google translate? Its just amazing to be able to talk to anybody anywhere in the world, without a language barrier.. Soon smart glasses with live subtitles would be a game changer
Congrats IWrocker! 🎉🎉 You really had a great time with this 90s hatchback Skoda and one of your dreams came true! Can feel it and i'm really enthused with you!!😊🎉 I'm from germany and NEVER had more goosebumps and tears of joy in my eyes watching a dude, driving a 32y old, 64hp mean and mass-produced car sooo appreciative 🤩 Love your great car enthusiasm. Please let us still share it for a long, long time! 🤙🏎💪
My grand father had a base 135 this is luxury model .... In total my relatives and family had 3 favorites and 2 rear engine Skoda's.... Just love those cars.... The Skoda starter-motor sound is so special that my head spins exorcist style when I hear one starting
I remember the first time I saw one I think in 1988. I was 6yo and shocked. It was so unlike all the other cars on Czech roads then. Those were all the boxy Škoda 120 and similar, occasional older rounded 110. This was the first time I ever saw a hatchback shaped car without ever knowing such a concept existed. A "car" equaled a sedan in my mind until that moment. It was mindblowing.
@@rozgniatacz_mend I was 6 in 1988. I am 41 now. I remember the feeling of seeing something so new and different. I remember my dad saying that's the new Škoda, roads will be full of them soon or something like that. I don't remember any specifics about how many cars other than Škoda, Lada or Moskvič I saw when what they looked like. Even now I had to google what is FSO Polonez looks like and it still is not familiar to me at all. Cars were always just a tool of transportation before everything else. Our family didn't own a car , whenever we went somewhere we avoided cars, I never looked at them much. Something had to grab my attention a lot to make it stick in my memory. Like the comment my dad made. You could be right that I met some Polonez before 1988 somewhere. It just didn't stick in my head. Maybe just nobody said "look at the Polonez, that's a hatchback and Škoda doesn't make those yet" to me before I saw that first Favorit. Sorry, I really don't remember seeing that.
@@martin1649 tak. Sprawdziłem. Nie były eksportowane do Czechosłowacji ani żadnych innych krajów tzw. bloku wschodniego. Tego za bardzo nie rozumiem. Były eksportowane do Europy zachodniej ale w nie wielkiej ilości oraz do Ameryki Południowej i w niewielkiej ilości do USA ( chyba tylko dla klientów polskiego pochodzenia). W Polsce były niesamowicie popularne. Także w Egipcie ( gdzie także je produkowano pod egipską marką NASR).
Hey buddy! I really enjoyed seeing an American guy driving one of our Škodas. It's a really nice video, and it makes me happy to see you so enthusiastic about our cars. I have a Škoda Favorit 135L 1.3 liter with a carburetor, without a catalytic converter from 1989, so it's actually a tad older than the one you're driving in the video. Greetings to the owner as well! Seeing a Favorit in America is like seeing a unicorn :D
DAMN man, that was my first car ! I ripped off all the plastic, seat and interior from it, and we made a "rally" stage on old village airport. So much fun with it when i was young ! Love it. :) nice content. Michal is cool guy.
Funfact: The engine dies at least! If you put enough oil, water and gas in it the engine stays longer than the hole car! I love older cars more than new one!
@@toycarcrush That's true! From what I've heard and read, those Skoda 1.3 liter engines used in Favorits and Felicias were almost immortal provided they had at least some very basic maintenance. They could have mileages of many hundreds of thousands of kilometers and still ran awesome. They also had some flaws, but nothing really serious and mostly easy to fix.
My grandfather had it's successor, the Felicia, which was technically a further development of the Favorit. To be exact a burgundy red metallic Felicia Combi 1.9 GLXD (diesel station). Honestly, that was also the very first car i drove before i got my drivers license. And even though i had zero experience at first, the car thought me to drive and respect the brand.
That’s a very old Skoda and still in a good state. I have driven the Skoda Octavia for four years and loved it. One of the greatest cars, I have ever driven.
Ohhh man, that's the car I grew up with here in Croatia... My dad had an older one (I think '87), cherry red, no fog lamps, no rear wiper and the seats had headrests with holes... Ohh man, so cool to see one in such a good condition. I actually learned how to drive in that car...Much better than anything Yugo made at the time 😂... Awesome, great video 🤗
Oh wow, so many memories! This was the first car I ever drove (after driving school). My grandad used to have a gorgeous blue one. Drove it until like 2010. I can practically smell it from the video. And all those sounds... Man, I love modern cars, but this thing just had so much personality!
This bring me back to childhood, we got same Favorit in same colour, same grill and same interior and also with fog lights. We got it until 2004. Great car, always worked like a charm.
I am from Hungary, these Skodas was common. We never had one. I am 25 years old, our first family car was a Wartburg 1.3, you need to check them out too. They had a 1.3 liter VW engine.
I have a 1.3 Wartburg tourist, originally registered in Hungary. Now in Northern Ireland. Also have a Skoda favorit estate/ station wagon. Love both cars.
I like how you slowly became a Škoda fan since I discovered your channel (40k subs). And I hope that next time you drive a Favorit or Felicia, you'll floor it and take some swift corners to properly feel the Rallye essence these cars have :D
The Favorits are still around. There's actually still quite a few running. I have not driven one, but I've driven Skoda Felicia which came right after in the late 90s. It was a great experience :D
this was my first car :) . my father crahsed first he had and than bught him self another one . I finished the second one :D .... It was so much fun to drive that car / like a light tank :D
My sisters very first car was a Skoda... It was a Red Skoda Estelle 130L... And it never gave her any trouble... Except for a new replacement starter motor... And obviously the regular maintenance items like brakes wipers oil and filter changes... It was cheap to run and insure too... It was a basic car without any bells and whistles... But it was reliable and it gave her the independence she wanted... As it ultimately got her from A to B... The engine was quite noisy when pushed a little harder at motorway speeds... But back then they were never really made for luxury transportation like some Skoda's are today... They were the no frills transportation of the masses... Where spare parts and servicing were cheap and cheerful... After a few years of owning her Skoda... She traded it in for a larger car because of her growing family... But she really loved that little Skoda... And she was very sad to part with it.
Before I even watched the video just saw the first second before I stopped it: OMG, a FAVORIT!!!! Now, I watch the video :D I was too young to drive these (born in 1989) , but would love to drive one too :D Today, you can still see some of them on the road, but rarely now. Im watching from SLOVAKIA!!! Was great to see you enjoy this :D My first ever car I drove, was my moms Škoda Felicia, from like 1996 or 98? So it was already old car but had very low milage on it.... so people kept asking her if she would sell it because it was old, not so much rust on it and the engine had like 80 000 km on it, which is nothing for a 20 year old car :D.... 1,4 liter, no power stearing either. Was fun to drive for a while :D
@IWrocker oath brother, watching my old man who's 6'1 dive my car is hilarious, he always surprised how much head room.some of these smaller cars have compared to his SS commodore. id love to see you driving my Abarth 595, love the video and well done
Interesting little fact about the Favorit - from old top gear no less - the alloy wheels used on the upper trim models were sourced from the UK, shipped back to Skoda in the same containers that cars were shipped here in. My aunt had the Felicia sucessor to this, used the same platform but with more modern styling and quite a lot of VWAG parts. Damn fine car, only part on it that failed was the - also UK sourced, sunroof that blew out in a storm.
You definetely need to visit the Škoda museum in Czechia.. lot to see there.. Also it would be amazing to see you try all the different european cars... I see that smile every time you shift gears 😁
I couldn't wait for this! :D We had a beige one for ages - the engine is basically a derivant of the older engine from the 120s just moved to the front but absolutely bulletproof and funnily enough alumunium block with casted heads - but it was actually amazing in rallying in the FWD upto 1300cc championships and even beating the 1600cc cars thanks to the front McPherson suspension that makes more camber in load it was quite a clever car (the stories of rally drivers just cynically overtaking much faster cars blatantly in corners on our roughed up B roads) and it was designed by Bertone in Italy it was pretty much the first outside of the country designed car. Skoda worked with ItalDesign before but this is the only Czech/Italian car ever especially with the design quirks and it looks like it the door handles and cluster especially Italian - also this one is in pretty awesome shape they are getting pretty low in numbers that are original and unmolested most of them rusted or were used into oblivion - Also Skoda didn't offer automatic gearbox until the VW merge with the Octavia model starting in the 1999-2001
We had exactly the same car, in the exactly same coiour, and that was the first car I had the chance to "drive" back in the late 90s in Hungary. Im quoting "drive" because i was about 6 or 7 years old, so I was sitting on the lap of my grandfather and he was playing with the pedals and the clutch, so basically i was just turning the wheel in an empty parking lot. Great memories! I wish I could show my grandfather what today's cars are capable of, I"m sure he would be amazed! Love your videos, keep it up, man!
I own one from 92. My dad owns one since 89 (also 136). Favorit was capable to fight Imprezas, Celicas, Evos, Cosworths n stuff (fight, not beat left and right). With racing suspension some engine mods in Group A. And nowdays HP Racing suspension, they are still very capable. I will be modying mine when the renovation is comepletly done towards rally inspiration. HP suspension + strenghtening the body. Then it is gonna be time for engine and wider tyres. Even tho it is 90s old shitbox, i wouldn't change it for anything else. Love from Czechia!
Man, I really love your videos, the best content on YT. I feel you really like Czech stuff, cars, history, etc. and wow a real Favorit in the US I would never expect that, and this one is in a mint condition. Appreciate the work you do, best regards from the Czech Republic! ✌
The direction indicator sound brought me back to my childhood when my grandpa used to drive us around the Czech countryside with this awesome little car
That was unexpected. Very fun to see you so enthousiastic about a "normal" car. I am Dutch. So I see european cars all the time obviously. Thanks Michael for providing the subject. (Please tell your cameraman to work on his health if he can. Health is important and he sounded very short of breath. )
After seeing it for a while it reminds me a lot of my good old 1984 Renault 5 GTL even though driving that car in summer was like being in a crematory, it was small from outside but big from inside, really cozy and also no radio nor anything electronic, great car of its time as well and only 45hp with a 1.1 liter engine :D!
I only got my licence about a year ago, but the car I've easily driven the most is my dad's old car, a 1995 Škoda Felicia 1.6 GLXi, since I don't have my own car and it's the car he's most willing to lend me, given he doesn't use it much anymore. Felicia is something of a successor to the Favorit, and I do vaguely remember my grandparents having a Favorit back in the day, so seeing all this is really cool! I've gotten so used to driving the Felicia I actually always get taken aback whenever I drive a car with power steering, and it takes me a little bit to get used to it. Same with the tight gear shifts of modern cars (I've yet to drive an automatic-drive vehicle), the "looser" gear shift of the Felicia has just become so comfortable to me. Nice to see someone else live these experiences for the first time :)
As a swede this large tall man in this small car makes me think of classic swedish car reviewer Christer Glenning from the 80s. (Yea, this comment are mostly for other swedes.)
There was an estate (station wagon) version as well as a pick-up version of the Favorit available as well. The standard hatch and estate versions were very common around Europe. I’m in Ireland and I do remember seeing a few pickups around, there was one mid 90s pickup near where I currently live still on the road about 9 or 10 years ago
Because nothing says ‘I love you’ like an immaculate car. That Skoda is a very clean show car and could win lots of prizes in his class. Michael must be very proud of this gem of a car. Cheers! Dzięki.
Oooooh! A Skoda Favorit! It is very rare to see these around nowadays here in the UK, especially in such great condition! We do occasionally see Felicias around but they too are becoming a very rare sight! Great video and welcome to the world of non-American cars!!
lucky to even see an early Fabia now. back in say 2016, I saw more than one W-reg one and I rode in a Y-reg one (that was scrapped later in the same year), but nowadays? nah. even the 03-reg late 1.4 MPi-engined example that was round my way seems to have vanished.
@@RWL2012 it always makes me happy to see an old style numberplate on a car out and about on the road, even if it is just an X-reg Yaris (like I saw today)
@@georgeratcliffe7752 yes I like seeing random old survivor cars like the S-reg (1998/99) Citroën Xsara and P-reg (1996-97) Renault Mégane Mk1 I've seen in the last couple of weeks
Nice, that thing has less kilometers than my 2018 Skoda Spaceback, and it's in awesome shape, just awesome I'm glad you enjoyed, if you came to 2024 WRC round in Chile, you could see how much the brand has travel trough time, my first car was an 2009 Skoda Fabia, just like that Felicia, manual gearbox, manual windows, no AC, alarm without central lock, almost totally analog, but a very welcoming 8 speakers stereo, power steering (But I drove like 2 years with the servo off, and was light enough) and cruise control, yes no electric windows or mirror, but Cruise Control 😂 I still miss that car, I should never sold it
@@IWrocker Renault 4L and Citroen 2CV have a pretty high "head clearance" , for tall guys (it was a main spec to respect, for the engineers who worked on these 2 projects). They are great fun to drive. I heard there are some old models in Louisiana...but it would be cool if you came to France to try them. Some fans made fantastic restorations, and they are quite expensive now, as "collector models". You can rent 2CV for a Paris tour. Come on : Air France has daily flights from US to CDG Airport...
It was a competitor of the Lada Samara, which looks quite similar. Although Bertone and Giugiaro took charge of their design, it's the first time I hear anyone describe either of them as beautiful.
@@relgeiz2 You're right. I'm just glad Citroën went for it at the end. The BX is one of my favourite cars and brings back fond chilhood memories from when my father owned one.
Dude, when i was like 7-12 years old(90’s) my parents used to take me and my sister from prague to split(croatia) for vacation every year in this car. Can u imagine 1000km journey that took like 24hours, heating blasting on full power inside to not overheat the engine, two adults and two kids with no radio and all needed equipment for two weeks stay:) i still cant believe how much stuff was my father able to load in that little thing:) it was crazy
This is exactly the same car type I was learning to drive in 1992. Ahh, good memories. :) Actually, the Škoda Favorit cars were a major step forward from the previous model, Škoda 120L. Front-wheel drive, much better engine (no more stuttering, choking and difficult cold starts typical of the 120L model), way more precise 5-gear shifter (up from 4 gears), better interior and a general feeling of modernity (back in the day). Congratulations to the owner of this veteran for keeping it in *pristine* condition! It looks like a new car.
Ian, two things I'd like to say. 1st, I didn't realise you are such a big guy. Your mother certainly fed you well, ha ha. Therefore a Skoda Octavia or Superb would suit you well. 2nd, when you get to Europe, you can be confident driving over here as you have driving manual so sorted.
Just two facts, it was made in Czechoslovakia a this particular car is from Slovakia, the LPG sticker says Hlohovec which is town here and you can also see old technical ans emission inspection sticker on the windshield. 🙂
What a world apart the Favorit was from the RWD rear engine Skodas of before. The Favorit paved the future for Skoda who only went from strength to strength combined with VW's ownership. Skoda were also the VW group maker who get the new developments before they're offered on Audi, VW and Seat cars, such as floorpans and the 6 speed DSG dual clutch automatic transmission. A similar car from the Eastern Bloc was the Lada Samara which was also a more modern-looking and angular FWD hatchback compared to the previous ones based on the '60s Fiat 124.
Česko není a nebyla nikdy východní evropa, kouknu na mapu Evropy !. V tom případě napiš ,ŽE Rakousko je východní evropa, protože Praha je západněji než Vídeň . Lada je z Ruska! Z ČECH do Ruska je to ještě hodně daleko .
My parents bought one in 94', it was slightly modernized version (different dashboard, new door fillings with storage space, windows that go ALL THE WAY DOWN in the front door :D). And yeah - it was a blast. We also had a sunroof, which was something amazing back in 90's :D. I learned how to drive in this car and enjoyed some memorable trips with my friends. In the end it was mostly eaten by rust, had electricity issues, it was really beaten up car. My parents didn't care much, so when it was passed on me, it had a lot of bruises, but still - best car in my life I ever had :)
Now I'm wondering if anyone has a 2cv or something with the oil suspension or a unimog or.... Viewer's cars reviews could be a whole new thing for the channel 😁 Thick pillars are a thing now-a-days because rollover protection and car safety in general is taken more serriously. Not sure if it was covered but this was the last car designed by skoda. (full design, VW bought them and introduced their platforms and parts bins after this launced)
Yea I would love to see/test more Euro cars, especially from viewers. I was so thrilled to see this Škoda, it’s almost like a museum piece for how nice it is being 30+ years old
I have had seven Skodas in my life. never any problems I had a Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI, I had driven 700,000, km only had to change the brakes, oil and clutch once
Год назад+36
Actually I am really surprised, that you like the car. Sure it was the best Czechoslovakia was able to produce at the end of 80s and we enjoyed riding it, but from today's perspective I am more like embarrassed than proud. I am actually really proud of latest models and I would really like to see your reaction on riding those. Anyways keep up with this channel, I like it a lot, and thanks for all the content. I wish you visit Czechia sooner or later ;)
Don't be embarrassed by the car, it certainly stacks up. The fact that it is in such good condition now, proves it's longevity and build quality. A cars quality, is only seen after it has done many kms and years. Many luxury Europeans don't pass the test and can be phenomenally expensive to maintain, particularly long term. Older Volvos are the exception and Peugeots. The cars seats, particularly the rear headrests - which are a very important safety feature, not common in small cars back then, even today!? - look awesome - almost like the French car seats - Particularly Renault.
all those old cars are better to drive than most new ones because they are made to last, and not that you have to change them after the warranty expires
@@tihomirraspericTrue - built to last. Today, for profit turnover, cars seem to have inbuilt obsolescence - even if not intended to, with complexity and parts that require entire systems to be replaced. Thank goodness for longer warranties and longer lasting electric cars. Original Prius, doing 400,000 kms and still going on original battery pack - batteries becoming cheaper and longer lasting. Electronics are complex. Diagnostic machines often hopeless. Default to a mechanic, that will actually LOOK for the problem. Some insurance companies will offer a FACTORY warranty at cost after original runs out. Often far better than, the warranties offered by dealerships on used cars.
Oh man! The memories! I drove a beige Favorit my brother had for a while before he switched to Felicia. Both remarkable cars, so easy to drive and maintain. I miss the responsiveness of the Favorit steering. And everytime I went to an Škoda parts store, I was shocked by how inexpensive they were. I once got a new front and back brake tubing for less than $20 and a new shift gear lever dust cover for about $5. All original. Modern cars have little profit margins and have to make money on the spare parts. Friend of mine who worked at Škoda in financial department told me a story. For fun they calculated how much a new Octavia would cost, if constructed from spare parts. They got to 5,5M CZK (a new car at the time was around 600K)
Great video, I liked it. As a European (NL) I remember this car well. I saw it being introduced at the 1989 AutoRai in Amsterdam as a child with my mom. It sold well in the 1990s as one of the cheapest cars to buy on Western European markets. It was much better than the older rear-engined Skodas. Nowadays it is rare here. I had rented one in Prague (CZ) in 1998, a 136 LS like in the video, model 1992 in color white. That was an adventure (fuel gage was broken) but I liked it too. Keep the Favorits, Formans and Felicias alive!
oh so many memories, btw as said that car is realy light, I remember to push it to pump alone for several km, luckily there was no hill in the way :) another thing I love about old cars is when your battery dies you still can push it down hill and start, dont know how about new cars cuz I am not driving for more than 10years :( since I moved to Prague I didnt need to drive a car, public transport here is great
The camera work is phenomenal, the finger in the corner of the frame and breathing like he just been running.
Good enough.
ahahahahahah
the heavy breathing genuinely puts me off so much why do i have to listen to that stuff 😭
@@ChiliCheeseNuggies Same. 5 minutes and I was off. I had to force myself to watch it to the end, because I know how much he loves Škoda.
Darth Vader 😁
i as a czech person never thought someone would be so excited as this man to drive a favorit 😂
😂😂👌
Tom Hanks was excited to drive Maluch :D
This was the last car Škoda produced before it was bought by Volkswagen. It was also the first Škoda car with front-wheel drive. There was also a two-seater roadster version. The station wagon was mainly intended for the police.
Awesome facts 🎉
But it's still a VW Golf II
@@TheDirtypair, yes in Scandinavia it used to be popular to AGU (1.8t) swap them as the last ones had a 1.4 VW engine and the mounts would line up with Mk3 and Mk4 Golf engines 😎
@@TheDirtypairIt's a unique platform but you can retrofit a VW engine.
I think I know which one you are referring to. It was a showroom version which was not for sale, it was just for dealerships. It was a pick-up, not really a roadster, but back wall with the glass folded down, making two more seats and, of course, it was opened in that case.
A friend of mine managed to buy it from them, officially it was wrecked, since they were supposed to return it to the factory and not sell it and he ''restored'' it. Later I wanted to buy it from him, but he wrecked it. This time for real.
Oh man. As a Czech this soothes my soul. I love getting our stuff into foreign countries! Thank you for driving our beautiful Škoda!
I like another Skoda better - the CHS-2 electric locomotive😍
There are many Skodas in my country (Georgia 🇬🇪). Police and Service Agency have them. I did my Driver's License Test on one of those and I liked how it feels on the road.
As a Hungarian, I ABSOLUTELY love seeing these videos from an american guy! And you even pronounce Skoda correctly. I love your content man.
Glad to hear that 🎉 Thank You
not exactly correctly but close enough
Schhhkodaaa.
That's why car dealers in Poland sell Skoda ;)
Jó napot kívánok! As a Czech, I love seening Hungarian knowing how American shoud pronance Škoda :D
Probably the most important Škoda ever - when it was launched in 1987, VW drove the Favorit as part of its market research and praised it in an internal memo - VW was particularly surprised by its comfort, vibration behavior and high-quality interior by Eastern Bloc standards. So much so that Škoda was believed to have the potential to survive after the end of the Eastern Bloc, which is why VW gradually bought out Škoda as it became possible. Fun fact: Before 1990, the Škoda Favorit sold so well in the enemy countries of Western Europe (especially in the UK, but also in West Germany) that it was not sold at all in friendly foreign countries (e.g. East Germany).
It was not sold to Eastern GDR because all Countries in the East needed western currency and the production capacity of Skoda was limited to about 200.000 units or less. Eastern Germany normally would have exported Trabant and Wartburg to Czechoslovakia but the government there decided because of emissions not to import two stroke stuff anymore. The former CEO of VW Carl H. Hahn has bohemian roots his grandfather was administrator in a big bohemian forest area for a baron…
Therefore the VW were positive interested..
Cool, my Mom had one of these in the early 90es. These Skoda Favorit`s are rarely seen in Europe and even in the Czech Republik these days! The most of them are simply rotten away... Fun to see these things also get to the US. 😀
In the area where I live in Portugal there are at least four: one Favorit Forman, one 90's Felicia and two 90's Felicia pickups, a normal one and one Fun model, both with the 1.9 D engine. 🙂
@@module79l28in Czechia Felicias are still very common, much more than the Favorit, those are becoming very rare. Most of them have rotted away sadly, I expect you don't have so many problems with rust in Portugal
@@Starkiller935 IIRC Felicia is the same platform as VW Polo/Seat Ibiza.
@@module79l28 I guess that 1.9L Diesel is already from VW.
It was a joy to see one in such good condition all the way over here in the US 🎉
For the first time I see an American procouncing Škoda as Shkoda and not Scouda. I'm genuinely impressed
As a proud Czech Iam happy that you like skodas, my dad used to have a favorit but he sold it, I hope you come to my country one day and try driving a Octavia Rs or some other models, also fun fact a skids da could technically go faster than a Lamborghini from the 90 and newer
I meant to say Skoda RS
There's no faster car than a company Skoda Fabia
He likes a Lada that pretends to be a Skoda
@@sidzeejjEspecially on a late afternoon friday.
The first Skoda Octavia RS (VRS in some countries) was really exciting back in the days. I assume it has similar engine as Golf GTI had same time period. Here in Finland the Octavia Combi 1.9-2.0 TDI is still the most popular model and was very popular for a long time. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0koda_Octavia#/media/File%3A2005_Skoda_Octavia_VRS_1.8_Front.jpg
My first car was škoda favorit after my grandpa, manufactured in 1989 with Italian carburator Pierburg, so it was actually one of the first ever made... i got it with 78000km and have been driving it for 5 years... I loved the car, really learned me to drive i think... No ABS, no ESP, manual, no power steering, nothing... Batttery was in the car to start it and for the lights... no electronic whatsoever... So I added CD player and even central locks with remote =D was so much fun... I also had to setup the engine to run good and so on... Really learned a lot on this car
I've owned two of this generation. First up the Favorit 135LE.
Followed by the "upmarket" Forman 136 GLXe. Estate car, electronic injection! Door cards fully covered! What a luxury car!
Actually followed Skoda since 1988. 130GLS, Rapid 130, Favorit 135Le, Forman 1,3GLXi, Felicia 1.6 Fabia 1,4 100hp, Octavia 1,6MPI and current Fabia estate 1.0TSI DSG.
I actually engaged in establishing the Skoda Klubb Norge, in 1998. Happy days!
Has Skoda evolved over time? You bet!
Škoda Favorits were common here in Croatia back when I was a kid in the 90s and early 2000s. Now they're fairly rare,but I still see them around town every now and then.
Škoda Favorit was designed by Italian designer studio Bertone, there was fuel injection from 1992. Engines were 1289 ccm from 40kW to 50kW. Max speed 150 kmh (93 mph).
Racing Škoda Favorit for Group A was very successful and in 1994 won WRC in W2L group (FWD or RWD, engine less than 2 litres). It had 1299 ccm OHV engine, 105 HP, 117 Nm, max speed 170 kmh, 0-100 in 10 sec. Weight 830 kg (1830 lb).
I still remember that gummy sounds when you change the gear.
I had a few friends with these. In this colour as well !!
I have a penchant for oddball / leftfield/ underdog cars, this is fantastic.
I have a Skoda dealer a few miles away, that has sold them since the 70's, and every now and again they get the rally cars out of storage and put them on the showroom floor........... a 120 and 136 👍
I’m looking at this and thinking. ‘Ian is never going to fit in there.’ Always love your enthusiasm, man. Always brings a smile to my face.
My neighbor had the same one, even the color is the same! Greetings from Croatia
That is in beautiful condition! they are really rare here in europe now,Michal is keeping it very well,🖖
I'm from Portugal and my neighbour use to have one of these in the early 90's, this brings me back xD
ah yeah, thats 90s czechia :-) Favorit had also few nicknames, like Fávo (parody of Bávo, which was common nickname of BMWs), Fáčko or Fafen.
and specially in this green color it was often called Fazol, which was colloquial for bean.
but the only thing it misses is the tree shaped air freshener hanging on the mirror :D
Are they common in this timeline? I don't know. I hate these tree's in the first time I had my drivers licence! But now I love them.
@@toycarcrush there's still couple of them around here in Czech Republic, but they're disappearing.
@@tomaskilian8489 nowadays, there are more and more here in germany too, but I don't like them anyway. Instead there are "hands" with different smell witch you can stick on the windscreen. I think, they are better than this awefull looking trees! ;-)
@@toycarcrush ohh I thought you meant the car...the hands or stick figures are getting popular here as well, no many people use the trees anymore.
You forgot the mighty škoda henlein...
ruclips.net/video/2gHjW8TRQZo/видео.html&ab_channel=Vtipy666
Reminds me of the '85 Golf I beat on when I was a teen. Small, rugged interior, manual window and sun roof cranks. Manual doorlocks. Steel wheels. I drove that like I rented it back then.
Wow, you brought up an ancient memory for me. Back in the 90's, when I was at University, one of our mates had one of these. On nights out, we would roll back from the club about 5 am and, if he wasn't with us, we would pick up his car and turn it the opposite way. He would wake up the next day in utter confusion. We didn't admit it was us until the very last days of our course ending. Good times!
My respect for you , real Skoda in your channel , in USA .... TOP 🇨🇿💪 . Next level real TATRA 😎
+ Maruti and Tata, from India...
Cooool ,
A great example of a time when cars were made simple, durable and affordable.
33 y/o and looks like new
@@booboss send in the photos, not gonna happen..
@@JohnVanRaak-yx6cbWhat's not gonna happen because I don't get it?
Skoda? Reliable? Sorry man. I remember my grandfather talking about buying Skoda 1000MB new back in the day in Yugoslavia, and he said his Yugo was more reliable than it. It overheated constantly. And he lived in cold climate. Actually that Skoda had a nickname in Yugoslavia "1000 malih briga", which translates roughly to "1000 worries".
Skoda got reliable when VW bought them.
@@SugarBlood15 i heard about overheating in rear engined skodas. this one has the engine in the front and does not have this problem to my knowledge.
Ian - the grin on your face throughout this video demonstrates your enjoyment - I think you might be in love!
I like how owner kept original stickers from technical and emission inspection, also as I noticed, car originates from Slovakia (or were sold in Slovakia) LPG was mounted in Slovakia as well! Lovely car, my grandfather used to have one like this but in yellow.
Someday I'd love to buy that Crown Vic of yours and have something special on EU roads as well haha
Great points about the stickers and LPG. So fascinating to me that this car spent so much time in Slovakia 🇸🇰 and now here it is in Chicago 🇺🇸
And I’m sure it would be interesting driving my Crown Victoria on EU roads haha such a nice car to drive, big and robust. Would get a lot of attention and curiosity over there I bet, just as this Skoda does over here 🎉
Super LPG montované v Hlohovci na Slovensku 😂montoval kolega 👍
@@IWrocker Some people actually import Crown Vics here as well, I think the Favorit in the US is a bigger unicorn than a Crown Vic here, we have a lot of US car fans, check out the První Jarní Bublání car meet, organized annually in Jizbice.
Greetings from the Czech Republic ;-)
Love that car! The only con of this car is safety. It is basically a paper box :) Favo v plynu v US, to je proste pecka :DD
Same as a Fiat Panda! But they are Classic Cars! You'll drive it always on a sunny sunday! Stay safe!
@@toycarcrush velice rad bych zase vlastnil pandu 4x4.
@@adamisbucekSorry, I don't understand you my friend!
@@adamisbucek Taky se mi to moc líbilo. Moje první auto byl Renault 5 TL z roku 1989. Přeložil google
@@toycarcrush Can we just thanks for the minds that developed google translate? Its just amazing to be able to talk to anybody anywhere in the world, without a language barrier.. Soon smart glasses with live subtitles would be a game changer
Congrats IWrocker! 🎉🎉
You really had a great time with this 90s hatchback Skoda and one of your dreams came true! Can feel it and i'm really enthused with you!!😊🎉
I'm from germany and NEVER had more goosebumps and tears of joy in my eyes watching a dude, driving a 32y old, 64hp mean and mass-produced car sooo appreciative 🤩
Love your great car enthusiasm. Please let us still share it for a long, long time! 🤙🏎💪
My grand father had a base 135 this is luxury model .... In total my relatives and family had 3 favorites and 2 rear engine Skoda's.... Just love those cars.... The Skoda starter-motor sound is so special that my head spins exorcist style when I hear one starting
I remember the first time I saw one I think in 1988. I was 6yo and shocked. It was so unlike all the other cars on Czech roads then. Those were all the boxy Škoda 120 and similar, occasional older rounded 110. This was the first time I ever saw a hatchback shaped car without ever knowing such a concept existed. A "car" equaled a sedan in my mind until that moment. It was mindblowing.
did you not see any polish FSO Polonez in Czech Republik that days. I do not believe you.
@@rozgniatacz_mend I was 6 in 1988. I am 41 now. I remember the feeling of seeing something so new and different. I remember my dad saying that's the new Škoda, roads will be full of them soon or something like that. I don't remember any specifics about how many cars other than Škoda, Lada or Moskvič I saw when what they looked like. Even now I had to google what is FSO Polonez looks like and it still is not familiar to me at all. Cars were always just a tool of transportation before everything else. Our family didn't own a car , whenever we went somewhere we avoided cars, I never looked at them much. Something had to grab my attention a lot to make it stick in my memory. Like the comment my dad made. You could be right that I met some Polonez before 1988 somewhere. It just didn't stick in my head. Maybe just nobody said "look at the Polonez, that's a hatchback and Škoda doesn't make those yet" to me before I saw that first Favorit. Sorry, I really don't remember seeing that.
@@hebijirik Polonez were uncommon back then and nowadays are rare.
@@martin1649 tak. Sprawdziłem. Nie były eksportowane do Czechosłowacji ani żadnych innych krajów tzw. bloku wschodniego. Tego za bardzo nie rozumiem. Były eksportowane do Europy zachodniej ale w nie wielkiej ilości oraz do Ameryki Południowej i w niewielkiej ilości do USA ( chyba tylko dla klientów polskiego pochodzenia). W Polsce były niesamowicie popularne. Także w Egipcie ( gdzie także je produkowano pod egipską marką NASR).
Comparison: Skoda favorit vs FSO Polonez. ruclips.net/video/wRqxYhjHIJ8/видео.htmlsi=HKURUZ8hrYfIDNVF
Hey buddy! I really enjoyed seeing an American guy driving one of our Škodas. It's a really nice video, and it makes me happy to see you so enthusiastic about our cars. I have a Škoda Favorit 135L 1.3 liter with a carburetor, without a catalytic converter from 1989, so it's actually a tad older than the one you're driving in the video. Greetings to the owner as well! Seeing a Favorit in America is like seeing a unicorn :D
DAMN man, that was my first car ! I ripped off all the plastic, seat and interior from it, and we made a "rally" stage on old village airport. So much fun with it when i was young ! Love it. :) nice content. Michal is cool guy.
That’s so cool 😎 🎉
Funfact: The engine dies at least! If you put enough oil, water and gas in it the engine stays longer than the hole car! I love older cars more than new one!
@@toycarcrush That's true! From what I've heard and read, those Skoda 1.3 liter engines used in Favorits and Felicias were almost immortal provided they had at least some very basic maintenance. They could have mileages of many hundreds of thousands of kilometers and still ran awesome. They also had some flaws, but nothing really serious and mostly easy to fix.
Hello from the Czech Republic! Well made video!
My grandfather had it's successor, the Felicia, which was technically a further development of the Favorit.
To be exact a burgundy red metallic Felicia Combi 1.9 GLXD (diesel station).
Honestly, that was also the very first car i drove before i got my drivers license.
And even though i had zero experience at first, the car thought me to drive and respect the brand.
I knew a girl named Felicia. She was so annoyed when people said she remind them of Skoda :)😅
It's weird, you're so happy about it and I see many škoda cars every day.
That’s a very old Skoda and still in a good state. I have driven the Skoda Octavia for four years and loved it. One of the greatest cars, I have ever driven.
Ohhh man, that's the car I grew up with here in Croatia... My dad had an older one (I think '87), cherry red, no fog lamps, no rear wiper and the seats had headrests with holes... Ohh man, so cool to see one in such a good condition. I actually learned how to drive in that car...Much better than anything Yugo made at the time 😂... Awesome, great video 🤗
I remeber when i was little my dad had Skoda 120 and Uncle had a favorit
Oh wow, so many memories! This was the first car I ever drove (after driving school). My grandad used to have a gorgeous blue one. Drove it until like 2010. I can practically smell it from the video. And all those sounds... Man, I love modern cars, but this thing just had so much personality!
This bring me back to childhood, we got same Favorit in same colour, same grill and same interior and also with fog lights. We got it until 2004. Great car, always worked like a charm.
I am from Hungary, these Skodas was common. We never had one. I am 25 years old, our first family car was a Wartburg 1.3, you need to check them out too. They had a 1.3 liter VW engine.
I have a 1.3 Wartburg tourist, originally registered in Hungary. Now in Northern Ireland. Also have a Skoda favorit estate/ station wagon. Love both cars.
Je ti 25 a vaše první auto bylo wartburg!? Takže v roce 1999 jste jezdili tou sračkou, tak mi jsme v 99 roce jezdili alfa romeo 155
Skoda Favorit in Illinois? I don't even want to believe it. This model saved Škoda from extinction.I own a model Rapid from year 2017.
I like how you slowly became a Škoda fan since I discovered your channel (40k subs). And I hope that next time you drive a Favorit or Felicia, you'll floor it and take some swift corners to properly feel the Rallye essence these cars have :D
Amazing. I still have an old copy of UK car magazine What Car which introduced us to the Favorit. You saw a fair few in the UK back in the day.
The Favorits are still around. There's actually still quite a few running. I have not driven one, but I've driven Skoda Felicia which came right after in the late 90s. It was a great experience :D
this was my first car :) . my father crahsed first he had and than bught him self another one . I finished the second one :D .... It was so much fun to drive that car / like a light tank :D
I love the clean and simple lines plus the condition of this Skoda is unbelievable
Yea it honestly looked like this car could’ve been in a museum
Yeah, for a car that is 30 to 35 years old.
Favorit je v úžasném stavu, ani tady v Boleslavi už jich moc nevidíš, natož tak pěkné
My sisters very first car was a Skoda... It was a Red Skoda Estelle 130L... And it never gave her any trouble... Except for a new replacement starter motor... And obviously the regular maintenance items like brakes wipers oil and filter changes... It was cheap to run and insure too... It was a basic car without any bells and whistles... But it was reliable and it gave her the independence she wanted... As it ultimately got her from A to B... The engine was quite noisy when pushed a little harder at motorway speeds... But back then they were never really made for luxury transportation like some Skoda's are today... They were the no frills transportation of the masses... Where spare parts and servicing were cheap and cheerful... After a few years of owning her Skoda... She traded it in for a larger car because of her growing family... But she really loved that little Skoda... And she was very sad to part with it.
Very nice. My first car was Škoda Felicia. Great memories.
Before I even watched the video just saw the first second before I stopped it: OMG, a FAVORIT!!!!
Now, I watch the video :D
I was too young to drive these (born in 1989) , but would love to drive one too :D
Today, you can still see some of them on the road, but rarely now.
Im watching from SLOVAKIA!!!
Was great to see you enjoy this :D
My first ever car I drove, was my moms Škoda Felicia, from like 1996 or 98? So it was already old car but had very low milage on it.... so people kept asking her if she would sell it because it was old, not so much rust on it and the engine had like 80 000 km on it, which is nothing for a 20 year old car :D.... 1,4 liter, no power stearing either. Was fun to drive for a while :D
Are you like 7 foot tall or is that dude 5 foot nothing? you're a beast bro, how did you even fit in that thing? 🤣 great video
I was worried about fitting but it went much better than I expected haha I don’t know Michal’s height but I’m 6’4” so I’m on the taller side haha
@IWrocker oath brother, watching my old man who's 6'1 dive my car is hilarious, he always surprised how much head room.some of these smaller cars have compared to his SS commodore. id love to see you driving my Abarth 595, love the video and well done
My dad had a skoda many years ago. We get them here, there's a Skoda car yard up the road from me.
Interesting little fact about the Favorit - from old top gear no less - the alloy wheels used on the upper trim models were sourced from the UK, shipped back to Skoda in the same containers that cars were shipped here in.
My aunt had the Felicia sucessor to this, used the same platform but with more modern styling and quite a lot of VWAG parts. Damn fine car, only part on it that failed was the - also UK sourced, sunroof that blew out in a storm.
That's pretty cool . I'm from Oz but my grandparents were from Czechoslovakia
Who was holding the Camera? Darth Vather?
Nope! It's Brainy from Hey Arnold!
Plus the finger...
lmao
Even Darth Vader can be charming and disarming :)
It’s his Dad. I love the family touch this channel has. Such a great community
I had a Skoda Favorit for 30 years. Engine without defects, I drove it for 215,000 kilometers. Car - worker.👌
You definetely need to visit the Škoda museum in Czechia.. lot to see there.. Also it would be amazing to see you try all the different european cars...
I see that smile every time you shift gears 😁
This skeeque noice was unbeliveable! I love it!
ŠKODA MUZEUM IN MLADA BOLESLAV CITY NEAR BONDY CENTRUM ( Shopcentrum )
Lol like a kid in a candy store. You can tell he was in heaven.
I couldn't wait for this! :D We had a beige one for ages - the engine is basically a derivant of the older engine from the 120s just moved to the front but absolutely bulletproof and funnily enough alumunium block with casted heads - but it was actually amazing in rallying in the FWD upto 1300cc championships and even beating the 1600cc cars thanks to the front McPherson suspension that makes more camber in load it was quite a clever car (the stories of rally drivers just cynically overtaking much faster cars blatantly in corners on our roughed up B roads) and it was designed by Bertone in Italy it was pretty much the first outside of the country designed car. Skoda worked with ItalDesign before but this is the only Czech/Italian car ever especially with the design quirks and it looks like it the door handles and cluster especially Italian - also this one is in pretty awesome shape they are getting pretty low in numbers that are original and unmolested most of them rusted or were used into oblivion - Also Skoda didn't offer automatic gearbox until the VW merge with the Octavia model starting in the 1999-2001
Tatra 613 was designed in Italy as well... despite the communist regime
We had exactly the same car, in the exactly same coiour, and that was the first car I had the chance to "drive" back in the late 90s in Hungary. Im quoting "drive" because i was about 6 or 7 years old, so I was sitting on the lap of my grandfather and he was playing with the pedals and the clutch, so basically i was just turning the wheel in an empty parking lot. Great memories! I wish I could show my grandfather what today's cars are capable of, I"m sure he would be amazed! Love your videos, keep it up, man!
Damn! :D you cant even find this Škoda on the streets in Europe anymore :D This is awesome :D but this is a museum piece :D
In finland if I remember correctly it's still 2nd or 3rd most registered car brand
Yes you can but not often. They wasn't much of a car back then. Today all is different but still not that big fan of a flying dick brand😄
@@IlllIlIlIIlll Joo, mutta ajokuntoiset Favoritit on aika harvassa, vaikka kyllä niitä vielä on.
Not realy as i have seen plenty in the past years . they are not as common as they used to be but still common .
Come to the south.. Some old man will be driving it throught its village every sunday (to go to church.. It's probavly his wife driving it).
I own one from 92. My dad owns one since 89 (also 136). Favorit was capable to fight Imprezas, Celicas, Evos, Cosworths n stuff (fight, not beat left and right). With racing suspension some engine mods in Group A. And nowdays HP Racing suspension, they are still very capable. I will be modying mine when the renovation is comepletly done towards rally inspiration. HP suspension + strenghtening the body. Then it is gonna be time for engine and wider tyres. Even tho it is 90s old shitbox, i wouldn't change it for anything else. Love from Czechia!
Man, I really love your videos, the best content on YT. I feel you really like Czech stuff, cars, history, etc. and wow a real Favorit in the US I would never expect that, and this one is in a mint condition. Appreciate the work you do, best regards from the Czech Republic! ✌
Ani tady v Bouli už takový neuvidíš
The direction indicator sound brought me back to my childhood when my grandpa used to drive us around the Czech countryside with this awesome little car
That was unexpected. Very fun to see you so enthousiastic about a "normal" car.
I am Dutch. So I see european cars all the time obviously.
Thanks Michael for providing the subject.
(Please tell your cameraman to work on his health if he can. Health is important and he sounded very short of breath. )
Oh, that crazy color. Every piece was unique. I had it as a first car, bought pretty beaten for about 300€ 💵 It was a fun car.
Im quite used to see skodas in Spain and i think i never seen one like this one in my life, glad you finally had the opportunity to drive an Skoda ^_^
After seeing it for a while it reminds me a lot of my good old 1984 Renault 5 GTL even though driving that car in summer was like being in a crematory, it was small from outside but big from inside, really cozy and also no radio nor anything electronic, great car of its time as well and only 45hp with a 1.1 liter engine :D!
I only got my licence about a year ago, but the car I've easily driven the most is my dad's old car, a 1995 Škoda Felicia 1.6 GLXi, since I don't have my own car and it's the car he's most willing to lend me, given he doesn't use it much anymore. Felicia is something of a successor to the Favorit, and I do vaguely remember my grandparents having a Favorit back in the day, so seeing all this is really cool! I've gotten so used to driving the Felicia I actually always get taken aback whenever I drive a car with power steering, and it takes me a little bit to get used to it. Same with the tight gear shifts of modern cars (I've yet to drive an automatic-drive vehicle), the "looser" gear shift of the Felicia has just become so comfortable to me. Nice to see someone else live these experiences for the first time :)
As a swede this large tall man in this small car makes me think of classic swedish car reviewer Christer Glenning from the 80s. (Yea, this comment are mostly for other swedes.)
RIP Glenning ❤️
You mean "older" Swedes 🤣🤟
Great video as allways 😉👍 We hade quite many of them here back in the days. Not so popular i would say. Volvo and Saab was hard to beat...
Being 196cm and grown in the direction of movement I really liked Glennings tests, if he did fit I would have! :)
Trafikmagasinet 😊 från 🇫🇮
I love that u actually say Škoda not Skoda big ups man!
There was an estate (station wagon) version as well as a pick-up version of the Favorit available as well. The standard hatch and estate versions were very common around Europe. I’m in Ireland and I do remember seeing a few pickups around, there was one mid 90s pickup near where I currently live still on the road about 9 or 10 years ago
Because nothing says ‘I love you’ like an immaculate car. That Skoda is a very clean show car and could win lots of prizes in his class. Michael must be very proud of this gem of a car. Cheers! Dzięki.
Oooooh!
A Skoda Favorit!
It is very rare to see these around nowadays here in the UK, especially in such great condition! We do occasionally see Felicias around but they too are becoming a very rare sight! Great video and welcome to the world of non-American cars!!
lucky to even see an early Fabia now. back in say 2016, I saw more than one W-reg one and I rode in a Y-reg one (that was scrapped later in the same year), but nowadays? nah. even the 03-reg late 1.4 MPi-engined example that was round my way seems to have vanished.
since you saw it IWrocker I meant 2000 W and 2001 Y because our previous reg system used prefix letters for the years.
@@RWL2012 it always makes me happy to see an old style numberplate on a car out and about on the road, even if it is just an X-reg Yaris (like I saw today)
@@georgeratcliffe7752 yes I like seeing random old survivor cars like the S-reg (1998/99) Citroën Xsara and P-reg (1996-97) Renault Mégane Mk1 I've seen in the last couple of weeks
Nice, that thing has less kilometers than my 2018 Skoda Spaceback, and it's in awesome shape, just awesome
I'm glad you enjoyed, if you came to 2024 WRC round in Chile, you could see how much the brand has travel trough time, my first car was an 2009 Skoda Fabia, just like that Felicia, manual gearbox, manual windows, no AC, alarm without central lock, almost totally analog, but a very welcoming 8 speakers stereo, power steering (But I drove like 2 years with the servo off, and was light enough) and cruise control, yes no electric windows or mirror, but Cruise Control 😂
I still miss that car, I should never sold it
Loving this!. Hope you get more european cars to test. Greetings from Finland.
Thanks and I hope to test more Euro cars 🎉 😎
@@IWrocker Renault 4L and Citroen 2CV have a pretty high "head clearance" , for tall guys (it was a main spec to respect, for the engineers who worked on these 2 projects). They are great fun to drive. I heard there are some old models in Louisiana...but it would be cool if you came to France to try them. Some fans made fantastic restorations, and they are quite expensive now, as "collector models". You can rent 2CV for a Paris tour. Come on : Air France has daily flights from US to CDG Airport...
Whenever Michal was talking I thought I am listening to Max Verstappen. Extremely similar voice.
It was a competitor of the Lada Samara, which looks quite similar. Although Bertone and Giugiaro took charge of their design, it's the first time I hear anyone describe either of them as beautiful.
In the Bertone design office, Marcello Gandini's Citroen BX plans were used as a basis for the design.
@@ferencgobor749
Originally, it was meant to be a Volvo. Check the Tundra concept.
@@xavichuvy9047 - the Tundra was Bertones second try to sell the design - originally the design was intended to become the Reliant FW11.
@@relgeiz2
You're right. I'm just glad Citroën went for it at the end. The BX is one of my favourite cars and brings back fond chilhood memories from when my father owned one.
Dude, when i was like 7-12 years old(90’s) my parents used to take me and my sister from prague to split(croatia) for vacation every year in this car. Can u imagine 1000km journey that took like 24hours, heating blasting on full power inside to not overheat the engine, two adults and two kids with no radio and all needed equipment for two weeks stay:) i still cant believe how much stuff was my father able to load in that little thing:) it was crazy
Michal, auto máš krásne a zachovalé. Mohol si ukázať jednoduchosť motorového priestoru. Auto je spoľahlivé, stačí benzín a olej.
This is exactly the same car type I was learning to drive in 1992. Ahh, good memories. :)
Actually, the Škoda Favorit cars were a major step forward from the previous model, Škoda 120L. Front-wheel drive, much better engine (no more stuttering, choking and difficult cold starts typical of the 120L model), way more precise 5-gear shifter (up from 4 gears), better interior and a general feeling of modernity (back in the day).
Congratulations to the owner of this veteran for keeping it in *pristine* condition! It looks like a new car.
Ian, two things I'd like to say. 1st, I didn't realise you are such a big guy. Your mother certainly fed you well, ha ha. Therefore a Skoda Octavia or Superb would suit you well.
2nd, when you get to Europe, you can be confident driving over here as you have driving manual so sorted.
When I was little, these were everywhere. Probably the most common car on the roads. Now you rarely see them.
Fun video!! 😊 Thanks to Miceal for his kindness and generosity. You can see the joy on Ian's face through the whole video.
My first car , I inherited from my late grandfather. It was a simple and reliable car. Loved it.🥰🥰. Greetings from Croatia!!
Just two facts, it was made in Czechoslovakia a this particular car is from Slovakia, the LPG sticker says Hlohovec which is town here and you can also see old technical ans emission inspection sticker on the windshield. 🙂
That’s correct 👍 🎉
Auto vyrobeno pár set metrů od mého tehdejšího bydliště, kousek od 7 brány v Mladé Boleslavi bro 😂😂😂
@@hejlik4859 a kto tvrdí niečo iné? 🤔
Exactly the same collored Favorit had my father in 1997. I loved this car because father gave me his older Skoda 130 gls when bought it.
What a world apart the Favorit was from the RWD rear engine Skodas of before. The Favorit paved the future for Skoda who only went from strength to strength combined with VW's ownership. Skoda were also the VW group maker who get the new developments before they're offered on Audi, VW and Seat cars, such as floorpans and the 6 speed DSG dual clutch automatic transmission.
A similar car from the Eastern Bloc was the Lada Samara which was also a more modern-looking and angular FWD hatchback compared to the previous ones based on the '60s Fiat 124.
DSG was first introduced on a Mk4 R32 IIRC
Česko není a nebyla nikdy východní evropa, kouknu na mapu Evropy !. V tom případě napiš ,ŽE Rakousko je východní evropa, protože Praha je západněji než Vídeň . Lada je z Ruska! Z ČECH do Ruska je to ještě hodně daleko .
@@hejlik4859 I never mentioned Eastern Europe anywhere there - I mentioned Eastern Bloc.
My parents bought one in 94', it was slightly modernized version (different dashboard, new door fillings with storage space, windows that go ALL THE WAY DOWN in the front door :D). And yeah - it was a blast. We also had a sunroof, which was something amazing back in 90's :D. I learned how to drive in this car and enjoyed some memorable trips with my friends. In the end it was mostly eaten by rust, had electricity issues, it was really beaten up car. My parents didn't care much, so when it was passed on me, it had a lot of bruises, but still - best car in my life I ever had :)
Doug DeMuro watch out!
Haha word on the street is this car might be on Doug DeMuro’s channel someday, it’s on his wish list
@@IWrocker You need to experience ab Aussie Ute now. Doug DeMuro has a really good review on his channel of one.
Can't stand the dweeb .
Kinda envious haha. This would be a blast to drive! Although my car is enjoyable enough for me :))
Now I'm wondering if anyone has a 2cv or something with the oil suspension or a unimog or....
Viewer's cars reviews could be a whole new thing for the channel 😁
Thick pillars are a thing now-a-days because rollover protection and car safety in general is taken more serriously.
Not sure if it was covered but this was the last car designed by skoda. (full design, VW bought them and introduced their platforms and parts bins after this launced)
Yea I would love to see/test more Euro cars, especially from viewers. I was so thrilled to see this Škoda, it’s almost like a museum piece for how nice it is being 30+ years old
Those thick pillars are pretty annoying at times as they limit the view significantly.
I have had seven Skodas in my life. never any problems
I had a Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI, I had driven 700,000, km only had to change the brakes, oil and clutch once
Actually I am really surprised, that you like the car. Sure it was the best Czechoslovakia was able to produce at the end of 80s and we enjoyed riding it, but from today's perspective I am more like embarrassed than proud. I am actually really proud of latest models and I would really like to see your reaction on riding those.
Anyways keep up with this channel, I like it a lot, and thanks for all the content. I wish you visit Czechia sooner or later ;)
Skoda was able to make better cars but it was not allowed by comunist goverment.
I would love to see more cars from Europe 🎉 and visiting Czechia🇨🇿 specifically is definitely on my to-do list, I hope to do it as soon as I can.
Don't be embarrassed by the car, it certainly stacks up. The fact that it is in such good condition now, proves it's longevity and build quality. A cars quality, is only seen after it has done many kms and years. Many luxury Europeans don't pass the test and can be phenomenally expensive to maintain, particularly long term. Older Volvos are the exception and Peugeots.
The cars seats, particularly the rear headrests - which are a very important safety feature, not common in small cars back then, even today!? - look awesome - almost like the French car seats - Particularly Renault.
all those old cars are better to drive than most new ones
because they are made to last, and not that you have to change them after the warranty expires
@@tihomirraspericTrue - built to last. Today, for profit turnover, cars seem to have inbuilt obsolescence - even if not intended to, with complexity and parts that require entire systems to be replaced. Thank goodness for longer warranties and longer lasting electric cars. Original Prius, doing 400,000 kms and still going on original battery pack - batteries becoming cheaper and longer lasting. Electronics are complex. Diagnostic machines often hopeless. Default to a mechanic, that will actually LOOK for the problem. Some insurance companies will offer a FACTORY warranty at cost after original runs out. Often far better than, the warranties offered by dealerships on used cars.
To je nejlepe vypadajici skodovka jakou jsem kdy videl tyvole.
Som prekvapeni ze vie na tom jazdiť 😂
Oh man! The memories! I drove a beige Favorit my brother had for a while before he switched to Felicia. Both remarkable cars, so easy to drive and maintain.
I miss the responsiveness of the Favorit steering. And everytime I went to an Škoda parts store, I was shocked by how inexpensive they were.
I once got a new front and back brake tubing for less than $20 and a new shift gear lever dust cover for about $5. All original.
Modern cars have little profit margins and have to make money on the spare parts. Friend of mine who worked at Škoda in financial department told me a story.
For fun they calculated how much a new Octavia would cost, if constructed from spare parts. They got to 5,5M CZK (a new car at the time was around 600K)
Who has recorded this,we can hear a heavy breathing
I had no idea the breathing issue until I went to edit this. I should’ve worn a mic on my shirt so the cameraman audio wouldn’t appear
Great video, I liked it. As a European (NL) I remember this car well. I saw it being introduced at the 1989 AutoRai in Amsterdam as a child with my mom. It sold well in the 1990s as one of the cheapest cars to buy on Western European markets. It was much better than the older rear-engined Skodas. Nowadays it is rare here. I had rented one in Prague (CZ) in 1998, a 136 LS like in the video, model 1992 in color white. That was an adventure (fuel gage was broken) but I liked it too. Keep the Favorits, Formans and Felicias alive!
Stop looking at the gear shift
😂 and keep the eyes on the road hands on the wheel .!
oh so many memories, btw as said that car is realy light, I remember to push it to pump alone for several km, luckily there was no hill in the way :) another thing I love about old cars is when your battery dies you still can push it down hill and start, dont know how about new cars cuz I am not driving for more than 10years :( since I moved to Prague I didnt need to drive a car, public transport here is great
Next time please attach the mic to your jacket because camera operator's breathing is freakin annoying.
Certainly, I will have a better mic next time