Author Topic: Importing a car from Poland (Read 5081 times)

gnash · « **on:** July 09, 2005, 01:55:20 PM »

I have the strange urge to buy a 126 in Poland and drive it back. I'll be there at the start of September on holiday and it could be a good adventure driving from Krakow to Belfast in a 126!

I've been looking into the paperwork involved in importing one which seems to be different depending on the age of the car and stuff. From what I've read so far cars imported into the UK older than 10 years old only need an MOT and the forms etc listed <HERE>
but cars newer need a more stringent examination. I think this included a speedo in mph, right hand drive headlights etc. Anyone any experience of this? Does a UK speedo fit in a (say) 1996 car? :?

Also am I right in thinking 1997 and newer cars have cats? Sounds expensive to fix... hmmm

So many questions! Any advice much appreciated.

austin

fiatfsm · « **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2005, 04:18:09 PM »

You will need right hand drive headlamps which is easy, legally your speedo must read MPH but you dont need it for the MOT. Not sure when the 126 got a cat but its not a three way cat like UK or western european cats so not sure how youd get on with emmisions for MOTs. I know that a company in Germany used to supply three way cats for the 126 though. The later revised 126s used the instruments from the Cinquecento so your speedo isnt a problem. Dont even think of getting a post 1995 car as you will need to have an SVA test and it will NOT pass. Remember the 126 in Poland is very common and you will have trouble finding a really good one thats 10 years old or more, even the last ones from 2000 are rusting badly now! There are good ones out there if you look hard, ask Dajwid via a PM if he can find you one or look on Polish ebay, www.ebay.pl

gnash · « **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2005, 07:26:09 PM »

Thanks for the info... I'll keep looking for that perfect one...

austin (the optimist :wink: )

Maddog · « **Reply #3 on:** July 12, 2005, 09:36:32 PM »

importing can be real easy or a total PITA depending on what it is, newer than 10 years needs an SVA, cost for the test is ?200 and getting a 126 through it would be difficult,

older than 10 years all you need is an MOT, this is a piece of piss for any car, HOWEVER, post Aug 92 the car will need to be fitted with a CAT and pass the much tighter emissions test,

pre Aug 92, all you will need is RHD headlights, a rear Fog if it doesn't have one and preferably a De-registration document from country of import, but as Poland has recently become part of EU, Polish registration document in your name might suffice, best to phone DVLA and ask as rules for outwith EU and within EU vary,
getting the car over here, then finding you need a De-reg doc for it could be a nightmare.

fiatfsm · « **Reply #4 on:** July 13, 2005, 09:53:02 AM »

So basically its not worth it, as the aircooleds ended here in 1987, so you would only be able to go to 1992 before cat problems. I guess if you found a mint one it would be good?

Maddog · « **Reply #5 on:** July 13, 2005, 03:00:20 PM »

I found a nearly mint UK 87 FSM for ?100 with mior dents but no rust, so I cant see how it would be worth the trouble just for the car, might be fun to drive it home though.

Richie

gnash · « **Reply #6 on:** July 13, 2005, 05:04:55 PM »

The fun of driving it home is half the point of bringing one in from Poland. The other part is that I've only seen one 126 for sale in Northern Ireland in the last 6 months and it was a BIS. You got any more of those rust-free aircooleds up your sleeve Maddog? :wink:
If I could speak a word of Polish www.auto.pl has a few mint (looking!) 126s

austin

PaulB · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2005, 11:20:56 AM »

I wouldn't pick up a 126 and try and drive it back unless I was sure it was in good order. there is a long list of things that could have been neglected as these are cheap cars and are often not looked after well. You'd also have to go over it very carefully to make sure it was fit for a UK MOT, plus you'd be stuck with a left hand drive. One of the long list of reasons for the disappearance of the 126 (alongside cannibalism by 500 owners, blitz racers and rot) is total neglect both by owners and garages, so oil filters never get cleaned, king pins, gear boxes and steering boxes are dry, valves worn, etc. The same goes for the BIS - its likely that as many BIS were wrecked by failure to clean the oil filter as by head gasket failure.

dajwid · « **Reply #8 on:** July 16, 2005, 10:43:09 AM »

Gnash you mad *******!

If you really want to do it, and why not? Drop me a line I'm in northern Poland, I'm more than happy to help you in the hunt for a good 126. If you don't speak polish you will get ripped off!! Saw a tidy 1999 126 recently for about 400pounds.
I don't think sorting out the speedo is a problem with so many people here changing them for sporty white ones. A new display is simply printed on your printer and style you want. I know nothing about exporting cars from Poland as all cars come in the other direction from Germany and holland to Poland.

Good luck hope to meet you soon
Dave

gnash · « **Reply #9 on:** July 18, 2005, 11:29:05 PM »

Quote from: "dajwid"

Gnash you mad *******!

If you really want to do it, and why not? Drop me a line I'm in northern Poland, I'm more than happy to help you in the hunt for a good 126.
Dave

Hey Dave,

Thanks for your kind offer of help. If I can't find one in the UK I'll be looking for one 1995 of older when I'm in Krakow in early September. (I guess Krakow is too far south though but maybe I'll need advice on the paperwork needed to buy a car in Poland)

Cheers,

austin