1995 FSO Polonez GLI 1.4 16v from Poland

Summary:

Very good car, but only with the 1.4 engine

Faults:

Muffler got rusty, I have to buy a new one.

Upholstery on driver's seat got ripped after 220,000 km.

The electric engine of the left window is broken.

General Comments:

The car is really quick, it's engine has 103 HP and accelerates very easily.

The cabin is quite spacious and comfortable.

It's really versatile thanks to the lift-back and fold able backseat.

It doesn't handle perfect, but quite good. After all it is not a sports car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th August, 2003

19th Dec 2004, 21:56

This is my first car. I'm young man and I thing, it's a good car. With LPG = 9l LPG/100 km. acceleration = 15 s 0-100 km/h.

1984 FSO Polonez SLE 1.5 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A very good car for it's low price

Faults:

Only minor things have gone wrong with the car which I got from my Father when he moved on to a Rover.

I have had quite some problems with the brakes, with the car sometimes swerving slightly when braking, but this has eventually been fixed.

Door handles have become broken easily.

I have replace wing panels that have rusted.

General Comments:

Generally a very good and reliable car. It has had some problems starting in cold weather, but my main problem has been some cylinders not firing regularly ever since I got stuck in a deep flood some years ago.

It is a very accessible engine, quite a rarity these days.

Performance is poor, but is fine if you drive in an anticipatory manner (as one should!)

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th December, 2002

19th Jan 2003, 16:19

I once owned one of these as a student. It was the most hateful piece of junk I have ever had the misfortune of driving. Abysmal build quality, handling, braking and performance. Barely 60's technology rapped up in 80's body made from recycled washing machines.

23rd May 2006, 05:01

My father had this for a long time when I was younger and I drove it too, so can honestly say it was one of the worst cars I have driven. Spongy steering and suspension, pretty poor power yet high fuel consumption, noisy and the quality not good either. Cannot understand people saying it's a good car.

1991 FSO Polonez Caro GLE 1.5 from Poland

Summary:

Good price for a good car. I love it :)

Faults:

Replaced rear suspension in 1997.

Braking system replaced (braking disks).

New fuel container in 2000.

General Comments:

The engine runs perfectly since 1991 :) All that time I had no serious problems with the car.

It's very big and comfortable, but it could use a more powerful engine (mine has 90bhp).

Braking system has got four disks, so there is no problem to stop the car anytime. The car is also very safe; it has no airbag, but the body is well built and heavy.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th October, 2002

1982 FSO Polonez 1.5 from Serbia

Summary:

Probably the best car from East Europe back in early 80s

Faults:

Inlet valve on third cylinder started sticking at 140,000-150,000 km. Considering I had a brand new, spare engine, I just replaced the whole engine rather than sorting the old one out. This problem could be due to the fact that I was running the car on LPG.

The front wings started rusting when the car was 6 years old. A year later, drove to Poland, changed the wings and re-sprayed the whole car.

Other than these faults, the car was generally reliable.

General Comments:

Comfortable, spacious and well equipped.

Easy to work on.

Lazy acceleration, big fuel consumption, very rear-based handling.

Probably the best East European car in early 80s, but still old fashioned - based on Fiat 125, a car from 60s.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th May, 2002

1988 FSO Polonez SLX 1.6 from Slovenia

Summary:

A hopeless effort to make a western kind of a car

Faults:

Handbrake cable got stuck.

Head gasket had to be replaced at 40000km.

General Comments:

I guess we were just lucky with our family car. There were no major problems and we never had to hitch hike home. I heard horrifying stories about the Polonez here in Slovenia at that time.

I remember it as a fairly comfortable family car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 15th September, 2001

25th Oct 2002, 15:29

I heard (!) horrifying stories about Mercedes and still never thought about giving it a bad review based on that...

Regards.

31st May 2006, 16:26

I like this car. It is very cheap and in my opinion quite good.

1988 FSO Polonez Hatchback 1.5 petrol from Chile

Summary:

Extremely cheap, zero technology

Faults:

Problems with oil leaking, engine very thirsty and noisy.

General Comments:

Interior made of very cheap materials. Well equipped the year we acquired it. The car has hard suspension but rolls a lot in the curves. Our car was very reliable (maybe we have good luck).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 21st February, 2001

27th Jan 2004, 14:18

There is no way 20 people can fit in that car. it's a regular passenger car so most cars fit about 5 people

22nd Jan 2005, 15:24

The Polonez is a piece of junk. Why anyone would buy this car is beyond me. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

16th Dec 2005, 21:03

O.K. we hear your sweeping generalisation..."piece of junk', but why don`t you give us some factual evidence to back up your claim? Or are you just another one of those boring and tiresome critics, with very little else to do, than to rubbish cars just for the sake of rubbishing them? Let`s hear something constructive for a change- otherwise your "contribution" is meaningless.

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