Wow, you can buy a brand new Lada Niva

[was8v]

Flicking through some 4x4 magazines "4x4 of the year" article when bored in WHSmiths, I noticed the Lada Niva was a contender.

They are importing them again, heres a link to auto express:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrive...

Better still, they don't have the horrible full plastic front the last ones did.

I think they look very cool in their 70's fiat looks.

[skene]

Is it wrong that I really want one? Not a brand new one, just an old banger, were they any good?

[stone-islandV8]

Matt olive and green camo paint job, big tyres and lift kit it'll look fine

[muppetdave]

skene said:

Is it wrong that I really want one? Not a brand new one, just an old banger, were they any good?

Pretty good - if I remember correctly coil sprung? Friend of mine had one an it went anywhere as well as another friend's 90.

[mad4amanda]

Yep been there and had one! Brilliant fun Diahatsu fourtrack wheels and tyres fitted (just in width/offset )with a spring lift kit hammered in and handled really well too in a perverse 4 wheel drifty kind of way. I loved mine had it in 1990 it was a year old and kept it for 3 years the clutch went and the carb was a nightmare as all the screws kept unscrewing and the top falling off.

Offroad it was funny and unstoppable nearly always had a smile after driving

[prand]

I had one and it was love/hate for two or three years.

The basic mechanics were good for and offroader and you could get through/over a lot of stuff, with independent coil spings at each corner and hi/lo ratio and a locking diff. Its was quite well beahved on the road too but slow.

But it was a constant battle with maintenance even though it was only 4 years old when I bought it. I went through a radiator, head gasket, brake calipers, and eventually traded it in when it started to jump out of gear. I used to have to regularly replace screws for various bits of trim and components with self tappers as the original ones would rust and drop out. The steel it was made with didn't seem very good quality, let alone galvanised. Before I comprehensively soundproofed it I had to drive long journeys in ear plugs, and the 1.6 fiat derived was not much good on teh motorway, top speed was about 70mph, uphill was more like 55. The carb used to ice up and stop the car dead at embarrassing moments too.

The worst bit was that around this time (late 90's) parts in the UK became very hard to find and I used to get them sent in from France which was a pain, it meant that DIY was very slow and laborious, and there weren't many experts around my area who enjoyed doing the hard stuff either.

The worst bit of all, was the side windows. They catches were glued on and always fell off. I tried many different ways to fix them back but they always fell off again which used to wind me up a treat.

I loved having and seeing this article has made me a bit nostalgic, but I won't be getting one (edit - and having just read about the Russian installed LPG system, absolutely no chance!!).

Edited by prand on Thursday 13th January 23:03

[Pothole]

was8v said:

Lada Niva

I think they look very cool in their 70's fiat looks.

What Fiat do they look like to you?

[300bhp/ton]

skene said:

Is it wrong that I really want one? Not a brand new one, just an old banger, were they any good?

Very good. My Uncle and Aunt had one (as well as Landy's). Nice and utilitarian, but that appeals to me. Watch for rust on old ones but as good as anything else off road.

[bob1179]

If you want a proper Soviet era off roader you need an UAZ 469. The real Soviet version of the Landy.

As well as the Niva you can still buy the old Riva (or VAZ-21073 as it's known locally). I live a few hours outside of Moscow and the bloody things are everywhere!

[skene]

300bhp/ton said:

skene said:

Is it wrong that I really want one? Not a brand new one, just an old banger, were they any good?

Very good. My Uncle and Aunt had one (as well as Landy's). Nice and utilitarian, but that appeals to me. Watch for rust on old ones but as good as anything else off road.

Thanks, I used to have an SJ413 for trailing so I don't think I will be too worried about rust!

[was8v]

Pothole said:

was8v said:

Lada Niva

I think they look very cool in their 70's fiat looks.

What Fiat do they look like to you?

To me they look like a big Fiat 127 - I like the look that the body construction gives it!



Edit: they share some mechanicals with the Fiat 124 based cars.

Edited by was8v on Friday 14th January 09:21

[jbi]

bob1179 said:

If you want a proper Soviet era off roader you need an UAZ 469. The real Soviet version of the Landy.

Agreed... I love the UAZ 469, although sometimes the engine conks out on steep slopes due to the fuel falling out of the carb

Edited by jbi on Friday 14th January 09:35

[carinaman]

Just seen these. I've not seen the 5 door version before.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lada-Niva-4X4-BRAND-NEW-...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2015-Lada-Niva-5dr-NOW-S...

The five door has a stretched Limo look about it due to the glasshouse.

I'll assume Monteverdi that did the 5 door Range Rover didn't do the 5 door Niva.

[TooMany2cvs]

carinaman said:

Just seen these. I've not seen the 5 door version before.

Go east, and there's all sorts of wierd and wonderful versions. Crewcab pickup?


Or, if you fancy something a bit more car-like, how about a Dacia 4x4 crewcab pickup Renault 12...?

[john2443]

carinaman said:

I've not seen the 5 door version before.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2015-Lada-Niva-5dr-NOW-S...

There's something about that that is just....wrong. I've always liked the Niva, but 5 doors just doesn't look right!

[KevinCorvetteC6]

Had one for 2.5 years when I lived in Hungary. They do exactly what it says on the tin. Brilliant off-road, not so good on-road. Did about 25K miles and only had two problems, needed a new clutch and the washer bottle cracked. Really does go anywhere with no worries about damage (very strong and very cheap).