ian4x4
New Niva Petrol Head
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Registered: Oct 28, 2011 11:20:01 GMT 2
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Post by ian4x4 on Oct 28, 2011 13:22:07 GMT 2
Hi I may be able to get my hands on a camo lada niva , now this wil be to replace my wifes daily to work and back car. would you recomend using a lada as n daily comuter? will a lady driver cope with the difficulties of no power steering and all that goes with it? She realy wants a litle 4x4 like this or the suzuki jimny. what can you guys tell me about the lada? will it beak down alot?isit extremley thirsty? can she tae on longer trips like 100 or so km for work?
Thanks
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Post by ronnie on Oct 28, 2011 14:11:28 GMT 2
Hi Ian
The last time I used a Niva for every day driving to work and back (130kms per day) was in 1997, and the Niva was a new vehicle. It never gave any trouble and returned between 10 and 11 lts/ per 100 kms. Having said that I must be honest and tell you a lot of the Niva`s out there have not been well looked after and what you buy may need some work done to it to be reliable. Spares are not a problem and a good Niva can be very satisfying to drive and is a simple vehicle to work on with no electronics apart from the distributor to bother you. It has a very dedicated following in this country, and around the world with more clubs than any other make. Chose wisely and you will enjoy being a Niva owner. If you have any questions to ask feel free to post them here as there are plenty of dedicated enthusiasts to help you.
Ronnie
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Post by marius on Oct 28, 2011 14:39:22 GMT 2
Hi Ian
I think Ronnie has basically nailed it - it all depends on how well the previous owner(s) looked after the car. As far as the lack of power steering is concerned - the wider the tyres the harder the steering will be.
Marius
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ian4x4
New Niva Petrol Head
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Post by ian4x4 on Oct 28, 2011 15:46:18 GMT 2
Here is the car. I am very capeble with tools in my hand so I can fix about anything i lay my hands on. I just dont want to spend my free time on my back under a car , can think of much things to do. Long trips? I often go on 4x4 trips and its more often than not a couple of hundred km's away and i would love to bring the lada with on a trip or two. will it handle the long roads ok? can I attach an aframe and tow it behind my isuzu will it affect the tc or gbox in any way? basicly I am willing to spend a couple of bucks to get the car in tip top shape its just that I dont want to sit with a bottomles pit that soakup cash. Thanks for the replies.
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Post by Ari Bezuidenhout on Oct 28, 2011 16:57:38 GMT 2
Hi Ian
Most lada's are a bottomless pit until they are up and running properly. Once up and going they are reliable and NOT a bottomless pit anymore.
Those tyres will make the steering heavy. Put TC in neutral when towing and it will be ok.
Mine gives 9km/L in mixed driving.
Ari
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Post by ronnie on Oct 28, 2011 18:26:35 GMT 2
Hi Ian
If the Niva is in good condition it will go where ever you want. I used to travel all over Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, with some trips of 8000kms and had no problems. That was with a heavy load and roof top tent.
Ronnie
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vincentc
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
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Post by vincentc on Oct 28, 2011 19:35:14 GMT 2
Hi Ian
I used my current lada as a daily driver until I recently sold it to a fellow LOCSA member. My new lada awaits :-)
My work I do involves trips of between 300 and 600 km a day into the rural areas of KZN. Initially, be warned, you would do better to use it until the bugs are worked out. There after - all should be good.
Looking at the Lada, have you taken it for a drive, checked under it to make sure that the 4x4 is working?
The tyre and wheel combination that you seem to be running may not be ideal - Check the offsets as it may make the steering feel as if you are trying to change the planetary orbits.
Test drive the Lada before you buy it. Take it onto sand roads and select low range and diff lock.
Check the radiator and cooling system for obvious faults. Signs of overheating can usually be seen around the radiator cap etc.
Perhaps take a pic of the engine and post it online. Almost every LOCSA member - Correction - EVERY LOCSA members knows what the engine bay should look like and should be able to identify if the cooling system has had major modifications to it.
Good luck with finding your Lada.
regards Vincent
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ian4x4
New Niva Petrol Head
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Post by ian4x4 on Oct 28, 2011 20:49:31 GMT 2
Thanks vince. I have not yet had the car under my eyes. I wanted to sell my opel calibra to buy a suzuki jimny now this young fella says he will straight up swop me. I am from welkom he is from some park somewhere in gp the whole place to me is jhb. now i said we could meet halfway to check out the rides. I will speak to him tomorrow and see what happens. thanks so far for the input.
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Post by danie on Oct 28, 2011 20:58:26 GMT 2
Hi Ian
Should you decide to buy the Lada, if possible, I think your wife should still use her current car - until you are convinced that the Lada is still in a very reliable condition.
Danie
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ladanivabelgium
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
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Post by ladanivabelgium on Oct 28, 2011 21:04:33 GMT 2
i would have serious doubts about buying this Niva. Even with the bonnet not fully closed the alignment of the body parts should not be like this, unless it has had some serious body damage. There must be a better one out there for sale
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ian4x4
New Niva Petrol Head
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Post by ian4x4 on Oct 28, 2011 21:20:31 GMT 2
I still have th isuzu wich she prefers driving. but you guys are starting to scare me.
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Ladaniva
Full Niva Petrol Head
A Lada Niva for a new lease of life
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Post by Ladaniva on Oct 28, 2011 21:53:54 GMT 2
Hi Ian, You received excellent advice from the guys on the forum! My advice is the same as that of Danie; if you buy/swap the Niva let your wife keep her car first, sort out the niggles and make her used to the Niva. A woman must trust a car or she will never like it. But beware, woman are over Nivas as they are over men; once in love with the Niva and they can trust it, they want nothing else. Another reason why woman like Nivas is that there is money left to use the Niva! or to buy nice kit. Have a careful look at the Niva from behind when you meet the owner. You should be able to see if the wrong offset rims already bent the rear axle. Check the steering box mounting area for problems there - also caused by very wrong wheel offset and wider tyres. Listen to the engine; lack of maintenance of the timing chain tension means opening the engine to replace the whole set. A Niva does not need wide tyres nowhere if the correct tyres are fitted. End of story. With narrow tyres the Niva has automatic power steering I bought my Niva in 1995, used and abused it, and will use it until stolen, written off or can not drive anymore. I already arranged with the family to bury me in mine, so I may make the journey to the other side another pleasant trip. My wife loves the Niva. My children too. They think the Niva is way cool. What more to say? The Suzuki is a very nice real 4 x 4, but that is it. Make your pick; you will be happy both ways, but will your wife be? The Niva Ventz had to sell is a beaut. Perfect wheels for the wife. Check it out on the forum, and if you can, introduce the wife to that Niva and you will surely not spend time under a car often but a lot of time in a 4 x 4 with the wife. A Good Niva is an alrounder and can tow a mother of a trailer year in and year out. Regards, Fanus
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Post by jaco1978 on Oct 28, 2011 22:01:45 GMT 2
but you guys are starting to scare me. Hey Ian, I hope we do not "scare" you too much. ;D The boys and girls here love their Niva's and we just want you to make a well (better) informed decision on your purchase so you (and your wife) can also have a Niva to love. All the best with your search for your own lil beast. ;D Oh, and welcome to the forum.
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ian4x4
New Niva Petrol Head
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Post by ian4x4 on Oct 29, 2011 7:24:26 GMT 2
heres the calibra that i am trying to sell . but as with the lada spares can be a problem . we only had the bakkie and a bike , now theres nothing as "lekker" as a suzuki gsxr but the windows dont close all that good and might leak in the rain. so when I changed jobs I had to drive 60km a day with the bike and as winter was nearing its coldest it wasnt fun any more so i sold the bike and got this car. I used to love racing and had a very fast superboss so I thought I will love this car . But after having a 4x4 for a couple of years a plat kar like this just doesnt do it for me or the wife.
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ian4x4
New Niva Petrol Head
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Registered: Oct 28, 2011 11:20:01 GMT 2
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Post by ian4x4 on Oct 29, 2011 7:29:06 GMT 2
now this is what i am used to . 33" mud tyres . raised suspension . plenty of torque . and then the small extras . power steering aircon elect windows minimum road noise ecept for the tyres playing there tune. I dont want to be dissapointed in buying a small 4x4 thats just a dop and drives like a ossewa. I will try and test a friends lada today if hes at home. and maybe I will be surprised. At least it looks like i will get plenty advice here . thanks
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Post by marius on Oct 29, 2011 8:09:42 GMT 2
I think Jan from Belgium is onto something. There is a good chance that this Niva was in some accident. I am not convinced that the side indicators and the fuel flap was replaced for cosmetic reasons.
Ian - a Lada will go places your bakkie can only dream about! ;D
Marius
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Post by Ari Bezuidenhout on Oct 29, 2011 13:38:11 GMT 2
Hi Ian
I agree with Jan, that camo paint looks fishy, and all the tread plate sections tell me "ACCIDENT". AS well as possible cheap fixes, the side indicators are relatively cheap.
We are not trying to scare you. All we want is for you to know the risks when buying a Lada. Because if you dont know the risks and problems then you buy one and are unhappy, but what happens then. . . . . you tell everyone that it is a crap 4x4, and that hurts us all at LOCSA and the Lada brand. This is why we are open and honest, so that you buy with full knowledge of what you are buying.
PS There is a 2001 for sale in our FOR SALE section as of today. . . .
Ari
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Post by danie on Oct 29, 2011 18:35:44 GMT 2
Hi Ian
Yes, we might love our Ladas to bits, but we are not completely insane.
It is not safe to get stranded on our roads, and we do have an obligation to protect all female owners in our country.
Regards
Danie
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ian4x4
New Niva Petrol Head
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Post by ian4x4 on Nov 1, 2011 15:36:46 GMT 2
Thanks again. I am still looking around now with more patience. And i read up alot what to look out for.
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ladanivabelgium
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
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Post by ladanivabelgium on Nov 1, 2011 19:54:14 GMT 2
good plan!
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