1982 Lada Niva cossack 1.6 from North America
Summary:
Perfect vehicle for tough country and winters like here in Saskatchewan
Faults:
A very poor electrical system
General Comments:
Spent about a thousand bucks on paint tires and a new windsheild; all repairs done by myself, not only reliable, but a serious head turner, can't stop at a gas pump without hearing words like "Sweet" or getting the thumbs up from strangers. They would like it even more if I would let them take it for a serious off road spin. Still loving it. Robert Vaganza@shaw.ca.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 2nd January, 2004
24th Feb 2005, 14:40
Well, NIVA we sometimes use is 6 y/o (nearly no mileage!!!), but it is white and so rusty that it hardly passes annual tests required by law. We have it only for delivering of gasoline and our cross-motor bikes into the woods. Sorry guys, but Discovery and other 4x4 stacks in there - where we ride!
Sometimes I have a feeling that this rusty and totally uncomfortable 1,6l NIVA can even climb up the tree - so nicely it drives through swampy off-road! There is only one even more crazy machine in the world that can beat VAZ-NIVA - that's UAZ (also known as Bobik) real Soviet military 4x4 - that has consumption of a Boeing 747. But it's not possible to withstand its nose and vibrations. It car roll-over numerous times without changing shape a bit.
When we are gas pump - we get the same reaction from people as Robert explained. Some people come and ask if this Russian "miracle" is really so thirsty? When they see that car is filled up and some 10 twenty liter cans of gas get loaded in trunk. My answer is: NO that's for a whole year!
We bought it very cheap 350 EUR, instantly invested some 1000 EUR and now we got proposal to sell it for 2500 EUR - right away. It still has 15000 Km only!