7th Dec 2003, 20:38

Very strange experience, I have owned five Lada's over the past twenty years, four Niva's and a Samara, all except one were bought second hand and all were reliable and robust, but poorly finished.

I would agree that they are not the same build of finish quality than Korean or Japanese built cars, but for the price (second hand) they are excellent value. The Samara by the way was bought at 70,000 kms and is now driven by my some and has over 160,000 kms on it with only a water pump needing replacement.

4th Apr 2004, 23:57

You must have alotta Ladas to drive a Lada. You need parts... mostly body parts... the metal is poor, but the car keeps on running. I bought a Samara for $200. Cnd. for parts. I ended up driving it and it is still running 2 years later... we are slowly losing the ability to cannibilize, but both engines still run. They are great in the winter and great in the snow. If they would just hold together and I wish the doors would stay on!

13th Sep 2005, 02:53

After reading the review, I began feeling quite sorry for the poor little Lada! A car is really only as good as the owner behind it- and this particular owner appears to have absolutely NO idea how to maintain and look after a car. Owner rates 0/10!

11th Apr 2007, 21:47

Actually, I sympathise with the owner of the Samara. Poor old New Zealand ended up with loads of Ladas as part of a deal with Russia and our Dairy board. These cars were supplied in lieu of payment along with dodgy Belarus tractors and coal. The cars sat around out in the sun with grass growing up around them until such time they were needed. By the sounds of it, yours had been sitting forever - hence the fading and swirl marks indicating heavy buffing of paintwork. My Dad ended up with a Belarus tractor, and all I can say about that is one needed a good socket set to stop the thing from falling to bits - the bolts holding it together would unwind on a regular basis!

12th Apr 2007, 05:52

So, who`s to blame for storing brand new cars out in the open for long periods of time, in the notoriously harsh New Zealand weather, and watching "the grass grow around them"? Nobody could be that dumb. Could they? No, it HAS to be the car`s fault!

24th Dec 2008, 19:40

I owned a Lada Samara in Sydney, Australia or a very short period. I bought it for $ 800.00 second hand and it was not well maintained, yet it never presented a problem. It hated hot weather though and did not drive well in summer, but it never broke down or visited a mechanic. It was fun to drive and my mates loved it because it was different and a relic from the soviet era.

I learnt to drive manual on that car, and found it to be antiquated compared to the cars I have drive, but the most fun to drive.

I traded it in for an Audi 80, which cost be just as much as I bought the Lada in the first fortnight in repairs. I miss the bloody thing and I am looking for another Lada Samara, but they are now rare in Sydney.

A good car nonetheless, but you must put up with a lot of unrefinement to appreciate its appeal.

11th Feb 2009, 03:19

I'm not much of a petrol head, and don't have much to add to the Holden vs Ford rants I had to endure daily as a bar tender. But not one of them could top my story of getting booked for doing 100 mph (not kph!) in a 2107and being let off by the cop because he didn't believe it was possible! (and no, it wasn't a down hill! It was bloody noisy up to 140km then went eerily smooth...)

I drove that car like it was stolen for 30000 kms, replacing nothing but tyres. I wish my new Outback was the same!