Lada Niva

[triumphant59]

Friend of mine fancies a Lada Niva, just to be different. Anyone had one, opinion? Or got one to sell?

[Farmboy91]

Asking for a 'friend' 

😂 

Jokes aside I can't even remember the last time I saw one on the road. 

[Dave-G]

I once worked at a place that had a Wartbug Knight as a company car.

[mel b3]

7 hours ago, triumphant59 said:

Friend of mine fancies a Lada Niva, just to be different. Anyone had one, opinion? Or got one to sell?

I had one as a shooting bus years ago , they're a bit agricultural to be honest , but very capable offroad,  and you could fry an egg on the heater. They have more than their fair share of bad points though , they rust faster than you can weld the holes , and they have a weak gearbox(replacement gearboxes are a very rare thing indeed). On my travels at work , I used to pass one at a house that would get replaced with a new one every couple of years ,  I haven’t seen it for a while,  so I can only assume that they're no longer made (but I'm happy to be corrected )  .  All in all,   you could most probably get something more interesting for you money 👍.

[Walker570]

As above.  I did see one which had been modified, I think with a transit engine, don't know about the gearbox.  As said there are better choices...a Jimmy to start with.

A Series Landie would be my choice if your just looking for something a Lada would do.  Big meccano set and all bits and parts still readily available.

[washerboy]

Once had a stupid idea of buying one, went to see a guy who exported them home. This was 25 years ago and not sure I've seen one on the road since 

[deny essex]

I had one years ago was bought in a rough state very cheap but was running, after some TLC it was a good little shooting and on the road wagon and no dam electronics to faff up when a little damp, wet or muddy.

 My springer loved it too he knew where we were going before being told . he liked it so much he pushed the door lock button down to lock while I chatted to club members and locked me out.

Its claim to fame was being a big asset in pulling a landy out of a ditch.

Not seen one for years.

[hawkfanz]

according to wikipedia they are still being made.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, now being imported by a Mr Mark Key a London based business man, a 4 X 4 start around £10,000 Niva imports 020 8305 1137 www.markkey.co.uk there is a commercial version with no VAT at £8,000, taken from the Farmers weekly

Edited April 25, 2020 by oldypigeonpopper

[oldypigeonpopper]

5 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, now being imported by a Mr Mark Key a London based business man, a 4 X 4 start around £10,000 Niva imports 020 8305 1137 www.markkey.co.uk there is a commercial version with no VAT at £8,000, taken from the Farmers weekly

ah just to ad petrol only and left hand drive

[Pistol p]

Tough cars, one of the very few cars that the jaws of life struggle to cut through the roof pillars in one attempt.

[Westley]

13 hours ago, Walker570 said:

As above.  I did see one which had been modified, I think with a transit engine, don't know about the gearbox.  As said there are better choices...a Jimmy to start with.

A Series Landie would be my choice if your just looking for something a Lada would do.  Big meccano set and all bits and parts still readily available.

Always good to start with relieving oneself I suppose  ?

[figgy]

Tell him not to bother, parts are hard to get. They're hard as hell and in today's world tractors are much nicer. Friends have had them, I very nearly bought a brand new Cossack 1.7 fuel injected version. Glad I didn't.

The Jimmy will be a better car or a Vitara for a shoot bus.

Edited April 25, 2020 by figgy

[Saltings]

here you go     https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=relevance&postcode=cv64lt&radius=1500&make=LADA     

[oowee]

I was driving an A3 to a mountain hut and got bogged down in a snow snow and ice. A Niva was able to drive upto the back of my car in the tracks, drive around to the front and then tow us for 1/4 mile to the hut we were trying to get to. Most impressive. 

Tell your mate to buy a Suzuki.

[rovercoupe]

I own one as my main daily driver and have a 2 hour commute. 

Parts are easy to get from the uk or eu or even from Russia or Ukraine if needed. And there cheap too.

good luck finding one cheap though as they have rocketed in value the last few years, I would get a lhd one for a couple of grand and would be sub 5 years old. 

 

[rovercoupe]

There you go, she ain't pretty but gets the job done!

 

[Fatcatsplat]

My dad had a Lada Riva from brand new - Lasted him almost 20 years. I took the mickey on every conceivable occasion, but that car towed every single motor i ever owned in that period and never missed a beat. As has been said, they are more than agricultural, but they keep on going.

[harrycatcat1]

On 25/04/2020 at 02:39, Dave-G said:

I once worked at a place that had a Wartbug Knight as a company car.

I had a Whartburg about 1976 ish think it was 3 cylinder two stroke and had a funny clutch as you could change gears without pressing the clutch. Bought it off an old fella who gave me a spare head gasket in with the sale.🤔🤔

It went like a rocket though.

Sorry for going off subject op.

[thebigH91]

my brother bought a  W reg Niva early eighties and broke the throttle cable a couple of days afterwards. Fixed up a bit of string as a hand throttle to get us home and bought a new cable from the Lada dealer. This didn't fit by about 6" so while they ordered a new one we ran around on hand throttle for a fortnight but the new cable still didn't fit, seems the car being converted to right hand drive needed a longer cable, Ford Escort cable fitted perfectly, sorted a noisy slow car but it never once got stuck in fields or snow. Agricultural yes, useable definitely

[amateur]

3 hours ago, harrycatcat1 said:

I had a Whartburg about 1976 ish think it was 3 cylinder two stroke and had a funny clutch as you could change gears without pressing the clutch. Bought it off an old fella who gave me a spare head gasket in with the sale.🤔🤔

It went like a rocket though.

Sorry for going off subject op.

The Wartburg had a freewheel, like the SAAB and DKW two-strokes (all basically the same engine), so that the engine maintained an oil supply on the over-run.

Very good value for money in the 1970s, well kitted out and, for a 1000cc, as you say, went like a rocket, but terrible brakes and handled like a barge.

Edited April 28, 2020 by amateur

[harrycatcat1]

17 minutes ago, amateur said:

The Wartburg had a freewheel, like the SAAB and DKW two-strokes (all basically the same engine), so that the engine maintained an oil supply on the over-run.

Very good value for money in the 1970s, well kitted out and, for a 1000cc, as you say, went like a rocket, but terrible brakes and handled like a barge.

Yes very "wallowy" but comfy 👍

[adzyvilla]

5 hours ago, harrycatcat1 said:

I had a Whartburg about 1976 ish think it was 3 cylinder two stroke and had a funny clutch as you could change gears without pressing the clutch. Bought it off an old fella who gave me a spare head gasket in with the sale.🤔🤔

It went like a rocket though.

Sorry for going off subject op.

Dad had one in the 70s. Was hit head on by a drunk driver in a rover p6 at about 40mph. Dad walked away with only minor injuries, and the car was still drivable (although he decided against it). The rover was totalled and the driver seriously injured. Built like little tanks, and he always said had he been in an escort or similar, he probably wouldn't be here now. 

[harrycatcat1]

On 27/04/2020 at 09:44, rovercoupe said:

There you go, she ain't pretty but gets the job done!

 

Is that like a little fold up caravan your towing?

[Dougy]

Seen these in Croatia going places that other 4x4  stuggled.