Lada Niva's

[David Lovejoy]

Thanks for that mate...

Funny thing is, in well over five years, the best fun I have ever had in a 4x4 or 6x6 with my clothes on, was in a Fiat Panda 4x4! They are cheap as hell here in the UK and tough as hell too. Drive it like you stole it and it'll take most things in it's stride. You don't need clearence 'cos you just use momentum and a bit of steel plate underneath. AND what looks fairly easy in any other vehicle becomes more or a test!

I always thought that the 4x4 'family' world wide was about having a laugh and looking after your mates, not vehicular racism...

I will always stand up for the old Lada Niva - she was a good bus. Hell GM are bringing her back out of the cupboard again next year, under the Daewoo name and with a few tweeks and a new lump. She will still be built in the Urals and she will be cheaper than just about any other 4x4 on the market.

[RaginRover]

I was pointing out that the Lada had a centre diff lock.... and coil springs - something you said that the Rovers were better for and Lada's didn't have.

This was not true, so I responded

Yeah I see what you are saying and I re-read my post and I can see how you read it, my post was really an ad for buying and old rangie rather than putting the lada niva down. The shite I listed were the features of 2 door paddock bashers, I didn't mean to say the niva didn;t have them (as I have worked one one before.

My thoughs on this were simply why drive around a paddock in an old niva when you could cruise the paddock in "70's Rover Style"

This is not Rangie bashing.... everyone knows that the build quality is the issue - the vehicles themselves are very capable.... As an example the current disco has almost 3" more clearance than the new cruiser in stock form.

Look you won't get much of a build quality argument from me, the electrics of them are dead set shockers but they were a well put together old truck from a mechanical perspective, their 10spline axels are getting a little old and fatigued now I suppose.

I guess I felt that the reference to 3rd world car/unfinished project was the bit that got me typing I can't see how you can say that without expecting a bit of a rise out the Rover boys

[Thor]

anyone else see the write up about the lada tour-a-ma-jig in 4wd monthly?
might be worth a read for anyone considering buying one.

[Beastmavster]

I was pointing out that the Lada had a centre diff lock.... and coil springs - something you said that the Rovers were better for and Lada's didn't have.

This was not true, so I responded

Yeah I see what you are saying and I re-read my post and I can see how you read it, my post was really an ad for buying and old rangie rather than putting the lada niva down. The shite I listed were the features of 2 door paddock bashers, I didn't mean to say the niva didn;t have them (as I have worked one one before.

My thoughs on this were simply why drive around a paddock in an old niva when you could cruise the paddock in "70's Rover Style"

This is not Rangie bashing.... everyone knows that the build quality is the issue - the vehicles themselves are very capable.... As an example the current disco has almost 3" more clearance than the new cruiser in stock form.

Look you won't get much of a build quality argument from me, the electrics of them are dead set shockers but they were a well put together old truck from a mechanical perspective, their 10spline axels are getting a little old and fatigued now I suppose.

I guess I felt that the reference to 3rd world car/unfinished project was the bit that got me typing I can't see how you can say that without expecting a bit of a rise out the Rover boys

Don't mind stirring up any of em - Yota heroes, rover boys or datto freaks.

There's potenital in every vehicle and they all have their weak spots....

Ask my mate Colin how well his Lawncrusher stands up to the might of the Vitara - his BJ blewe a gearbox and transfer case and ended parked on the lawn while I spent my money not on repairs but 30" A/Ts.

I'm (not happy but) prepared to accept that in my own vehicle, but that is often half the fun - the challenges we face based on our own ability, our vehicle's ability and our enginering skill.

It just needs the right owner or the poor sod who's sunk enuff money in that there's no turning back now.....

I honestly have to admit I probably got more fun (although far less capability and far less challenge) out of bouncing my Vitara thru stuff on 26" Highway terrains than I do now with 31" muddies.

Likewise I remember the joy I got out of pulling second gear monos on a postie bike for the camera, but that's a different story hey.

As capability goes up, does the fun factor go down? Maybe.... perhaps this is related to risk factor and money factor both going up so much........ or maybe seeking engineering solutions over driving your a55 off in a car that just isn't really up to it but a driver with a never say die attitude?

I dunno.... does anyone else feel this at times? I felt the same with the motorbike too - I used to enjoy sliding the old Katana around with the zorst and pegs on deck far more than pulling the same stuff on the YZF Yammie.

I guess that's why I'm still with the Vitara, when I coulda sold it and bought a GQ or a Disco, or a Sierra with twin airlockers and a rockhopper.

Besides, it's good to have something different. MAkes the world more interesting.

[David Lovejoy]

[As capability goes up, does the fun factor go down? Maybe.... perhaps this is related to risk factor and money factor both going up so much........ or maybe seeking engineering solutions over driving your a55 off in a car that just isn't really up to it but a driver with a never say die attitude? ]

Yeah I reckon you are right there...

Years ago me and a mate entered our Suzy SJ 1600TC in the BAJA ARAGON in Spain. 1000ks of gravel, shale, rock, sand. Back then you the largest part of the entry was from privateers - all on a small budget and out to have a laugh. And thats waht we did - have a laugh. We did well enough to be offered a'Works' drive from a small French outfit the next year. We did well again but turned down the offer of another year 'cos we hadn't had such a laugh - to much Pot Hunting.

I could go out and spend shed loads of money on the RR to turn it into an all singing all dancing off roader. But why? No point 'cos it's good enough with the few mods it's alrady got. Then when the body is shot I will no doubt use the drive train and chassis in a Tomcat... Hell I'm more interested in getting there than breaking the damn thing on the way[/quote]