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Ladass niva/zooki
Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 12:54 pm
by Spartacus
is a lada niva any good??
all opinions welcome
or save 4 a zook

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 12:57 pm
by -Mick-
no

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 1:20 pm
by Wooders
mj wrote:no

Yeah go for it - They are especially good on the extreme stuff, just take something else to get ya home

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:09 pm
by murcod
Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:16 pm
by LOCKY
You know why they have heated rear windows?
Double the resale, fill the tank.
Other name for a Lada Convertible? Wheel barrow
Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:24 pm
by Spartacus
im thinkin of one cause of the angles
what if i replaced all the running gear and suspension

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:38 pm
by Damo
Spartacus wrote:im thinkin of one cause of the angles
what if i replaced all the running gear and suspension

Then you could buy a Honda HRV, or RAV4...
Sounds like you need a zook

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:39 pm
by LOCKY
So your hands don't get cold pushing

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:01 pm
by Spartacus
i want a zook but cant find anything in my price range
ladass also because its old and dont have to woory bout breakin anything
or do i

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:13 pm
by LOCKY
Would be better if they had a chassis.
Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:19 pm
by grimbo
I would save up and get the Zuk because you will find that you are pretty much on your own with any aftermarket support for the ladas. They can be a good relaible car or a complete piece of rubbish, build quality is not consistent at all. You will also be limited to what you can do with them in a tight budget whereas a Zuk can be a bit more budget conscious without sacrifing offroad performance.
Also comes down to what you want to do with the car. If you are looking at just a daily driver then maybe the Lada will be ok but if you want to go 4wheeling and progress to harder stuff that will require, suspenion lift, bigger tyres, lockers and gearing the the Zuk is the answer cause you'll be doing all custom (read $$$$$$$$) stuff to do the same on the Lada
Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:35 pm
by Wooders
Mate do yerself a fav - skip the Lardarse and look for a cheapo zuk - heck there are plenty of cheap Sierras about...
Here's what took me 2minutes to find on the trading post online:
SUZUKI SIERRA 1982 Body rough, mechanically mostly good, offers around $750 CANBERRA 0417-44 2180
Suzuki Sierra 1983, registered, bull-bar, tow bar, driving lights, goes well, $1500 or near offer UWR-169 REDHEAD 0407-64 2138
Suzuki Sierra 1988 red soft top 5 speed manual, good condition, YMU-821, $2700 negotiable DRUMMOYNE 0410-19 4610
Suzuki Sierra 4WD 1988, 1.3 engine, 5 speed, hardtop, good condition, red, rego 10/2004, TTV-953, $2800 or near offer MIRANDA 02-9531 1806 or 0425-260572
Suzuki Sierra 1989, black, good condition, new soft top and Bikini top, always serviced, $2900 negotiable, SF-528 NEWTOWN 0405-15 4583
Suzuki Sierra, aluminium tray, 1.3, 5 speed, reg 10/2004, goes well, $2900, PGS-841 KEMPSEY 02-6562 7343
Suzuki Sierra 1985 1.3 5 speed, black, new soft top, good condition, $2990 negotiable, YJN-297 FIVE DOCK 0403-13 3402
SUZUKI SIERRA 1985 Hi-top Manual, air conditioning, tinted windows, registered 11/2004, AGJ-16X, $3000 BARDEN RIDGE 02-9543 8254 or 0408-645241
Suzuki Sierra 4WD 1996, open top, unreg, needs battery, tyres and some repairs, $3000 negotiable BAULKHAM HILLS 0438-14 7485
Frig ya can't get much cheaper - nor would you want any cheaper.....
Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 7:56 pm
by Beastmavster
I'm one of those here stupid enough to support the Lada....
What can I say.. I'm a sucker for punishment... I know how good they can be - which is pretty damn good indeed and how bad they can be which is terrifying.
What they are is a car with personality...... sorta like a dog. You could buy one and it could be a cuddly maltese or a vicious rottwieler... and you never know which until it decides to lick your cheek or bite your face off.....
If they decide that they'd rather leave you stranded 300 miles from anywhere then that's what they will do. Build quality is completely random... sorta like a commodore

or a rover
If you're the kind of person who doesn't mind having a couple of spare cars in the backyard in various states of assembly then they're the car for you.
If the intent is to build something based on a shell just to get the wind up people... why not use a Suzuki hatch, or a Honda civic or something.... with 31"s at both ends these will have to be on their roof before you cant get a tyre down. All you need is a lada transfer case, driveshaft and front diff (about $300 all up or buy the whole car for $500) and any car can become a 4wd.....
Build australia's firs Gemini 4wd.... after all you might be able to pick up a Gemini Diesel for $500...
$1000 and a lot of hard work and you'll be famous... at XRCC AND summernats

Ladas...
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 5:19 pm
by Trickster
yep... i agree totaly with what 'Suzuki Viagra' said.
A friend of mine bought one... poor quality steel... it would break and bend anywhere... Yep we had two spare 'donor' vehicles out the back. Lucky too.
Still... we gave it a hiding and it did ok. Lot of work to keep it going. FIAT motors i think.
If you
really want to do something different, get one of those Citroen dallas cars from the 70's or 80's. Mad hydraulic suspension. Totally able to raise and lower at will. Slip that onto a wee Suzuki or what ever and then see what happens !!!
Phil
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 6:18 pm
by big red
heres one but its a bit small
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 8:19 pm
by ORSM45
DAMN! is that an axle or a tie rod? those are some skinny axles.
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:40 pm
by flat4
The lada is actually quite good for a stock vehicle. It's limited by 205 tyres an minimal accessories. Easy to fix, quite relaible - after all it's designed for use in Siberia where if the car dies you die.
Coil springs all round from memory.
Buy one, fit larger tyres, embarass narrow minded people on trails. :-)
Steve
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:56 pm
by Guy
383FJ45 wrote:DAMN! is that an axle or a tie rod? those are some skinny axles.
Look to be portals to me .. the axle is above the centreline of the tyre .. perhaps volvos .. they are not all that huge ... Anyway .. someone had WAY to much spare time on their hands

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 1:08 pm
by MQ080
Lada = trouble
at full flex you will find that the springs have a tendency to pop out
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:35 pm
by ORSM45
them aint no protals

volvos are way thicker than that, they are thicker than cruiser/patrol axles and the pumpkin is offset to the drivers side more. that one is centre'd.
WAAAYYY too much time

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 11:27 pm
by Spartacus
Wooders wrote:Mate do yerself a fav - skip the Lardarse and look for a cheapo zuk - heck there are plenty of cheap Sierras about...
Here's what took me 2minutes to find on the trading post online:
SUZUKI SIERRA 1982 Body rough, mechanically mostly good, offers around $750 CANBERRA 0417-44 2180
Suzuki Sierra 1983, registered, bull-bar, tow bar, driving lights, goes well, $1500 or near offer UWR-169 REDHEAD 0407-64 2138
Suzuki Sierra 1988 red soft top 5 speed manual, good condition, YMU-821, $2700 negotiable DRUMMOYNE 0410-19 4610
Suzuki Sierra 4WD 1988, 1.3 engine, 5 speed, hardtop, good condition, red, rego 10/2004, TTV-953, $2800 or near offer MIRANDA 02-9531 1806 or 0425-260572
Suzuki Sierra 1989, black, good condition, new soft top and Bikini top, always serviced, $2900 negotiable, SF-528 NEWTOWN 0405-15 4583
Suzuki Sierra, aluminium tray, 1.3, 5 speed, reg 10/2004, goes well, $2900, PGS-841 KEMPSEY 02-6562 7343
Suzuki Sierra 1985 1.3 5 speed, black, new soft top, good condition, $2990 negotiable, YJN-297 FIVE DOCK 0403-13 3402
SUZUKI SIERRA 1985 Hi-top Manual, air conditioning, tinted windows, registered 11/2004, AGJ-16X, $3000 BARDEN RIDGE 02-9543 8254 or 0408-645241
Suzuki Sierra 4WD 1996, open top, unreg, needs battery, tyres and some repairs, $3000 negotiable BAULKHAM HILLS 0438-14 7485
Frig ya can't get much cheaper - nor would you want any cheaper.....
(this sounds whiney)
im 16, i live in the outer brisbane area... so i cant really get transport from here to NSW to tow a 4x4..
i got todays trading post and theres a zook for 1800 neg.. but its to far from strathpine to have a browse at
so im a bit of a pickle

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:38 am
by Wooders
Mate - Those were just examples.....
Use the Trading post online to search (much easier & cheaper)....
keep looking.....IMHO sure the lardarses aren't
THAT bad....but seriously for the money IMHO a Zuk is better in nearly every way - & I aint no Zuk lover

.....
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 1:50 pm
by Spartacus
yeah i no but 4 qld suzukis add $700+ to NSW prices
that y i thought of a lada cause its only ~$1000
zooks r mad little trucks ive always wanted that or dads 80
someones sig line
"when i get old and soft ill buy a cruiser"
its true but..
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 2:06 pm
by grimbo
the ladas may be cheaper now but in a year or so once you have driven it a bit and want to start modding and doing stuff with the car then it will get expensive real quick as it will all be custom stuff. it is better to do it right from the word go. Save a bit longer and get a Suzuki.
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 3:21 pm
by N*A*M
GET A ZOOK!
oh and that lada... make of it what you will.