Back To The 80's For Russian Built Cars.

originally posted by: LABTECH767
But in the old day's even back in the 70's and 80's one of the jokes about Lada's was that the reason they had heated rear windows (Export model sold in the west) was to keep your hands warm when you had to push them, back then they were known to have rotten reliability and to break down a lot but they were still far better than a Trabant (though you know those east German cars were actually extremely cheap to run despite there cardboard body's haha).

That was a Skoda joke, not heard that for Ladas.

What do you call a Skoda with a sunroof?
A skip!

Lada Rivas sold quite well as they were very cheap, about £3000 in early 90s. My dad had two estate versions, first one wore out so he just went and bought another a few years later. Second one saved our lives as we got t-boned by a drunk in a Ford Sierra on Christmas eve '97. Spun us around 2-3 times, held up amazingy well given the impact, minimal cabin instrusion, still drove afterwards.

Think I'd rather take one of those over any British Leyland chariot of the same era. Morris Marina? Austin Allegro? Rover Montego? How is the British car industry doing now? Oh wait, there isn't one any more! Hahaha!
(Indian Chelsea tractors and Chinese MGs don't count)

a reply to: baggy7981

Sorry you are probably right I always mix the two up, to be fair though our British Leyland cars were not that much better, the little old mini's though were brilliant in there day.

And there is one thing you can also say about the Russians back in the day they could make vehicles that would drive in conditions were ours would not with the legendary Ural truck's being some of the most hardy vehicles if not the best quality of having any luxury's at all, Still I would prefer an Old Land Rover to the Russian equivalent any day.

And of course Volvos made by Sweden were far superior to anything the Russians were making even then.

But let's not knock them for this, at least this car won't be vulnerable to remote hacking attack's such as may have been used to silence a certain US reporter.

a reply to: LABTECH767

Love all the Russian stuff out there labtech yet never actually had one. Auntie had a (think it was called) Riva in the 80's. Excellent size boot for delivering newspapers she states back in the day of papers. Just like the latest vehicle basic yet bulet proof. Tough cars based on an old FIAT design yet continued by the Russians maybe even to this day, think they're made in Ukraine too also Teagypt.

Kamaz lorries totally awesome vehicles.

Lada Niva. Now that is one excellent 4 x 4. Tough and excellent off road. Monocoque too which was radical for 4 x 4's back in the 80's. Quite cute to look at and still in production though they are modernising it. Really like them. Matts dad had one about twenty years ago. Rusted like the rapids though.

Then the numero uno....................... The UAZ 452. Have dreams about these. Follow them on Facebook. Still in production. Cute as anything and known by Ruskies as the Loaf! Wowzers, like vans used to be

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

If you could marry a seventy's US big block engine (assuming you are not worried about petrol consumption), Western European suspension and steering and Russian Simplicity (it always irked me that US muscle cars often used leaf spring's like something from the old horse drawn wagons though they looked really good like the early Mustang etc).

These days most cars are built to compete with the Asian cars, Japanese cars are probably the best quality but overly complicated (And while they have improved still have a reputation as rust buckets thanks to Datsun back in the day and Tin Can's) often, German cars are at least as good and BMW's are drivers cars or WERE drivers cars before EU regulations wrecked them with auto start stop (the engine literally turns off while you wait at traffic lights and starts when you put your foot down it's a pain but I think they may have stopped that feature) and other accident causing features.

If you want good cars though look at Renault from the 80's and 90's, some really good old cars there and Citroen, sadly I don't have any modern British Cars that I can recommend - at least not ordinary ones.

originally posted by: LABTECH767
a reply to: ufoorbhunter



If you want good cars though look at Renault from the 80's and 90's, some really good old cars there and Citroen, sadly I don't have any modern British Cars that I can recommend - at least not ordinary ones.

Totally 100% mate and totally 100% too on the French stuff. Love their stuff. Fave car ever or a few of them Citroen 2CV. You could take the engine out oneself, start it with a bar, push it singlehandedly, do the timing using one of the headlamps as a timing light, hit corners at silly speeds and just lean lean lean 'til you got round them, tin opener roof for the sun, two spark plugs, no coolant, bomb proof flat twin 602cc. Lol I keep looking at them yet the second hand price has gone through the roof. Sold my last Special for £400 22 years ago! It was a good price back then. Re-chassied it too with a galvanised from Yorkshire. Wowzers now that car is worth £8,000 maybe more in the right sale.

One can even build a new one if the funds are there. ECAS sell brand new bodies for them bought over from France yet at around £5,000 it's quite a price. Yet at least one can build something that escapes the modern nonsense built into vehicles that shackles the buyer into the main dealer servicing costs. DIY mechanics has been stolen from the everage person by big business.

Tried Fords a few times. When times were really good at work a decade ago had a new Ford Transit. Oh my life....................... Don't do it. Ever. The thing literally dropped apart. the engine was a complete pile of kak. 2.2 diesel, never ever have I seen every part of the engine leaking oil. It was taking (seriously) 5ltr of oil a day to keep it running! Every day! I had to give it up as it seized, only after a month of driving something that turned into a vision of a steam train in terms of exhaust emissions.

Next time you see a Ford Focus check to see if Ford have managed to stick the door seal correctly to the door. You see dangling bits of rubber all over the place. One hundred years of car production and they still can't bond a rubber seal to the doors

Now gone back to a Peugeot Partner. Not a moder one, a mid 90's with the ultra reliable 1.9 diesel. Nothing ever wrong. They are indestructable compared to modern diesel engines. Berlingo 1.9 before engine like new, just the body rusted away yet a 25 year vehicle still mechanically superb. Wind up windows too, love them. If the Russians want to go a little backwards yet very much forwards too for the home mechanic and reliability using the Berlingo 1.9 would be a move for the better and a great export model as there is such a market for a back to basics vehicle, reliable plus where the owner can be a home mechanic if the choice is allowed.

Ford Mustang learned to sail in Russia