I drive my 1993 Lada Niva 250 kms/day at speeds over 150 km/hr. I keep the motor reving at 5000-5500 rpm for hours on end. The motor seems to love a constant 5000+ rpm and goes faster and faster everyday. I have been doing this for the past 2 years now. That's over 1200 kms/week for 2 years.
To achieve this, I only changed the carb. I simply put in a 1.8 L Fiat carb (with manual choke). I wanted a 2.0L Fiat carb, but could not find one at the time. This carb can be used on both 1600 and 1.7i Niva motors, just on the 1.7i you remove the fuel injection.
If balance and load is spread properly over the very short wheelbase, the Niva will corner like its on rails and put some sports cars to shame.
Niva has the strongest suspension pieces of any civilian vehicle. Its remarkable off-roading comes from the very short wheelbase and unmatched travel of the rear suspension.
Along with the 40 Liters of gas to travel 300 kms @ 150+ km/hr, Nivas also eat Hummers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
With the 115,000 kms or so that I put on I have gone through:
- (3) alternators - (2) starters - (3) brake pads
- (1) caliper - (1) set of ball joints - (1) 5th gear.
(on 5 speeds the 5 th gear does not engage completely and the teeth can strip IF very gradual accelerations/decelerations are NOT taken in 5 th gear.)
Hi there, I have owned my 1984 lada niva for 5 months now. I got it for $200 of a friend who had it for 10 years and put over 50,000 Miles on it. He has been offroad seriously many many times in some of NZs most rugged country and it has always performed extremely well. He even had it on its side once and just got out and pushed it back onto its wheels. Since I have owned it I have thrashed it down the river beds and on the beach where it never ceases to impress. I am off up big river in two weeks for my first real offroad trip. Part replaced so far are 2 ball joints (steering was really stiff) and the diff fell off so put a helicoil insert in that. like you all say the really great thing is if it all goes terribly wrong you can just walk away and buy another one.
Hello to all Niva lovers from Greece. Here these cars meet a big success. We do have an importer who with his network support them very well. My perception, as an owner of a 1999 Niva, is that one might be unlucky and get a bad piece with full of problems. They are not as reliable as a Toyota, but this doesn't mean that you will have serious problems. It is the cheapest car to maintain and the easiest to be repaired. Here in Greece we have any kind of parts which are very cheap. Mechanics know very well the cars and there is practicaly a remedy for any disease of it. Off road abilities are outstanding and the inside room is much bigger than any other offroader with a similar outside size. Practically there is no competitor in our days. For those who love offroading it's worth having one. To all of you have a nice time with it!
Regards Dimitri.
The best thing I have found is they are so cheap & reliable to run, in australia & new zealand.
I found with mine, the harder you drive it, the better it goes.
5th gear can be a problem, but as our parts supplier says, it's an overdrive gear, don't use it under 90 km/h.
Use only premium unleaded, and don't start sooking at the price difference, only costs an extra $ or so to fill the tank, better economy, power etc.,and I am surprised at the difference, but as I was told, handbook says not to use under 93 octane (highest grade std unleaded is only 91 octane, and drops down as low as 85 octane) and is crap.
(shouldn't be using std unleaded in any vehicle) even lawnmowers, motor bikes, chainsaws etc.
I have found the best is either bp ultimate or shell optimax (in that order)
gas shocks make the car harder to handle off road, affects the traction, and even breaks the mounting brackets off.
DON'T listen to these clowns who tell you to put suzuki wheels etc.on, offsets are miles out, will go through more wheel bearings, ball joints, tierod ends, and even break steering boxes.
Adjust timing chain every 10,000km.s
only time I had problems with mine was after people had played around and used non genuine parts...
These people that tell you fiat motors go "straight" in, tell them they're dickheads, and obviously don't know what they're talking about-it's a hell of a lot of stuffing around...
Best people I have found to help, with info & prices is cherie@ladaparts.co.nz in new zealand, or www.ladaparts.com
hope this helps
doug.
I own a 1997 1.7L. Niva which I endeavour to keep in immaculate condition. Some owners have reported problems with the 5th gear e.g. jumping out of 5th, difficulty in engaging 5th, losing 5th, etc. I have had no such trouble. I believe problems may only occur due to owner neglect and/or ignorance concerning the 5th gear. Lada introduced the 5 speed gearbox into the Niva around 1987. Owners of the previous 4 speed box are used to filling the transmission with 1.35L of gear oil. However, the 5 speed box requires at least 1.6L of oil for adequate lubrication. I put 1.8L into my Niva. Insufficient oil in the gearbox will ultimately cause 5th gear problems- so remember to add that extra bit of oil when you service your Niva! The other important point, as stated by the previous comment, is that the 5th gear is in fact an "over drive" gear and is to be treated with T.L.C.-i.e. engage and disengage it gently, and avoid using it at speeds under 80-90 km/hr. Another point about the Niva transmission, is not to forget to use the low range on occasions- especially if you don`t do much off-road driving,- you know the saying: "if you don`t use it, lose it". As far as new spare parts here in Australia, they are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. I use Lada Parts, Australasia Pty.Ltd. situated in Caboolture, Queensland. Their service is friendly and most efficient!
Hello everyone,
I have just bought a Niva and I just wandering if any one knows where I can get parts, in British Columbia, or any where close to vancouver?
I love the Niva, but constantly am repairing things like to clutch, brakes. It's a 91, but I've never been stuck yet.
Never been stuck? The toughest 4x4s in the world get stuck. That is why there are winches.
If you haven't been stuck, it's because you're not trying to tackle anything difficult.
How difficult would it have to be to get that ridiculous little car stuck.
LOLOLOL!!!
Any good LADA forums around to read up on? Looking at purchasing myself a Niva, but information is hard to come by, almost as hard as finding a Niva in semi-good condition.
Greets from Canada! Go Lada! Haha.
Lada Niva owners going around slinging insults at owners of other 4x4's are amazing.
The seem to dish it out fine, but can't take it in return.
The Niva is 4wd with a rear diff. That is impressive for this car, but, not unusual in off roading.
Economy would seem to be the biggest attribute of this vehicle.
"Lada Niva owners going around slinging insults at other 4x4 vehicles"? Hold your horses, let`s get this in the right perspective.
A light-hearted comment: "Nivas eat Hummers for breakfast"- posted months ago, on the H2 Hummer site, appears to have suddenly sparked something approaching mass hysteria. Comments such as: "goofballs", "environmentalist Euro wannabees", (?), silly/ridiculous little cars/things", "Go Lada, HA HA", etc, flooded in like a mini tsunami.
Hey, settle down, guys. You`re over-reacting, Big Time. We don`t "hate" Hummers at all. We`re into off-roading, just like you are. We love our Nivas, but we certainly don`t go around ridiculing other 4x4s, as you suggest. If the "greenies", or whoever else out there, are giving you guys a hard time- don`t take it out on us! That`s not our thing. We enjoy the great outdoors in our Nivas- just as you do in your Hummers. Personally, I think the Hummer is a great 4x4- and if it`s only fault is that it`s thirsty on gas- so what? It`s not as if everyone is driving one. To compare the two, is incorrect- because they are in different categories of 4x4s. It`s like comparing apples with oranges.
I hope your site re-constructs itself into an interesting and informative one, where genuine Hummer owners can converse, and assist each other with technical info. etc. At present, your site is a disaster zone- and I can understand, (and sympathise with), some of your commenters being "hot under the collar". However, please be mindful of collateral damage. Respect.
Cool, very cool.
Well articulated and appreciated.
A Niva owner on another thread made the same statement on a Hummer thread about eating Hummers for breakfast.
Someone probably overreacted and assumed the particular "greenies" involved with the attacks, were Niva enthusiasts because of the comment.
The battle is not with Niva's. You guys are into the same trails we are.
Seen you out there!
Hi All
I have owned four Ladas in my time! My latest one is a 1995 1.7 injected! I have had only one problem with it the alternator packed it in, took it off and went to an auto electrician to have it tested and he told me it is the same as a Holden Commodore VK alternator!
I got one from the wreckers for AUD $85.00 that sure beats paying $680.00 for a genuine one!
Allways use a good quailty belt if you use the holden alternator as the genuine ones will wear out to quick and leaves rubber shavings in the engine bay! Also the fuel pump is Holden Commodore as well and will cost $60.00 dollars to replace! And they are easy to get!
As for putting a Fiat twin cam in to a Lada don't do it!
They do not bolt straight in at all, you have to modify the lada sump to make it fit the Fiat engine!
The bell houseing is differnt and also the starter motor will not fit! You also have to make brackets for the front diff as the lada ones will not fit!
So do not believe any one who says that the fiat motor bolts straight in! It dosent I have done one and it is a lot of work! Great car with the twin cam in it so fast! I nearly lost my licence in mine got caught doing 170kph in my! Went to caught and the judge said it would be a world record for a Lada Niva to do that speed! Case dismissed!
Lada is no longer available in Australia the last one came here in 1998! I hope they do come back here soon in a diesel turbo!
So all you Lada nuts out there keep Lada alive and keep driving them hard out out do Toyota 100 series Landcruiser!
Hummers, mmmmmmm, if you go to the www.ladaparts.com site, there is a tug of war between a hummer & lada niva, guess what won (and it wasn't a hummer)
this is legit, was done in perth.
I've owned a lot of Lada's over the years. Found them to be a good cheap 4x4. Their electricals are a big weakness in my opinion. Switchgear etc, not of good quality. I am slowly replacing switches as I can with better quality items.
Had the Alternator reco'd for $140 Aus and no hassles with trying to make another alternator fit.
Tried different carbies on the engine and in the end returned to a reco'd standard carb.
I wish there was an easy way to upgrade the brakes and give the transmission a lower first gear and lower "low" range in the transfer case.
Mychael.
I am in the market for a late model Niva, but would prefer a Carbie over Fuel injection.
Does anyone have info on this regarding the models suplied to Aus / NZ?