1992 Lada Niva from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

Countless auto electrical problems, most notably the electronic fuel pump died leaving me stranded kilometres from home. I had problems with the high beam headlights and interior dash and cabin lights.

Clutch wore out and cost over $700 to repair this and the donut seal at the back of the gearbox.

Radio died not long after I got the car.

The wheels rusted badly and I rolled the tyre off the rim many times.

For a 4wd the Niva had very low clearance off road.

There was a major problem with the system that returned unburnt petrol to the tank that caused the tank to overheat and evaporate the petrol and left me stranded by the side of the highway with no petrol. There was also a major petrol leak from this system.

Whenever it rained the passenger floor pan filled with water and mud.

Wow, I have never had such an unreliable car, and I have owned 9 other vehicles previous to the Lada.

I owned a 1978 Datsun Patrol and decided to downgrade to a 4cylinder 4wd as I was spending a lot of money running the 6 cylinder patrol. The patrol was only worth AU$1000 so I was unable to replace it with a more desirable Suzuki Sierra.

The Lada I ended up with was a 1992 model, but several people estimated it to be a 1970 model based on its shape and vinyl interior. The interior was rough and uncomfortable and sticky in Australian summers.

It was very unreliable and I had to have it towed about 10 times in a year due to auto electrical and other problems.

It was very slow, and I found it to rev very high at 110km/h so I tended to coast along at 90kmh on highways to conserve petrol. It lacked power off road, though I occasionally suprised people in various off road situations.

I do not recommend this car to anyone as it is a nightmare to maintain. Cost of parts were high, and that was if the parts could be sourced in the country.

The 1992 Niva you bought, probably for next to nothing, had 130000 kms. on the clock. It may have been poorly maintained and abused by the previous owner (s). Who knows. Water on the passenger`s side floor means poor sealing- probably around the front vent window. Was the rubber perished or missing? Once located, a bit of sealant fixes the problem. Clutch replacement, after so many kms. travelled, is perfectly normal. To pay $700 is excessive. Yes, electricals may on occasions, give problems - especially on a poorly maintained vehicle. I haven`t had the problems you refer to. The Niva is one of the easiest cars to maintain, and parts in Australia, are plentiful and inexpensive. Just open a telephone directory, and you`ll see Lada Parts listed. In Caboolture, Queensland, for example, a large Lada spare parts company has every conceivable part for the Niva that you can think of. So I don`t quite understand why you claim that parts are difficult to source. Perhaps, you meant old second hand parts from wrecking yards. If that`s the case, you`re right. There aren`t many Nivas in wrecking yards. They just don`t break down - if serviced and maintained regularly. Generally speaking, any make of car, is only as good as the owner behind it. Nivas can be temperamental however, and really suit mechanically minded owners.

The reason it looks like "a 1970 model", is because the Niva was first produced in the late 1970`s and its design was not changed until 1995, when a face lifted version appeared with a completely new interior (new dash, new seats, new fittings and trim), new, longer tailgate, different tail lights, 1.7L motor with E.F.I. etc. In recent years, a completely new Niva was launched. It is the result of an amalgamation with General Motors, and is called the Chevy Niva. The design is dramatically different to the old shape and looks a bit like the Kia Sportage. Personally, I like the "old" shape better. It really hasn`t dated at all, in my opinion, and looks just what a REAL 4X4 should look like - tough and rugged.

Ground clearance is nearly 10 inches at the car`s lowest point, and the Niva will traverse water 2 feet deep with ease. Not sure therefore, why you would state that the Niva "had very low clearance off road." Perhaps your car had been 'lowered' by a previous owner.

The reviewer describes a car with 180,000 kms. on the clock, which sounds like it`s been very poorly maintained. To then assert that the Niva marque, is of "very poor quality", is not a particularly fair assessment. In fact, it`s sounds quite biased. Obviously, the car was in bad condition, when it was bought with 130,000kms. behind it.

Some of the issues raised, are also somewhat curious. For example: "petrol tank overheated - and petrol evaporated" Never heard of it. The petrol tank in the Niva, is located in the rear of the car, underneath the rear seat. Furthermore, 'unburnt' petrol is returned to the motor, NOT to the petrol tank - as the reviewer states. "Electronic fuel pump"? The Niva does NOT have an 'electronic' pump. "Wheels rusted"? Did you park the car in seawater or something? Wheels do not rust on any car, unless the owner NEVER hoses and cleans off dirt and grime that may accumulate over years. "Tyres rolling off the rim"? What brand and quality of tyres are you referring" to? Were they the correct size? Or were they cheap 're-treads'? "The radio died". Nivas were fitted with Pioneer (Japanese) radios at that time (as you know). So I ask again, what has that got to do with the build quality of the Niva? Old radios do stop working eventually, you know.

Reviews are of little value, if they are based on inaccurate data, and describe vehicles that have been clearly abused, by their previous and/or present owners. Impartiality, is of-course, the most important factor in writing a review. Personally, I dismiss any "review", that clearly leans heavily to one side, or the other. Some reviewers simply 'cannot find a fault' with their vehicles. They show bias. Equally, those "reviewers", who do nothing, but destructively criticise a vehicle, are also biased - for reasons best known to themselves. Their reviews have little merit.

My first car was a brand new 1989 Niva, which I had for five years. It cost around 13k and when I sold it I got 3k back (140,000km). I loved it, but after owning it all I will buy now is Japanese. The first thing I noticed was that the electrics were all Bosch. Why? Because the originals weren't good enough and the jack didn't pass Australian standards so it too was replaced. My dealer went broke and most dealers in Sydney wouldn't touch them after their first few years. I found it easier to go to a Fiat dealer where most parts were available.

Apart form the engine, which was reliable in my five years of ownership, everything went wrong. The gearbox was the worst offender. I think the constant 4wd and poor quality box were a bad mix. The gearbox seemed to be driven into the ground by simply just driving the car. It first failed under warranty and again a few years later.

The classic design faults were the rear hatch. When it is shut it slams down hard and blows some of the rear lights. The useless headlight wipers drained the water reservoir if you used them. I guess the Russians were still learning about gravity.

All that aside it was a fantastic performer off road when it wasn't braking down.

I too owned a Nissan/Datsun Patrol (1975) too. Petrol included I think it's cheaper to run than a constantly broken down Niva.

Further to my comments (5th July), I agree that the Niva gearbox can be problematical. I had the gearbox overhauled on my previous Niva - a 1992 model after only 50,000kms. My current 1997 Niva, however, has had no gearbox problems - except that it does get noisy at high revs. The Niva has straight cut gears - like many trucks, and this contributes to the transmission noise. Another problem with Niva gearboxes is often the 5th gear. Some owners report jumping out of 5th gear. This can be due to insufficient lubrication and/or loose nut on the output shaft and/or labouring the 5th. gear, by engaging it at speeds under 80 km./hr. or so. As far as electrics go - Lada did have some problems with some of the earlier models. Switching to Bosch components made a big difference, and later models have not had any significant problems. My car has all the original electrical components e. g alternator, starter motor etc. and they`re all functioning well so far. Cheers.

Have enjoyed all the informative comments - thanks. My interest is that I've bought a 1991 Niva Cossack which is the 1st series shape, with the 1600 motor and 5 speed transmission. The kms are low; everything works OK so far (except for the heater which is disconnected) and there's hardly any rust at all.

Gave it the full valet; cut and polished the paint; fishoilened the undersides and she's looking OK!

Yes, it is noisy in the gears and fairly crude, but I love the simple solid look of it, and I'm enjoying the experience so far. Parts - early days yet, but would appreciate some recommended sources in Oz / NZ.

Cheers to all.

Looking forward to more comments.

Can`t go past Lada Parts Australasia Pty. Ltd. They are located in Queensland, Australia. Their free phone {throughout Oz) is 1800 243 245. They will send the parts to you. I`ve used them for years - for my 1997 Niva; the service is friendly and efficient, and they stock a huge range of parts for all Niva models. I believe they also have a large parts depot in N.Z. Enjoy your Niva!

I am from Canada eh, and my cousin and I found a Niva 1600 in the bush. We called the owner of the property and he said we can have it no problem. There is no keys so we had to hot wire it, but it did turn over once, (so its not seized). Since neither one of us is a mechanic we don't really know where we would start to get it running. We also don't know whether or not we can even get parts for it in Canada. We don't plan on making it road legal we just want a bush buggy. So if you do know where to get parts in Canada without importing them let us know!

This to the person in Canada with the Lada! Try Burgess motors in Quebec, they have everything you may need. Also Monte Carlo Auto located in Winnipeg will have all sorts of goodies for ya. I own a 1996 Lada Niva - needs work, but it runs well. Mostly just the body that needs attention, but if you are mechanically inclined at all, u too can own a wonderful Lada. Great for off-roading.Have surprised many people when they see my Niva comin down the track, even pullin Chevys and Fords out of tight situations. Adapt a snorkel to her for some underwater adventure. Seriously for the price of these vehicles, there great. Use mine for getting back and forth from Winnipeg to the oilfields in Alberta no problems as lond as you maintain it.

My Lada, a 1992 model. (5th Lada I've owned) has probably had more troubles (at 82,000k's) then some of the other ones I have owned. Build quality does seem to vary from car to car.

The gearbox is perfect in mine, you need to be sensitive to the 5th gear and it will be fine. Rough operators will kill it quick.

I wish the car had better fuel economy, but it is a heavy car for a small motor.

I love the constant four wheel drive, previously the reserve of only the most expensive cars. It must affect the fuel econmy a lot, but I reckon it's a good thing.

I wish the "low" range was a bit lower, also firt and fifth gears would be better a bit lower ratio also.

Electricals are "adequate" at best.

Mychael.

I get reasonably good fuel economy from my 1.7L Niva - approx 9.5L/100kms. I agree that the weight of the car, relative to its motor capacity, will affect fuel economy. What I`ve done is removed the (heavy) rear seat as well as the spare wheel (for local driving). Just removing these two heavy objects, lightens the vehicle considerably. Another hint is to ensure that the car is perfectly tuned i. e not running too rich and that the timing is correct. Use of the 5th gear is obviously recommended on the open road - but only at cruising speeds in excess of 80 km/hr. It is an "over-drive" gear and will save considerable fuel. Enjoy your Niva - the best compact 4x4 on the planet!

Dear Lada Niva owner! I live in Sweden and bought a new Niva back in 1997. I had 2 years virtual trouble free motoring with it. I live in a harsh environment where snow and sub zero temp is not uncommon for up to 6 months of the year. The Niva was simply superb. I travelled 84 klms round trip to and from work each day. I maintained it myself as it was a delight to work on. I find your description of your vehicle hopelessly inaccurate. My point being that I myself will certainly buy another and soon. Why did I sell the original Niva? Baby - and I needed something a little bigger!

Hate to say it boys.

But when we were 16 we bought 2 Nivas. $500AU.

They were fun. You could slam them into almost anything and they'd laugh it off.

You could pack all your mates in there and have a real laugh as you went over speed bumps and they rear seat fell off the mounts.

At one point our mate attempted to do a runner from the cops in one... yeah, I won't even go into details. But SURPRISINGLY they caught up to him to spite his 6km headstart.

But enough bagging. We could sit here all day and find a problem with almost any vehicle. It's what that car offers you in the end, and what appeals to the buyer.

And for me, the Lada was a good summer fun vehicle that slightly resembled a refrigerator on wheels.

But to spice it up.. I bought my 1985 4runner (AUS compliance) for $1000. And put 390,000kms on it from the previous owner who had it sitting at 340,000 when I bought it. NO-REBUILDS. NO TRANNY PROBLEMS. NO TRANSFER PROBLEMS. CARB WAS REPLACED AND THAT WAS IT.

And every time you popped the hood and looked at that hideous rusted rocker cover, you'd be marveled at how it was still ticking.

THE END.