1985 Lada Riva 1500 review from UK and Ireland
"It is cheap, but cheerless it is reliable, but plain though simple to maintain"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The starter motor was replaced a year after I received the car and again a new starter motor had to be fitted in 1996.
The seats did look frayed and tired long before the verchle was disposed.
The car was also plagued with countinuous electrical faults, which was mainly due to damp getting into the electrics.
The radiator was replaced in 1998 after the car overheated on a motorway.
The engine on a few occasions required new hoses because a few split.
The bodywork looked shabby by 1996 and the car had a few body panels replaced, and eventually failed it's M.O.T requiring considerable amounts of welding.
Other than that some tires have been replaced and a few other consumable items.
General comments?
The car has been fairly reliable and has only broken down on one occasion.
It is also very cheap to buy and maintain and have found the costs of maintenance pitiful in comparison too many cars in terms of parts cost.
There are pitfalls it rusts and is noisy and slow it's handling is also something to be desired.
With this car however it is cheap and you get what you pay for.
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| Cheap, cheerless, reliable hack |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1985 |
| First year of ownership | 1990 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5 petrol Manual |
| Performance marks | 3 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 68000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 120000 miles |
| Previous car | Hyundai Pony |
| Date of Entry | 14th July, 2005 |