1993 Lada Samara review from Australia and New Zealand
"East European sports car!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Alternator failed twice.
Brake leaks x 5.
Choke fell off.
All plastic interior parts prone to breakage.
Clutch not super-heavy duty.
1st gear synchros fragile.
General comments?
Cheap to buy, cheap to run (1L/10km), drives OK, not a lot of room for lowering with standard suspension. Goes much better with a free flow muffler.
Also crashes well, the thick Russian metal saved my life in a roll-over!!!
Could do with a better gearbox, then you could do some serious engine mods.
Still the butt of many jokes...
Recommended reviews
| Fantastically cheap and easy to look after, but you might need to get your hands dirty! |
Bargained car with loads of space inside, but with some regular engine problems |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1993 |
| First year of ownership | 1993 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1996 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5 carby Manual |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 26 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 70000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Toyota Corona |
| Date of Entry | 2nd February, 2001 |