1998 Moskvitch 214145 Svyatogor 2.0 Injection from Russia

Summary:

A loyal friend, this one is

Faults:

Gearbox jammed at 2,500 km.

Ignition coil malfunction at 25,000 km

Coolant overflow tank cracked 3 times.

General Comments:

This car is a loyal performer if you know your way around cars. It is my first car and I love it, despite that it has no power steering, power windows, or a moonroof.

A Renault 2.0 EFI engine added just the right amount of muscle to the car - it "shows teeth" even to more refined cars and can show-off from a low-start easily.

The big negative moment is the inadequate brakes - the vented front brake disks and disks at the rear would have been a better choice for a car that can make 190 km/h on a highway - standard disks and rear drums make speeds higher then 160 km/h uncomfortable.

Suspension is a simple yet durable construction, that allows you to forget about it for more than 60.000 km, even on Russian roads.

This car offers you a chance of being a mechanic yourself as it is easily repairable in the garage and the spare parts are cheap.

Handling is good - it keeps its direction easily, even on the asphalt that's developed deep tracks from heavy trucks, and it takes a lot to make it spin, even on a wet road.

It's a shame that AZLK factory in Russia, which has manufactured these cars, ceased functioning in 2002.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 11th May, 2005

27th Jan 2006, 06:41

This car was a great idea, but the ispolnenie was horrible, especially in the last few years of production. Did you hear that people steal the hoods from these cars and sell them for 7500 rubles? So you just be careful. Udachi!

25th Jan 2011, 08:00

Oh yeah! The last price on a hood was $500 (in equivalent 15000 roubles), and they just keep stealing it.