RE: SOTW: Lada Niva Cossack
Discussion
Denorth said:
it won't. They change customs fees and it would cost maybe $3-4K to make customs clearance.
I don't believe they will all go via "official" channels.Remember a few years back all the Rivas being exported back - it hit news headlines.
wikipedia said:
After Lada (UK) ceased operations in 1997, the remains of the British network of Lada dealers were serviced by Lada (France). Ladas rapidly disappeared from British roads. They had minimal second-hand value in the UK and a re-export market for Russia developed: many UK- and Irish-registered Ladas were sold back to Russia (especially by Russian trawlermen), to be stripped for spare parts or to be sold to Russian buyers who appreciated the cars built to better export specification than cars sold on the Russian market. Many Ladas returned to Russia by ship through Latvia and Lithuania where enterprising mechanics changed the right hand drive to the left hand drive for about USD 500-600 and then shipped them back to Russia for second-hand resale.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lada
was8v said:
Denorth said:
it won't. They change customs fees and it would cost maybe $3-4K to make customs clearance.
I don't believe they will all go via "official" channels.Remember a few years back all the Rivas being exported back - it hit news headlines.
wikipedia said:
After Lada (UK) ceased operations in 1997, the remains of the British network of Lada dealers were serviced by Lada (France). Ladas rapidly disappeared from British roads. They had minimal second-hand value in the UK and a re-export market for Russia developed: many UK- and Irish-registered Ladas were sold back to Russia (especially by Russian trawlermen), to be stripped for spare parts or to be sold to Russian buyers who appreciated the cars built to better export specification than cars sold on the Russian market. Many Ladas returned to Russia by ship through Latvia and Lithuania where enterprising mechanics changed the right hand drive to the left hand drive for about USD 500-600 and then shipped them back to Russia for second-hand resale.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LadaIt is different now.
I hate to be such mood killer, but it's not worth hustle to bring it there. I know this cause I lived there for many years.
300bhp/ton said:
thewheelman said:
Again, you're wrong. As i had the same tyres he had on his s
tbox Lada as i did on my Defender, & i had no problems what so ever. I was for ever pulling his stbox out of situations that my Defender just went through.
That proves little. All it says that it was either driver or something was broken.tbox Lada as i did on my Defender, & i had no problems what so ever. I was for ever pulling his stbox out of situations that my Defender just went through.The only time a Defender would have had a real advantage would maybe be ground clearance or a severer axle twister (although Defenders aren't good here either).
Did you try swapping vehicles at all? Maybe suddenly the LR would have started get stuck everywhere?
I'm not trying to diss your observations either, but step back and look at it from a mechanical point of view.
A LR splits power via a locked centre diff (Diff Lock) and sends equal power to the front and rear axles via the prop shafts. Each axle has an open diff and also sends power to each wheel.
Open diffs mean should you lift diagonally opposite wheels off the ground you'll be stuck. And in slippery conditions even with all 4 wheels on the ground it may not spin all of them at the same time. This is perfectly normal.
The Niva also has a transfer box with a Diff lock, so when locked it too sends equal power to both front and rear wheels. Each axle again has an open diff, so it does exactly, 100% the same thing as the Land Rover does.
I guess it's possible that your "mate" simply selected low range and either didn't engage diff lock or the mechanism was broken so that it wasn't engaging correctly. With an open centre diff, a 4x4 will quickly become a 1wd vehicle on surfaces like wet grass, mud or heavily rutted terrain.
The only other real difference is the Niva has IFS, so is likely to flex less than a Defender and be more prone to becoming axle twisted. However IFS would have had zero affect on ability on a flat grass field.
BTW I own landcruisers: 1979 FJ40, 1984 FJ45, 1983 FJ60, 1992 LJ79, an LN 107 hilux, 2004 Shogun DID, Jeep willys, a ser 1, ser 2, and a 300 TDi Defender 90 =)
Denorth said:
I hate to be such mood killer, but it's not worth hustle to bring it there. I know this cause I lived there for many years.
I stand corrected My experience is that I recently sold a rusty Vauxhall (Isuzu) pickup truck to an Eastern European man for well over the asking price of this Niva - he told me his boss exported them to Egypt or Russia and mine was likely to be going to Russia.I really enjoyed mine, I see some occasionally around in Cambridgeshire and think it would be useful to get another. A really useful vehicle, not refined, but never intended to be. Compared to the Discovery I was running as a daily driver at the same time it felt like a sports car in comparison as it was so low slung, although only in straight line performance if using low range on the road.
The main limitations of it were poor quality materials (it was cheap after all), the low range wasn't that low (60 mph possible in high 5th, before I decided to easy off for mechanical sympathy). The high low range emphasised the engines comparative lack of low range torque.
I found it impressive that they managed to package a longitudinal engine drivetrain in the same length as a 90s Fiesta. Access to some engine components was awkward.
The starting handle was very useful when the starter failed, but you had to ensure nobody parked too close to you.
The main limitations of it were poor quality materials (it was cheap after all), the low range wasn't that low (60 mph possible in high 5th, before I decided to easy off for mechanical sympathy). The high low range emphasised the engines comparative lack of low range torque.
I found it impressive that they managed to package a longitudinal engine drivetrain in the same length as a 90s Fiesta. Access to some engine components was awkward.
The starting handle was very useful when the starter failed, but you had to ensure nobody parked too close to you.
grammalta said:
300bhp/ton said:
thewheelman said:
Again, you're wrong. As i had the same tyres he had on his stbox Lada as i did on my Defender, & i had no problems what so ever. I was for ever pulling his stbox out of situations that my Defender just went through.
That proves little. All it says that it was either driver or something was broken.tbox Lada as i did on my Defender, & i had no problems what so ever. I was for ever pulling his stbox out of situations that my Defender just went through.The only time a Defender would have had a real advantage would maybe be ground clearance or a severer axle twister (although Defenders aren't good here either).
Did you try swapping vehicles at all? Maybe suddenly the LR would have started get stuck everywhere?
I'm not trying to diss your observations either, but step back and look at it from a mechanical point of view.
A LR splits power via a locked centre diff (Diff Lock) and sends equal power to the front and rear axles via the prop shafts. Each axle has an open diff and also sends power to each wheel.
Open diffs mean should you lift diagonally opposite wheels off the ground you'll be stuck. And in slippery conditions even with all 4 wheels on the ground it may not spin all of them at the same time. This is perfectly normal.
The Niva also has a transfer box with a Diff lock, so when locked it too sends equal power to both front and rear wheels. Each axle again has an open diff, so it does exactly, 100% the same thing as the Land Rover does.
I guess it's possible that your "mate" simply selected low range and either didn't engage diff lock or the mechanism was broken so that it wasn't engaging correctly. With an open centre diff, a 4x4 will quickly become a 1wd vehicle on surfaces like wet grass, mud or heavily rutted terrain.
The only other real difference is the Niva has IFS, so is likely to flex less than a Defender and be more prone to becoming axle twisted. However IFS would have had zero affect on ability on a flat grass field.
BTW I own landcruisers: 1979 FJ40, 1984 FJ45, 1983 FJ60, 1992 LJ79, an LN 107 hilux, 2004 Shogun DID, Jeep willys, a ser 1, ser 2, and a 300 TDi Defender 90 =)
These are very capable off roaders but truly awful for going any distance at any speed. I bought this one about 10yrs ago for green laning and club events and it never once got me stuck or let me down in all the years I had it. Repairs were peanuts too until the tin worm became too much of a problem to keep at bay!
ivantate said:
Great little off roader, the RangeRover link is help by the fact the rear suspension design is very similar. I should imagine it has about the same thirst too.
More capable that an SJ and on the right terrain as everyone with an ounce of experience knows in the right conditions they can runs rings around the bigger stuff.
Looks tidy enough but £900 might be a bit steep.
On the right terrain and in the right conditions I can run rings around you on a MTB, but how often will those two stars aline?More capable that an SJ and on the right terrain as everyone with an ounce of experience knows in the right conditions they can runs rings around the bigger stuff.
Looks tidy enough but £900 might be a bit steep.
Edited by Munich on Sunday 16th October 12:25
"100% solid Barn find classic" of this rarity anyone?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LADA-NIVA-COSSACK-4X4-OF...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LADA-NIVA-COSSACK-4X4-OF...
HON2A said:
"100% solid Barn find classic" of this rarity anyone?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LADA-NIVA-COSSACK-4X4-OF...
Certainly not worth the money. (Buy it now for £2000! no chance!) Having sat for 16 years with seized brakes and god knows what else, and with the poor availability and cost of replacement parts, I would not want to pay more than £500 to take it of this person's hands, even if I was a keen spannerist. Also - I;m not a fan of some of the aftermarket trim and additions, those wheels are awful!http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LADA-NIVA-COSSACK-4X4-OF...
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