"TFen" (tfen)
03/13/2015 at 21:43 • Filed to: None | 0 | 16 |
There's a 1993 Niva for sale locally. It has ~120,000km and the guy wants $1600 for it. Would I be a complete idiot attempting to daily it?
I'm working in the Oil Patch for the summer and need a cheap and cheerful 4x4 to get me around town and to jobs from time-to-time. I usually take or get rides in the company trucks, but having my own vehicle would enable me to pick-up some sweet, last minute overtime. We also get paid $1 per KM when we take our own vehicles out (most jobs are 300-600km round-trip)
I've been looking at getting a decent Ranger, S10, or Jeep TJ for ~$5000 - but stumbled upon this Niva and got really excited. I've always wanted one and this example seems pretty decent.
I'm just not sure if the 4x4 system in the Niva, mated with the 4cyl motor would be up for the challenge - the logging roads we use get incredibly muddy and treacherous, at times.
S0, are there any Opponauts out there with real world Niva experience?
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
thebigbossyboss
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 21:53 | 1 |
Gogomoro DD's a niva. He lives in saskatchewan though. SK>>>>>> AB
Deel with that.
RustedSprinter
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 21:54 | 0 |
Lada Niva are cool!
Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 21:55 | 0 |
I don't see why not, them being dirt cheap + same design for decades.
TFen
> thebigbossyboss
03/13/2015 at 21:56 | 0 |
Most of Alberta is a shit hole, but the oil money is too good to pass up at the moment.
I recently spent a week in Banff, though and it's beautiful there. Same with Jasper.
Although I've never been to SK, I can't imagine it's all that great lol.
I grew up in the GTA and am relocating to BC when I'm done my oilfield stint.
RustedSprinter
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 22:05 | 0 |
You can ask Putin. He drives one.
TFen
> RustedSprinter
03/13/2015 at 22:06 | 0 |
Yeah, he hasn't returned any of my calls, though...
It could be because my Great Grandma was Ukrainian.
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 22:07 | 0 |
If you don't have another car to drive I would not buy a Niva. It's a Russian car so it will have a shoddy build quality. It's a Russian car so it will break down. It's a Russian car so parts will not easy to find. It's a Russian car.
RustedSprinter
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 22:08 | 0 |
Dammit! Now we will never know the true secrets of DDing a Niva.
thebigbossyboss
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 22:14 | 0 |
I am from BC. I have lived in Ottawa (cold as all fuck) for 10 years. I hope to relocate to sk soon. I love calgary and would move there if I could but I am a rather specialized field so it's difficult.
MM54
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 22:40 | 0 |
I would really like one of these some day. That said, I don't know that I would trust a 20-year old Russian car to be my only transportation. Even if you have people who can pick you up now and then, parts will be very difficult (and thus slow) to get, which may be an issue.
Telumektar
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 22:51 | 0 |
It's supposedly one of THE most capable cheap off-roaders one can buy, that said I'm sure you could get a much newer one, with the Bosch fuel-injected 1.7, for just a little more. They are still being produced in Russia after all (albeit with some minor styling modifications).
From what I heard they are not that great for doing lots of miles in one stint as their on-road capabilities are par to those of any other seventies off-roader, with permanent hi-lo 4x4 and three locking diffs.
greasemonkey235097
> TFen
03/13/2015 at 23:06 | 0 |
In Colombia South America they swear its the toughest vehicle around, easy, cheap to fix, just not the most comfortable or ergonomic.
pip bip - choose Corrour
> TFen
03/14/2015 at 07:58 | 0 |
the further you drive it off road the better they get.
Luc - The Acadian Oppo
> TFen
03/14/2015 at 08:56 | 0 |
Wait a minute were are you located? I'm also in Strathcona County (Fort Saskatchewan).
He's had the samara for sale for a while.
http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/guys-guys-guys…
there is also another Niva cruising around in fort sask.
http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/you-dont-see-t…
And if you are wanting to brush up on your Lada history
http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/lada-the-canad…
also here is a video of that guys Samara.
TFen
> Luc - The Acadian Oppo
03/14/2015 at 14:57 | 1 |
Thanks for those links. That video of the Samara was pretty entertaining.
I'm located in Edson at the moment.
gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
> TFen
04/27/2015 at 23:41 | 0 |
I wish I’d seen this sooner! I’ve been really busy the last couple months and just moved back to Manitoba... Stumbled across your post on a google image search.
It’s true, I daily drive a Niva. Picked it up about a year ago for$1000, with 45,000 km on the clock. It was neglected pretty bad, and doesn’t run the best, but the only time it’s left me stranded was when the starter solenoid exploded at the bottom of a coulee. And I mean exploded. Cracked it in two and spat its windings out. This wouldn’t be an issue if the PO hadn’t misplaced the crank-start handle.
But yeah, I haven’t even been late for work because of it. That’s not to say nothing’s gone wrong, but if you buy things online and do your own work, finding parts won’t be a problem, and they’re not bad to work on, either. Shoot me an email, [my username ]@gmail.com if you have any questions.