Real Road Test: Lada Riva Estate! VAZ 2104

[@Turnbull50]

I like the way you treat all cars as individuals with there own character and not just how they drive

[@vikingraiders4138]

It's really strange, but somehow, I find this car more endearing and interesting than, a Million Pound Supercar, reviewed by a chinless wonder living off daddy's money.

[@rollingtroll]

That makes us equally strange.

[@huntsbychainsaw5986]

Completely agree.

[@tenacious3911]

That's because it is, ordinary cars always have far more interesting stories to tell than supercars that live in heated garages and get used twice a year. I never thought of Ladas as particularly unusual because quite a few local people had them where I grew up because they were rugged and cheap. This is why I think it was a mistake that BL discontinued the Morris Ital, because there was still a market for cheap and easily maintained load-luggers.

[@vikingraiders4138]

@The Stig's English cousin Hi guys I'm Shmee is particularly smug and self serving, especially with the lego hairstyle.

[@huntsbychainsaw5986]

@@tenacious3911 It is a shame that the utilitarian models of all most every manufacturer is dissapearing. All most always under the excuse of it not being profitable enough, meaning that they can't inflate the price as much.

[@Prokifiev]

My Dad had a few Ladas over the years...but the one that we loved was the Riva 1500. I think is was a de-luxe model as the grill was square, there were head lamp wipers, headrests on both front and (I think) rear seats and a big arm rest in-between in the back seats. He used to say his Lada had "Rolls-Royce" features. Thanks for this, all the best and RIP my old man.

[@terrytezzbigtel]

Mine did as well. He let me drive one of them around a field the day before it got scrapped. Good memories of camping holidays

[@grahamwood654]

😄😃😉😄😁

[@jwserge]

And mine did not: all the ladas were exported to yours...

[@mikes747]

My dad had a bright orange 1.3 gl with a brown vinyl roof back in the 80's that we called Garfield! It was our first newish car and we loved it. The main dealers were brilliant for the day and would come and collect your car and leave a replacement at every service!

[@danentwisle8885]

Reminds me of early 1990s Hull. 90% of the taxis were white Rivas. Add a beaded seat cover, a cracking 2-way radio and the smell of Brut for that authentic trip up Beverly Rd experience. Headlight wipers always seemed such a decadent capitalist luxury on a communist car.

[@Zadster]

Weren't there fields / old RAF bases full of Ladas just outside Hull? Or am I confusing it with Grimsby.

[@rich_edwards79]

@@Zadster yep, all waiting for the boat ride home to the motherland once we were done with them.

[@rikidiki8940]

@@rich_edwards79 unlike british cars these cars got used for something and kept doing their job unlike alegros and maestros being scraped by eldery people at 60k miles..

[@xxrs2009]

The headlampwipers where very much needed with such a steep front . Ours was always covered with flies and dead insects.

[@northof-62]

Lol, lol and LOL!

[@mmaxeator]

My uncle had this. It had a front headlamp wipers ! Undestroyable. If they made an updated version with AC I would buy it. It so simple. Step in, drive, step out. Repeat.

[@stevenwatson3963]

I have a great memory of a Lada Riva when a friends dad picked us up whilst walking home from school freezing cold in a blizzard in the mid 1980s.It was a hero car from that moment on, and oh the heater!!!!! it was awesome.I never took the mick out of it again!! most welcome sight seeing a Lada Riva warmed up in a blizzard with a driver shouting "get in".

[@GBUK01]

Unless you're the Skripal's, then a warm Russian car is about as welcoming as Myra hindley's mini !!

[@arthurfarrow]

When my Mini failed its first MOT, in about 1980, due to its rotten floor, perforce, i bought a Lada. At the time, Lada offered a £500 trade-in on any car with a current MOT. The advent of the Lada into my life was one of the few occasions when i appreciated having taken Russian O level, as the instruments, and the handbook, were in that language. I was amused to see that the anti freeze water to glycol ration went down to -40 degrees centigrade. The car encouraged a relaxed driving style, as the neither the gearbox or the engine responded well to being hurried: the Lada was a majestic battleship rather than a nimble destroyer. The engine was simple on which to work, and the there was plenty of space to reach everything under the bonnet. The comprehensive tool kit was the size of a bath mat, and i still have most of the tools, as they are of good quality. As you experienced, the heater was ferocious. You could have driven around in your underpants in the depth of winter. There was space for a second battery, i assume, for low temperatures. The huge Voskhod battery started the engine instantly. The steering was a little imprecise, like a Fifties or a sixties car. I think the steering might have been worm and roller.

[@Eunos]

Back when I was a kid Ladas were actually a pretty common sight on the road in my area..How times have changed..It may not be the most stylish of vehicles but there is still something quite charming about it :)

[@corvair140]

Used to work at a Lada main dealer. Had one as a company car...LOL much micky taking was had, but hey, I had a free new car and all my mates either had an old banger or no car at all.

[@jusb1066]

yes every car review that says 'car is bad' should be forced to walk the same distance they drove it in british 'summertime' aka crap weather

[@p166mx]

My dad always had Ladas, they were terribly unreliable but were run into the ground. My mates used to always poke fun but my dads Ladas were usually several years newer than my mates cars. I always had a soft spot for Ladas and it is a real shame they have gone. I have never driven one but would love to drive one and see how it compares to my 67 plate Skoda.

[@SilverfoxJB]

I'd prefer the old banger or even better a motorbike.

[@martinrule1569]

Me too buddy. Bright red Riva E.

[@theslowlaneadventures9029]

I worked in a lada main dealer too. The Riva was crap, constant warranty claims galore, timing chain tensioners failing and heater water valves... The Samara 1500 was miles better than a Riva, by lada standards anyway.. I drove a 1967 Morris Oxford in those days and it drove way better than any Riva..

[@test143000]

Yep. I lived in USSR/Russia till 2008. My father bought this model in 1990, stopped driving it around 2000 and scrapped around 2010 when a local council started to complain about a disused car occupying a parking lot. It had 1300 cc engine (I guess 60 hp). I learned to drive in this car.

[@megachungus2635]

My Great Grandad had one of these, same colour but it was the saloon one. Used to go bombing around the town with it to the shops. Ran as sweet as a nut. Anyways, he died when I was about 12. And when he passed the car got offered to everyone who could drive in the family. For free too. And not one person wanted it. Was such a damn shame. A free car, and everyone passed on it as it was a Lada. Being 12, for reasons I wasn't allowed the car, which was also a shame. The car got sold for like £200, and the rest is history. Good memories though, it was his pride and joy that car. He kept it for years, pristine in his garage. Brings back memories.

[@M6GOF]

This car is as peak HubNut as you can get - and never before have I seen a car suit someone so well. You MUST get your hands on a Niva Cossack 4x4!

[@EdgyNumber1]

I agree HubNut when the Niva 4x4's were launched here they were more advanced than Land Rovers of the day. Coil springs all round, permanent four wheel drive and monocoque shell. If would be interesting to see a back to back comparison.

[@lukem9962]

dont forget the hussar i have one and they could be rarer than a cossack because people choose to save them not the poverty spec hussar

[@Retro_Rich]

A convertible Lada? Is that a skip? No of course not that was the Disastra rag top.

[@shebbs1]

@@EdgyNumber1 Yes, despite American claims that the Cherokee (1984, if memory serves) was first, the Range Rover and Niva pre-date it, with the Niva being unitary from the start.

[@EdgyNumber1]

@@shebbs1 Well here's a rare one. Who here remembers the Dacia Duster from the 90's or the Rocksta (with suspension so bad, even the distributor had to modify it to make it more acceptable)

[@skodakatie7341]

Lada along with Škoda are my two favourite car brands of all time, when I passed my driving test in the early 90’s, this was my dream car, and despite pleas from my dad, it was the only car I wanted, so after visiting a local Lada dealership my parents bought a brand new one for me, it only cost £3995 on the road, half the cost of a Ford Fiesta at that time, I excitedly took delivery of it on 2/1/1993, and can still remember the registration number, K374 FWE, it came with an awesome toolkit and was exactly the same colour as this one, but a 1.5E saloon, l loved that car so much and was very proud of it, this video really is a trip down memory lane for me, the sounds of the ultra reliable engine, the practical interior, and all of the little idiosyncrasies of this oh so cute car, take me right back to being a 17 year old girl in the early 90’s proudly driving around in my first car, and my dream car!!!.

[@kevinsmith6269]

Wow you're so lucky to have had a brand new Riva for your first car, really kind of your parents too, what a lovely story! I'd have loved a Riva or Samara for my first car but by the time I past my driving test in 2000 at 17 the vast majority of Ladas had been shipped over to Russia. The only cars I could find left here were just totally rotten and needed so much welding. My parents bought me a used MK3 Fiesta, it was a 1.1 Quartz just over four years old and I loved that car :) I love the Riva though, it just has so much utilitarian charm and I love the simplicity compared to todays cars. How long did you have your Riva and what happened to it in the end?

[@skodakatie7341]

Kevin Smith I had it for 3 years, I traded it in to the dealership I bought it from in as new condition with only 11000 miles for a black Samara 1.3L which was lovely, but didn’t have the retro charm of the Riva.

[@Alex462047]

My first car was a 1987 2105. Registration PY3038 (New Zealand).

[@Darwinion]

My first car was a Lada 1200ES, "V" reg with the round headlamps. Also had a sky blue Riva saloon later on. Neither car let me down and I didn't really look after them if I'm honest. Very good workhorses for basic transport. Hate it when snobs lambast them just because they were cheap.

[@MeMe-qr3go]

My friend's dad had three Rivas back in the 80s and early 90s. He never had any problems with them at all. One of the reasons people got rid of them at relatively low mileage was that they developed a timing chain rattle which was a surprisingly easy fix that wasn't widely known about. The timing chain just needed adjusting. All you had to do was park the car on the level with the handbrake off, slacken a bolt on the side of the block, put it in 4th gear and push it backwards a couple of feet. Then you tightened the bolt and you were good to go. It actually meant you could buy a Riva extraordinarily cheaply and have a decent reliable car for next to nothing. That is if you could handle being the butt of everyone's Lada jokes. The Lada 1.6 engine actually had a higher horsepower rating than many of the 1.6 engines of the day. I also knew a guy who used to rally Rivas. They were so tough that most of the time when he crashed it, the damage wasn't much more than cosmetic. He had a purpose made manifold to take twin 40 Webber carbs. The Russians were always good at building tanks.

[@NytZor]

I love my 2105. Started it in -20c after sitting for a week now, purred like a kitten from the first rpm. Mine has no play in the steering, and the brakes are even. Lovely little car!

[@descendantsofgrayskull1914]

The bullying at school I got for my parents owning a Lada Riva was unreal. Yet it never let us down engine wise.

[@carlmorgan8452]

Who cares as long as you get where you're going

[@TK42138]

If ever a car summarised the saying 'it does what it says on the tin', this would be it. You have to admire its honesty.

[@davidjames2910]

It's a very effective, functional car which is what it was made to be. In the 1970s the Lada was relatively decent, in the 80s it was old-fashioned and, by the 90s, it was ancient compared to what else was available.

[@saintfunny]

Probably the most crashed car in Russia judging by the various dash cam videos on here..🤦‍♂️

[@jusb1066]

nah, they crash EVERYTHING in russia

[@co_nut_co_nut]

Jusb1066 Yeh even axes

[@grantmarshall3026]

Most ladas in these dashcam videos fare much better in a crash than western euro boxes 😉

[@goclunker]

sugar magnolia lol are you blind? They are 90% instant fatality 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@saintfunny]

@@goclunker Have to agree, the engines tend to end up in the cabin after a head on. 😑

[@keithfletcher6123]

My mum had a 1986 D Reg estate in deep blue ... it was just shite ... but in a way that you like shite ... hard, gnarly, everything just scratched you or bit you when you went near it ... gearbox was errr positive ... it bit back .... seats were just like an Ikea pillow ... and that door slam & door handles ... just terrible ... random switch location, massive pedal travel ... HUGE wheel and massively keep fit steering - almost impossible to park without (literally) assistance, and had absolutely no positive direction on the road. It sat well next to my Dads Skoda Estelle ... hot gravel for breakfast ... etc. And had a weird shunt when you changed gear like the engine was mounted on balloons with a prop shaft made of liquorice ... its bringing back some weird memories ... there were tears when that tractor went (lie) ...

[@rydermike33]

Had a friend who had all kinds of cars from Mk2 Jags to Capris and Saabs. He bought a Lada from almost new and loved it! Good review thanks Ian.

[@BarryAllenMagic]

The joy you'd get in one of these reversing off your drive in thick snow; whilst neighbours either side spent half hour digging out their new Audi computers on wheels!

[@ianwatkins9602]

Exactly....they did the job well.

[@theelectrichobo829]

A simple but honest car...thank you for the awesome review comrade!

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

2107 is the fancy model !

[@lucasbarton1773]

There is only 49 of these left in the country, well done on owning one!

[@Glenni91N]

I live in Norway, so these aren't super common anymore. But I saw a really nicely kept one in my city earlier this summer. Red paint, all the chrome was nice and polished, nice rims, slightly lowered etc. unlike all the bland crossovers and SUVs around it, it just looked like a nice, charming old sedan. it stood out parked in the street.

[@alexanderguesthistorical7842]

My Dad had one of those in the 80's. In cream. The estate version, lust like the video. My Dad, stepmom brother and two stepbrothers all used to go on holiday to Pontins every year. Six of us all crammed into that thing! Plus luggage on the roof rack. Dad made me a "dickie" seat to sit in the boot, facing backwards. Then he found out the Riva's crash test results. I didn't have that seat for long.. Always remember sitting in it on the hard shoulder of some motorway somewhere looking back down the motorway at my Dad running in and out of the traffic picking up the clothes that had flown out of the luggage when they fell off the roof rack! Soon as he had any money whatsoever he got a Fiesta. Memories....

[@jasejj]

Always annoys me when people say Ladas are crap. They were carefully engineered to survive in very harsh climates, and the design proved itself more than up to the task. They are reliable, rugged and the engines keep dragging themselves along for far longer than most 1960s designs. They go where most Western vehicles to this day will fail. It is hardly surprising that refinement and economy went out the window to achieve this. All design is compromise, and I think the Lada guys did very well with the Riva. So they drive like a van, so what!

[@MrTangolizard]

Jason J reliable ? Did you hit your head they were notorious for breaking down

[@jasejj]

@@MrTangolizard Reliable in the sense that they would start and go in stupidly harsh conditions. The engines were not unreliable anyway. They were neglected by Western buyers because they were cheap.

[@MegaDirtyberty]

​@@MrTangolizard Any car can break down, thing is these could be fixed on the side of the road, try doing that with a modern motor, no you have to get it towed to a garage and pay to get it fixed $$$. Get a flat tyre, poke a can of gunge in it ie no jack or spare tyre, take it to a tyre shop and pay for a new tyre cos the tyre shop said the gunge knackers the tyre. Cars like this .... bung on the spare tyre and bob's ya aunty.

[@MrTangolizard]

Jason J they were not neglected at all both my father and brother were mechanics at the time when these were out they were famous for breaking down my father was always working on them they were terrible cars

[@MrTangolizard]

MegaDirtyberty so your comparing a modern car with a car with technology from the 60s why not compare it with a 60s car which u could fix as well but btw I owned a modern Toyota Prius a couple of years back and I ran it to 300k miles and not a single thing broke on it (service items obviously) but not a single repair was needed

[@rosscog8797]

This is the best. 18 minutes devoted to a Lada Riva. This is why I subscribe to the channel. Brilliant stuff

[@jusb1066]

i have the same clock/mirror, ive had it since my first car in 1988, and its now fitted to my aygo!

[@taketimeout2share]

I had an immaculate FSO saloon back in 1990 which I got for £400. My boss bought it for his daughter who refused to drive it. So I got it. It really was in perfect condition so a bargain. I used to drive from Leicester to Dartmouth to do lead roofing restoring Kingswear castle. That's a round trip of around 500 miles every week. Reliable and practical. In fact I got more people admiring it than almost any car I have had since. It was a peach. EDIT : Oh yeah.Nearly forgot! it had four headlights. Extremely cool. (only two wipers I'm afraid).

[@hpvhomebuilder]

Having owned a couple these in the past, I loved these cars, my 1600 lost a rear wheel driving out of Blackpool.. It ended up with all four wheels held on with three wheel nuts I used to tighten them up once a week. Ahh those were the days.

[@philiplindley7384]

Are you sure that wasn't Blackpool's fault and not the car?

[@robsterbob580]

I saw an Allegro lose a wheel once. They don't make cars like that anymore, thank goodness!

[@blobby273]

I had use of my dads LADA back in 93 and I have to say I really loved its simplicity I always remember the smell of new plastic and PVC seating his was a Burnt orange colour .

[@ferrumignis]

_a burnt orange colour_ Before or after he set fire to it?😁

[@MrGGinblack]

Just very nice basic motoring with lots of character. Lada rules!

[@skinnedknuckles2444]

It's funny have some cars age gracefully. I remember my geography teacher having a blue Riva saloon with a black vinyl roof. I used to think "How embarrassing". This was the early 2000's. Now I think they're absolutely bloody cool! Can't find one for toffee. Even slightly clapped out one's fetch more then a grand. And the Riva SLX. Top of the range! Either way. I love them now.

[@LeifDjurfeldt]

I drive a 2107 daily. Has done so the last 12 years!! Absolutely love my lada

[@alexwens6779]

Hello i drive a 2106! Cool car

[@AzikinSin]

@@alexwens6779 lol I live in Russia and watch this car everyday and idk how can you love it, it's only benefit that it is cheap

[@marcusdelakore7649]

@@alexwens6779 if it broke down, where do you get the parts?

[@Moraren]

Same here! What a fun little car!

[@Ritefita]

I just saw clean and fresh 2104 for the first time) I never saw it has a little trunk curve like RR suv) My dream of 2102 came back. Omg. There are few under $1000 here in SPb. Crazy cheap for such a rare beauty!!!!!

[@superbracey]

When I was an 8 year old child in 1990, my dad replaced his 1979 Austin Allegro 1500 LE that blew it's 5 speed gearbox with a 1985 Lada Riva 1300 GL saloon in beige, complete with brown vinyl roof. Because of the font used on the 1300GL badges on the rear wings, I thought it looked like BOOGLE. The rear window mechanisms packed in and the windows were jammed up with dolly pegs. As I approached high school age, I was glad of my dad's decision to replace the Lada with a Mk2 Cavalier Sri - it was like a supercar in comparison. I didn't 'get' my dad's choice in cars and my mum hated driving it. But now, as a purveyor of all things old, I can appreciate the appeal of a BOOGLE.

[@stevieboyNI]

Tea, feet up and Hubnut reviewing an old Lada.. Heaven

[@mrquordlepleen]

My dad had one of these, used, in the early 80's; before that had a Granada Ghia, 3 litre auto, 'R' reg -77? He got rid of it got a pale blue Niva with brown vinly roof and really snazzy alloys. Bought it from the local Vicar. It was, I suppose, a top end model and pristine. Two things I remember about it. 1) Incredibly heavy and vague steering. 2) A 30+ piece tool kit as standard. Truth is, itnever went wrong. For all it's shortcomings, I loved it. Oh, any similarities with the Granada? Yup....vinyl roof. (I had a Hillman Avenger Tiger once; had a half vinyl roof if I remember correctly.)

[@markpirateuk]

These were truly good, tough & reliable cars. I have owned 3 Riva's and a Samara (rubbish). the last one I owned was 3 years old with 14k on the clock, I put 90k on it in 6 years, never broke down or failed to start, no electrical problems, but it was killed off by a Skoda that jumped the lights!

[@rich_edwards79]

Interesting as a 240 fan to read all the comparisons with the similarly practical and solid Volvo, given that both had their roots in the 1960s and both were discontinued in 1993. People used to make fun of those too for not being 'sporty'. Not sure why everything has to be sporty now, what's wrong with simple, understated, robust, practical, good value for money? Of course the Russian factor added to the mockery of the Lada by our idiotic media. Like the Volvo, these were kind of an anti-status symbol for practical people who prefer engineering to bling, and I like that in a car. In a world where every other person now seems to drive a leased £40k Audi, I'd rather drive something (like my 240) that garners genuine affection and sparks nostalgia (rather than annoyance at another wide boy who"s apparently forgotten where his indicators are). As you say they're now pretty much non-existent - I remember seeing a piece on TV in about 1998 about how the Russians had repatriated them all - meaning that daft prices now abound for those that remain. If you want to see what these things are capable of, have a look at 'Garage 54' on YT. My abiding memory of the Riva also involves an estate, this one belonging to a school friend, and smuggling two extra people into Drayton Manor theme park under picnic blankets sometime in the summer before our A-levels :)

[@j-medsystems7142]

Ladas were among the most popular cars in Finland in 1970s and 80s. Never driven one, but I do recognize the characteristic engine sound. Lovely memories! U don't see these as daily drivers anymore, they are more like hobby cars for summertime (or perhaps for the winter for some drifting fun).

[@ivani3237]

Even Kimi Raikonnen started with Lada !

[@popindosin228]

Greetings from Russia ! Im surprised that this passed European eco standards.

[@wwlb4970]

Электронное зажигание решает большое количество проблем карбюраторных моторов, приближая характеристики к инжекторным.

[@Knaeckebrotsaege]

I don't know if it's similar in the UK, but here in Germany cars 30 years or older can be driven on "H" license plates (for "historical") and are excluded from almost all the emissions testing stuff. In some more strict cases they have to meet the emissions standards that were active when it was built (which shouldn't be hard to do).

[@TheDeeplyCynical]

@@Knaeckebrotsaege As far as I know, vehicles in the UK only have to meet the emissions standards for the year they were built, meaning old cars don't need to comply with modern legislation regarding emissions. As long as it's not belching out smoke, you're fine

[@owenlewis8006]

They didnt, that's why lada imports stopped. Late ones like this, with a carb and catalytic converter just about met emissions regs when brand new, but keeping it that way was hard.

[@JS-1983]

Forgot to say, Ladas are/were great winter cars and that was also important thing (along with cheap price) in Finland, Russia and Baltic countries. It starts and runs great in cold and had a good powerful heater (don't know similar or different than UK). Some older Ladas with round headlights had also hand-cranck as standard on toolkit and you can start your Lada crancking by hands if battery was dead. You can also find films of handcrancking Lada from youtube.

[@error079]

You're not drunk enough to be driving a Lada, acording to my studies of russian dashcam videos. ;)

[@garymills6702]

Hic, I'll drinksi to thash!

[@Tom.J.O]

The Traditional Russian Crash = Lada + Vodka + Heavy Snow :p

[@TheDeeplyCynical]

Cyka Blyat

[@trabantadmirer9881]

Needs an ushanka

[@williamsm992]

I bought a Lada Riva Estate brand new in 1989 it wasn’t trendy or state of the art but it never let me down once in the 5 years I had it and cheap to run

[@deltafoxtrot2]

Ahh that brings back memories...I use to have a white 1500cc Lada Riva Deluxe back in the 90s, I am sure the Delux tag could have be challenged by trading standards, this had a chrome grill, plush velour red seats and front head light wipers. The head light wipers didn't touch the glass and the washer wasn't powerful enough to jump the 2cm gap to go on the glass. For some strange reason it had tubes in the radial tyres which would regularly get punctures at approximately every 300 miles, I got that good at changing them I could have worked in an F1 pit stop! At idle the engine would rev its self to the red line which was always embarrassing at traffic lights especially with another car next to you. It also liked to cut out on the motorway when it got past 65mph, it would kick back in with a cough and a cloud of black smoke after what like felt like an eternity, I think this was its eco mode? Fuel consumption was in the low to mid twenties, the window mechanism used a cable system like a cats cradle and when it broke you needed David Copperfield to fix it. I couldn't find Davids phone number or fix mine so I used planks of wood to keep them closed permanently. The boot lid would fly open when you hit a bump making the rear view mirror useless. The seats were just slabs of foam covered in velour with no support, very comfy however when we all had that shell suit craze we would all roll about like a pea in a whistle and be statically charged up for a month.. The steering lock was almost as good as a London bus and it had no power steering, I lived in a terraced street so trying to parallel park the thing was great entertainment for the whole street for about 3 hours. I sold mine to a chap that exported it back to Russia..... It was character building.. :-)

[@deltafoxtrot2]

@Amazoom I never did, it was very random, I sold it in the end.

[@brianiswrong]

I adored my 1979 lada 1500 estate that I bought in 1983 for £925 cash. It was my first car and I had it painted Porsche red by a Mates dad,had a vinyl roof fitted AND a very decedent pop up and remove sunroof (all the rage and £100 fitted). I took it to South London were a rally team were based (they rallyied ladas) and had the engine done to " fast road" with a cam,rebore,worked on valves and twin Weber 40's £800 of the queen's pounds fitted. She like a dollop of oil,but kept up with an astra GTE on the traffic lights race through Luton. Next up was the obligertry 8ft fibre glass Ariel and 4 round spots fitted to the chrome over riders and 2 square fogs fitted below the bumper. I fitted wider (175 /13 tyres). I kept her for 2 years before a mk 5 Cortina 2.0GL from crest cars in Luton caught my eye,and my bank manager agreed my first ever loan.

[@GG-hu9dn]

The 60/70s lada where almost exactly the same as the fiat , accept the lada was much stronger and lasted far longer ! They where actually very stylish as well! People knocked them but they where better built than Leyland cars I'm afraid??

[@AR-zq9hq]

IMO the 2103 actually looked better than the Fiat.

[@jh565bb]

They weren't better built than BL cars, maybe they were better built than the allegro and the marina, but most Leyland cars were pretty good. I should know I've owned two of them. The problem with BL was they made great cars, but when money was low their lower range cars suffered.

[@tonys1636]

Only because they did not have strike affected production lines which affected the quality at BL, if workers went on strike in the Soviet Union they would quickly find themselves in a work camp in Siberia. They had to be strong tough cars as the roads in Russia are still more pot holes than tarmac, if tarmac at all as many are gravel in rural areas.

[@jh565bb]

@@tonys1636 Still they were slow and crappy, you can tell by the quality of many of their European competition at the time.

[@tonys1636]

@@jh565bb But cheaper and often more reliable, would always start when the temperature was in the high negatives, for us, minus 10 or below as designed for minus 30 and below. Had a reputation for eating timing chains and tensioners but that was down to poor maintenance and not checking the tension or changing the oil on a regular basis.

[@chucky2316]

They were strong cars. A mates dad at school used to have them. Very reliable

[@tonypp.7093]

Nice video Ian. I bought and sold a lot of Ladas in the late 1980s, particularly remember the 1600es as I drove one from UK to southern Italy and back on holiday once without incident!

[@mrjockt]

My dad owned one of these, he tried to teach me to drive in it but I absolutely hated driving it, I was so glad when he traded it in for a Vauxhall Cavalier.

[@mediocrefunkybeat]

Argh. I've seen this on Autoshite a number of times and have a real hankering. When I was a kid, we had a Proton and Lada dealer at the end of our road in Gravesend. I asked Dad what a 'Lada' was when I was about 8 and his only comment was 'cheap Russian rubbish'. I think I've wanted one ever since.

[@rw1784]

Your Dad was right! (i'm from Russia)

[@fergcarter3580]

Drove a Riva Estate for years, it did over 100,000 and was brilliant.

[@321bytor]

Lovely! Had a blue one of these, terrific fun, Comrade

[@HenrysAdventures]

I drive and Lada Riva Estate and it great! Happy New Year!

[@freebird7218]

Эх родная сердцу четверочка) Сам езжу на 2107, и мне по кайфу)

[@thomasgray5406]

If you say so.

[@freebird7218]

@@thomasgray5406 Yes, I agree, this car has an ugly number of disadvantages, but I can say with confidence that this is not a killable car

[@andrewpreston4127]

Way back in 1974, as a 22 year old, someone gave me lift in a Fiat 124 Special T. ( 1600cc twin cam ), What followed was a very, very fast drive across Salisbury Plain.

[@davidanderson3425]

Absolutely superb! A true HubNut classic review. I would have loved to own the 1200 saloon with the round headlamps. A 1500 is too 'top of the range' for me. I seem to remember the Lada adverts giving a long list of all the features then at the bottom of the page showing you the price. Wonderful cars and now I want one!!!

[@PhysicsAirline]

The Lada Riva estate always makes me think of Maureen on Driving School haha. An excellent video as always!

[@stratpluslover8391]

Holy cow I hope she's still not on the road lol . I remember that show they had that blue one and she cut that car up on the slip road ha ha .

[@bentullett6068]

Oh God I remember that there are even KZbin videos on britains worst driver

[@MegaWayneD]

Didn't Lada actually give Maureen an automatic Riva? She only passed her test in an automatic I recall.

[@AsherPiesman]

Oh yeah I'd forgotten about that show

[@cresto9325]

MegaWayneD She couldn’t drive the manual Lada, so her husband had to sell it!

[@jonp5641]

Lovin the Lada! Couldn't agree more Ian when you say "particularly delicious"!

[@oojimmyflip]

in 1996 Mine went back to Russia I drove it to Portsmouth docks collected payment and watched it being lifted into the cargo hold. she had two head gaskets as the head was warped.

[@iangrice329]

Always remind me of a shrunken volvo 240 from some angles.

[@rottie007]

the door handles look a bit volvo too I thought

[@alangale5666]

They were known as the Poor Man's Volvo 240 by a lot of people.

[@tomastoth4018]

My grandpa owned a brown 2107, unfortunately, a 4-speeder, not a 5. I was learning to drive on that machine, wished it had power-steering as it's incredibly difficult to turn while stationary position in car parks.

[@ladanut275]

This is actually the 21047 - the 7 indicated the export model. Washer fluid is absent from the rear window washer because the bottle has a faulty seam... it's never worked. The Riva never got injection in the UK, they were carbed right to the end. Northern Europe and Canada got the Riva with the same single point injected engine we did in the Niva. Guessing it was due to tax that we never got them here (as 1500cc was the cut off point to take you into the most expensive road tax band back in the 90s). So this mutant creation is probably the only 1.5TBi Riva in existence. Check engine light comes on due to an issue with the vehicle speed sensor wiring... it's on my to do list. You actually stop noticing the steering wander after a while would you believe! I only ever notice it these days if I've not driven it for a few days! Motorway driving tends to see you gently nudging her back in line periodically with a sort of gentle sawing motion. The revs holding momentarily on the throttle release is an emissions management bit of the injection system to help reduce unburnt fuel entering the exhaust, so it holds the throttle open for a half second or so before cutting fuelling on the overrun (to protect the cat). Brakes always seem to wander a bit, the bias is heavily towards the front, and combined with the steering, yeah...you get used to it. The engine is indeed SOHC, chain driven with quite an odd (if visually attractive) rocker arrangement operating the valves. Lack of left foot space is a victim of the RHD conversion. Niva suffers from that equally. Rust wise I consider myself lucky...yes I've got the usual rotten wing tops, but the car is otherwise sound. It's a car which rewards you more once you're used to it. If you ever wanted a longer shot to see what you thought after a day or two, feel free to drop me a line. As you say, they're so rare nowadays that it's a shame not to share the experience.

[@987654321Edd]

In the late 90's a Lada dealer told me the single point injection was a Vauxhall system built under license...no idea if that was true or not

[@ladanut275]

@@987654321Edd it's an off-the-shelf GM made system, as fitted to a plethora of vehicles that were originally carb fed. Actually a pretty decent system to be honest which rarely gives trouble, and if you've got the knowhow it's quite tweakable.

[@bobwgower]

The brake light flashes when the hand brake is on but stays solid on when your brake fluid is low.

[@rimanjonasro7698]

Į actually had one. It was quite reliable after everything had fixed. And if that was agricultural, you should have try Moskvich, another russian car.

[@Miniorpernik]

Hahahahaha....hit the nail...

[@AntonJokela]

finally i have been waiting for one with lada. got lada 1200l myself very nice cars :)

[@TheMickvee]

I used to work with a bloke who bought a brand new Riva estate every three years. They never let him down, and he swore by them!

[@Alex462047]

Yes, they did fuel inject the 2103 1.5l motor. They also equipped the 2104 with the fuel injected 21067i 1.6 motor in later years. Also they produced them with the 2107 bonnet and grille, bumpers and instrument panel (I own one with the 1.6i motor). Excellent cars. Edit: You can adjust the steering play by turning a nut on the steering box. Keep tightening until just before the steering goes tight, then make sure that the steering isn't tight at it's extremities (worn steering box). The suspension is designed for comfort on poorly maintained roads and not much else. Just keep an eye on the front lower ball joints. If they go, the suspension collapses. You can check wear by inserting the depth measure of a micrometer into the hole on the underside of the ball joint. If the depth is more than 11.8mm, it's time to change the ball joint. Good luck!

[@TK42138]

Ironic you mentioned Ladas being exported back to Russia. When I worked at Stansted, we used to get the Russian cargo crews bringing through Ladas on pallets for loading onto the Antonov freighters back in the late 90's.

[@Prestonesfpv]

TK42138 they did the exact same thing here in Denmark, ihave seen a lot of Ladas on the deck of russian ships in Randers harbour

[@РоманАндреев-в4з]

And it's totally true. Russians did export a lot of them back home, since it was cheaper than buying a new Lada. And trim was really better than on cars for Russian market.

[@TK42138]

@@РоманАндреев-в4з It's ironic that today, the Lada Riva and Niva have a growing fanbase in the UK but back in the 1990's they were treated as a joke. Having been in a Lada Riva taxi while visiting St Petersburg, I rather like them.

[@jaggass]

Many people complained about how sparse they were but you couldn't knock them in winter.

[@tinplategeek1058]

Don't knock manual locks and wind up windows or call them old fashioned. My 2012 Peugeot 107 is all manual. Less to go wrong.

[@AR-zq9hq]

Kinda funny though, that some wind up windows have more moving parts than power ones.

[@smorris12]

Hilariously, because central locking is the norm and locks have just become a backup, they don't bother hardening the lock wafers well (or possibly at all) any more so modern door locks wear out and need replacing if used a lot.

[@paulparoma]

Of course they are old-fashioned, but far more reliable than anything electric. It's just that they are a little inconvenient, and we are spoiled by excessive comfort and convenience these days. Your 107 is a cheap-ass, bottom-of-the-line, bare-bones Toyota made in Czechia. Hence the level of equipment.

[@p166mx]

Never had any issues with those things on my cars. While they can go wrong on the Lada it was common for the windows to fall into the doors. It happened on my dads several times, oh and handles would snap. Despite being manual and old fashioned they still went wrong with the Lada. The only car I owned where I had an issue with the door locks was a Fiesta which didn't have central locking.

[@paulparoma]

@@p166mx That's a cute story, Ian. But I have never had any problems with power windows, locks or powers seats on the 12 cars that I have owned, 10 of which were American. However, my Finnish friend recently had to replace the rusted-out cable on his 5-y.o. Punto's manual window. Manuals are for losers.

[@markpitt5248]

My dad had the saloon with 5 speed gearbox and amazingly alloy wheels! It was the same colour as this one. It was pretty quick and did surprise people as my dad was willing to give it the beans at traffic lights.

[@cresto9325]

Dunno why people hated this thing, it’s a delightful motor!

[@cybair9341]

Because in the west, we have been brainwashed to hate anything Russian.

[@kittyhawk9707]

same could be said about the OLD Skodas ,.. the Rapide and Estelle

[@bentullett6068]

It was built in the cold war and anything brought from the Soviet union owned states in a western country was sneered at because everyone thought you were helping the Russian Soviet government win the war.

[@SMGJohn]

+Cybair You mean Communist, people in the west thought even Tatra's and Moskvitch were shitty cars when in reality they were amazing cars and extremely good value unfound in the entire west. The Lada is extremely cheap but you get way more for what you pay. And that is pretty much Socialism in a nuttshell, you get more than what you pay but you wont find much high end stuff in there.

[@dj_efk]

Cresto - Have you driven one? It was a 90s car that drove like a 60s one. Also people who wouldn’t buy them often hated that those who did had funded an oppressive regime (whether or not you agree with that point of view, it was a common perception at the time)

[@ivanorlan]

8:25 subtitle generator identified LADA engine sound as "Music". True yet I'm not sure gridcore is music though

[@stephenstokes8318]

The voltmeter is dancing to the tick of the indictors lol

[@garyhardwick8489]

My neighbour had several over the years when I were a lad,and I endured frequent lifts in them. He always towed a caravan with them and his first one had a 1200cc engine! Brought back all the memories of the transmission noise and the engine clatter! Nice video,keep up the good work!

[@ProjektAgnetha]

I was in Germany the other day and stumbled upon a Lada showroom. I had no idea new Ladas were still being sold in the EU. Cosmetically the new range looks pretty good with a sub-Dacia price point, but when you see the small print for emissions and energy efficiency it's staggeringly bad news. Was also surprised that you can still buy brand new 4x4 Nivas but it's the same story with the filthly emissions unfortunately.

[@nigelh4617]

Service history recorded on Dymo labels. Proper job ;-)

[@mattw8332]

I think Lada sales in the UK did end in 1997 due to emissions regs. You can still buy a Niva in Germany. I think they call it the Lada 4x4 as the Niva name was flogged to Chevrolet. Great video BTW. I wish I had a chance of a go in a Riva before the got repatriated.

[@deltafoxtrot2]

This guy imports left hand drives in the UK www.markkey.co.uk/nivacar.html

[@Ragnar8504]

In Austria the Niva's been called Taiga for ages and last time I checked (2017) you could still get a new one for around 17 kEur if I remember correctly. I didn't exactly consider that cheap, especially since literally everything (including wheels!) cost extra. 210x imports on the other hand ceased some time in the early 80s I guess, haven't seen one for ages and they were incredibly uncommon even in the early 90s. I absolutely love the volt meter needle moving in sync with the indicators!

[@ivanbennett162]

Nice car Ian I love all the older cars keep up the good work 👍

[@briansaiditsoitmustbetrue4206]

I love this... NO silly NAFF childish buttons going "BEEP" ..DIY service and low running costs.... KISS..Keep It Simple Stupid.. It is like when the Jonses next door are showing you there latest new car (They have bought on tic) and they are showing you the car and you have to PRETEND you are impressed.... Well if you press this button it goes "BEEP" ..You try your best not to yawn ... SEEN IT ALL BEFORE .. Superb video and superb car... Does what it says on the tin... Gets you from A to B EDIT..The MOT runs out on the 07th June 2019 ..Hope she gets a new MOT test OK without to much pain.. She produces an impressive 72 BHP and uses 10w-40 semi synth oil so says opie oils anyway..

[@frglee]

Henry Ford and Herbert Austin and got rich making cars that were simple, basic, affordable and reliable (for the time). I agree that so many modern cars do not score very highly in the first three areas - but with governments demanding safety and environmental standards, and the customer demanding all sorts of fittings such as a/c, 'infotainment', satnav and electric assist everything, the result is often a bloated overcomplicated overpriced box of tricks. Assisted by all sorts of easy finance and leasing scams. Round here in SW Scotland a lot of people always have had more common sense, with more practical, frugal and economical tastes. It was once Ladas and Skodas, but nowadays Dacias sell like hot cakes round here.

[@AmigaA-or2hj]

We should need more utilitarian, basic cars. Even more basic than Dacia. Not everyone wants “toys “ in their cars. Any manufacturers listening?

[@Sanpedranoazul]

We still Have Ladas in Nicaragua, a favorite!

[@jamesbraithwaite478]

Check out www.lada.ru to see what they're making now. Lada's now owned by Nissan & Renault. When you go to Croatia, I expect you'll be able to find a Lada Kalina, Granta, Vesta and the Largus.

[@marcusdelakore7649]

you forget about the best car of LADA - Priora

[@jamesbraithwaite478]

Indeed so. That's what the Russian police mainly use. It's a bit like an early Vauxhall Vectra.

[@Bob-ze1zo]

We had one of these in my childhood. I believe it was sold as the Lada 2104 here in the Netherlands. It always broke down, but it always was an easy fix. I´d buy a Lada now but only because I can fix them myself.

[@adrianmassey6673]

Enjoyed that. Would be great if you could find an FSO 125P to do a review on, and see how that compares to the Lada.

[@co_nut_co_nut]

Yes! Finally an interesting car (in my opinion)! This is so HubNut,clicked immediately after i saw notification

[@noexpensespentstudios]

That engine really does make a very appealing noise.

[@pjohnson9576]

Lada cars gave me 20 years of reliable motoring, I use to fit wheel arch liners from a Austin montego and stopped any corrosion inside the wings

[@runoflife87]

Of course this car was VERY dated even for 1980's nevertheless you also had Lada Samara, a FWD hatchback and the legendary Lada Niva.

[@samuraifool912]

I used to 'Ride Share' to the Printing Factory wiv a Guy who owned an Earlier model Lada from New. It was Basic but got us to and fro to work for years. The thing that sticks in my mind more, was The Hammer n Sickle sticker to Front and Rear. And being Called Comrade ( a lot.) In the Printing Trade in Uk. Everyone was called 'Brother' & having 'Chapel meetings' a leftover from Monks being Scribes/Printers. And Shop Stewards being 'Farther of the Chapel'. So Left wing, Ms Thatcher Destroyed us. Hence my Move to Australia..! Another Un intended Thought Dug up by HubNut..!! Thank u Brother...!! 😎

[@neilthomas9244]

It must be my age, but as time has gone on, I find the Riva quite charming.So I'm either looking at it through rose tinted specs. [or cataracts], or new cars are getting blander, anonymous and, quite frankly, beige.

[@garymills6702]

Nostalgia's always the same when looking back!

[@JohnnyPaton]

I think beige was the predominant colour that the Riva came in.

[@anthonyfmoss]

Gary Mills as they say “Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.”

[@harestoneyoutube7969]

My dad had one of these and loved it. I had the older round head-lighted saloon model after writing off my Chevette and loved it. No one would mess with it on the road. It drove well and the heating (in Scotland) was brilliant. However a local tea-leaf kept on stealing the radio from it (3 Times) Why??? Finally forced off the road when the breaks froze and I couldn't get parts anywhere.

[@happyhermit2022]

The usual answer to where is the washer fluid going ...dripping through the headlining...eventually 🙄great video thanks

[@tezfestival4009]

Had several Ladas - all ‘given’ to us. One died at 27K due to using a gallon of oil a month and the rear windows falling out. Another would lose the engine when indicating which was very entertaining :) this car also lost a sun visor as it had only one of the three screws holding it in. The best was a top of the range with the merc type grill and rear arm rest! Tuned when the idle screw fell out of the carb and replaced with a bolt with a 1 mm hole in it - putting a pin in the hole boosted power but had to be removed for MOT emissions! Brakes were shocking but sorted when some drunks tipped it on it’s side one night. The bounce when righted cured the brakes :) All were great in the snow. You can get a sump heater fitted for -40 degrees starting. Fantastic tool kits and I’m still using some of the tools. Best heater in the known universe as well 👍

[@Le_Rennais]

I remember in my youth the parents of one of my friends bought one as new (a beige one, not the estate version, but the 4 doors version). The built quality was so bad the dashboard fell off at some point

[@garymills6702]

But could be reinstalled nearly as quickly as it fell off! Unlike a modern car. They don't fall off but take an age to remove and probably longer to put back on.

[@superbracey]

I'm trying to work out if you know me, or if there's somebody else who's parents had a beige saloon.

[@Alex462047]

2104 driver here. Not sure how you get a classic Lada dashboard to "fall off", most of the screws would have to be missing and, even then, you'd have to wrestle with it. Not withstanding, they are not exceptionally difficult to restore to their proper place.

[@PetrolHeadBrasil]

In Brazil was sold as Lada Laika, until 1996!!!

[@georgekaritzis2374]

im interested in Georges opinion, how high it would score on the " Boing scale "

[@keegan773]

I had an orange one. Drove it to Wales and back on the hottest day of the year. We started to count the broken down vehicles on the M4 and gave up when we reached 100. We kept rolling along. Mine had a big red light in the middle of the dashboard, wasn’t in the book and the local dealer had never seen one before so I took the bulb out.