Description
2004 Lada Niva 1. 7i 4x4
Very rare car in the UK these days.
3 door
104, 000km (64, 000 miles)
4 owners (3 female - including current)
MOT to 16th January 2025
Some historic paperwork including original order from Lada Freiburg (Germany). Plus lots of invoices/ receipts from over the years from German, Polish and Dutch sources. No actual service book, but one can see she has been looked after by the number of receipts etc.
Imported in 2021 by previous owner, purchased by us in York in October 2021 as the previous owner was off to Alaska(!) for work.
The car has been very reliable and, although we haven't done any off-roading at all, it performed very well in the snow as you would imagine for a Russian car. It has been garaged when not in use for each of the past four winters.
My wife drives the Lada to work on a daily basis but as her job is about to change, and increase her commute, the time has unfortunately come to part ways with this lovely little thing. Our intention was to gradually renovate the car but this change in circumstances means we haven't quite done as much as we would have hoped. We have done some significant work though, as detailed below.
Exterior
Last year the Niva had a respray in her original factory colour, the delightfully named 'Lada Peacock'. Before this we had some welding done (photos available), mainly underneath, and the whole of the underside was cleaned and painted with black underbody stonechip protection paint. The new metal was primed with rust inhibiting red oxide and then also painted as above.
The roof rack was also removed and repainted and stainless steel bolts used when it was re-installed.
We have fitted a pair of new wing mirrors with anti glare coating. These are were imported from a Lada parts specialist in Denmark and can be connected up to be heated if you wish.
Seats
We have changed the front seats prompted by an MOT failure. This issue was present when we bought the car as the drivers' seat folding mechanism had collapsed and the previous owner had switched it around with the passenger seat to get by. We changed the seats for BMW mini seats which have a very similar pattern on the fabric and are the perfect size. They also have the slide and fold function of a modern car making it easier to get into the rear seats.
'Under the bonnet'
At 90, 000km all of the oils (and associated filters) were changed. This includes engine, gearbox, transfer box and both differentials.
The radiator reserve tank and hoses and the screen wash tank and hoses were changed by the previous owner.
Our to-do list
None of this work is particularly critical and none of it prevents daily use but to be totally transparent here is a list of things we would have been doing were it not for selling:
- Temperature gauge is temperamental
- Fuel gauge also temperamental
- Headlining has a small tear, we would have replaced it at some point.
- Chrome window trim re-install (this is in the garage)
- Rear screen washer doesn't work.
- Wheel arch liners could do with replacing (there is a new set for sale by the last Lada dealer in the UK).
If you're worried about insuring it due to it being an unusual import, don't! We have just got fully comprehensive insurance with breakdown cover for £240 for the year. Having covered and average of only 3200 miles per year this wonderful little car has many years' worth of enjoyment left for the next owner.
If you're looking at a Niva then you will most likely already know of their legendary off road reputation. We haven't put this to the test but I was first drawn to these little cars when I saw one destroy an off road course and the competition at a classic car event many years ago. Where others (including Defenders) get stuck, this lightweight, short wheel based off road expert just keeps on going.
That said, it is equally happy being driven around urban roads and country lanes and, being the five speed model, can comfortably cruise at 70mph for motorway driving.
