Guys, Lada Niva or Lada Laika?
They're both for sale and pretty close to me. I drive a lot around the city and at a farm with a route beat to stuff. Which would be the best bet? (Note that I love the Laika)
Both of these seem to have nice straight bodies with no sign of rust, which is promising. I'm a little more partial to the Laika, though. They are not that bad cars, just try getting one with a 5 speed gearbox, as the 4 speed ones are real gas guzzlers. Both of them were built to handle bad roads, though it seems to me that this car has been lowered a little.
Also, check for rust. These cars can rot at the most surprising places, if you see something that's threatening the structural integrity of the car, walk away. You won't want to waste your money on something that's about to fall apart.
Check the following spots:
- The front-upper corners of the front fenders where the wheels are throwing dirt and grime
- Fender flares
- The part where the front fenders connect to the A pillars
- Underneath the windscreen
- Wheel wells
- Strut towers in the engine bay
- Door sills by the fenders
- Floor pan and the hump that is supporting the seat
- Lifting points (where the jack goes normally)
- Chassis legs
- Joints of the rear suspension
- The floor pan by the trunk - examine the nooks and crannies carefully!
- The well of the spare tyre
- Rear strut towers
- The rear valance panel
Poll