I would love to be able to buy something like this in the States.
Who would have thought that the Russians would ever be able get things the "free" country can't.
This one is even a Chevrolet.
Sorry, not available in the States due to the overly stringent regulations.
if there was a big enough market for things like that, they would find a way to make them legal for sale here... then they'd add 500 pounds of leather and heated/refrigerated cupholders and charge $50k for it and wonder why they don't sell.
I've never understood why the US insists on have different safety standards than the rest of the world.
It seems like something lobbyists would be all over to try to lower the cost of production since many of their benefactors are multinational companies.
My favorite topic... I'd be willing to bet the market was/IS there, because make it cheap enough and it sells. Why do think they offer all those year end discounts and rebates to move cars off the lot?
All the mandated design/safety features are a boatload of cost. The first two pics look like older vehicles, but that last one seems new enough. I'll bet it won't pass all the impact mandates and such, though - so, no dice here in nanny-land.
Oh, and I want poisoned air and water, too...
In reply to OldGray320i:
All the above are current production, vehicles available for purchase new, at dealers...in Russia.
I'm also pretty sure they all have better impact standards then my 1988 Samurai.
Emissions is the easy part. Most of that tech is done. Chevy certainly already has an engine they could drop in the Niva. It's the chassis and drive train I want. True 4WD, light, fuel efficient and cheap.
Instead we get hipster mobiles, leather clad mom mobiles or bro-dozers, all priced in the 25K-75K range.
parker
Reader
7/11/14 7:14 p.m.
That vehicle in the top picture may still be in production, but it's got to be a 50's or 60's design. When was the last time you saw external hinges?
There are plenty of cute utes like that Chevy at the bottom. We have capable platforms available here but they are loaded up with luxury features. That has nothing to do with government regulations.
I'm mildly pleased to see this isn't another thread full of JDM Skylines and stuff, at least....
In reply to parker:
External hinges? Every time I climb in this.
They were in production until the 90s.
To my knowledge, no one currently offers a true 4WD small anything. There is some AWD stuff, but no 4WD. I could be wrong. They will all be above $20K as well.
That is solely the fault of regulations, requiring manufactures to add crap to the vehicle and drive prices up.
parker
Reader
7/11/14 8:20 p.m.
Jeep Patriot can be had with a locking center diff for under $20K. It meets all the regulations. The Renegade is coming.
It can certainly be done, but there is more money to be made with luxo bloat. If the bean counters thought they could make up for it in numbers sold it would happen. I just don't think the market is big enough for a bare bones true 4x4 SUV. That's why I have a 1987 4Runner
I'm interested in seeing what the Renegade will end up like. They probably won't offer a stripped down version. Even stripped down it will have too much required crap on it.
My son's 2007 Sentra has TPMS issues. Tire shop said $60 a tire - Irvine, CA. $240? Sheesh.
We get backup cameras in '17?
Wally
MegaDork
7/11/14 8:41 p.m.
In reply to Datsun310Guy:
If you can wait looking line. I bought all four for the Fiat for $60 and free shipping off eBay.
Datsun310Guy wrote:
My son's 2007 Sentra has TPMS issues. Tire shop said $60 a tire - Irvine, CA. $240? Sheesh.
We get backup cameras in '17?
All of my (newer) cars have TPMS. Since I have multiple sets of wheels, and one TPMS sensor on the Sequoia is also bad, all of my cars also have a piece of black trim tape over the TPMS light on the dash.
Costs approximately 1 cent to fix TPMS.
Datsun310Guy wrote:
My son's 2007 Sentra has TPMS issues. Tire shop said $60 a tire - Irvine, CA. $240? Sheesh.
We get backup cameras in '17?
This is my problem. They are chasing fuel economy at the same time they add more and more junk for that fuel to haul around. I think TPMS is a outstanding option and a totally asinine regulation. Rear view cameras? Again, great option, crappy regulation.
The really sucky part? It's only going to get worse.
From the Chebby Niva wiki page
An export version with reinforced hull, 1.8-litre Opel Ecotec Family 1 gasoline engine and Aisin four-wheel drive has been under consideration since 2003. Although most of the engineering work has been completed, the release has been constantly postponed. Although the GM-AvtoVAZ considered building a new engine plant for the local production of Ecotecs, in July 2005 it was announced that the project was cancelled, along with plans for the long-anticipated "export" Niva. However, the project was revived in Fall 2006 and the "Niva FAM1" was introduced as a new trim level for the 2007 model year. The price was much higher than the standard trim, that made the project not as successful and led it to be discontinued in April 2008. Another reason was the ceasing of Ecotec engine production at the Hungarian plant.
Seems like adding all that garbage that the U.S. consumer wants killed that export
Toyman01 wrote:
Sorry, not available in the States due to the overly stringent regulations.
Looks to me like a typical cute ute CTV RAV4 whatever with a lift, knobby tires and an LED light bar. I don't see the problem if you want one, you could have it by the end of next week. I doubt it rolled off the lot like that.
In reply to Keith Tanner:
CRV/Rav4 = no 4WD and no low range. The Chevy Niva has 4WD and low range gearing.
Lots of useless luxury features fatten up profits in a hurry and with the exception of the folks around here, you can't sell enough bare bones anything to really make it worth while.
I'll admit I like power windows and A/C, but nav, cameras, and leather? No thanks.
Toyman01 wrote:
In reply to Keith Tanner:
CRV/Rav4 = no 4WD and no low range. The Chevy Niva has 4WD and low range gearing.
4WD meaning selectable? Or with no center diff? Because a Land Rover Defender could legitimately be called AWD
Low range, fair enough. I think Suzuki has the market for cute utes with low range, but I don't pay much attention to highway vehicles with it. So you could get one of theirs and jack it up. It's not regulations stopping you from having one.
Nor is it regulations stopping you from buying a Sportsmobile, which is essentially what the first pic is.
The old Lada Niva in the second pic used to sell in Canada in the 80's. I remember looking at one at a car show, I think the inner door panels were actually cardboard.
logdog
Dork
7/11/14 10:38 p.m.
You can get a stripped Wrangler with no AC, low range, solid axles, manual locks and windows along with a removable top.
People who buy new tend to opt for all the bells and whistles though.
jstand
Reader
7/12/14 6:59 a.m.
Toyman01 wrote:
In reply to parker:
External hinges? Every time I climb in this.
They were in production until the 90s.
To my knowledge, no one currently offers a true 4WD small anything. There is some AWD stuff, but no 4WD. I could be wrong. They will all be above $20K as well.
That is solely the fault of regulations, requiring manufactures to add crap to the vehicle and drive prices up.
You do realize vehicles from the 90's are approaching or are already over 20 years old?
The demise of the Chevy tracker shows there isn't (or at least around 2004) a big enough demand to support a cheap, body-on-frame, small SUV with real 4wd.
$20k isn't that expensive if you look at what it was equivalent to for something from 10 or 20 years ago. In 2004 that would be $16k, and in 1994 it would have been $ 12k.
In reply to Keith Tanner:
Priced a Defender lately? Not to mention it'll get 15mpg if you push it off a cliff. It looses on fuel economy alone.
Sportmobiles are mostly based on full size vans. That will put the fuel economy in the 10-15mpg range. They also cost stupid money.
The first picture is a UAZ Commercial. Link It's powered by a 2.7L engine that probably gets 20+mpg and cost under $15K USD new. If you tried to import them they would end up costing as much as a Sportsmobile because of regulations.
The regulations are keeping out the small, light weight, fuel efficient, simple off road vehicles. They have to add so much crap to them and pay so much money to get them tested, they aren't cost effective to import for the quantities they would sell. The three pictured above are not available for import because of regulations. Neither are these, even though the rest of the world gets them.
In reply to logdog:
That's about the best option but they are $25K and made by Chrysler. We'll see what the Renegade looks like when Fiat brings it in. I'll bet it will be in the $20+ range.
Adrift
New Reader
7/12/14 7:14 a.m.
Duke wrote:
Regulations NEVER relax.
No matter how much they try to idiot proof cars there will always be a better idiot.