The Sixth One: 1983 VAZ 2106
I generally don’t post many Lada or VAZ built cars, not because of the whole Ukraine-Russia war thing that’s going on right now, but because I personally haven’t had any experience with them and wouldn’t typically recommend a car designed by Fiat in the 60s and assembled behind the Iron Curtain in the 1980s. I’m not going to say that I wouldn’t drive something that scored zero stars out of four on the Russian ARCAP safety test, because I’m certain it wouldn’t drive for a long enough period of time to put you or your family in any significant danger. Some of these were built in the Ukraine, so I guess you could paint the bottom half yellow and flex on your neighbor who just put up a homemade Ukraine flag in his window, but I feel that most people have moved on to virtue signaling about something else at this point in time. Find this 1983 VAZ 2106 offered for $10,500 in Oshkosh, WI via spaceforce metabook.
From the seller:
Anybody interested in an 83 2106? 38,000 original kilometers, beautiful condition, 1600 cc. Asking $10,500, car is located in Oshkosh Wisconsin. Car has new radiator, also have the original steel wheels and hubcaps. car originated in Rozdilna UA, 15 km from Moldovan border
See a better way to drive square? tips@dailyturismo.com
When you stop for fuel and someone inevitably asks you what you’re driving, you might want to say it’s a Toyota, Datsun, or even a Fiat if you’re bold. If you say it’s a VAZ, you’re going to be stuck there a while explaining.
Ok, DT, i gotta comment on this one.
My mom was born & raised in Finland and i have spent time there with my extended family , whole buncha of times.
Ladas were everywhere. Tho, none owned by my blood relatives. Perhaps the taint of that marque was stronger to them- living just 5 km from the Soviet, now Russian, border.
Only rode in one on a single day. Reminded me of a tractor. no suspension. Similarly as plush as your typical 1960s Farmall. Heard tales of their nuclear-meltdown-hot heaters and ability to start in Arctic cold. Then, of this freakonomics twist. Ladas sold in Finland depreciated faster than African dictatorships printed currency. This led to the weird export boom market of used Ladas from Finland being transported BACK to Russia to be sold. – Citizens there , not generally being able to purchase any new cars from their own production lines unless well up on the political ladder.
But the reason to write today is to respond to the question DT posed, and the final pic in the post.
I DO see a better way to drive square.
Right in my driveway. My 1st gen Ford Escort. Wagon. an 87. now with a whopping 22K on the clock. A similarly crappy reputation-ed car. with a design seemingly only drawn using a straightedge. but due to its unicorn status – the rest have dissolved into iron oxide and otherwise repurposed into Al beer cans- Ford still has a slightly better ride.
Certainly better parts availability, in the US of A.
On to the last photo in post. Seller’s shot shows a current gen MINI Cooper Clubman in the shadow of that Ladabox. i could nearly duplicate the shot, tho’ with the improved aesthetics of my prev gen 2013 Clubman in the equal size shadow of my Escort wagon.
Sorry.
Neither of my rides are for sale. Find you own damn Square Escort Wagon or more MINI-esque Clubman.