Cyprus-Forum.com

[VEX8]

And second rate bumpers, doors mirrors and engines.

[Mikros]

Nah, Skodas nowadays, have better build quality than both VW and Seat lines.... Hence they have fewer reliability problems that both firms.

[VEX8]

Am i right in thinking that VW actually make Skodas now or was that a one off design alliance?

[Mikros]

You are right, VW owes the Skoda company, but the people are different! VW currently owes Skoda, VW, Audi, Seat, Lamborgini, Bentley as well. I prefer the Skoda packages rather than the VW ones, more value for money, and of course better quality

[VEX8]

I know that Skodas are the mini cab of choice over here at the moment. Reliability and value for money i suppose. Still i am of the age that considers Skodas and Ladas a joke. A cultural thing probably, growing up in the 80's and such.

[Mikros]

Time changes so fast.... When I was in the uk, the cabs were Vectras, Sierras and Mondeos...

[Lizard]

And as I said elsewhere, Vex.
I'm in Australia and have a Lada Samara and a Lada Cevaro.

And I'm glad they're considered a joke.
No resale- so I buy one for shit every couple of years, spend a few bucks on it,
drive it for two or three years, throw it away and get another one.
Cheap motoring.

Trim and electronics don't handle Australian conditions very well ( or any conditions?) but mechanically I find them excellent.
And fuel efficient.

Probably bullshit, but I was told that the Lada Samara/Cevaro motor was actually DESIGNED by Porsche engineers (not MADE by Porsche of course).
Could there conceivably be any truth to that ?

[Mikros]

Nope Lizard.... It's purely Russian! The Samaras were very easily modified though!!!! Get a Fiat 125 engine with twin carburators.... adjust them a ...bit, lower the front, install a free-flow exchuast system.... and here you go, a very fast and perfect car for learning to drive for rally purposes.... exactly what I did!

[Kenneth]

In 1984 the Lada introduces the "Samara", first front-wheel drive car of the factory: for the production of this car, were introduced the first automatic lines of assembly. The engine (1100, 1300 or 1500 cc.) has a new SOHC distribution, driven by a more modern rubber belt, and not by the classic chain; the combustion chambers are developed in collaboration with the Porsche.

[Mikros]

Yeap, Kenneth, at least I found somebody here talking about cars!