Test drive Chevrolet Viva 2004 - 2008 sedan
Northern loop
The road is already becoming already, there are fewer cars. Like other signs of civilization. But only 600 km from the capital drove away! Well, and the asphalt ended, pebbles were drumming along the bottom. At times, a small cheerful fraction is replaced by a boorish buoy, this is a stone, already without a diminutive suffix ...
In general, they strove for this. The chevrolet-viva, which has already wound more than 15 thousand km, but mainly metropolitan streets and relatively smooth federal highways, will have to master the hinterland. Therefore, we chose a northern loop for the next run: from Moscow through Vologda to Petrozavodsk. What roads were not seen: from quite decent highways to rocky graders and lanes, who probably remember completely different not on the rubber drive of the wheel. Short fees
For five and a few months and 15 thousand km, Chevrolet Viva did not require a valve of oil or antifreeze, nor, moreover, spare parts. The first one passed everyday, strictly according to the instructions: replaced the oil and filter, evaluated the condition of the coolant (the crystallization temperature of minus 37 ° C) and brake pads (the front wear of 30%, the rear 20%).
Everything would be wonderful if not for the appearance. At the beginning of the winter, when I saw chips on the front bumper, I realized: they are not the last. To the first, the whole bumper was wrapped in, and at the same time he swelled and began to bargain chrome from decorative pads and mirrors. On the Viva who sell now, mirrors in the color of the body. What, interestingly, the vitality of the current paint and chrome linings? So, Viva went into a mileage without special preparation and even more repairs. This, however, is not a reason for pride, but a norm for a car with such an origin and price.
In the footsteps of Lomonosov
The name of the native of the Arkhangelsk province, the great natural scientist and the poet comes to mind, barely bypassing Yaroslavl. In a detailed modern atlas of roads, the track is called Kholmogora.
There are few cars, the working transfer is fifth, and the arrow of the fuel pointer pleases, moving to the left very slowly. In general, the appetite of Viva (as, indeed, any machine) is highly dependent on operating conditions: on about 12.5 liters in winter Moscow traffic jams up to 6.5 liters with a calm, measured ride of a prudent driver along an unloaded highway. Whether the main pair is shorter or a gearbox of six -speed consumption would be even lower.
Going around the Onega Lake
Road? Grandma asked, wandering through a small village, when we asked how long it was long to shake along the primarily broken timber trucks and the primer blurry with spring streams. The answer did not delight: the road? There is nothing to boast! Yes, I have not tried such a Viva for my short life. The third gear was included in half a day two, the working first, less often the second. Of course, we knew that part of the shortest path from Vologda to Petrozavodsk was on a grader, but did not expect that more than 200 km. Moreover, only the last fifty can be called a grader, the rest of the country, generously flavored with large stones and huge pits.
However, we were not going to see Viva with a gentle. On the road connecting the capital of two constituent entities of the Federation, although not only Niva, but also ordinary cars and even a bus with a sign Petrozavodsk Vologda did not often meet!
How many hours of the poor fellow jumps over these ditches? Our chevrolet is Russian and made for Russians, which means that he live and work in such conditions unprecedented by most foreign namesakes. The car showed itself very well. The suspension without knocking and squeaks withstood all the bullying. The gap, as a rule, was enough. And the fact that two or three times nevertheless struck the bottom of the bottom was not scared: protection under the engine of Viva is reliable. The overhangs, unlike many cars, more modern appearance, are not too long. Critical places gum on the front bumper and rear mudguards. The first, even if he doesn’t hurt for anything, jumps off periodically. And the long rear mudguards, catching on something, pull the bumper along and correctly, the paint cracks on it. And the dust in the trunk of Viva could be less. Somewhere the car sucks her
As a reward to those who decide on this route and, having lost half an hour, will turn into one of the villages after a ferry through the Swir in Ascension Wonderful species of the majestic Onega Lake. It is important to remember: if your body is used to eating a clock, it is better to stock up in a dry ration in a vytegra or tolerate before the exaltation. There are no centers of civilization between them.
The sky is gray, the sea is white
Dust and almost 20-degree heat are replaced by protracted rain and temperature worthy of early spring four to five degrees above zero. Gasoline is more and more expensive. There are signs that we are moving north, to the White Sea. The roads are changeable, like the weather. Either relaxingly smooth, then insidiously seducing impressive pits. Winter in abundant lakes, rivers and swamps of the region, as in most regions of Russia, was long. After it, the roads, they say, literally blurred the streams of water. The rest was completed by the wheels of heavy trucks. Somewhere on the section of Medvezhyegorsk Segezha, we damaged the rear discs. At the same time, a dense Viva suspension did not seem to work on a breakdown. Fortunately, the deformation of beautiful cast discs is not easy, and the tires were not injured. The photographer grins: once again in this spring you have to shoot in the rain. Maybe later the clouds will swell? But we are already on the shores of the White Sea, to the sea is very close. It's time to move
What? The engine speed sailed, the light bulb lit up. The revolutions quickly returned to normal, and the anti -winning really does not work. You can go, but the orange symbol on the instrument panel is slightly annoyed: to the settlement where you can sensibly diagnose the car (Belomorsk, alas, does not apply to this) four kilometers. We decided to check the fuses for the simplest to check. Because of the rain, of course, they began with those in the cabin, under the left small duffel box. Everyone could squeeze, and one more than the other. Obviously, crushed on yesterday's off -road. The nervous lamp has extinguished and is now lit only when it should be. Unfortunately, they could not go to the shore of the White Sea: in mid -May, the last hundred meters are overcome only on an all -terrain vehicle. And the sun on this day nevertheless looked out, but we were already returning to Petrozavodsk. Well, what can you say? North
Let's go to intelligence? The odometer has more than 18,000 kilometers passed for the incomplete six months. Excluding the cost of gasoline (average consumption of 8.8 l/100 km) and the car cost only 0.26 rubles per 1 km. And taking into account 1.52 rubles. Small shortcomings, for example, not a very perfect ventilation system, dust suction in the trunk (probably these defects are connected), a crowded pedal node, a powerful, painful engine, a strong, almost impenetrable suspension, and most important reliability overshadow the advantages.
So far, when asked whether it is worth taking Viva in intelligence, there are no reason to answer negatively.
Viva rides through the country
Finally, the Chevrolet from Tolyatti appeared in car dealerships. In Vologda, according to sellers, interest in the car is shown, but the price scares away. They ask Viva in simpler trim levels, but they are not yet. Since February Petrozavodsk, several cars have already been sold, such as our most expensive ones, with the GLS index. Dealers say that Chevrolet will not have problems with servicing and repairing buyers.
Chevrolet-Viva 1.8 GLS
Manufacturer: ji-em AvtoVAZ
Year of release: 2004
In operation while driving: since November 2004
Mileage at the time of the report: 18 thousand km
Previous publications in the journal: 2005, No. 1,2,3
Sergey Kanunnikov
Source: The magazine "Driving"
