Used LADA Granta: execution cannot be pardoned

A car is bought for many years, and maybe for life. Therefore, drivers are very careful when choosing a car. Most often, the buyer examines literally every screw of the chosen car. Lada Granta is a relatively inexpensive project of the domestic automobile industry. The creators took into account many of the mistakes of the previous series and tried to make the device as good as possible. But still, the Lada Granta has some disadvantages, and it is better to find out about them before purchasing.

Salon

• The gear lever cover cracks and comes out from under the knob.
• Fragile seat adjustment handle.
• The airbag malfunction lamp is often an eyesore. The problem could be sensors in the belts, airbag control unit, or wiring.

• The taillights are sweating.
• The rear lights have open and quite large holes on the side of the lamps, and in the future, all the dirt from the trunk will be inside the lights.
• Unreliable fastening of headlight covers.

Positive reviews from Lada liftback owners: what did customers like?

What pleased drivers most was the presence of a spacious trunk. Indeed, the size of the department in some cases exceeds that of its foreign counterparts.

In normal condition, the volume is 440 liters, and with the rear seats folded down it increases to 760 liters. Such data is quite enough for transporting large loads. And even despite its small external dimensions, the liftback can withstand maximum load quite steadfastly.

Attractive appearance is an equally common reason for purchasing a Granta in this body. Most buyers prefer a cohesive and stylish liftback to a regular sedan.

At the same time, neither the interior space nor the trunk volume suffers from the modest size of the car, which is especially important when buying a family or work car.

The ability to choose the most suitable shade from the color range allows you to buy not just high-quality, but also original transport. The shades Odyssey (gray-blue) and Ice (light gray) are very popular among drivers.

For many owners, the main purchase criterion was low cost. Even fully equipped (Luxury version) the price is acceptable. Unlike budget foreign cars, the Granta liftback allows you to get reliable transport at an affordable cost.

If we move on to calculations, then an inexpensive foreign car with similar equipment is about 1.5 times more expensive than a domestic one (or even two, if you don’t cheat). Not every driver can afford such a purchase.

The low fuel consumption of the liftback version was also appreciated by many owners in their reviews. In mixed mode, the approximate consumption is no more than 8 liters (7.6-7.9). As for driving on the highway, the car’s need is reduced to 6.7-7 liters per 100 km. Drivers who use Granta as transport for transportation or intercity deliveries gave a high rating for such savings.

A fairly powerful engine allowed most buyers to choose the Grant with a new body. The indicators for the sedan and liftback are identical, the installed engines are also the same. But the advantage of the second body type is practicality and original appearance. Most drivers purchased models with a power of 106 hp, while a minority chose cars with 87 hp.

Box

Howl in the gearbox, stiff gearbox when cold, freezing of the handle in the cold. In order to eliminate the problem, it is recommended to replace the oil in the box with synthetic 75w90.

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Changing the oil in a Lada Granta box

Over the course of 86,000 km, I changed 4 headlight bulbs. AND THAT'S ALL!

Thank you for the addition, we really appreciate it! We hope after another 15-20 thousand you will again add how your car performed, because the problem areas of the Grants described in the article are really only “diseases” of the first cars, and not all subsequent ones. Many who would like to purchase this car will undoubtedly be interested in knowing what problems may await next.

43,000 km. The headlight unit was replaced under warranty. I suppose it was my own fault - I didn’t notice the post, it crushed the wing, it pulled the headlight mount, so it depressurized. I can't find any other explanation. A squeaking clutch pedal can be treated by lubricating the rubbing parts in the passenger compartment and in the engine compartment. The rust on the frame does not spread further - it has rubbed off on the rubber. The paint no longer rubs. The generator tensioner pulley was replaced under warranty because... I didn't like the sound when it was cold.

I used a Lada Granta with automatic transmission for three years until problems started. First the fuel pump, then the lambda probe. Now it’s not at all clear what’s going on with the train. Shows the error of the first lambda probe. We remove the error. We start the auto check, no errors are on. After the replacement I drove 150 km. Doesn't hold speed and stalls. When starting off, it's as if someone is holding you by the tail. And for more than three years there were no problems. The machine has completed 35,000 miles. Who can tell me what the problem is and how to help my pet.

The car has already traveled 30,000 km. Of the shortcomings attributed to Grant, I only agree with: 1. the appearance of rust in the upper part of the frame, because it constantly rubs against the seal, erasing the paintwork, which is less than a millimeter wide. At the same time, the zinc coating layer is not touched, but there are only pinpoint areas of corrosion, less than a millimeter in diameter. This problem was found only on the rear left door; on the other doors the paintwork was not damaged. 2. The clutch pedal squeaks. 3. The front left headlight unit is sweating. Today, these are all the shortcomings that appeared at 30,000 km.

Disadvantages not eliminated by restyling Grants FL

As for the front end, despite the appearance of a rubber hood seal and the “moving” of the injectors from the hood to the windshield frill, as well as the elevation of the hood cover in front of the glass, it is by no means impossible for dirt to get into the engine compartment and onto the middle and upper parts of the windshield.

Moving the rear license plate from the buffer to the trunk lid of the sedan did not prevent the sign from getting stuck by both snow and dirt. For which now, with the introduction of video recording of violations on highways, violations are assigned not virtual, but real, which costs quite hefty fines on the roads by the traffic police inspector.

With an increase in the gear ratio of the main gear pairs, both the manual transmission and the Granta FL automatic transmission, namely from 3.71 to 3.94, this resulted in negative consequences in the form of:

• increased fuel consumption;
• transition to a more expensive original gear lubricant;
• increasing vibration load during acceleration.

As for the acceleration characteristics of the restyled model (improved by 0.6 seconds to hundreds), even the presence of a 106-horsepower petrol engine in the maximum Granta FL assembly, again, did not at all solve the problem of insufficient acceleration dynamics during the overtaking procedure on high-speed highways.

At the same time, even the rejection of 13-inch wheels in favor of 15-size shoes, as well as a reduction by a third in the gear shift time of the AMT due to the limited throttle response of the engine, did not actually increase the acceleration dynamics.

The refusal to use hydraulic telescopic struts in systems of both front and rear suspension of the chassis to the body in favor of gas shock absorbers did not adequately improve the ride comfort of Grants FL off-road.

In general, no matter how the systematization of the shortcomings of the FL Grant is carried out, in the end, they all come down to assembly problems traditional for Russians.

Relatively poor build quality is the bane of Russian cars

Lada Granta was no exception to the general rule. The build quality of the car is only slightly better than the layout of the “Tenth” family of cars. The company made significant changes to its production capabilities, consulting with experts from Renault and Nissan to look for problems in the assembly lines. But it was not possible to significantly improve the quality of the layout, welding and tightening of bolts for the Lada Granta. This car has its own serious problems associated with not very high-quality assembly:

• when driving you have to listen to a symphony of hard plastic, which rubs against other elements of the cabin with not very pleasant sounds;
• some fasteners have to be tightened every 5-10 thousand kilometers so that no components and assemblies fall off along the way;
• We recommend that you pay special attention to the engine compartment; if you hear rattling or vibration in this place, you should arm yourself with a wrench and a screwdriver;
• welding work at the plant was also not carried out using the latest technologies; sometimes Granta owners report the need to weld the car in the first year;
• in the cabin you can find a lot of shortcomings in the assembly process, but most of these problems can be fixed with your own hands without any effort.

It seems that the car does not undergo any certification at all. Lada Granta is one of the hopes of the domestic automobile industry; today it is the concern’s best-selling car, as well as one of the most popular participants in the Russian vehicle market. And even taking into account all these factors, the plant does not care too much about the quality of the car. It’s time to equip the assembly process with inspectors who will find every minor flaw and send the car back to the assembly shop for revision. True, in this case the Lada Granta will significantly lose its attractive price.

Generator - the main childhood disease of the first modification Grants

Every third owner of a Lada Granta car in the very first issue became a victim of a low-quality generator. Today, these components manufactured by Bosch are installed on cars, but the first cars rarely reached 15-20 thousand kilometers with an old generator under the hood. So this is one of the most serious and frequent “bugs” in the work of Russian VAZ engineers.

Should I take it or not?

Don't ask the seller why he's giving his to Grant, congratulate him on it! LADA Granta is by no means a masterpiece. If you have golden hands from the right place, then repairing Granta can even be a pleasure, because everything in it will break down often. But it's cheap. Granta is the best way to get acquainted with the world of spare parts and problems during operation.

In addition, when buying a used Grant, do not forget that its history may be far from ideal.

For example, this swallow on Avito costs 180 thousand rubles.

Looking through the Autocode report, we see that she has already been in an accident, including a head-on collision. The cost of repair work was estimated at the cost of the car itself. Almost everything has been replaced and, most likely, the geometry of the body has been damaged. This means that the car is unsafe - parts can start to break at any moment. Only a kamikaze could buy such a car.

But even if the car was not involved in accidents and, in principle, is intact, you should not rush to conclusions. It's better to check it more closely. The grant below, for example, looks pretty good. But the report shows a catch. The car is pledged. That is, you are at great risk of buying a car twice if the owner stops paying the debt to the bank. In addition, there are fines that have not been paid.

By the way, out of the five Grants we checked, three turned out to be pledged. Therefore, be vigilant when purchasing and do not neglect checks, both technical and legal.

Body corrosion is an integral part of Grants

Almost all Lada Granta owners are faced with body problems that lead to the need for constant repairs, touch-ups and restoration. If you miss the moment when rust began to spread in your car, it will be extremely difficult to correct the consequences or stop the corrosion. The body of the Lada Granta is not protected from corrosion at all from the factory, even though such an item is included in the package. Many owners speak in reviews and interviews about the following problems of the domestic bestseller:

• in the first year of operation, the car requires body work, unpleasant moments, pockets of rust and other problematic areas appear;
• the quality of painting is very low, new chips and scratches constantly appear, which even arise from contact with bugs on summer roads;
• traces of corrosion appear under the plastic elements of the body, rust appears very quickly above the wheel arches, at the bottom of the doors and on the sills;
• when a source of corrosion appears, the spread occurs incredibly quickly, this significantly reduces the service life and potential life of the vehicle;
• The attractiveness of a car decreases over time, chips and scratches, poor-quality paint make themselves felt in the form of dull and damaged parts of the car.

Of course, no owner of such a car will like such problems. Domestic traditions remained relevant for this car. We all remember what body problems there were in the Tens. They were inherited by Grant, which, if left uncared for, can rot in just a few months. This car needs to be additionally treated with anti-corrosion materials, and you should also think about painting with more expensive technologies a few years after purchasing the car.

Bucket of problems

The manufacturer gave a 5-year guarantee against through corrosion, but this did not stop the body in its quest to become covered with rust. Holes and bugs appear already on three-year-old models, so pay attention to the sills, fenders, bottom, body joints and spaces under the rubber bands.

The manufacturer saved on plastic as well as on anti-corrosion: the headlights quickly become cloudy, and the dashboard crunches and falls apart. The wipers are so disgusting that the windshield quickly becomes covered with scratches, so owners of new cars immediately change the blades, and buyers of used cars immediately think about replacing the windshield.

The build quality is also not up to par: bolts and screws come loose on bumps, you can fit your palm into the gaps between plastic parts, plugs fall out of their seats, fuses burn out one after another. Electrics are not Granta's strong point. Often, buyers applied under warranty with problems with the on-board computer, wiring braids, even sensors fly off from any sneeze. Repairing such parts costs a penny, but the very fact of constantly arising problems and blinking fault lights is annoying.

The mechanical “five-speed” is one of the first to break: the synchronizers fall apart, the slide falls apart. The Jatco four-speed automatic transmission is unpretentious and not prone to problems. The robot, firstly, drives poorly, and secondly, requires adjustment at every maintenance, breaks down and generally infuriates.

The ESD often fails, and a car with power steering drives the same as without it. The manufacturer was never able to eliminate this bug even for the liftback version, although they honestly tried by releasing the second version of the unit.

Other childhood diseases Lada Granta

According to reviews, you can find dozens of other car diseases that owners have to actively treat in order to operate their car normally. These diseases are not only the causes of factory defects, but also underlying problems of saving money on a car. Often problems in Grant arise due to poor quality service or a problem that was not corrected in time. Among the additional diseases of the machine are the following features:

• faulty wiring and terrible performance of the multimedia system are two problems that are closely related and require professional intervention;
• After 50-70 thousand kilometers of travel, the manual transmission begins to howl furiously and in every possible way communicate the need for attention, even with normal maintenance;
• Regardless of the quality of work and condition, the front struts of the Grants constantly knock and create not the most pleasant sensations from operating the car;
• The on-board computer is a separate story for the Lada Granta, which is a real problem for the manufacturer on all cars.

You can continue the list of popular problems and reasons for contacting the service. Therefore, you should not be under the illusion that the Lada Granta car is of incredibly high quality and the best in the history of the domestic automobile industry. Don’t rush to draw conclusions, read reviews, take a test drive. But this does not mean that you should not buy a car. Where else can you find a new car for 350,000 rubles with good equipment and a fairly comfortable ride? We invite you to see a short review from the owner of Lada Grant about his car:

Installed motors

The base for the first generation Lada Granta was a 1.6 liter engine with 8 valves, developing 82 horsepower. Paired with this power unit was a 5-speed manual transmission. For an additional fee, you could get an improved eight-valve engine with a volume of 1.6 liters, which developed 87 horsepower and was equipped with a manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. The top versions of the Lada Granta now have a modern sixteen-valve engine, developing 98 and 106 horsepower, depending on its modification. However, this engine was available exclusively with a manual transmission.

Let's sum it up

There are many reasons why you can purchase a Grant, but there are no fewer reasons why you should refuse such a purchase. On the one hand, this car is one of the cheapest on the market, and also offers good ride comfort, a large trunk, and a relatively interesting interior design. On the other hand, we can recall the many childhood illnesses that force people to contact the service. But remember that for the first 100,000 kilometers or three years you will drive under the protection of a good warranty service.

Advantages of the LADA Granta car

The advantages of the first generation Lada Granta include its affordable price and high ground clearance, which is important when operating the car on broken Russian roads. The cost of spare parts for the Grant is not too high, and its repair and maintenance is not particularly difficult. With powerful 16-valve engines, this car showed good dynamics, which significantly simplified its control in city conditions.

The car turned out to be quite economical, both in terms of fuel consumption and the car owner’s costs for servicing the car. This is an inexpensive, roomy and versatile sedan that was often used as a car for the whole family. This model was perfect for use in the Russian climate; it had a powerful stove that quickly heated the interior.

Weaknesses of the Lada Granta:

• Salon;
• Headlights;
• Electronics;
• Thermostat;
• Body;
• Chassis;
• Transmission;
• Brake pads.

The interior is clearly the weakest side of the car. Already from the first minutes of using the car, you can notice a number of its shortcomings. The first is associated with the handle responsible for adjusting the seat. It is quite fragile and breaks quickly. In addition, the gear lever boot also leaves much to be desired. The material is of low quality and cracks quickly. During operation, it constantly crawls out from under the knob.

Almost immediately, the light that controls the operation of the airbags begins to blink. It indicates their malfunction. Soon the power windows fail. They begin to jam and make an unpleasant sound when the glass is lowered.

The car has air conditioning, but the quality of its operation is quite poor. He doesn't cope well with the task. During the day, in the heat, his work is almost invisible. Especially if the car is stationary.

The weak point is the rear lights. They sweat quickly and are poorly secured. There are large gaps on the lamp side, where dust and dirt quickly accumulate. It will be necessary to carry out measures to remove it.

As for electronics, it became a drawback on the first cars of this model. Quite often the ECU floods the wiring harness. In addition, generator malfunctions occur. The problem lies with its bearings and belt.

In principle, the cooling system has no complaints. Problems appear only with the thermostat, and not in all models. This problem is mainly typical for cars manufactured before 2012.

The above disadvantages are minor and relatively harmless. If we talk about the body, then this is a serious disadvantage of the vehicle. The paint on it wears off quickly. As a result, the body is left without a protective layer and begins to rust. This indicates that the vehicle was installed incorrectly. At the same time, the plastic bumpers are not painted at all, which many buyers do not really like.

Chassis, gearbox, brake pads

The car's chassis became its important drawback. Over time, the front struts begin to make an unpleasant sound. It manifests itself in the form of a knocking sound after 6 thousand kilometers. Over time, the traction control brackets located on the front suspension can burst.

The appearance of a whine in the gearbox indicates a malfunction of the gearbox. This problem often worries car owners. In addition, when cold, this part has a tight movement. It does not tolerate low temperatures well. In winter, there is a high probability of the handle freezing. This problem can be solved by simply changing the gearbox oil to synthetic.

The brake pads that the Lada Granta is equipped with are of low quality. Over time, they make an unpleasant creak and squeal. In addition, brake discs wear out quickly.

The handbrake cable is not very well secured in the car. Experts advise starting to operate the vehicle with extreme caution. It will take time to get used to this feature.

Main disadvantages of LADA Granta

The Lada Granta car has pros and cons. The latter are quite important, as they often cause vehicle failure. The main disadvantages of the Lada Grant are presented as:

1. Rear drum brake;
2. Weak motor;
3. Lack of rear armrests and ceiling handles;
4. One airbag, which is installed for the driver;
5. Minimum set of options;
6. Lack of engine temperature sensor;
7. Creaking body;
8. Incorrect operation of the climate system.

Conclusion.

The list of Lada Granta's shortcomings is quite long, but many of them can be avoided. To do this, you need to treat the vehicle with care and carry out timely maintenance. Replacing a worn-out part with an analog one will improve the quality of the car’s performance and reduce the likelihood of it breaking down again.

Disadvantages of automatic transmission and lighting

An automatic transmission is the main option for many drivers. Most products of the Russian automobile industry, until recently, were equipped exclusively with mechanics. On the new Lada, an automatic transmission was still added. But this turned out to be more of a minus than a plus. The gearshift lever is covered in plastic, which can make a terrible squeak. This, of course, is not fatal, but some inconvenience will be felt.

The main problem with the gearbox is the speed designation. The letters are simply pasted onto the box. There are no LEDs near them. Therefore, it will be very difficult to see in the dark. There is also no backlighting of the symbols themselves. It is extremely difficult to find out which gear is engaged.

You can, of course, look at the on-board computer, but the letters there are very small. Therefore, people with vision problems should not travel without glasses. There are three bright light bulbs in the car: front, rear (not in all trim levels), and in the trunk. They can be turned on using the corresponding button on the panel, or they will turn on automatically based on a sensor signal. But the catch is that the sensor is installed only on the driver's door.

And this despite the fact that in most previous versions of the Lada there was no such problem! In the dark, it will be very inconvenient for the passenger to get into the car. The driver will need to manually turn on the lamps each time. There is a sensor in the trunk. But there is one interesting feature: the light bulb only works when the lights are on. The lack of sensors leads to significant complications in the future.

The Lada Granta liftback is not equipped with a modern alarm system as standard. But adding it to the car after purchase is also very problematic. Most alarm systems require an anti-theft setting to open any door. And since there are no sensors, this is impossible to do. You will have to install them separately, which will lead to additional costs.