Hi all. This means that two years have passed since I owned this car, and as much as I remain satisfied with it, I have 5 life hacks for you that will help you when operating this car.
Well, I think that thanks to these life hacks, your car will also make you happy. Because the car, in this case, is mine for the sixth year, 2006, and there were some problems that it would be advisable to eliminate immediately.
Something is not a jamb, something, well, more has been done to improve it. Well, I still want to share with you, maybe this video will be useful to someone. So let's go.
Lifehack No. 1
This is Kalina's ECU, that is, almost all of Kalina's owners have probably encountered it; those who haven't, they already know about the drawback in the location of the ECU. Initially, Kalina's ECU is located here under the panel.
And there is a stove above the ECU, and Kalina’s stove tends to leak, but we’ll talk about this later, why and how. When the radiator leaks, the heater usually floods, which means the brains of the ECU.
That is, the ECU costs, I have a Boshev one, it costs about 7 - 8000. Like any other ECU, that is, approximately, that is, any other ECU in this area costs. Here, no matter what your situation is, that is.
Here's how I solved this problem? That is, immediately when I bought the car, I got it from there, screwed it on there with these covers and installed it here.
This is how I have it located here, here I have the lighting for the legs, that is, here, I placed it under the glove compartment, there it does not bother anyone, no one kicks it, as I initially thought that they would touch it with their feet, no one doesn't hurt, doesn't interfere with anything.
That is, I secured it with two bolts, the first, the second and that’s it. That is, this is enough. It stays here, nice, warm and dry. That is, I think this should be done first of all when buying Kalina.
Because if your brain is flooded, it’s a waste of money, which is unnecessary, so first of all, those who don’t know yet, be sure to do it. It literally takes 20 minutes and will save your wallet very well.
Suspension
So, then, the second thing I would like to talk about is the suspension. How did I encounter the suspension? That is, it didn’t leak, it didn’t knock or anything, but it kind of rattled, not just knocked, it sort of rattled and rattled, it was here, there were some knocks in the supports, that’s it, and so on.
In short, I read and realized that the Grant suspension, that is, it was better designed, the Kalinovsky jambs in the supports were removed, well, in short, without hesitation, I bought Grant struts assembled with supports, with springs, everything, both front and rear.
Here. I went to Avito, searched for Grant and found a broken Grant with 15,000 miles on it, so they were bought from it, I paid 3,000 rubles for all the racks. That is, the front, the back, everything is assembled, here.
That is, the suspension was changed about six months after the purchase, that is, a year and a half later, I did not regret at all that I installed it.
Now, since it has proven itself only from the best side, no noise, very soft, pleasant. Exactly, that is, the main thing is that there is a drain, that’s it. That is, I really liked the pendant, so I kind of recommend it.
The stove doesn't heat well
The second thing I encountered when owning this car is that the heater does not heat up enough. That is, well, sometimes it seemed like there wasn’t enough heat, that’s it. Plus airing the system and so on.
I also read it and realized that this was also done better on Grant than on Kalina. Well, as it were, Granta is the same Kalina, that is, with the jambs eliminated. That's why many people installed a Granta thermostat.
I installed it too, but you won’t be able to see it here. I installed, here, a Grant thermostat. That is, what are the advantages? It has much less, it has much less pipe of any kind.
That is, it is generally simpler. I'll leave you a link under the video to my DriveDvorra, where I have everything chewed up. So, what’s the point, that is, who is interested in Grant’s soda and in general in what I’m talking about, in general in all the alterations, that is, go in and read there.
Armchairs
The seats in a car are the first thing everyone who gets into it pays attention to. And tuning the interior of the Lada Kalina will be incomplete if the seats are not modernized or replaced. A short bottom cushion and lack of lateral support are the main disadvantages of the seats installed in Kalina. To correct these shortcomings, you can contact a specialized studio and reshape the existing seats or select a suitable option from another car. The latter option is more acceptable due to the amount of funds spent on its implementation. Specialized studios charge a lot of money for their services, and if you are lucky enough to find chairs that suit you, you can redo the fastenings yourself.
Operating principle of the stove
When the car engine is running, the engine cooling system begins to work; due to the operation of the piston group, the engine heats up, thereby heating up the coolant. The operation of the heater is based on heating the antifreeze, that is, the higher the engine temperature, the more efficient the heater is. The stove develops full power when the liquid is heated to 85°C.
The cooling liquid circulates through the system and also passes through the heater radiator, it heats up. A special fan is installed in front of the radiator, which drives air through its honeycombs, thereby heating the air. The heated air then passes through the heater damper system and is directed to the desired position chosen by the driver of the car, be it the legs or the windshield.
Dashboard
The torpedo has a great influence on the interior of the entire cabin. And if we compare the tidy of the Kalina with the classic Zhiguli models, then the Togliatti engineers have stepped far forward, but they are still very far from ideal. To produce torpedoes, the factory uses very low quality plastic. This negatively affected the performance of the instrument panel. The colors fade over time, the plastic itself becomes covered with small cracks, and the entire torpedo begins to make unpleasant sounds when moving. You can improve the appearance of the dashboard and get rid of extraneous sounds yourself, for this you need:
- Disassemble the torpedo and glue all the places where the plastic comes into contact with metal, foam rubber or other insulating material.
- If necessary, secure all electrical wiring harnesses with plastic clamps.
- Secure the air ducts that direct the flow from the heater.
- Replace all plastic fasteners with new ones.
- You can also make changes to the color scheme of the torpedo along the way by covering it with a special film. If the hands grow from the right place, this procedure is not difficult to perform on your own.
- Installing a “Grant” central tunnel with cup holders will significantly improve the appearance and add more practicality. The tunnel has a different color from the original instrument panel, this can be corrected by covering it with vinyl film. There are also no holes for the electronic mirror adjustment unit. They will need to be made separately or find another place for installation.
- By installing an armrest between the front seats, you will significantly reduce fatigue from driving a car over long distances. The armrest is also an additional niche for various small items.
Cover trims
If sticking special decorative trims on the dashboard does not seem enough, you can dismantle the plastic door trim yourself and improve it. For example, tuning the interior of a Lada Kalina, which imitates natural materials, always looks impressive and attractive. After removing the trim of the standard parts, cover its elements with durable vinyl or carbolic film. After the material is glued, all parts are assembled strictly in the reverse order. Most often, car enthusiasts use film with a pattern similar to the texture of wood. Let us remind you that special pads can be mounted on parts of the speaker system housing.
To do the work yourself, you will need a stationery knife, scissors and the material itself. Experts advise sticking the film directly onto the plastic.
Pre-mark the places where the holes for the buttons will be located. To do this, use a paper stencil. For convenience, remove the plastic panel. After you cut out the pattern, clean the plastic parts and degrease their surface. Only after this can the film be applied.
Noise insulation
When a car moves along the road, a large number of extraneous noises arise, which strive to get inside the car. Noise comes from the wheels, engine, gearbox and other elements of the car. "Kalina" has standard sound insulation, but it is not enough, or it is of poor quality. To replace it, you need to disassemble almost the entire interior:
- Remove the seats (front and rear).
- Remove the carpet (if done carefully, you can re-cover it).
- Dismantle the old Shumka and factory anticorrosive.
- Apply a new anti-corrosion coating and lay sound insulation, then assemble all dismantled parts into place.
The work to improve sound insulation properties is very long and dirty. But with proper installation of the Shumka, you can make your car as protected as possible from extraneous noise.
Lighting
The Kalina's interior lighting leaves much to be desired. Only the front part of the machine is equipped with a lamp. The back row does not have any lighting devices. An LED strip will help fill the back row with light. It can be powered from the front lamp, and the wiring can be laid under the ceiling card. For convenience, you can install a separate switch in the rear row area so that passengers can turn it on themselves.
Tuning the Lada Kalina with your own hands will take a little time, but by doing so you will reduce the cost of its implementation. By making changes to problematic parts of the car, you thereby improve the impression of the entire car as a whole.
The production of the Lada Kalina car dates back to 2004. The first sample was released in a sedan body, and was called “standard” due to its budget configuration. A little later, with the same performance and functionality, Lada Kalina cars were released, in hatchback and station wagon bodies.
Technical characteristics of Lada Kalina Sedan
The prototype of the Lada Kalina Sedan was presented to the public in 2000. The development of the model began back in 1993. A couple of years before the presentation, in 1998, the concept was named Kalina. Kalina's developers sought to create an affordable multi-purpose car that would become a faithful assistant in the everyday worries of a city dweller. Such a car should be economical and comfortable. As a result, the Lada Kalina acquired modern contours, characteristic of an average city car with an attractive, laconic design, a comfortable interior, an on-board computer, low fuel consumption and high strength, technological suspension. The first Kalina Sedan rolled off the AvtoVAZ assembly line at the end of 2004. On the domestic market, the manufacturer uses the name of the car in Latin writing, while in the official documentation of federal bodies the name of the car brand is written in Cyrillic.
“Standard” package
This configuration is considered basic, therefore, it has the least number of functions. This Lada was produced in all body variations: sedan, station wagon and hatchback. The body dimensions are the same as any other configuration: length – 3893 mm, width – 1700 mm, height – 1500 mm. The wheelbase is also no different - 2476 mm.
The capacity of the trunk and the number of doors directly depends on the type of body. The sedan had 4 doors and a trunk volume of 240 liters. But the station wagon has 5 doors and 550 liters in the luggage compartment. The carrying capacity of the entire Kalina family is 400 kg (including passengers).
But as for the engine, there will be a slight difference. The “standard” and “norm” configurations had the same engine, with a volume of 1600 cubic centimeters, at which the maximum power was 87 hp. With such figures, the car accelerated to a maximum of 165 km/h. This engine was paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.
The Kalina, standard version, has electric power steering. This is a very useful thing, especially with a station wagon. Otherwise, this Lada remained somewhat damp. Among the installed functions that affect comfort, one can highlight the heat-insulating glass coating.
In terms of security, it has central locking. There are also airbags. An electric window regulator is installed on the front windows. Interior amenities include a filter and an immobilizer. The price of such a car is approximately 376,000 rubles.
“Norma” package
Unlike the previous Lada configuration, the “norm” has more functions. The dimensions and engine are absolutely the same as the previous configuration, and also depend on the body type: sedan, hatchback or station wagon. In addition to electric windows, it also has an electric trunk. In the cabin, an ashtray was added, and in conjunction with the filter, an air conditioner was installed.
As for security, it also has an alarm system. Airbags remained unchanged. Interior soundproofing installed. Otherwise, this modification is the same as the “standard”. The price of this sample is about 400,000 rubles.
"Lux" package
This configuration of the Lada Kalina car is considered to be as comfortable as possible, and is radically different from its predecessors. Starting with the engine, which has a power of 106 hp, and accelerates the car to a top speed of 177 km/h, and ending with a huge number of functions inside the cabin. The bodies in which this Lada is produced can be of different types: sedan, station wagon or hatchback.
The VAZ is a luxury version, equipped with additional lighting due to the presence of fog lights. Also, it has quite modern mirrors, electrically operated and heated, which are painted in body color.
In terms of safety, the “luxury” has gone far ahead of its predecessors. In addition to central locking and an alarm system, the car is equipped with a special tension belt and a much larger number of airbags. And in order to prevent collisions as much as possible, this Lada was equipped with an ABS system.
In Kalina's "luxury" cabin there was a complete smoker's package, along with a cigarette lighter and an ashtray. Also, power windows were installed on all 4 doors, and an electric drive for opening the trunk (a very convenient feature on a station wagon). One of the most pleasant improvements was heated seats. The only negative of this configuration is that there was no spare wheel in the luggage compartment. The price of this car is 460,000 rubles.
Head optics: how to improve them?
In many ways, the exterior style is determined by the installed head optics and rear lights. The design options available at the factory cannot be called attractive, since they are still manufactured using old technologies and are of low quality.
The features of such tuning include the following points:
- You can upgrade the existing structure or purchase a new one. Some tuning salons provide the opportunity to buy new optics and lights that are ideal for the car.
- There are quite a large number of ways to modernize an already installed structure. An example is recommendations related to replacing a standard light source with a diode one.
Why are diode light sources so popular today? There are quite a few reasons:
- Low cost. Diode light sources are among the cheapest, which allows you to save on tuning and further maintenance.
- Attractive view. Diode strips have long been used in tuning many cars.
- Low power consumption. Due to this, the load on the installed generator is reduced and the amount of fuel consumed is reduced, and when the engine is off, the battery is less discharged.
- High reliability. The service life of high-quality diodes is quite long, since they are not negatively affected by high humidity and other influences.
- Compact sizes. Due to this, a larger number of light sources are placed in a small area.
- Long service life.
If you pay attention to new cars from almost all manufacturers, head optics and rear lights are made using diode technology. In addition, the following types of tuning of optics and flashlights are carried out:
- Protective glass is tinted.
- The surface of the protective glass is polished.
- Install various eyelashes and extensions.
When performing tuning, you should remember that headlights and taillights perform an important function and are not a decorative part of the body. That is why all changes must be thoughtful.
conclusions
So we looked at all the modifications of the Lada Kalina, in the following bodies: sedan, hatchback and station wagon. We have identified the weak and strong points of each sample. Definitely, the choice falls on Kalina “luxury”. But, it is quite expensive, and not affordable for many car enthusiasts. Therefore, most often, the choice falls on the Lada Kalina “norm”.
In addition to various modifications, VAZ also released the Lada Kalina 2 “luxury” car. It came in only one body type – hatchback. Its functionality was the same as in the simple Kalina “luxury”, but at the same time, the external design was completely changed. A very big disadvantage was that for such a car, a cosmic sum was requested, and many car enthusiasts simply could not afford it. Therefore, Kalina 2 never achieved particular popularity.
Interior width of Lada Kalina sedan
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Bosyara
gee. The main thing here is to meet two conditions. 1. we must take the tape measure from home 2. we must not forget.
and I don’t even remember that I rested my shoulder. neither in Logan nor in Chisel.
Thank you for Logan, Kalina I don’t believe (although in my heart I hope) measure from the most convex point in the shoulder area
There is no interior space, I don’t like it when someone healthy sits in the car and your shoulders are touching each other, and the gear handle is crawling on his knee.
Bosyara
The cabin is quite spacious, and you can only touch the passenger’s knee including the fifth one, and only if he sits down like on the toilet.
If it’s still important, I measured 139mm, I measured it just below the locking pad. Ford Mondeo showed 143mm at the same points.
Well, if so, then I’ll definitely take viburnum
If it’s still important, I measured 139mm, I measured it just below the locking pad. Ford Mondeo showed 143mm at the same points.
Well, if so, then I’ll definitely take viburnum
Ford is not the best indicator, the Focus 2 has a width of 1839 mm, but the thickness of the doors is such that my left elbow rested on the door trim. Kalina is a little freer.
