Canterbury enthusiasts even formed a club, the South Island Niva Drivers' Association (Sinda). The club survived much longer than most of the vehicles its members drove. "How long does the average Sinda trip last?" Depends on how soon the breakdown trucks can get to them.
Despite its reappearance in Britain and some other overseas markets, it's unlikely we'll see the Niva, or any other Ladas, back in New Zealand, where they would have to compete with used Japanese imports. Anyway, with all those Lada jokes in circulation, it would take a thick-skinned shopper to buy one. Driven just scrapes the surface with the following examples:
Man runs into service station: "Will you give me a set of wiper blades for my Niva?" "Sounds like a fair trade to me, mate."
How do you double the value of a Lada? Fill its petrol tank.
What do you call a Lada at the top of a hill? A miracle.
What's the difference between a door-to-door salesman and a Lada? You can shut the door on the salesman.
What's the difference between a Lada and a golf ball? You can drive a golf ball 200m.
Don't forget the Lada emergency get-you-home kit: walking boots and a map.
How do you make a policeman laugh? Tell him your Lada's been stolen.
What do you call a report that your Lada has been stolen? Great news.
Three definitions of an optimist: the owner of a Lada with an alarm; the owner of a Lada with a radar detector; the owner of a Lada with a trailer hitch.
Why do Ladas have heated rear windows? To keep your hands warm while you push it.
