In this story I will describe my next trip, if I may call it my vacation trip, from the city of Murmansk to the Kaluga region through St. Petersburg.
I decided to spend the trip without strenuous incubation for 20 hours behind the wheel. And according to this I move in short dashes of 800 - 900 kilometers. So:
Stage 1. Murmansk - Kondopoga.
Moved out of Murmansk almost in the morning - at 12:15. The road in this period of the year is rather difficult, for it tries to lull the vigilance with long, up to one kilometer, sections of practically clean asphalt, and then throws up ice humpback-grooved gifts aggravated by increased rutting. In the region Apatit got into a good wind, as they say "in the very hole." It's good that I didn't put the top rack on, and without it the car literally moved into the oncoming lane a couple of times. Ice + wind is interesting!
And the most unpleasant thing is that there are three tracks on the road and when passing with an oncoming car, you have to make divergence maneuvers.
In the photo there are 3 tracks, but this is practically perfect option... When it is really difficult to have both paws on the handlebars, there is no time for pictures.
But fortunately, this is the situation only until the middle of Karelia, and then it is almost summer, although it is quite wet and rainy. And according to this, I did the difficult part of the road on an all-wheel drive with an average speed of 80 km per hour. Then I went to the RFP. The rear of the car is a bit light, which I often had to make sure of when taking the car out of drifts when driving to the ZP on the ice. Therefore, I will not indulge in more - on ice and pressed snow only PP. Average consumption per trip is 12.4 liters per hundred. (on a calibrated multitronics, onboard 10.2 liters per hundred).
I arrived in Kondopoga at 00:15, or to be more precise, at the Voyage hotel, where I have been staying along the way for several years. Nice rooms, decent cuisine and polite staff - perfectly contribute to a good rest. Stage 2. Kondopoga - Peter. Started at 09:15. I can't say anything particularly remarkable about the route. Just summer road- wet asphalt. The average speed is 100 - 110. I was walking on the RFP. Consumption of 13 liters per hundred, together with the St. Petersburg movement in the region of 1.5 hours. Arrived at the destination at 15:10 TOTAL: 1400 kilometers in 18 hours of travel plus 9 hours of rest on the road.
The speedometer is already closer to 70 thousand. Despite the warnings of the Officials that “my relatives don’t nurture even 30 thousand, and therefore we urgently need to put bronze ones ...” while I ride on my relatives. Normal masters pulled them up to me at 50 thousand, when I handed them over for maintenance not to OD, but to specialists in GAZ and UAZ equipment. They said another fifty kopecks are running back. Timing is native, oil every 75 thousand - in the center of interservice runs.In the car, nothing rattles or creaks.
In the spring of 2015, two snow-white restyled UAZ vehicles - Pickup and Patriot - left the gates of the Tekhinkom-Strogino car dealership. Both are top-of-the-range Limited with diesel engines ZMZ, heated windshield, all seats, multimedia with navigation and rear-view cameras. For more than a year, two UAZ Patriot and UAZ Pickup vehicles have been in the editorial office of OffRoadClub.Ru magazine. During this time, the odometers of each have run up to 30 thousand kilometers and not always asphalt roads.
It's time to tell everything that happened during this period, starting with the impressions of those involved and ending with faults and comments.
About cars
With a range of around 700 kilometers, both vehicles were equipped and set off on a journey to the center of the country. The route consisted of highways, dirt roads and mountain passes. Some believed that it was madness to go to the distance from official dealers in not run-in cars.
After the Turkish trip, there were routes to Abkhazia, to the Arkhangelsk region, to the Yaroslavl region and many small radial exits with and without off-road. As a result, there was a stable picture about cars, which I will try to convey.
About the engine
Cars were ordered with diesel engines, planning to travel a lot and far. In addition to traction at the bottom, the diesel has an advantage in the form of a greater power reserve, which is especially evident on the off-road.
You should not choose a diesel engine solely for economic reasons. The cost of diesel fuel has long been no longer a penny, and the overpayment for a diesel engine, according to repeated calculations, is justified only for 3-4 years of car operation.
The advantages of the diesel engine were manifested during the first ascents to the mountains on serpentines and rocky primers. Compared to the behavior of a gasoline engine on a Hunter when traveling in the Alps, the diesel is definitely better.
In the minuses of a diesel engine, in addition to cost, there are much higher vibrations and noise on idle and at speeds above 80 km / h. Driving at a speed of 90-110 km / h occurs at engine speed in the region of 3000-3500 rpm, which makes the diesel engine make a lot of noise. A gasoline analogue digests the same speed much more comfortably.
This, of course, is not the fault of the diesel engine, but the fault of the entire engine-transmission complex, but it is clear that no one will change the box for a diesel engine without a clear future.
Moreover, the petrol modification can be ordered with an autonomous Webasto pre-heater installed from the factory, which is not available for a diesel engine. And the reserve of autonomy of the course can be solved by installing instead of standard tanks of increased volume.
Conclusions:
Diesel on UAZ in the form in which it is is not a panacea and not an obligatory attribute. You can make a choice in favor of a diesel engine only for special purposes and provided that you know exactly why you need it.
Adequately assessing the current situation, we can conclude that Gas engine is a more reasonable compromise than diesel. In addition, a recent test drive of the UAZ Cargo with a gasoline engine showed that something was conjured at the plant with the firmware and settings of the ZMZ-409. He, of course, did not go in the full sense of the word, but he began to behave better.
Already in the near future, the plant will have to make a choice whether to bring the diesel engine up to Euro-5 standards, which will require serious investments and possibly even higher prices. At the same time, the gasoline engine is guaranteed to be upgraded and there is a chance that it will get better.
About transmission
A lot of copies were broken in relation to the new electronic transfer case all-wheel drive and a lowered row. We, too, all turned out ambiguously with her, but this is more likely not a negative, but remarks.
The Patriot did not raise any questions at all, but the Pickup has the property of not always responding to the command to connect the all-wheel drive. In some situations, the transfer case does not go into 4H mode. Everything is solved by turning the ignition off and on.
The jamb is rare and it is not yet possible to find out the cause. Floating faults are always the hardest to diagnose. But there is some negative sediment, albeit not so serious.
But there are no more questions about the noise of the transfer case or the box, and the reduction factor of the new transfer case of 2.6 suits almost everyone. However, only the lazy one did not write about this.
Conclusions:
The attitude towards the new razdatka was polarized. In my opinion, this is a very good solution, which made the car both quieter and more powerful without installing the whales in the distributor.
As for the electrical, then, apart from permanent glitches when turned on front axle, all off-road trips and reasonable wading did not disable either the electrician of the razdatka control or the motor of the razdatka itself.
On the Internet, you can find references to the fact that after the "swim" the control module for the transfer case glitched, but it is not mentioned how deep this swim was. Let me compare with my former Discovery III, which after one swim lost even the electronic rear door actuators, and they were not under water. So everything is relative.
About handling
No one expected the tall frame and bridge car to handle the same handling as a crossover. However, the Patriot and the Pickup were able to add variety to our lives and turned out to be completely different in the behavior of cars, which was noticed by everyone who got behind the wheel.
In comparison with its colleague, the Pickup steers significantly sharper and more comfortable, and in a straight line requires less steering. Most likely, this is a consequence of the extended wheelbase of the Pickup, which manifests itself at speeds above 60-70 km / h.
Fitting an experimental suspension to the Pickup changed its handling for the worse. This is a known fact and a reminder that tuning is a complex of activities, not just suspension and meaner wheels. Controllability can be restored by changing the angle of inclination of the pivots (changing the castor), but we are still experimenting and have not done this.
During the experiments, they removed and rear stabilizer lateral stability, which became available on the restyled models of the Patriot and Pickup. Perceptibly, the car's behavior has not changed, and in order to feel the difference, it is necessary to aggressively drive along a serpentine or a bunch of turns.
The stabilizer is for those who like to play checkers, but I vaguely imagine such fans on UAZ. It is, rather, for owners of Mazda 3. On the other hand, you can always turn off the stabilizer and let it be from the factory.
Conclusions:
UAZ is now balancing in a borderline state. On the one hand, he is pursued by reproaches for certain shortcomings that are unacceptable for modern car... On the other hand, there is an urgent need to change the design, which means independent suspension and (possibly) the disappearance of the frame, which the brand's adherents fear, like midnight horror, lamenting about the death of the real and honest.
About comfort
A separate point of the story is comfort. What even the most fierce haters of all Ulyanovsk cannot refute - UAZ Patriot and UAZ Pickup have achieved high levels of comfort in terms of the level of comfort in relation to the design and cost of the car. Not without remarks, but still.
Windshield heating is not only a useful function in Russia, but also a necessary one. Heated all seats appeared, which is not even in all luxury foreign cars. Well, modern attributes such as parking sensors, a rear-view camera and a radio with navigation.
However, not everything is as perfect as we would like, and a word to independent experts who at one time drove one or both cars and not on weekends, but on long trips and around the city.
Conclusions:
UAZ took the right course for constant modernization and refinement. In the fall of 2016, a system of exchange rate stability and airbags will appear, which will further tighten the Patriot to modern cars.
For example, after ABS appeared on the Patriot, some comrades gave a very ambiguous assessment of the system and even suggested turning it off. I personally had a chance to find out how useful ABS is when an under-drive extreme lover got out under the bumper. If not for the ABS, then he would know how high the bumper of the UAZ is in relation to its basin.
Unfortunately, we cannot do without shortcomings, and more often it is not the fault of the assemblers, as before, but the fault of unscrupulous suppliers of components. The question is - why don't they fight them harshly and mercilessly at UAZ ?!
By the way, the issue of two tanks will also be resolved soon, but I will probably tell you about the future of the UAZ in a separate publication. I happened to hear something at a closed conference and in the near future I will share with you some of the items on its agenda.
About malfunctions
The section most anticipated by readers is about malfunctions, but I can't please with a large list. Not because I don't want to, but because, contrary to the predictions of evil tongues, the UAZ did not break at every step. However, not without unpleasant incidents. Everything in order.
1. Leakage of the heater tube under the hood
The problem was identified somewhere after Voronezh on a trip to Turkey. The clamp is tightened, but the coolant continues to drip. A second clamp was installed - the leakage was reduced, but it did not disappear.
Resolved by replacing the tube under warranty with MOT on return.
2. Leakage of water into the salon
The clogged drainage of the stove did not allow water to come out and it found its way into the salon.
Solved by cleaning the drainage holes during maintenance.
3. Jammed side of the body.
On a trip to Turkey, the border could not open the tailgate. The border guard did not break off to climb into the kung, stepping over the side, and look at things, but - unpleasant.
Resolved within 10 minutes with the dismantling of the inner side plating. The pull of the lock flew off from one side. Was rolled back into place and slightly bent. Didn't cause any more problems.
4. Turned off all indicators of the dashboard
On a trip to the winter roads of the Arkhangelsk region turned off dashboard... At the same time, the car continued to drive.
I rubbed the wiring harness in one place under the body. Eliminated under warranty.
5. The already mentioned poor reception of radio stations
The problem manifested itself immediately after receiving the cars. According to reviews, the problem is not an isolated one and poor-quality components are to blame, and the multimedia on the UAZ is SUPRA. If anyone does not know.
It is treated with a warranty replacement of the radio with navigation.
1. Leakage of water into the cabin through the stove
The problem clearly appears constantly and again is the fault of the drainage holes.
Was treated for maintenance without additional payment for the work performed.
2. Failed immobilizer
The car was dragged on a tow truck to the dealer. None of the keys were read or reset by the system.
It turned out that the Patriot had a "chip" - a blown ECU fuse shows an immobilizer malfunction on the dashboard. You need to know this and it is treated by replacing the fuse. The problem did not appear again.
3. Chipped paint appeared on the expanders
Expanders are supplied already painted and this is again a jamb of quality control of components. I sent to the plant a comment on the quality of the painting of the expanders, which was accepted and brought to the Quality Control Department.
It is treated under warranty by painting the expanders in the absence of traces of mechanical damage.
4. The door limit switches do not work well, which sometimes triggers the alarm
A trifle, but unpleasant, and for some reason only manifested itself on the Patriot.
It is treated by replacing the limit switch or cleaning the contacts.
That's all. Everything! Let me remind you that the cars, some of which went along dirt roads, mountain roads, fords, flooded ice crossings and winter roads. All in Feng Shui. I would like to spit three times and no longer read "well-wishers" with stories that cars are pouring in at every step.
About what I would like
Here will be purely my personal assumptions, what I lack in the UAZ Patriot, or what I would like to see in this car, even if for a fee and in the form of options.
Rear differential lock, and ideally the front too. In the near future, UAZ plans to install a rear locking differential already from the factory. GAZ, in response, plans to install the front one. The arms race is in full swing, but blocking is needed and anyone who drives off the pavement will say this.
Sunroof... I don't know why, but I like cars with a sunroof. More air and light in the cabin, plus better ventilation without opening windows. The main thing is that this hatch does not leak, which was Land's disease Rover discovery 2.
Patriot version without rear side windows (luggage)... It would be an excellent expedition body version without unnecessary glass elements and it would be possible to organize the trunk without closing the windows from the inside. Kind of heresy, but let me imagine.
Power thresholds... The pre-styled Patriot had some kind of power thresholds, and now it is plastic, under which the power element is hidden. On the off-road, you are afraid to damage the plastic and iron would not hurt. As far as I know, this official accessory for Patriot and Pickup will appear soon under the UAZ logo, but produced by a well-known Russian off-road brand.
Enhance back door so that you can hang a wheel on it bigger size... But this is no longer feasible, since such design changes are definitely not in the immediate plans of UAZ. Therefore, we still hang large spare wheels on power bumper with a wicket and this is the best solution.
Results of the year of operation
Total, we can say that updated UAZ Patriot and UAZ Pickup showed very good results for a year of intensive operation. Not without tar in honey, but nevertheless, nothing criminal happened to the cars except for a jamb with an ECU fuse and it's good that this happened in the city. Perhaps, far from civilization, in a couple of hours we would find this ill-fated fuse.
conclusions
Let's assess the situation soberly? Yes, I'm talking about the cost of a car and its relationship with features and functionality. Even with new prices, you won't buy anything similar for the price of the top-end Patriot.
Do you like used cars? This is a different conversation, and it lasts as long as there is plenty to choose from in the secondary housing. Again, it is not a fact that buying a used car will not become a lottery. Nice cars on secondary market Less and less. They are simply not sold, and if they are sold, then they go to their "own".
Those that are ... Are you sure that they were not killed and that this is not another option "did not participate in the pokatushki"? How many times skillfully hidden "foulbrood" has surfaced after a couple of months of operation of a car bought not in the salon or in the salon, but "as is".
We often hear that it is better to repair a foreign car once than UAZ five times. It's funny when this is said by someone who has never owned a UAZ and is not very financially free. In light of the new prices for spare parts, I want to see the faces of such people in the spare parts store when the need for major repairs arises, for example, of a Nissan, or even better, when this repair cannot be done on our own.
There is another version of the final results of the annual test of the Patriot and Pickup: our two UAZs were assembled not in Ulyanovsk, but on Mars, and therefore they walk so well and do not break. Option?
And it’s quite an extreme case - that I lied to you all. In this case, an electronic service book, which was introduced by UAZ and which shows all the work carried out. I hope that all the works from the past will be brought there and I can show them to you.
So that everything is not so magical: there are, of course, comments. Lots of comments on little things and they are more annoying than frustrating. The same drainage of the stove, due to which there was water in the interiors of the cars. However, soon the UAZ Patriot will be updated again and there will be a new stove, and most likely this disease will be cured once and for all, like many others.
Friends called an attempt to drive two new UAZ Patriot and UAZ Pickup cars, which have not been tested and not trained, to the unique region of Cappadocia in Turkey through Georgia as a complete gamble. This is an UAZ, and there are no official ones on the way. dealerships and shops with spare parts. If something happened ...
To fight stereotypes, the OffRoadClub.Ru team went on a journey of 7000 kilometers of asphalt, dirt coats and mountain passes on two absolutely stock cars with ZMZ-514 diesel engines.
From tuning, only wheel hubs on the UAZ Pickup to compare consumption, roll-forward and handling. From spare parts: drive belts, tension rollers, filters, a set of pads and a spare expansion tank... Naturally, a supply of oil and a good set of tools. Just in case.
The first stage of the trip took place in two UAZ vehicles to Tbilisi, where the third car, Toyota Hilux, was supposed to catch up. We set out from Moscow in the middle of the day and therefore did not manage to get to the usual overnight points. On the first night we stopped in the Voronezh region, a few kilometers from the M4 highway on the bank of a small pond. Hedgehogs puffed around all night.
Comfortable travel speed for diesel Patriot and Pickup 90-100 km / h. If you try to spin the engine further, then unpleasant vibration and noise appear in the cabin, and the engine gains more than 3200 rpm. On the way back by typing total mileage cars about 8,000 km, the behavior has improved slightly, and the Patriot and the Pickup were already allowed to move comfortably at a speed of 105-110 km / h. We got used to it.
It is not always possible to get up for the night in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories the first time. More often, there are only fields around and there is no more or less interesting place for setting up a camp. By the second night we got to the Tikhonkaya river not far from Tikhoretsk. On the river there were rented areas for fish farming, but after learning that the travelers did not even have fishing rods, the guards allowed them to stop at any place they liked by the water.
The most important puzzle was the Verkhniy Lars border crossing. On the day of departure and the next day, information was posted on the Internet that the crossing was closed due to weather conditions for an indefinite time. However, upon reaching the place, it turned out that the border was open and the border guards promptly let through all those who were waiting. All formalities took about 40 minutes.
The first settlement in Georgia is Stepantsminda. You can plan an overnight stay in it or drive in the morning, but the ascent to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Gergeti should be a mandatory program.
With the experience of driving on narrow and steep serpentines and an SUV, the climb to the Holy Trinity will be enjoyable. If there is no such experience or the car does not allow, then it is better to use the services of local drivers in four-wheel drive minibuses.
Both UAZs climbed easily almost to the very top. There was no way to go further because of the snow block. Stopping at the site just below, you can walk about a kilometer on foot. Even in rainy weather, the walk seemed beautiful and pleasant.
It is necessary to move through Georgia with a degree of caution and this applies not only to mountain roads, but also to settlements. For local drivers, it is considered normal to drive without observing the lane, turn and rebuild without turn signals and without looking in mirrors, and most importantly, move around at night without headlights. V best case with included dimensions.
Staying in Tbilisi, you can devote one or two days to the city. It is a chic mixture of modern architecture and old quarters that have preserved their identity. The famous sulfur baths are right in the middle of the city, and just behind them is a beautiful waterfall. The city has something to do, what to see and where to eat deliciously. And, of course, there are many establishments with local wine.
In Tbilisi, the UAZs caught up with the third crew on Toyota, and then the plans were a march to Turkey. A detailed study of Georgia was left for later. All the same, two or three days are impossible for this country.
Crossing the Turkish border is similar in many places - you have to park your car in the parking lot near the main building, go through passport control inside, go through customs control and wait for customs inspection in the parking lot. Then you can continue moving on.
Green Card (Green Card) when entering Turkey is required! It will be required to be presented at customs clearance, and if it is not there, then you will have to walk to Turkish territory, take out insurance in the trailer and go back to the registration.
The route of the trip was planned with overnight stays in tents and with stops in hotels. In Turkey, the first stop was the city of Erzurum. This is a historical "crossroads" of roads and civilizations, but there is almost nothing to look at if it is not a pilgrimage to mosques and madrassas. Plus, half of the city is simply destroyed and forgotten by civilization.
After Erzurum, there is an opportunity to move on the E80 expressway towards Cappadocia, or you can go further south on the D950 and then on the D300 - this road is longer, slower, but more beautiful and interesting. Naturally, we chose an interesting road.
Despite the fact that there have already been trips around Turkey by car, the travelers had to stop as a "savage" for the first time. We entered traditionally - we found a large lake on the map, looked at possible approaches to it and went to look for a place for tents.
Finding a place to spend the night in Turkey turned out to be quite simple. It was not possible to bypass the village, since the road through the fields stuck to the railway line and the UAZs could not squeeze through the puncture under it. But after passing through the village, they calmly crossed the railway, went ashore with a beautiful view of the mountains and set up camp here.
What is difficult in Turkey is with firewood. Despite the beautiful place by the lake, the fire was excluded from the plans due to the banal lack of firewood. Only living trees grew around and not a single dry one. However, this did not spoil a pleasant stay in a good place.
About 500 km remained to the city of Goreme in Cappadocia and it was planned to cover this distance in one day and stay in already booked hotels in the rocks. The distance is quite adequate, if not for the desire to visit Mount Nemrut Dag, to which you need to make a radial exit for 80 km in one direction along the mountain serpentines.
You should definitely visit Nemrut Dag! This is a legendary place where statues of the Gods of the pre-Christian era stand on the top of the mountain. The heads of the Gods are already on the ground, but this does not negate the majesty and strangeness of the place. It would be unforgivable to be close and not to come here.
A visit to the top of Nemrut Dag is paid - almost at the very top of the asphalt ends, you will be asked for a small fee and then you will need to move along a washed-out dirt road for a few more kilometers. In good weather, even a car can pass.
Ultimately, the crews arrived in Goreme late at night, and only in the morning everyone could see the place they were striving for. It was an unforgettable feeling that you were on another planet. Cappadocia is a whole region of Turkey with residential quarters carved into soft rocks and underground. Most of them are accessible and free of charge. Savage travelers even have a tradition of spending the night in caves, and in some places you can even find traces of such overnight stays - straw bedding.
For a fee, you can visit the underground cities. The most famous place is Derenkuy, but fewer tourists and closer to Kaymakli. It is not worth descending into the underground labyrinths of the city for people who are afraid of tight spaces, as well as those with poor physical abilities. The bottom is very cramped, in places it is stuffy, and in some places you have to move almost like a goose step, and this requires strength.
There are many interesting places in the vicinity: a volcanic lake, a museum-mausoleum in Hajibektash and others. It will take at least a week to explore all the surroundings and walk enough. And do not forget to take "Scandinavian" sticks with you for walking.
There are many off-road routes in Cappadocia. On unpaved paths, you can get to the most hidden places in your car or rent a local ATV or bicycle. You need to be more attentive to the signs, they can prohibit movement Vehicle in some places, but you can always drive up from the other side and inspect from afar or walk.
After visiting Cappadocia, all three crews split up. UAZ Pickup drove along the sea towards Batumi. Toyota set off along the highway to Akhaltsikhe. And UAZ Patriot followed its own route, visiting several more places on the way home.
Having entered Georgia, you can stop by the Sapara Monastery in Akhaltsikhe. it tourist place, but this makes it no less interesting. It is best to go to the monastery in good weather and take along food supplies for the monks (pasta, butter, flour, sweets). In bad weather, you will have to fight with several unpleasant sections of the mountain road.
During the entire journey, the cars covered a little more than 7000 km. The average consumption of diesel UAZ Patriot and UAZ Pickup was 10 liters per 100 km. The difference between the Pickup with installed hubs and the Patriot without them is almost imperceptible, but on the descents the Pickup was coasting much easier and quickly caught up and overtook the Patriot.
Not without malfunctions. Pickup cracked windshield from edge to center without visible mechanical damage. Probably this is the reason for the factory defect and glass gluing. Plus the stove hose dripped under the hood. Installing an additional clamp did not help. The dripping from the hose was insignificant, so they left it until we returned.
On the Turkish border, the side of the pickup truck refused to open. At the first parking lot, the side was dismantled and a malfunction was found - the lock rod flew off and the malfunction was fixed within five minutes. The body did not cause any more troubles.
Otherwise, both UAZ proved to be worthy, passed all the tests, and diesel engines found themselves the best choice for driving on mountain roads and allowed to overtake slugs and calmly choose gears. As for Georgia, both UAZs will definitely return here with a more detailed excursion ...
