Why is modernization not always for the better? UAZ Patriot
There are cars that were designed at the very beginning of the 90s, but went into production only a few years later. Well, then the “epoch of modernization” with which the same car from the early 90s could appear as a novelty in the 21st century. Many manufacturers did this, but I wanted to notice about the UAZ Patriot.
This car was put into production as a novelty of the domestic auto industry in 2005, but in fact it was only a modernized version of the UAZ-3162 Simbir car, which in turn was a modernized version of the 3160. In general, everything remains at the heart of the UAZ Patriot the same “Simbir” 3162.
It turns out that he is not 15 years on the assembly line, but 20! It still has the same frame, bodywork, axles and engine, albeit slightly upgraded. As for the gearbox, it has been foreign since the launch of the Patriot, unlike Simbir, which had Arzamas. The transfer case in the Patriot, like in Simbir, is helical, geared, but with one lever control, lasted until 2013.
After that, they began to install a razdatka of a foreign manufacturer with a chain drive and electronic control. Although for some special modifications and, apparently, for the UAZ Profi, the old transfer case with mechanical control has been retained. Otherwise, this machine has been produced for almost 20 years without fundamental changes. Yes, of course, she got electronic assistants that made the car much more comfortable, but those stages of modernization cannot be called global. It was more like how in some garage the men are trying to somehow modify what they have. More like such an industrial tuning, if I may say so.
Well, okay, at least it pleases that from time to time they try something, finish something. They generally don't stay in place.
Thank them for this. I hope the announced “Russian Prado” will indeed be a global modernization, and not just minor tweaks.
And so, why is modernization not always for the better? Based on the five-year experience of using a 2008 UAZ Patriot car and comparing it with cars of later years of production, you can verify this by taking a test drive. Which I did from time to time. And he concluded that the 2008 car was better than the new ones.
Well, take at least the seats. In 2008, the seats were Korean-made and did not cause negative emotions. But when you sit in the seats of the more recent Patriots, you realize that those old ones were simply gorgeous. Take at least the material, it used to be velor, now it's leatherette or fabric. Velor, of course, to whom, but from experience, it is very unpretentious. Very durable without any covers. It looks and feels much nicer than fabric, which is gradually stretched and salted. Unlike dermatin, not so cold in frost. Warms up much faster. But the most important thing in those seats was the ability to separately adjust the angle of the rear sofa. Now this is not. Instead, we were offered very hard, non-adjustable rear seats, compensating for this loss by the fact that the back row was significantly moved away from the front. Seems like more space. But sitting is uncomfortable. Korean seats did not seem soft, but what they put up now seems like a plywood chair in the assembly hall of a Soviet institution.
The second remark is of course a matter of taste, but for me it was much more pleasant when the interior was designed in gray. There was some light in the car. Everything is black now. And it's terrible in my opinion. Always liked cars in which the interiors were kept in bright colors, gray or beige.
Third note. Door handles. Why were they changed? Yes, I'm not against their new design, but why are they so new? If the locks are old, tight, uncomfortable.
Fourth note. They removed the side fuel tanks, which were ideally hidden in the body niches and did not protrude in any way, by analogy with the UAZ-469, in exchange for one plastic one suspended under the belly. Allegedly, it was inconvenient for someone to use two gas tanks. It was very convenient in the conditions of the city. It didn't matter which side to drive up to the gas station. Both sides had their own hatch. One tank was the main, the other auxiliary. Yes, their capacity was not great, well, in total, almost the same volume as today's plastic “visun”. For me, this is how you entered it, well, well, just leave those two too. Or in those places two cylinders of gas. What fuel supply will be. Anything is now put on the factory expeditionary version; trunks, ladders, etc. etc. didn't think about fuel.
Fifth, probably the fact that 18-inch rims were introduced, which made the car much stiffer. Although it is clear that this was done to improve lateral stability. This is for strong, healthy people. A long trip is terribly exhausting. Yes, and the cost of the 18th wheels is probably higher than the 16th.
Of course, I would like to note the positive aspects of modernization. In particular, these are modified steering knuckles. Firstly, they turn at a larger angle, and secondly, they are much more reliable. What happened before, you can't even pick up words. In the steering knuckles, the pivot pin used to have a PLASTIC liner. It's just a nightmare. Replacement was required every 10 thousand km. Therefore, many reworked this assembly and introduced shock bearings. It was humiliating. Remodeling a new car.
The second positive thing I would like to note is the introduction of an interwheel differential lock and the presence of electronic imitation of locks. Previously, with all the legendary UAZ, the Patriot without blocking could very stupidly and out of the blue slip with only two wheels, one in front and one in the back.
Okay, in general, it is not possible to talk about this car in one publication, but I tried to express my understanding and misunderstanding of some of the modernized elements. And what did you like about the old “Patra”? What about in the new one?
