We have one trait that is difficult to get rid of: gullibility. Someone once said somewhere that Chinese cars are evil, another believed in it, and now the vast majority of Russian motorists unshakably believe that cars from the Middle Kingdom are an ever-breaking, rotting tin can, in which it is easier to die, how to get from point A to barrel B.
Let's try to be objective: there are a lot of Chinese cars, and what applies to the Chery Tiggo will be absolutely unfair to the BYD F30M, and what will be true to the Brilliance BC3 cannot be projected onto the Great Wall Hover. Therefore, let's put aside bias and categorical judgments, take one specific Chinese car and see what its owner will face, what will have to be repaired, how much it will cost and what can be saved. Lifan Solano, 2010, will act as a test subject.
A little bit of history
The Lifan company very clearly illustrates the possibilities of Chinese business. Founded in 1992, the Chongqing Hongda Auto Fittings Research Center (this was the name Lifan had at the beginning of its activity) was engaged in the repair of motorcycles, then in their production. Already in 2003, buses of this manufacturer were born, and in 2005 the Chinese pleased the world with their first car.
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Of course, the company's history could have been more extended in time if the automotive business had not been built according to a well-established production scheme under license from more well-known companies. But Lifan did not reinvent the wheel, moreover, he did not invent a car either, therefore, in the shortest possible time, he released not quite his own car under his own brand. The first was the LF6361/1010 minivan, which can be recognized as Daihatsu Atrai. The Lifan 320 (Smily) looks oddly like a Mini Cooper, although it's actually based on the Daihatsu Charade Aura. Not someone cursed at Lifan Breez, but the BMW concern itself. And not for stealing their model, but for copying the name (Lifan Breez originally appeared as Lifan 520, which slightly infuriated the Germans) and style.
But the Chinese were not very upset, they removed the numbers and called the Breez car for the international market, which was the end of it. Well, because of the wide back of the Lifan X60, the ears of the Toyota RAV4 unobtrusively stick out. Of course, our today's Lifan 620 (aka Solano) did not make the Chinese engineers sweat too much. Solano is in many ways (almost completely) Toyota Corolla E120. Now the question is: is it true that the Chinese did not come up with anything good?
No, for all the time of his work, Lifan was able to become a leader among Chinese companies in terms of the number of registered patents. Lifan has about 350 of them in the automotive industry alone, and the company is not only engaged in cars. In addition to trucks, cars and motorcycles, Lifan also stamps sports shoes. And he is also engaged - attention! - winemaking.
In Cherkessk, since 2007, the assembly of Lifan cars began on the territory of the Derways plant. Already in 2009, production went full cycle, and now the Russian company produces not only Lifans, but also Chery, Geely, Brilliance, Jac, DFL and Hawtai. Someone believes that the Russian assembly is a plus in the karma of a Chinese car, someone considers this a disadvantage. Be that as it may, there are complaints about the assembly of cars and, as a rule, they have the right to exist. About what is done in cars well, and what is not very, we will talk a little lower. For now, let's get to know our Solano better.
The car, as I said, was released in 2010, but its mileage is small, only 75 thousand kilometers. It is made in the “Lux” configuration: the interior is sheathed in leather, the wheels are cast here, not stamped, there is a parking sensor (more precisely, it was - it didn’t last long), heated seats and audio control on the steering wheel. However, the "base" is not much poorer. No matter what they say about the “Chinese”, they can stuff the car no worse than an experienced housewife - pepper.
Engine
There is a strong opinion that the motor in Solano is almost Japanese. In fact, a Chinese unit with a long index LF481Q3 is turning the crankshaft here. In fairness, we note that although this engine was made in China, its roots are really Japanese - it is practically a Toyota 4A-FE, only with an electronic ignition module instead of a distributor. What can be said about this unit?
If you take the original Japanese 4A-FE, then at the time of its release in 1988 and for many years it can be considered almost flawless. By now, of course, it is already technically outdated, but from the point of view of reliability, it can be said compliment. Even in its Chinese version LF481Q3, it does not cause any complaints, if not for one "but".
It's all about how the wiring is done in the car. The mechanical part of the motor is almost indestructible, but periodic "glitches" in the operation of electronics occur quite often. True, in the case of our car, everything is in order, the motor has not been a hassle since 2010, it works smoothly and does not require intervention in its metal bowels. But enough theory, let's turn to practice.
The advantage of not the most recent structurally motor is the relative ease of its maintenance. Of course, everyone can change the oil here. The only difficulty is to remove the oil filter. If the hands are not too weak from arthritis, and at the previous MOT the filter did not spin the Terminator excited by the type of iron with all its might, then you should first try to unscrew it from above. It is possible, although it is hidden deep enough. You need to look for it in front, under the protective screen of the exhaust manifold. The filter did not succumb to persuasion and physical strength? You will have to remove the crankcase protection. If the trick with unscrewing through the top goes through, then it is not necessary to look for a hole or a jack: there is a hole under the drain plug, and it is located so that you can reach it just lying down, without a lift. In any case, with an independent replacement, you will save 500 rubles, and you will have to pay only 250-300 rubles for the filter.
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The air filter is even easier. It is exactly the same here as on similar Toyota engines. Replacement will take a couple of minutes: we fold back two latches, remove the case cover, change the element and close everything back. Simple and even boring, like a doctor's sausage sandwich. But the savings are also so-so: 200 rubles. The filter itself costs 300 rubles.
There is another mandatory maintenance procedure - replacing candles. There are no coils on the candles here, you don’t need to remove anything first, just unscrew the old candle and twist the new one. True, the wells are quite deep and you don’t need to drop anything into them - this is harmful to the motor. For this work, the service will ask for 600-700 rubles, which, of course, is not robbery, but more than for replacing the air filter.
Belts of suspended equipment are separate: for the generator, power steering and air conditioning. You can change them yourself, access to them is convenient, and the procedure itself is simple. True, the belts overlap each other, so the further the belt is, the more difficult it is to remove it. To remove the alternator belt, you will need to take off both the power steering belt and the air conditioning belt.
Tension mechanisms - you can’t imagine easier, but you have to dig deeper with them. If it’s not too difficult to get to the generator bracket, then access to the power steering bracket is a little more difficult, you have to climb behind the block, which is not very convenient. The air conditioner belt is tensioned by a roller. All belts can be changed from above - there is no need to stand on a lift, look for a hole or risk your life under the car on a jack. For replacing the belt, they ask from 300 rubles to 1,000, depending on its location - the farther, the more expensive.
The timing belt is rarely changed on its own, but the owners of this “Chinese” are not always in a hurry to service. They drive calmly, because the valves do not bend during a break - according to an old tradition, the pistons have grooves for the valves. The belt, by the way, is also suitable from Toyota, but the original also honestly fulfills its resource. However, the belt does not burn with desire to exceed it much. If it is not replaced at 60 thousand, closer to 70 it is quite capable of tearing. Replacement in the service will cost 5,000 rubles, the belt itself and the tensioner roller cost about two thousand rubles.
Chassis and brakes
Solano suspension is simple and reliable - MacPherson strut in front and a beam in the back. And it does not require constant or even just frequent repairs. The only thing that will have to be changed regularly here is the stabilizer struts. They are enough for 30 thousand, but the figure may vary depending on the operating conditions. The stand costs 800 rubles, and it is precisely “Toyota”. For the replacement, you will have to pay the same 800 rubles, but if you wish, you can gather your strength and unscrew the two bolts with your own hands. But this, of course, is already a sign of greed: once every 30 thousand you can pay, the amount is not so great.
I would like to warn the owner of Solano about the possible failure of the assembly from Lifan of the “real” Toyota. Yes, the filters and many spare parts match the Japanese ones, but this does not mean at all that everything fits. Even in the chassis there are differences - for example, the front shock absorbers will fit on the Solano only after a slight alteration. And there is not much point in changing the original to analogues (even from Toyota), this is not the case when the devil is in the details. He is hidden here in another, which will be discussed later.
Another detail that causes criticism of the "solanists" is the tie rod end. The resource of tips is about 50 thousand. The part itself costs about a thousand rubles, and many have a desire to replace it themselves. Well, you can heal 600 rubles and do it yourself. But out of harm, I cannot but dispel one of the myths of such a replacement.
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Many Kulibins, who formed their consciousness under the influence of Uncle Vasya (who repairs everything in a row with beer and roach in a neighboring box), are sure that if, when unscrewing the old tip, count the number of revolutions, and then twist the new tip by the same amount, then set the angle convergence is not necessary: the wheels will stand exactly the same as they were. Actually it is not. According to service station statistics, such luck is likely with a chance of 1 out of 20. That is, in 19 cases out of 20, after replacement, deterioration in handling or “zhor” rubber, or all these charms at the same time, is possible. Therefore, when replacing the tie rod ends, it is necessary to take the car to the stand, measure the angles and set them as expected. In some services, they won’t even tell you about it, but will count the number of turns and do everything in the same way as the very mythical Uncle Vasya. Such STOs should be avoided.
All-round disc brakes ( not like some, by the way), replacing pads and discs is not difficult. The front and rear pads cost about 1,000 rubles, replacing the front pads in the service will cost 600 rubles, the rear pads - 700. If you replace it yourself, you will have to carry out maintenance of the calipers without fail - they are prone to parasitism due to souring, and this is especially different rear brake mechanisms.
Transmission
The Chinese did not bother with the marking of the gearbox, so the only unit available to the buyer was named exactly the same as the engine - LF481Q3. This is a mechanical five-speed box, which, although not eternal, does not create any special problems. There are no breakdown statistics that would give an objective picture of reliability, which, however, characterizes the transmission from the best side. But the clutch sometimes makes you dig deeper into the working cylinder of the drive.
The feel of the clutch "driving" is familiar to some Solano owners. The cause of the phenomenon often lies in the stiff spring of the clutch slave cylinder. You can put from Toyota (it is softer). If the clutch is completely “ended”, then prepare 5,000 rubles for a new set and about the same to pay for work in the service. CV joints and other transmission parts are quite reliable - I will only remind you of the need to monitor the integrity of the anthers of the axle shafts.
While the car is on the lift, we will show one more filter - the fuel one. Now, not all manufacturers can boast that the fuel filter can be easily and simply replaced. You can do it in Solano. It stands right behind the gas tank, to replace it it will be necessary to unscrew two clamps. The price of the filter is about 200 rubles, but the original is of little use: inside there is only a metal mesh with an unexpectedly large cell. A stone, maybe such a filter will delay, but the sand is gone.
And what is most interesting, this filter is very coarse, it is on the fuel path after the fine filter (the so-called "diaper") on the fuel filter inside the tank. Why it is needed at all is a mystery. True, we will not reproach the Chinese - exactly the same strange scheme was applied to the Daewoo Nexia.
Body and interior
So we got to the place where the devil is hiding. Let's talk about the body. The paintwork is quite thin. On the hood, the effects of chips are noticeable, characteristic of cars, most of whose life has passed on the track. Our test subject really traveled a lot along the St. Petersburg bypass (KAD), but sand is not used there - the track is quite clean. However, this was enough to cause chips, which led to a large number of "saffron milk caps" on the body. Yes, and without chipping reasons for sadness in abundance.
There is rust on the edges of the doors and on the thresholds. It is clearly visible at the point of touching the chrome lining on the trunk lid and at the places where the door handles fit. As you can see, the tendency to corrosion is obvious here. But in defense of Solano I will say that this is practically the only serious drawback of the car. True, it is very serious, capable of negating many of its virtues.
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Let's move inside. The photo shows that the place where the radio should stand is empty. The fact is that the Chinese have not succeeded in making good radio tape recorders. A dead speaker system is almost the norm for the Solano. The owner did not want to put something else in its place, so there is a mount for the tablet in place of the radio, and wires sticking out of the deflector that connect the tablet to the speakers. Well, so be it.
To be honest, in this price category, the salon is very, very good. True, we don’t have wood inserts here (they didn’t please the owner of the car for some reason), but the interior looks good without them. Pleased with the material of the dashboard: it is not condo plastic, but pleasant to the touch, rather high-quality soft material. And in general, the salon and the panel do not cause rejection.
Noise isolation is not the best, but again, we are not driving in a Cadillac. For its price, it is quite acceptable, especially since there are no squeaks and “crickets” in the cabin. True, it was only necessary to rest harder with her elbow on the armrest of the door, as her card groaned plaintively. But it was the only sound in the cabin that should not be.
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What will the owner have to deal with? Most tech-savvy Solano owners reverse the polarity of the air circulation damper actuator. By default, it closes when the ignition is turned off, blocking access to outside air and allowing air to circulate only inside the cabin. The most unpleasant thing is that the windows sweat, and every time before starting to move, you have to press the button and switch the mode. If you throw two damper wires, then the algorithm changes, and the damper will be open by default. Many people do just that.
In general, electrics are the second weak point of Solano. Almost without exception, the heated seats burn out, the parking sensors do not differ in survivability, the wiring of the head light burns out due to the weakness of the contacts. When replacing lamps, the connector must be tightened. By the way, the right lamp can be changed easily, and to access the lamps of the left headlight, you will have to unscrew the air duct pipe (one bolt for a Phillips screwdriver).
With the weakness of the wiring, the arising problems from the category “hit a hole - stalled” are also associated. This did not happen on our car, but some other owners are experiencing this. In this case, the connector from any ICE sensor comes off, everything is treated simply, the main thing is to find what exactly has gone. The sensors themselves usually do not fail. In this regard, many scold the assembly of the car. Maybe that's the way it is, but the times when all connections were not just crimped, but silver-plated and soldered ( oh W124!) are gone forever.
One of the measures that can at least somehow help save the body is gluing the joints of bumpers with body panels. Reducing friction between the elements will allow a little longer to save the "tin" from corrosion.
Many owners complain that the rear doors close a little harder than we would like. It's all about the rubber seals, which were not spared here. They say there is a way to beat the disease. We didn’t check it ourselves, but we’ll tell you: you need to tap the seal with a rubber hammer. I don’t know if it will help, but they say that it helps a lot.
What is the result?
Whatever bad they say about Solano, but the car should not be classified as a “Chinese tin can”. I understand that a biased attitude and unshakable self-righteousness will not allow haters of cars from China to remain silent, but still. Yes, there are drawbacks associated primarily with the quality of the paintwork and with not the highest reliability of the wiring. But this car is also very, very inexpensive by modern standards, which, taking into account very attractive configurations, may be of interest to potential buyers. And even I will say that it is well deserved.
There is, however, the other side of the coin. These cars are not very liquid and are not highly valued in the secondary market. And it’s probably not worth taking them there: they rot, sir. Theoretically, a car can be disassembled, sandblasted, and then qualitatively primed, anticorrosive and painted using the oldtimer restoration technology. The financial feasibility of the enterprise is in question, but there is a relatively effective solution to the body problem - just be aware of it.
Moreover, Solano drives well. You can break through the suspension only with a very strong desire, and even then with difficulty. The dynamics are not amazing, but the car drives quite confidently, it is well controlled and does not rattle on the go.
There is something good in it that can be described in three words: worth the money. But not for long.
For help in preparing the material, we express our gratitude to IP Butorin (car center "Best", St. Petersburg, Fuchika St., 17, box No. 1)
@Rudik, I think everything is clear our country is simply not developing, we are a colony that eats everything that is thrown into it, SLAVES, and why do slaves need technology and development .....
and let them make the minimum price of 1 million 500 thousand rubles for Russian cars and all car factories can be closed immediately! we don’t have leaders, but there are menagers who don’t know how to manage and don’t want to learn how to manage - they only know how to appropriate someone else’s!
and the problem lies in them)
wow, eyes on the forehead climbed from the prices))
This is not the first time I have read a similar review by newcomers, and it seems that they have one author. Rewrites his own reviews slightly changing words in places. And after reading your opinion, you can’t add up - everything is too superficial and vague, and there are more questions than answers.
And how will dust with air mix with oil? Where will she find him? The air-fuel mixture enters the cylinder, and there, as you know, there should not be oil. The zero filter adds power, but it gets dirty faster, therefore it is unprofitable .... Therefore, it is simply unprofitable to install it for an ordinary driver ..... Aftor burning ........
Auto has become more accessible. They became less reverent towards them. The intensity of exploitation has increased.
Traffic police inspectors have been reduced three times, so there is no one to detect fraudsters ... Whatever is done, everything is for the better, but only for fraudsters!
Well, considering that this is an update, which implies such a big number of improvements, the price has remained quite democratic. Others are not shy and, at any opportunity, try to raise prices to the skies. For this Subaru separate respect.
Even checking the oil level in the engine is difficult, you have to tilt the dipstick handle towards you to pull it out from under the jabot. When you slam the doors, you get the feeling that there are prehistoric castles. The doors close with a "clunk". Probably, if you serve KUGU at a service station, then these shortcomings are insignificant. But if the driver services the car himself to save money, then the difficulties I have listed are annoying.
Green flashes 4 seconds before disable. At this time, "you need to press the brake, not the grandma." And the penalty is quite legal.
And it’s not easier to immediately put the engine from Pradik or Surf along with a box and a razdatka. I would also replace the bridges with Japanese ones.
Suzuki Jimmy, he's always been a Jimny.
Thanks for the interesting article.
There is no car that has not been in a car service. This fate cannot be avoided by the handsome, elegant, not without even some advantages over Western "competitors" Lifan Solano.
Of course, car services are different. Some, for example, are much more likely to “break” the price, others are “not cured” of the car without noticing a breakdown, which can turn out to be serious.
So many owners of Lifanov come to the conclusion that the best way out is to self-repair the car.
Useful repair tricks
If you, having sufficient knowledge, skills and abilities, decide to repair Lifan Solano with your own hands, then remember some tricks:
- due to the specificity of replacing the front brake discs, it is better to carry out this work taking into account the wishes and recommendations of the manufacturer;
- it is better to leave work with the ignition coil to specialists, since even for an “ace” it is hard work, what to say about beginners;
- when replacing the windshield, it is necessary to prepare the appropriate tools in advance, not forgetting the capsule and sealant;
- timely acquire an assistant for repairing brake pipes. This is due to the fact that there is a need to pump the brakes.
The choice in favor of a car service for repair and maintenance
Still not as bad a car service as they say. In any case, in order to avoid unnecessary risks, it would be much better not to "self-medicate", but to visit an experienced specialist who can easily "diagnose" the car, do all the work quickly and efficiently.
It is worth remembering that timely repairs will cost much less than if you make a serious mistake during the repair yourself. This or that damaged part can be so rare that its value will be equal to half the cost of the car.
The Chinese sedan is offered with one 1.6-liter engine with 106 hp, which is a licensed copy of the Toyota 4A-FE with a modified intake manifold. The timing drive on this power unit is belt driven, requiring replacement every 60 thousand km. The engine itself is very reliable and economical, but after the intervention of Chinese engineers, some features appeared. So, when driving with the engine still cold, the car starts to twitch. Many are faced with inexplicably increased vibration of the engine at idle. In search of a solution to the problem, the owners are modifying the exhaust system with a tie-in elastic corrugation. Others manage to beat the vibration by adjusting the engine mount. In the rev range of 1700 - 2500, the throttle assembly often begins to "whistle".
The idle speed controller may fail already with a run of 15 - 20 thousand km (600 rubles). In winter, the gas pedal can wedge due to freezing of the control cable in the “protective jacket”, where moisture gets in and condensate accumulates. For prevention before frost, it is necessary to treat the assembly with silicone grease.
Because of the flimsy clamps, the coolant pipes connecting the engine to the radiator often leak. Native clamps are better to replace. With a run of more than 30 - 40 thousand km, there were cases of radiator leakage (5 - 7 thousand rubles).
With a run of more than 10 - 25 thousand km, the fuel pump (1-2 thousand rubles) and the fuel level sensor may fail due to loss of contact between the track and the clamp.
The gearbox installed on the Lifan Solano is one - a 5-speed "mechanics". There are a lot of complaints from the owners about the clutch, which begins to slip already at a run of 20 - 40 thousand km. After opening, it is found that the disk is not worn out, but after replacing it, such problems do not arise. A new clutch kit will cost 4-6 thousand rubles, and the work to replace it will require about 3 thousand rubles.
Also, many note the appearance of a hum in the box when the gas is released in 2nd and 3rd gears with a run of more than 20 thousand km. After replacing the input shaft bearing, the hum goes away. In winter, due to wedging of the breather valve of the box, the seals can be squeezed out. The speed sensor is a real consumable that fails after 10 - 20 thousand km (1000 rubles).
Negative reviews are also being poured into the address of the suspension, which begins to creak with a run of more than 20 thousand km, more often in winter. In addition, with the advent of frost, knocks also appear, which can often be eliminated after pulling the suspension elements. Shock absorbers can leak with a run of more than 20 - 30 thousand km, by the same time the anti-roll bar struts begin to knock.
Quite frequent and problems with ABS. The reason is under-clicked chips, poor quality of the brake fluid filled during assembly, and less often in the ABS sensors themselves. The original brake pads are very hard, which leads to rapid wear of the brake disc and unnecessarily early ABS in critical situations.
In winter, the power steering pump often begins to “growl”, the reason is the fluid, the replacement of which solves the problem. Tie rods begin to tap already at a run of 10 - 20 thousand km (1-2 thousand rubles).
Body Solano has a relatively thin layer of paintwork, chips appear pretty quickly. Bare metal is not prone to bloom, but if no action is taken to eliminate the chip, it will soon become covered with rust. Causes criticism and the quality of fitting hinged elements of the body, mainly doors and trunk lids. Uneven gaps are often noticeable, in addition, the doors do not close well. Which in turn leads to the appearance of dents on the thin metal of the doors, when you try to slam it again, applying efforts not to the door handle.
Often the fuel filler cap falls apart when it is twisted. The plastic hood stop holders break just as easily.
Due to poor-quality window sizing and poor sealant treatment of the welded seams of the roof with the sidewall of the body or the rear wing with a glass shelf, water often gets into the cabin and luggage compartment.
Squeaks in the interior of Solano appear in the rear door panels, in the rear pillars, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe instrument panel, radio and rear seat back lock. Over time, the decorative knob of the gear lever begins to rotate freely and the leather substitute breaks, covering the free space between the central tunnel and the handle.
Seat heating fails in the first year of operation. The reason is the thin filaments of the heating element, located with the approach to the sidewalls of the seat, breaking when landing in the car.
The air conditioner stops cooling the air due to a tube breaking at the base. The reason is the proximity to the radiator and rubbing against its corner. Later, the defect was eliminated and from August 2011 the tube was installed correctly.
On many Lifan Solano, the radio and interior heater are not fully fixed from the factory. The radio tape recorder in this case begins to creak, and because of the heater, a draft appears in the legs.
Solano electrical problems are more often caused by the BCM (Body Electronics Control Module). The new unit will cost 5 thousand rubles. Its "glitches" and failures lead to incorrect operation of the direction indicators and problems with the central lock. The instability of the voltage at the output of the unit leads to a slightly noticeable flickering of the backlight of the instrument panel and radio at night. In wet weather and winter, parking radar sensors often fail, which come to life with the arrival of heat and sun.
Let's try to be objective: there are a lot of Chinese cars, and what applies to the Chery Tiggo will be absolutely unfair to the BYD F30M, and what will be true to the Brilliance BC3 cannot be projected onto the Great Wall Hover. Therefore, let's put aside bias and categorical judgments, take one specific Chinese car and see what its owner will face, what will have to be repaired, how much it will cost and what can be saved. Lifan Solano, 2010, will act as a test subject.
A little bit of history
The Lifan company very clearly illustrates the possibilities of Chinese business. Founded in 1992, the Chongqing Hongda Auto Fittings Research Center (this was the name Lifan had at the beginning of its activity) was engaged in the repair of motorcycles, then in their production. Already in 2003, buses of this manufacturer were born, and in 2005 the Chinese pleased the world with their first car.
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Of course, the company's history could have been more extended in time if the automotive business had not been built according to a well-established production scheme under license from more well-known companies. But Lifan did not reinvent the wheel, moreover, he did not invent a car either, therefore, in the shortest possible time, he released not quite his own car under his own brand. The first was the LF6361/1010 minivan, which can be recognized as Daihatsu Atrai. The Lifan 320 (Smily) looks oddly like a Mini Cooper, although it's actually based on the Daihatsu Charade Aura. Not someone cursed at Lifan Breez, but the BMW concern itself. And not for stealing their model, but for copying the name (Lifan Breez originally appeared as Lifan 520, which slightly infuriated the Germans) and style. But the Chinese were not very upset, they removed the numbers and called the Breez car for the international market, which was the end of it. Well, because of the wide back of the Lifan X60, the ears of the Toyota RAV4 unobtrusively stick out. Of course, our today's Lifan 620 (aka Solano) did not make the Chinese engineers sweat too much. Solano is in many ways (almost completely) Toyota Corolla E120. Now the question is: is it true that the Chinese did not come up with anything good? No, for all the time of his work, Lifan was able to become a leader among Chinese companies in terms of the number of registered patents. Lifan has about 350 of them in the automotive industry alone, and the company is not only engaged in cars. In addition to trucks, cars and motorcycles, Lifan also stamps sports shoes. And he is also engaged - attention! - winemaking. In Cherkessk, since 2007, the assembly of Lifan cars began on the territory of the Derways plant. Already in 2009, production went full cycle, and now the Russian company produces not only Lifans, but also Chery, Geely, Brilliance, Jac, DFL and Hawtai. Someone believes that the Russian assembly is a plus in the karma of a Chinese car, someone considers this a disadvantage. Be that as it may, there are complaints about the assembly of cars and, as a rule, they have the right to exist. About what is done in cars well, and what is not very, we will talk a little lower. For now, let's get to know our Solano better.
The car, as I said, was released in 2010, but its mileage is small, only 75 thousand kilometers. It is made in the “Lux” configuration: the interior is sheathed in leather, the wheels are cast here, not stamped, there is a parking sensor (more precisely, it was - it didn’t last long), heated seats and audio control on the steering wheel. However, the "base" is not much poorer. No matter what they say about the “Chinese”, they can stuff the car no worse than an experienced housewife - pepper.
Engine
There is a strong opinion that the motor in Solano is almost Japanese. In fact, a Chinese unit with a long index LF481Q3 is turning the crankshaft here. In fairness, we note that although this engine was made in China, its roots are really Japanese - it is practically a Toyota 4A-FE, only with an electronic ignition module instead of a distributor. What can be said about this unit?
If you take the original Japanese 4A-FE, then at the time of its release in 1988 and for many years it can be considered almost flawless. By now, of course, it is already technically outdated, but from the point of view of reliability, it can be said. Even in its Chinese version LF481Q3, it does not cause any complaints, if not for one "but". It's all about how the wiring is done in the car. The mechanical part of the motor is almost indestructible, but periodic "glitches" in the operation of electronics occur quite often. True, in the case of our car, everything is in order, the motor has not been a hassle since 2010, it works smoothly and does not require intervention in its metal bowels. But enough theory, let's turn to practice.
The advantage of not the most recent structurally motor is the relative ease of its maintenance. Of course, everyone can change the oil here. The only difficulty is to remove the oil filter. If the hands are not too weak from arthritis, and at the previous MOT the filter did not spin the Terminator excited by the type of iron with all its might, then you should first try to unscrew it from above. It is possible, although it is hidden deep enough. You need to look for it in front, under the protective screen of the exhaust manifold. The filter did not succumb to persuasion and physical strength? You will have to remove the crankcase protection. If the trick with unscrewing through the top goes through, then it is not necessary to look for a hole or a jack: there is a hole under the drain plug, and it is located so that you can reach it just lying down, without a lift. In any case, with an independent replacement, you will save 500 rubles, and you will have to pay only 250-300 rubles for the filter.
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The air filter is even easier. It is exactly the same here as on similar Toyota engines. Replacement will take a couple of minutes: we fold back two latches, remove the case cover, change the element and close everything back. Simple and even boring, like a doctor's sausage sandwich. But the savings are also so-so: 200 rubles. The filter itself costs 300 rubles.
There is another mandatory maintenance procedure - replacing candles. There are no coils on the candles here, you don’t need to remove anything first, just unscrew the old candle and twist the new one. True, the wells are quite deep and you don’t need to drop anything into them - this is harmful to the motor. For this work, the service will ask for 600-700 rubles, which, of course, is not robbery, but more than for replacing the air filter.
Belts of suspended equipment are separate: for the generator, power steering and air conditioning. You can change them yourself, access to them is convenient, and the procedure itself is simple. True, the belts overlap each other, so the further the belt is, the more difficult it is to remove it. To remove the alternator belt, you will need to take off both the power steering belt and the air conditioning belt.
Tension mechanisms - you can’t imagine easier, but you have to dig deeper with them. If it’s not too difficult to get to the generator bracket, then access to the power steering bracket is a little more difficult, you have to climb behind the block, which is not very convenient. The air conditioner belt is tensioned by a roller. All belts can be changed from above - there is no need to stand on a lift, look for a hole or risk your life under the car on a jack. For replacing the belt, they ask from 300 rubles to 1,000, depending on its location - the farther, the more expensive. The timing belt is rarely changed on its own, but the owners of this “Chinese” are not always in a hurry to service. They drive calmly, because the valves do not bend during a break - according to an old tradition, the pistons have grooves for the valves. The belt, by the way, is also suitable from Toyota, but the original also honestly fulfills its resource. However, the belt does not burn with desire to exceed it much. If it is not replaced at 60 thousand, closer to 70 it is quite capable of tearing. Replacement in the service will cost 5,000 rubles, the belt itself and the tensioner roller cost about two thousand rubles.
Chassis and brakes
Solano suspension is simple and reliable - MacPherson strut in front and a beam in the back. And it does not require constant or even just frequent repairs. The only thing that will have to be changed regularly here is the stabilizer struts. They are enough for 30 thousand, but the figure may vary depending on the operating conditions. The stand costs 800 rubles, and it is precisely “Toyota”. For the replacement, you will have to pay the same 800 rubles, but if you wish, you can gather your strength and unscrew the two bolts with your own hands. But this, of course, is already a sign of greed: once every 30 thousand you can pay, the amount is not so great.
I would like to warn the owner of Solano about the possible failure of the assembly from Lifan of the “real” Toyota. Yes, the filters and many spare parts match the Japanese ones, but this does not mean at all that everything fits. Even in the chassis there are differences - for example, the front shock absorbers will fit on the Solano only after a slight alteration. And there is not much point in changing the original to analogues (even from Toyota), this is not the case when the devil is in the details. He is hidden here in another, which will be discussed later. Another detail that causes criticism of the "solanists" is the tie rod end. The resource of tips is about 50 thousand. The part itself costs about a thousand rubles, and many have a desire to replace it themselves. Well, you can heal 600 rubles and do it yourself. But out of harm, I cannot but dispel one of the myths of such a replacement.
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Many Kulibins, who formed their consciousness under the influence of Uncle Vasya (who repairs everything in a row with beer and roach in a neighboring box), are sure that if, when unscrewing the old tip, count the number of revolutions, and then twist the new tip by the same amount, then set the angle convergence is not necessary: the wheels will stand exactly the same as they were. Actually it is not. According to service station statistics, such luck is likely with a chance of 1 out of 20. That is, in 19 cases out of 20, after replacement, deterioration in handling or “zhor” rubber, or all these charms at the same time, is possible. Therefore, when replacing the tie rod ends, it is necessary to take the car to the stand, measure the angles and set them as expected. In some services, they won’t even tell you about it, but will count the number of turns and do everything in the same way as the very mythical Uncle Vasya. Such STOs should be avoided. Brakes in a circle are disc (, by the way), replacing pads and discs is not difficult. The front and rear pads cost about 1,000 rubles, replacing the front pads in the service will cost 600 rubles, the rear pads - 700. If you replace it yourself, you will have to carry out maintenance of the calipers without fail - they are prone to parasitism due to souring, and this is especially different rear brake mechanisms.
Transmission
The Chinese did not bother with the marking of the gearbox, so the only unit available to the buyer was named exactly the same as the engine - LF481Q3. This is a mechanical five-speed box, which, although not eternal, does not create any special problems. There are no breakdown statistics that would give an objective picture of reliability, which, however, characterizes the transmission from the best side. But the clutch sometimes makes you dig deeper into the working cylinder of the drive. The feel of the clutch "driving" is familiar to some Solano owners. The cause of the phenomenon often lies in the stiff spring of the clutch slave cylinder. You can put from Toyota (it is softer). If the clutch is completely “ended”, then prepare 5,000 rubles for a new set and about the same to pay for work in the service. CV joints and other transmission parts are quite reliable - I will only remind you of the need to monitor the integrity of the anthers of the axle shafts. While the car is on the lift, we will show one more filter - the fuel one. Now, not all manufacturers can boast that the fuel filter can be easily and simply replaced. You can do it in Solano. It stands right behind the gas tank, to replace it it will be necessary to unscrew two clamps. The price of the filter is about 200 rubles, but the original is of little use: inside there is only a metal mesh with an unexpectedly large cell. A stone, maybe such a filter will delay, but the sand is gone.
And what is most interesting, this filter is very coarse, it is on the fuel path after the fine filter (the so-called "diaper") on the fuel filter inside the tank. Why it is needed at all is a mystery. True, we will not reproach the Chinese - exactly the same strange scheme was applied to the Daewoo Nexia.
Body and interior
So we got to the place where the devil is hiding. Let's talk about the body. The paintwork is quite thin. On the hood, the effects of chips are noticeable, characteristic of cars, most of whose life has passed on the track. Our test subject really traveled a lot along the St. Petersburg bypass (KAD), but sand is not used there - the track is quite clean. However, this was enough to cause chips, which led to a large number of "saffron milk caps" on the body. Yes, and without chipping reasons for sadness in abundance. There is rust on the edges of the doors and on the thresholds. It is clearly visible at the point of touching the chrome lining on the trunk lid and at the places where the door handles fit. As you can see, the tendency to corrosion is obvious here. But in defense of Solano I will say that this is practically the only serious drawback of the car. True, it is very serious, capable of negating many of its virtues.1 / 3
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Let's move inside. The photo shows that the place where the radio should stand is empty. The fact is that the Chinese have not succeeded in making good radio tape recorders. A dead speaker system is almost the norm for the Solano. The owner did not want to put something else in its place, so there is a mount for the tablet in place of the radio, and wires sticking out of the deflector that connect the tablet to the speakers. Well, so be it.
To be honest, in this price category, the salon is very, very good. True, we don’t have wood inserts here (they didn’t please the owner of the car for some reason), but the interior looks good without them. Pleased with the material of the dashboard: it is not condo plastic, but pleasant to the touch, rather high-quality soft material. And in general, the salon and the panel do not cause rejection. Noise isolation is not the best, but again, we are not driving in a Cadillac. For its price, it is quite acceptable, especially since there are no squeaks and “crickets” in the cabin. True, it was only necessary to rest harder with her elbow on the armrest of the door, as her card groaned plaintively. But it was the only sound in the cabin that should not be.
