In 2008, the Chinese concern Lifan introduced the world to a completely new car, the Solano model. The car quickly attracted motorists and interested them. Due to this, in a short time, the “Chinese” began to be supplied, in addition to the domestic one, to other markets of the world, including Russia. For the year of release of the model, the manufacturer managed to sell fifteen thousand cars. Many fans of the brand are interested in the question: where is Lifan Solano assembled for the domestic market?

We began to sell the car two years after the world presentation (in 2010). The production of "Chinese" has been established in our country at the Derways enterprise in Cherkessk (Karachay-Cherkessia). Interesting fact that in Russia Lifan is sold with an index of 620. Compared to its predecessor, this model of the car has become larger in size and has changed a little externally and internally. Each enterprise of Lifan is equipped with the latest modern equipment. The factories have four assembly lines, two of which are fully automated. A painting line and two packaging lines operate separately. More than a thousand people work at the enterprises. For production passenger cars mobile enterprises use high-quality raw materials and materials. Each assembly process is carefully monitored, and all assembled machines checked for quality and defects. Only after the necessary tests, the cars are sent to the final consumer.

Design and interior "Chinese"

A detailed review of Lifan Solano is worth starting with the impressive dimensions of the vehicle:

• length - 4550 mm
• height - 1495 mm
• width - 1705 mm.

Compared to its predecessor, this car has become eighteen centimeters longer. Where Lifan Solano is produced, they took care of the comfort of the driver and passengers. We can say that after the upgrade, the dimensions of all parts of the car have increased, and specifications became much better. The Chinese sedan belongs to the C-segment and in Russia it can be purchased for 355,000 rubles. In addition, the manufacturer gives a two-year warranty for this car model.

The appearance of the car is impressive, the designers made it bright and modern, as they used to create global automotive trends. By design, the “Chinese” is very similar to the “Bavarian” BMW 3. Against the background of competitors, the car looks confident and solid. The Chinese use a U-shape to build their machines. From below, the car is decorated with modern LEDs, and at first glance it may seem that the sedan is a bit aggressive. At the rear of the car, angular lights were placed with three white stripes on each. The European appearance of the model is given by chrome elements.

Inside the car looks no worse than outside. Everything here is decorated in a simple way, for finishing the Chinese used high-quality leather and good plastic.

Salon at the sedan turned out bright and cozy. Depending on the configuration, the machine can be equipped with:

• air conditioned
• power steering
• full size spare
• full power package.

Where Lifan Solano is produced, they try to produce high-quality, reliable and most comfortable cars. The safety of the "Chinese" is at a high level. For the safety of the driver and passengers in the car is provided:

• automatic door locking system while driving
• two airbags
• ABS system
• EBD system
• optional brake light
• adjustable steering column.

If you want to appreciate this car, you can test drive it at any dealership of the brand.

Technical side

The Chinese sedan is available to buyers with a 1.6-liter gasoline engine that produces 106 Horse power relics. The power unit works in pair with manual transmission. After restyling in 2010, the car began to be equipped with a new 1.8-liter engine with a capacity of 137 horsepower. In the top variant, the Solano is available with an automatic transmission. For a hundred kilometers in a combined cycle, a car consumes 8.2 liters of fuel.

The car can be accelerated to the first hundred in 15.5 seconds. Maximum speed Chinese sedan- 170 km. Installed on the car independent suspension MacPherson, and behind is a semi-dependent beam. Our domestic enterprise produces annually about twenty-five thousand Lifan Solano sedans for domestic market. Where Lifan Solano is assembled, they take into account the operating conditions in our country. Therefore, the car is suitable for driving on city roads of the Russian Federation.

Lifan Solano is not racing car. It is ideal for those who love calm and comfortable ride. "Chinese" is not whimsical to the quality of fuel and is economical in terms of gasoline consumption. In addition, the cost of this sedan compared to its competitors is quite democratic. Of course, you choose.

Reading 5 min. Views 580 Posted on February 26, 2016

Service and Lifan repair Solano are inexpensive.

Quite a lot of copies of the Chinese automotive industry travel across the territory of Russia. The sedan can be called one of the best-selling Chinese cars in our country. Behind him, as his own for most models of Chinese cars, the stereotype of a tin can was fixed, which quickly rots and constantly breaks. Is this really the case, we will find out in this article, which will talk about the repair and maintenance of the Lifan Solano sedan.

The history of the Chinese brand Lifan

Lifan, a Chinese automobile manufacturer, grew out of a small company that repaired various vehicles, mainly motorcycles. It was founded in 1992. After 10 years, the transformed company Lifan produced the first bus of its own production. Since 2005, the Chinese company Lifan has been producing cars.

When developing its own car models, Lifan used a proven business scheme - obtaining a license from more famous car manufacturers to produce cars. As a result, new Chinese car models appeared, which were based on the platforms of old models of world famous automotive brands. One of the first Lifan passenger cars was the small car Lifan Smily, which looked very much like a Mini Cooper. At the same time, Lifan Smily was based on the Daihatsu Charade car platform. Also, the Lifan Solano sedan model we are considering is, in essence, a converted Toyota Corolla model of the E120 generation.

Very quickly, the Chinese company Lifan entered the Russian automotive market and mastered the local production of cars at the facilities of the Derways plant in Cherkessk. First new cars brands Lifan rolled off the assembly line of the Derways plant in 2007. At first it was a SKD assembly of cars. However, two years later, in 2009, the production of the Lifan car for the full production cycle has already begun.

The main characteristics of the sedan Lifan Solano

The copy of the Lifan Solano sedan we have chosen was manufactured in 2010. Mileage this vehicle is 75,000 kilometers. This copy has a deluxe package. This means that its equipment includes a leather interior, or rather, leatherette seat upholstery, alloy wheels, parking sensors, which, unfortunately, no longer works, heated seats, as well as audio control buttons on the steering wheel.

As a motor on the Lifan Solano model, a Chinese made under a Japanese license is used. Gas engine LF481Q3. The Chinese took the license from Japanese engine Toyota 4A-FE. Recall that this power unit has been produced by the Japanese since 1988. The Chinese installed an electronic ignition module on it, removing the distributor. Despite the outdated design, low efficiency and power, this engine is reliable. He is familiar to most mechanics in Russia.

The engine in the Lifan Solano is Chinese, but is fully consistent with the Japanese engine from Toyota.

Paired with this engine, the Lifan Solano sedan has a five-speed manual gearbox, which has the same index as the Chinese engine.

Since the Lifan Solano sedan platform is used Toyota model Corolla generation E120, chassis migrated to the Chinese model from the Japanese. McPherson suspension is installed in front, a beam is located in the rear suspension.

Maintenance and body repair Lifan Solano

Like most Chinese car models, the Lifan Solano sedan has rather thin sheets of metal in the body panels. In addition, the paintwork is also of rather poor quality, showing up as rust all over the body very early. Chips on the hood of the body are already starting to rust after a couple of months. First of all, corrosion appears on the thresholds of the body and the edges of the doors. As a matter of fact, where moisture accumulates more, metal corrosion begins. This makes it clear that factory Lifan Solano has not received sufficient anti-corrosion treatment.

In the cabin of our copy of the Lifan Solano sedan, which will be 6 years old this year, has already died regular audio system. Moreover, this situation is standard for the Lifan Solano model. Often, the owners of this car model, instead of a dead audio system, install tablet mounts and output wires for connecting audio to the car's speakers.

It is worth noting that the dashboard of this model is made of soft plastic, which involuntarily pleases motorists who are used to hard and smelly plastic in Chinese cars.

In the passenger compartment, the heated seats often burn out. In addition, the wiring can fail with the rear audio parking sensors.

Lifan Solano engine problems

Because chinese engine for the car Lifan Solano is made under license based on the Japanese power unit 1988, there are no complaints about the technical part of the power unit. However, the electronics of this motor are very lame, and often there are failures. On some copies of the Lifan Solano, a break in electrical wiring occurs as a result of suspension strikes on pits on the roads.

Consumables for such a motor are inexpensive. An oil filter will cost about 300 rubles. The air filter is completely suitable from similar engine Toyota companies. The air filter will cost the same 300 rubles. Replacing the timing belt is worth doing every 60 thousand kilometers. many owners Lifan cars Solano are in no hurry to replace the timing belt, as they are not afraid of bending the valves in the event of a belt break. On the pistons of this engine, grooves for valves are made. timing belt and tension roller will cost about 2000 rubles. Work at the service station to replace the timing belt will cost an average of 5,000 rubles.

Chassis maintenance Lifan Solano

The rear suspension of the Lifan Solano looks rather deplorable.

There is little that can go wrong with a McPherson front suspension and semi-independent beam rear suspension. The smallest resource among the suspension consumables is at the stabilizer struts. They will have to be changed every 30 thousand kilometers. The cost of one such rack is estimated at 800 rubles. By the way, she comes from Toyota Corolla. Tie rod ends will serve no more than 50,000 kilometers. This part will cost about 1000 rubles and another 600 rubles will go to work on replacing them.

For several years now, Lifan has been the leader in the Russian Federation among Chinese automakers. Despite the fact that the sales volume of the “celestial” brand is now more modest than before the crisis, it still occupies a leading position in Russian market: its main competitor Chery sold more than 3 times fewer cars in 2016. Lifan is on the 18th line in the ranking of the most popular brands in Russia and is only slightly inferior to Mazda, while at the same time overtaking Audi. The main sales volume of the brand falls on a couple of "SUVs", and approximately every 10th client buys a four-door Solano. For what merit? Read about this and how the updated Solano differs from the first generation model in our review!

Design

Compared to its predecessor, Solano II, of course, looks fresher, but you can’t call such freshness the first: there are too many borrowings in the appearance of the second-generation sedan. The front of its body is painfully similar to the “front” of the Honda Accord, and the “stern” resembles anything from the old Mercedes E class before Lada Vesta. However, this is not surprising, because Chinese manufacturers often sin by copying other people's designs, and copying results are often successful, which Solano II proves. Considering that the first generation model was created based on the 9th Toyota Corolla E120, the novelty also has a certain similarity with the “Japanese”, being a little more practical due to the presence of a trunk with a volume of 650 liters.

During the modernization, the distance between the axles of the wheels of the four-door did not change, and the length increased by 1 cm thanks to the new bumpers. As a result, the updated "Chinese" is superior in length Volkswagen Polo by 23 cm, Hyundai Solaris- by 25 cm, and Renault Logan- by 27 cm. This difference in dimensions is mainly achieved due to the large and solid hood - looking at it, as well as at the stylish optics (including LED running lights) and quite appropriate chrome parts in the exterior, you really begin to feel respect for such a car.

Design

The Solano II is based on a borrowed Toyota MC design, introduced back in 1997 along with the first hybrid. Toyota Prius. It has MacPherson struts on an H-shaped subframe at the front, and a torsion beam with a stabilizer at the back. On the steering shaft - EUR. On all wheels - disc brakes, handbrake - with cable drive. Each version of the model is equipped with an anti-lock braking system and distribution system braking forces, and the stabilization system is not available in any configuration.

Adaptation to Russian conditions

For driving in Russian conditions, Solano II has a 165 mm clearance, which is quite good for a sedan, as well as front seats, rear glass and outside mirrors with heating function. heated steering wheel and windshield unfortunately not provided. In addition, there is a Bosch electronic ignition system, which makes it possible to save gasoline and reduce harmful CO2 emissions. By the way, the four-door engine is whimsical to the quality of fuel and prefers the 95th gasoline. Noise isolation in this case is far from ideal, and yet it is better than a number of cars from China offered at a similar price. Most of the noise is usually observed during acceleration.

Comfort

Salon Solano II is decorated more quality materials than the interior of the previous version. In any configuration, it is necessary to trim the seats with eco-leather with red stitching and fabric upholstery ceiling. The plastic on the dashboard is harsh, but there is no riot of textures, unlike the same Lada Vesta. The small glove box is devoid of decoration, the steering wheel is polyurethane, with audio equipment control buttons (in the top version) and adjustment only for the angle of inclination. The doors of the sedan open without difficulty, providing a convenient entry into the cabin, but it is not always possible to close them the first time. The front doors turn on red lights when they are opened. There is enough space on the back sofa for two adults, but the three of us will be uncomfortable to sit, including because of the central tunnel rising above the floor. There is not enough free space above your head, like many other representatives of the Chinese auto industry.

The first row seats are not very comfortable and are exclusively manually adjustable: the driver's seat in three directions, and the passenger seat in two directions. But with visibility everything is in order thanks to large and very informative side mirrors with electric adjustment. On the center console is a seven-inch touchscreen multimedia complex, which is available only in the most expensive configuration. Elegant ventilation deflectors with a chrome edging rise above it, and under it the air conditioning control unit is “registered” - climate control, alas, is not provided for any of the Solano II versions. Dashboard, as well as "multimedia", boasts a modern design and has a soft backlight. And in the cabin there are a bunch of cup holders, a USB connector for charging gadgets, a cigarette lighter and an eyeglass case built into the ceiling.

Responsible for protecting the driver and passengers of the updated Solano ABS systems and EBD, just two frontal airbags, a "child" door lock, height-adjustable 3-point belts, a rear parking sensor and a safety steering column. At head-on collision the column absorbs energy from impact, and there is enough space between the driver's body and the steering wheel to avoid damage.

The base Solano II comes with a regular CD radio with 4 speakers and AUX/USB inputs. The top version is equipped with an infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen and control buttons on the steering wheel. The touchscreen uses outdated technology: it responds to pressing, not touching. At the same time, the screen is quite responsive and responds not only to fingers, but also to any objects - with the onset of cold weather, you can press it directly with gloves on. The multimedia system is capable of playing music from mobile devices via Bluetooth, as well as from a flash drive or memory card. Sound quality - on the "four with a minus." The developers assigned a separate microSD card for navigation, which is provided by software from Navitel.

Lifan Solano Specifications

The technical "stuffing" of the second Solano is a single engine - a gasoline 4-cylinder 16-valve unit LF479Q2-B with a volume of 1.5 liters. The "four", created by the British engineering company Ricardo, produces 100 hp. and 129 Newton meters of torque. Her pedigree starts from the Toyota 5A-FE engine. Engine with cast iron block, variable valve timing and intake manifold made of plastic complies with environmental standards Euro-5. Instead of a Delphi controller, a Bosch control unit is used here. So far, only a 5-speed manual transmission is combined with such an engine, although the first generation sedan was also offered with a CVT transmission. Fuel consumption on the highway, according to the manufacturer, does not exceed 6.5 liters. 100 kilometers, which is one liter less than its predecessor.

Make a final choice. If a person likes a certain car model, you need to learn as much as possible about it, weigh the pros and cons, and only then make a purchase. The selected car must completely suit the owner both in appearance and in appearance.

Lifan Solano is one of newest cars Chinese industry. This model first appeared in 2008 and quickly interested motorists. Ultimately, the popularity of this car spread beyond the domestic market of the country. According to statistics Solano's sales for the first quarter of 2009 amounted to about 15,000 items.

In Russia, this model began to be produced in Cherkessk at the Derways plant. It went on sale for the first time in March 2010.

It must be said that the Chinese car Lifan Solano in Russia acquired the name Lifan 620. Before that, Lifan Breeze was produced. The current model is very different in size from its predecessor: the Solano has spacious salon in which the owner feels more comfortable.

The dimensions of the Lifan Solano are impressive. The length of this vehicle is 4550 mm, width - 1705 mm, height -1495 mm. If you compare it with Lifan Breeze, you will notice that the car has become 18 cm longer. All other dimensions have increased significantly. Improved and the car.

Lifan Solano is inexpensive. In the Russian Federation, this car can be purchased for 355 thousand rubles. At the same time, you buy basic equipment with a guarantee for 2 years or 60,000 km.

To date, Lifan Solano is a high-level car, which, according to European standards, belongs to the C segment.

What is Lifan Solano?

Appearance and technical parameters

It has a very impressive appearance. The model has a pleasant shape without any features. Chinese manufacturers have included the best solutions from other brands in the design of Solano. The result was a car very similar to the BMW-3.

Before giving preference to this particular machine, it is necessary. When you first look at the car from the outside, you get the impression that this is a European car, which is no different from other vehicles driving on the highway. You can’t immediately guess that this car has Chinese roots.

The basis of the brand's design is the U-shape. The front part is a smooth line that gradually deepens towards the rear of the car. When viewed from the front, the car looks quite aggressive, and to mitigate this, the manufacturer has applied LEDs that adorn the underside of the car. At the rear are angular lanterns, each of which has three white stripes. The design of the car contains chrome items that give it a European look: a horizontal strip on the trunk, side handles and a front grille.

If you look inside, you can see a very pleasant salon. The manufacturer combined simplicity and comfort, which achieved an excellent result. Almost all parts, as well as the seats, are made of leather. The panel is not crammed with various unnecessary items and is very convenient to use. The car has power steering, all power accessories, air conditioning and so on. In the car, both the driver and the passenger feel quite comfortable.

In the manufacture of Lifan Solano, the manufacturer also took care of safety. The vehicle has been tested according to EuroNCAP, according to which it meets all the necessary requirements. The car has two airbags: for the driver and the passenger sitting on the right side. When the car is moving, the automatic door closing function is activated.

The car is equipped with such traditional systems as EBD and ABS. There are fog lights and power mirrors. The body has an anti-corrosion coating. The machine is equipped with an alarm and central lock. Inside the car is equipped with a modern CD and MP3 music player, as well as on-board computer with monitor. The package includes 15-inch alloy wheels.

As for the technical characteristics, the Brazilian Tritec engine is responsible for them, the power of which is 106 hp. from. The engine is the most common: four-cylinder with 16 valves. The machine is equipped mechanical box gears.

The chassis is the most standard and is represented by suspensions. Front - McPherson, and rear - semi-beam. They are quite practical and reliable.

Technical Specifications Solano

Car model:
Producing country:	China (assembly: Russia, Cherkessk)
body type:	sedan
Number of places:	5
Number of doors:	4
Engine capacity, cm³:	1587
Power, l. s./about. min.:	106/6000
Maximum speed, km/h:	170
Acceleration to 100 km/h, s:	15,5
Type of drive:	front
Checkpoint:	5MKPP
Fuel type:	gasoline AI-95
Consumption per 100 km:	route 8.2
Length, mm:	4550
Width, mm:	1705
Height, mm:	1495
Clearance, mm:	150
Tire size:	195/60R15
Curb weight, kg:	1225
Gross weight, kg:	1555
Fuel tank capacity:	58

Test Drive

Solano rides well on dirt roads, and he is not afraid of bumps. Concerns about a broken shock absorber can be dispelled. At the same time, the clearance is not very large: only 150 mm. Safe driving on a dirt road is ensured by the huge suspension travel along with the high energy intensity of the springs and shock absorbers. This model also behaves on gravel, so when driving over bumps, the car always behaves predictably and reliably.

When driving on asphalt, Lifan Solano does not show anything interesting. To overtake even the weakest participants traffic you will have to make great efforts, because this model has a 106-horsepower engine. As for soundproofing, the manufacturers obviously didn’t do something. With an increase in speed, an unpleasant buzzing comes from the engine side in the cabin. When reaching the mark of 80 km / h, a whistle begins to emanate from the wipers.

When driving on a straight road, the car behaves stably and confidently. A slight stiffness is felt only when overcoming holes and various irregularities. However, if you are not a fan of "drive", you will hardly notice this.

Solano in its kit has large mirrors and a huge cut-off area, which provide ease of rebuilding and parking.

Let's try to be objective: there are a lot of Chinese cars, and what applies to Chery Tiggo, would be absolutely unfair to the BYD F30M, and what would be true of 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

Lifan very clearly illustrates the possibilities 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. On the Lifan Breez not someone cursed, 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 thinks that the Russian assembly is a plus in karma 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 parking sensors (more precisely, it was - it was enough for a while), 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. Mechanical 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 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 passes, then it is not necessary to look for a hole or a jack: under drain plug there is a hole, and it is located so that you can reach out and just lie down, without a lift. In any case, when self replacement you will save 500 rubles, and you will have to pay only 250-300 rubles for the filter.

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It's even easier with air filter. 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 ones - 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. It's 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 stands on the fuel path after the filter fine cleaning(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. Paintwork pretty 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.