The VAZ 21099 car has been out of production for a long time. Nevertheless, the car is still in demand on the secondary market today. Moreover, many owners want to emphasize the individuality of their car, distinguishing it from many others like it. For this, various tuning methods are used, which will be discussed below.
- Chassis tuning
Replacing shock absorbers - Replacing shock absorber struts
- Installing disc brakes
- Installing the rear spoiler
- Video: leather interior of VAZ 21099
Engine tuning
VAZ 21099 engines, especially injection ones, fully met the requirements of their time. They had good throttle response and were quite high-torque.
To perform chip tuning, a special version of the car’s flash memory firmware is required
Car owners who want to improve engine performance carry out chip tuning. This makes it possible to change the operating parameters of the motor at minimal cost by reprogramming the machine’s flash memory. Today there are a lot of different firmware versions for the VAZ 21099. However, the firmware known as “Economy” and “Sport” are the most popular among drivers. The economical option allows you to reduce fuel consumption by 6–8%. Sports firmware will increase engine response and will be suitable for fans of an aggressive driving style.
Let's start with the engine
Of course, you can’t do deep tuning of the VAZ 21099 with your own hands. The nearest auto repair shop is also unlikely to be able to deeply tune the engine of the “ninety-nine”. However, this is not necessary - this VAZ model is distinguished by a perfectly balanced, fairly powerful and high-speed power plant that does not require any global upgrades or changes. AvtoVAZ engineers already squeezed out everything that could be “squeezed” out of this engine technically. We can only recommend the so-called chip tuning of the on-board computer.
Chassis tuning
During this procedure, changes are made to a variety of components and assemblies. Let's list them.
Replacing shock absorbers
The standard shock absorbers on the VAZ 21099 have never been highly efficient. Therefore, modernization of the chassis always begins with their replacement.
Gas-filled tube shock absorbers with spacer rod for improved handling and ride height control
Instead of “native” hydraulic ones, drivers install gas-filled shock absorbers (based on one or two pipes). This action allows you to increase the stability of the car and halve its braking distance. In addition, almost all gas-filled shock absorbers now have the ability to be adjusted, which allows the driver to either increase ground clearance or, conversely, “lower” the car.
Replacing shock absorber struts
Shock absorber struts are another design element of the VAZ 21099, the reliability of which raises many questions. They can travel 100 thousand km, but after that problems inevitably arise. Therefore, car owners replace them with products from Plaza, Protec, Koni, etc. Fans of extreme driving, in addition to the racks, install spacer bars, which make the suspension stiffer, but at the same time increase the car’s handling.
Installing disc brakes
Today, almost all leading automakers install disc brakes on all wheels of their cars. They are considered the most effective.
Rear wheel of a VAZ 21099, equipped with disc brakes from a VAZ 2110
However, the VAZ 21099 is an old car, so its rear wheels are equipped with drum brakes. Domestic car owners solve this problem by installing disc brakes on the rear wheels from the front wheels of the VAZ 2109 or VAZ 2110. They are fully compatible with the VAZ 21099 and do not require any additional modification.
Don't forget about other parts of the car
As mentioned above, the clutch suffers the most, and, naturally, it should also be changed. Some people like to use regular imported kits, while others, more advanced ones, like cermets
The last “patient” in this whole scheme is the CV joints, which, as the engine power increases, will have to be paid attention to very often, right up to replacement. The brake pads will also not be completely “happy” with the new operating conditions.
Installing axle shafts will provide some help in this matter, but if you constantly squeeze full power out of your “horse,” then their usefulness will not last long. The new engine will not be happy with the old suspensions, which are already accustomed to a small work front. The difficulty in maintaining the center of gravity, especially when turning, will make itself felt in the near future.
Springs of Western counterparts will come to the rescue, and replacing gas “one-tube” ones will save the car from an unpleasant fate. True, you will have to press yourself a little to the ground, but the system will quickly respond to the slightest vibrations of the steering wheel in any direction.
Paying so much attention to speed characteristics that allow us to stay afloat, we completely forgot about the brakes
It is very difficult to overestimate the importance of these “guys”, especially when you are driving at breakneck speed, with countless horses under the hood. Fortunately, there are alternative options from the big brother of the “nine” VAZ 2112
The brake pads of the improved friend will satisfy the requirements of the new internal combustion engine in terms of strength and quality characteristics, but the price will make you pleasantly surprised, because it is almost identical to the old pads.
That’s probably all, after all the above actions, only the body will remain old from your old car, and even that can be modernized - if you wish!
Appearance tuning
The appearance of the VAZ 21099 is very far from ideal. Therefore, car owners have been trying to improve it for as long as this car has existed.
Installing the rear spoiler
This is the first thing that the owner of a VAZ 21099 thinks about. The spoiler is installed on the trunk of the car. Its influence on the aerodynamic qualities of the body is minimal, and this part serves solely to improve the appearance of the car.
Rear spoiler made of polyurethane foam
There are many spoilers available on the market in a variety of materials, from steel and carbon fiber to polyurethane foam. The choice here is limited only by the thickness of the car owner’s wallet. Some drivers prefer to make spoilers themselves. But the quality of such homemade products often leaves much to be desired.
Replacing rims
Initially, the VAZ 21099 is equipped with steel wheels, which have a number of disadvantages. Firstly, they are quite heavy, which affects both the inertia and controllability of the car. Secondly, their appearance is not beautiful.
Alloy wheels are very light, but also quite fragile
Therefore, drivers prefer to replace steel wheels with alloy wheels. They are light and beautiful. And their main drawback is increased fragility. Where the steel disc bends, the alloy disc will crack, after which it can only be thrown away.
Tuning rear view mirrors
Most often, additional protective plastic covers are mounted on standard rear-view mirrors. In some cases, they are repainted to match the color of the car. You can purchase them at any specialized car tuning store. A mirror with such an overlay and the car body look like a single whole.
Plastic mirror caps can be purchased at any spare parts store.
The second option is also possible: installing side mirrors from other, more modern VAZ models. Typically, drivers prefer to install adjustable mirrors from Granta or Vesta.
Bumpers, wheel arches and sills
Specialized stores today sell body kits for almost any car, and the VAZ 21099 is no exception. Thresholds, wheel arches, rear and front bumpers can be sold individually or in sets. The most popular manufacturers are ATT, AVR, ZESTLINE. The cost of a bumper from these manufacturers starts from 4 thousand rubles.
The disks are spinning. Light alloy
The choice of alloy wheels is not only a tribute to fashion and a desire to improve the appearance of the car, although it is the design that people think about first of all when intending to replace the standard steel wheels. It is the wheels that attract attention when viewing the VAZ 21099 tuning photo. Hundreds, if not thousands, of design options, dozens of manufacturers, various decorative coatings - choosing original wheels that suit the style is not at all difficult, and when choosing them, buyers are guided by their appearance. Meanwhile, the so-called “titans” perform many important functions.
Firstly, the lighter weight of such discs allows you to reduce the load on the suspension components. This opportunity cannot be neglected, given the condition of the road surface in our country.
Secondly, the geometry of cast wheels is much more correct than that of stamped ones. Simply put, alloy wheels are rounder. This improves ride quality and comfort by eliminating the imbalance introduced by uneven steel wheels right out of the box.
High-quality alloy wheels also contribute to more even tire wear and last much longer than standard ones.
Interior tuning
Some car enthusiasts cover the interiors of their cars with leather. But this is a very expensive material that not everyone can afford. Therefore, leatherette, tweed or velor are more often used for upholstery. The first step is to trim the dashboard and dashboard. In some cases, the inner surface of the doors and their handles are sheathed.
The interior of the VAZ 21099 uses blue and gray leatherette
Then the steering wheel braid is changed. There is no need to do it yourself: there is a wide range of braids for steering wheels of various sizes on sale.
Video: leather interior of VAZ 21099
Tuning the lighting system
First of all, drivers change the standard incandescent lamps in their headlights to LED ones, since they last at least 5 years and consume less energy. In addition, LED lamps turn on faster and are very ergonomic. Some go even further and install not LED, but xenon lamps.
Xenon lamps are high power, so they are often dimmed
But you need to be careful with them: the light flux is very powerful. You can easily blind oncoming drivers. Therefore, fans of xenon lamps often darken the optics in the headlights with a special tinting varnish sprayed from a can. The main requirement for this composition is that it must be resistant to high temperatures.
Working with the exhaust system
The exhaust system is rigidly connected to the engine compartment, and all dynamic loads are fully felt. In addition to this, the situation is worsened by unpredictable alternation of cooling and heating, impacts from stones, exhaust pressure and a number of other factors.
To solve the problem, a corrugated pipe is installed in the exhaust system, which can easily be found at an auto parts store. This modification will allow you to forget about the knocking muffler and problems associated with the exhaust tract.
Tuning can be done with your own hands, but only if you skillfully handle a semi-automatic welding machine. In addition, a grinder is involved in the work, with the help of which part of the exhaust pipe is cut off.
Trunk tuning
Typically, car owners install a powerful speaker system in the trunk of a VAZ 21099. An LCD panel is installed along with it, which is mounted on the inside of the trunk lid. The panel is equipped with a special mechanism that extends it when the trunk is opened. These tuning options look impressive, but they have a serious drawback: you will have to give up loading various things into the trunk, since there will be very little space left in it.
An acoustic system and a retractable LCD panel are installed in the trunk of the VAZ 21099
There are also less radical tuning options. For example, installing neon lighting on the trunk shelf.
Photo gallery: tuned VAZ 21099
The use of neon lighting is one of the most popular ways of tuning cars
The car is slightly “lowered”, it has a body kit and alloy wheels installed.
White alloy wheels contrast sharply with the black body of the car
The incandescent lamps in the rear lights have been replaced with LEDs, and a massive spoiler has been installed on the trunk.
Xenon headlights combined with a low body kit and orange color make the car very bright
LED lights in the rear lights blend seamlessly with the lighting on the spoiler
The car is understated, and the white color in combination with designer bumpers gives it an aggressive look.
The massive air intake on the hood catches your eye, which looks like one with the car.
The body geometry of this VAZ 21099 has been significantly changed, and the doors open upwards
The front doors of the car open upwards, and a massive spoiler is installed on the trunk.
Car tuning is a creative process. Therefore, the person who does this must have a very developed sense of taste and sense of proportion. If these qualities are absent, then the car owner risks getting a bright parody of the car instead of a unique car.
