Bus PAZ-3237: technical specifications, features and reviews

Leave to come back

Andrey Filippov, photo by the author

In November 2012, while collecting data on 9-meter city buses on the Russian market, I was surprised to learn that the PAZ-3237 project had somehow moved from the “small retail” category to “large wholesale”, i.e. its production was recognized Suitable for large batches of machines. Against the backdrop of increased demand for such equipment among small private owners, such a step seemed a little unexpected to me. But truly, demand creates supply...

A month later, PAZ received an order from Tatarstan for five dozen PAZ-3237-03 buses with Euro 3 engines - so to speak, to have time to jump into the outgoing train in anticipation of more stringent environmental standards. We were interested in how much the car has changed since 2006, when the first prototypes of the midibus saw the light.

Design

Externally, the PAZ differs significantly from its counterparts built on the platform of the 53rd “Lawn”. This is a completely new modern bus with a large glass area and low ground clearance. The car features wide glass doors. The side windows are lightly tinted. The design of the PAZ-3237 bus is not much different from its large low-floor counterparts. This is not surprising, because the platform is unified with buses from Liaz (Likinsky Plant). There is the same body design and primitive headlight shape. By the way, on the roof there is an LED display with the route number and other necessary data.

The Pavlovsk plant provides an 8-year guarantee for protection against through body corrosion. The metal is galvanized and in the absence of mechanical damage will be used for a very long time. By the way, the body on the low-floor groove of the 3237th model is load-bearing. Usually Pavlovsk buses were built on a frame. It was its absence that made it possible to reduce the floor position and increase the volume of interior space.

And again it’s all about him

The bright red color is the first and... only thing that catches your eye when you see the PAZ-3237. The design, which has not changed at all, shows the age of the bus, but does not make it old. However, it is difficult in principle to age the “block” design of a bus, and all the innovations of designers traditionally come down to updating the front and rear masks and playing with the lower part of the sill line. So the universal exterior of the PAZ did not lose much in this regard.

But let's get back to practice. The M3 class I bus has the traditional 1-2-0 door formula for 9-meter vehicles. By the way, the length of the mini-PAZ is only 7.8 meters - the most compact offering in its class and the most advantageous in terms of maneuverability in old-style urban developments. The engine is rear, centrally located.

The interior of the bus is quite standard. Up to the 2nd door there is a flat floor, and then there are several steps, however, spaced along the passage. The four-row layout with a storage area does not require any additional description, except that the straps for securing a wheelchair are not visible. This fully complies with certification standards, but against the backdrop of the correct initiative in other GAZ Group buses, it looks illogical. The four “social” seats in the front part of the cabin are “reversible” seats, but this is perhaps the only correct solution for such a short car. The handrails deserve special mention - there are many of them, they are all accessible and will not poke you in the side or hit you on the head.

The urgent problem of ventilation due to global warming is solved simply - two vents on the left side, one on the right and two ceiling hatches. Air conditioning is not provided in principle, but... If recently I would have considered this a drawback, then having studied in more detail the actual use of cabin air conditioners in urban public transport, I came to a sad conclusion: in our ATP management perceives this useful option as an unnecessary cabinet on the roof . As a result, maintenance, and even more so repair of this device is in last place on the list of current tasks. So, alas, PAZ turned out to be right in refusing interior air conditioning in the segment of budget city buses.

What is inside?

The cabin is designed for 54 passengers, with a total of 16 seats. Ventilation is provided through a mechanical hatch and side vents.

Thanks to the light tint, the interior does not get too hot on a sunny day. PAZ-3237 is equipped with plastic anti-vandal seats with leatherette covering. Additionally, the backrest has handles for standing passengers.

Entering the salon is very simple and convenient. Now you don’t have to climb up the stairs, clinging to the handrails. PAZ-3237 has a very spacious interior, that’s what passengers say. A heating system is implemented on the side walls. Warm air is produced from two heaters - standard and autonomous. Inside there are all the necessary handrails and lighting. Now let's move on to the driver's seat. It is separated from the salon by a metal partition.

The driver's workplace is organized in a simple way: a two-spoke steering wheel, a seat with minimal lateral support and an ascetic instrument panel with round dials. The car can be equipped with a radio – for this there is a separate block on the panel. The steering column is adjustable back and forth, which is very convenient, drivers say. They also talk about good visibility. Dead zones are kept to a minimum. The mirrors are very large and informative.

Once and for all

Unlike most of its analogues, which offer an open or semi-closed driver's seat, PAZ did not follow European fashion and initially designed a full-fledged closed cabin. Moreover, he managed to create not a cocoon in which it is difficult to turn around, but a full-fledged workplace, spacious and with good visibility. Except that the right front corner takes a little getting used to.

The cabin interior and contents are standard. The instrument panel is flat-rectangular, the instruments are classic, the buttons and keys have not changed either. It feels like time has stood still here, and the design, which was quite modern for 2003, now seems very old and just begs for modernization.

Sea trials were carried out according to a shortened program, since the bus had already been sold and we were not allowed to create extreme route chaos, leaving this part to the carrier’s drivers. So we got to imitate work on a route in an industrial zone.

As sad as it is, there is nothing special to write about. “3237” did not bring any supernatural surprises. Still the same compact, well-made bus. No creaking panels, no rattling suspension, no otherworldly vibrations. I sat down and drove off. The bus passes rails and pits confidently, and there is no need to complain about the acceleration dynamics either. Gears shift smoothly, and the gearbox switch is convenient and does not interfere with movement around the cabin.

The only thing that required adaptation was the intricate mirror system. The fact is that the combination of a wide doorway and a large space on the front platform required an unusual solution - the 1st door, in the open position, noticeably protrudes beyond the dimensions of the bus, completely blocking the view along the starboard side of the standard mirrors. To control the rotation of passengers, an additional mirror was invented that is attached to the door wings - very unusual, but convenient! But the interior mirror, mounted on the wall of the cabin outside of it, remains completely useless. The glass of the partition glares mercilessly, so not only can you see the situation in the cabin, it’s impossible to see the mirror itself. Most likely, drivers will move it into the cockpit, as was the case before.

In general, those who previously worked on the PAZ-3237 will not see anything new for themselves. Those who get behind the wheel for the first time will find a completely modern and pleasant car to drive, albeit with a slightly outdated design and interior.

Specifications

The American Cummins is provided as the power unit for the low-floor PAZ. This is a 4-cylinder diesel engine equipped with a simple turbine without an intercooler (radiator for air cooling). With a volume of 3920 cubic centimeters, it produces 150 horsepower. Drivers say that the American engine is very high-torque. Torque (550 Nm) is fully available from just one and a half thousand revolutions. The power unit complies with Euro-2 environmental standards.

The transmission can be a five-speed manual transmission or an Allison 5-mode automatic transmission. What performance characteristics does this bus have? PAZ-3237 consumes about 18 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers with manual transmission. With an automatic transmission, this figure increases to 20. The maximum speed of the bus is 90 kilometers per hour.

History of creation

The history of PAZ-3237 is closely connected with the State Unitary Enterprise Mosgortrans, upon whose order the bus was developed. In 2003, a prototype bus . The first sample was fundamentally different from the serial ones; it was externally unified with the PAZ-5272 large class bus. The serial buses received an exterior identical to the LiAZ-5292 model (which was being developed in parallel by the GAZ group). Production began in 2004 .

Layout of the PAZ-3237 bus. Photo YarCamp

The first batch of buses arrived at the 9th bus depot of the State Unitary Enterprise Mosgortrans to serve route 12c. On this central route of Moscow, it received its popular name - “Tile”. Later he received the nickname “Oven”, for the minimum ventilation, small rectangular shape and seats arranged in rows on the podium. Later, part of the bus was transferred to KAP (former bus depot 20). The economic crisis affected the operation of the commercial bus fleet and was soon liquidated.

In 2005, the bus was modernized. It gets rectangular headlights, a new color scheme, and improved seats. several modifications of the PAZ-3237 upon orders , differing in the models and environmental class of the Cummins engines used: PAZ-3237-01, 3237-03, 3237-05, 3237-09. For all of them, two types of transmission (with a manual Praga gearbox or an Allison automatic transmission). After the LiAZ-4292.60 model bus was put into serial production, Mosgortrans State Unitary Enterprise refused to further operate the PAZ-3237-01. Most of the buses were written off, but only a small part was sold to other carriers.

Modification 3237-03

This modification differs from the main one in a different power unit. It contains a Cummins model 185B. This is a 4.5-liter diesel unit with in-line cylinders. The power of this engine is 183 horsepower.

Torque – 636 Nm. It is available in the range from 1.2 to 1.7 thousand revolutions per minute. Just like the previous unit, it does not have gas neutralization systems and complies with Euro-2 standards. It is equipped with a non-alternative automatic transmission from Ellison 2100 series with 6 speeds. Fuel consumption is 24 liters per 100 kilometers in the urban cycle. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 90 kilometers per hour.

Chassis

A carriage-type body is used as a load-bearing element on the PAZ. It is on it that the engine, gearbox, suspension and other components are mounted. A dependent circuit is implemented at the front. PAZ-3237 is equipped with air spring elements on the front axle and four telescopic shock absorbers. Also, at the request of the customer, the suspension can be changed to completely independent. But this significantly affects the cost of the bus and, as a consequence, its payback period.

At the rear, a dependent suspension with a continuous “Slave” axle and air springs is used. Additionally, a stabilizer bar is used here. Steering – CSEPEL “screw-nut-rack” type. The PAZ-3237 is also equipped with a hydraulic booster.

Iron kaleidoscope

Now briefly about the technical content and its variations. It just so happened that we tested the last buses that came off the assembly line, equipped with Cummins ISBe 185B engines of Euro 3 environmental class. From 2013, this engine will not be available on buses. Accordingly, the range of engines offered has become smaller. Now only the 167-horsepower Cummins ISF3.8e4168 engine (PAZ-3237-05) is available to the buyer - its data is given in the table, it is equipped with the Continental CM 2220 control unit.

I note that the tested bus had an Allison 2100 Series 6-speed automatic transmission, time-tested RABA axles with a gear ratio of 5.428 and a CSEPEL steering gear. It is in this form that the current PAZ-3237-05 appears to customers.

The breakdown for service obligations is as follows.
Basic warranty 18 months or 100,000 km. But the warranty for the engine and gearbox has been extended: Cummins ISF - 2 years without mileage limitation and Allison automatic transmission - 3 years without mileage limitation. The frequency of scheduled maintenance is every 12,000 km. Technical characteristics of buses PAZ-3237-03 (tested) and PAZ-3237-05

Bus PAZ-3237: price, equipment

The cost of a new car starts from five million rubles. Also some models are available on the secondary market. A three-year-old low-floor PAZ-3237 can be purchased at a price of 2.5 million. The most expensive ones cost up to 3 million rubles.

You will not need to buy spare parts for the PAZ-3237 any time soon. After all, the bus comes with a factory warranty for a period of one and a half years or 100 thousand kilometers. During this time, the dealer will replace any failed part free of charge (of course, if the operating rules have not been violated). The manufacturer allocates a service interval of 15 thousand kilometers.

As for the choice of additional options, the standard equipment can be expanded at the request of the customer. The list of options includes:

• Fog lights.
• A video surveillance system combining two cameras and a four-channel recorder.
• Informant with loudspeakers and side direction indicators.
• System of cashless fare payment and passenger counting in real time.
• Automatic fire extinguishing system.
• Supply and exhaust ventilation. It combines four reversible fans. Forced ventilation is designed to minimize the entry of dust into the cabin and prevent fogging of the windows in humid weather.

Long-lived?

The first prototype of the PAZ-3237 was released back in 2003. Since 2006, when the second copy appeared and the car began to be mass-produced, about 500 units of PAZ-3237 of two modifications were made: PAZ-3237-01 and PAZ-3237-03, approximately 330 and 170 cars, respectively. A lot of? Few? In 2012 alone, the plant assembled 2,375 units. PAZ-3204, 7368 units. PAZ-3205 and 1730 units. PAZ-4234 - so you be the judge.

It is worth remembering that the bus was initially created by order of Moscow and to suit the nuances of metropolitan operation, which left its mark on the desire of other regions, not spoiled by good roads, to purchase a new semi-low-floor vehicle. Only in 2008, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug purchased a large batch of PAZ-3237-01, and deliveries to other regions began with the advent of the PAZ-3237-03 modification with a Cummins engine. By the way, all this time Moscow continued to systematically purchase the “3237th” in various versions. The decline in demand occurred in 2010, when almost a dozen cars were produced, and finally disappeared in 2011 - one bus to the Saratov region.

During this time, many stories, both positive and negative, circulated about the bus.
Some complained about the weakness of the structural elements, while others, on the contrary, praised it for its endurance. In order not to take sides, let's turn to dry statistics. Instance No. 1, having changed three owners, is working properly in Chelyabinsk. Of the five hundred buses, for one reason or another, about four dozen are laid up, and about a dozen vehicles have been permanently written off. For me, the statistics for what is essentially a small-scale machine are very good. Especially if you take into account the fact that in Moscow buses are stuck in traffic jams for half a shift, when the engines are idling and not blown with outside air, and in regions with normal roads there are still problems, and there is no time to take care of the suspension there - a schedule and a plan. Comparative analysis of the technical characteristics of 9-meter city buses

And one moment. PAZ-3237 is so far the only Russian 8-meter semi-low-floor city bus. Neither Volzhanin, nor NefAZ, nor anyone else in Russia produces such buses. And since a low floor up to the 2nd door is now prescribed in almost any tender for city cars, PAZ is the only one with whom you can participate in tenders funded by government funding. And even without government money, PAZ has few competitors - they are all shown in the table. Let me clarify that Chinese cars are not low-floor; they have a step at the entrance, albeit a low one. So, judging by the trend of moving various hypermarkets, water parks, etc. to the outskirts, and even outside the city, there will always be work for the PAZ-3237...

Provided a car for testing