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  #61  
Old 06-15-2008, 01:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselAddict View Post
That consensus is wrong. Pretty much all the new cars today are very safe. Your 2007 Civic has a better crash test rating than the average Mercedes from the mid 90's. Of course front crash test ratings are only comparable among vehicles of the same mass, but relatively speaking all new cars today are safer than their predecessors.
True, the newer cars have "crumple zones" that absorb crash energy and allow them to keep the occupants safer. The vehicle structure is designed to be sacrificed in order to prevent injury to the people inside.

That is a good thing in case of a potentialy fatal accident. But it is a bad thing in the case of a more moderate crash. The vehicle is still sacrificed - even though the accident may not have been severe enough for the occupants to need protecting.

The result is that even minor accidents do so much damage the vehicle is totaled - when a car like one of these old Mercedes would have been easily repairable.

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  #62  
Old 06-15-2008, 01:16 PM
ForcedInduction
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Originally Posted by rcounts View Post
True, the newer cars have "crumple zones" that absorb crash energy and allow them to keep the occupants safer.
Not just modern cars, The w123 has front and rear crumple zones too. Thats why its possible to easily open/close the doors after a major front/rear impact.
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  #63  
Old 06-15-2008, 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Bio300TDTdriver View Post
I'm glad your wife was OK after the accident. The consensus on the forum is that I'm really unsafe in our 2007 Civic. So I've been looking at crash tests on Youtube and evaluating crash test results. It seems that the new Civic does just as well if not better than the Jetta. There is not crash test for the roof however.
How was she able to launch the car so it hit a pole 15' off the ground?
There was an eight foot drop into the ditch. It looked like she went in sideways. The skid marks indicated that. As soon as front wheels went onto the gravel I think the front end tried to straighten up a little. There was evidence on the gravel of a sideways slide of the front end. The drivers side tie rod had separated in the middle. Suspected pre new delivery damage or faulty steel rod material.
By the time the car hit the bottom it was on its drivers side favoring the nose. Found grass and dirt jammed between front fender and door in the crack. It appeared the car started a lateral cart wheel next and launched somehow part way through it. Or the instant the car contacted the bottom of the ditch it started is more likely.
There is heavy foilage growth between the bottom impact area and the pole. We looked for any evidence of lower contact. There was none so she couild have been even higher and decending when she contacted the pole. The car was upside down at that point. The car paint was substantial on the pole at the fifteen foot level. Trace amounts show the car slid down the pole to the ground. I was suprised the pole survived the impact.
She may or may not have been less hurt if a section had been broken out of the pole. The basic medical stuff was head lacerations and sewing tendons back together on her hand. She was going to the beach with our two dogs sleeping in the back seat. They deserted her and went to the closest house. Neither were hurt.
My wife has no ideal how long she was unconcious. She only remembered waiking up and crawling out the back window. She was found sitting on the shoulder. As for the accident she remembers nothing but seeing the grass. My guess is when she impacted the bottom of the ditch she hit her head hard making her loose conciousness.
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  #64  
Old 06-16-2008, 01:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rcounts View Post
True, the newer cars have "crumple zones" that absorb crash energy and allow them to keep the occupants safer. The vehicle structure is designed to be sacrificed in order to prevent injury to the people inside.

That is a good thing in case of a potentialy fatal accident. But it is a bad thing in the case of a more moderate crash. The vehicle is still sacrificed - even though the accident may not have been severe enough for the occupants to need protecting.

The result is that even minor accidents do so much damage the vehicle is totaled - when a car like one of these old Mercedes would have been easily repairable.
Whether a car is totaled depends on not just the damage but the value of the car too. A W123 or another old car has a much higher chance of being totaled than a new car because of its relatively low value. There's also something called the 5-mph bumper test that I believe all new cars have to pass. The idea is to cause minimal damage to limit repair costs, but it does seem like newer cars suffer higher repair costs from minor accidents compared to older cars.
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  #65  
Old 06-16-2008, 04:38 PM
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I don't care how much damage a car suffers in an accident, cars are cheap and easy to replace. Injury is a different story.
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  #66  
Old 06-16-2008, 08:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Hatterasguy View Post
I don't care how much damage a car suffers in an accident, cars are cheap and easy to replace. Injury is a different story.
Hattie is wise beyond his years!
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  #67  
Old 06-16-2008, 09:58 PM
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Forgot about this. Here's a link for the diesel-hybrid VW....

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/vw-unveiling-an.html
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  #68  
Old 06-16-2008, 10:12 PM
Craig
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Originally Posted by AdvisorGuy View Post
Forgot about this. Here's a link for the diesel-hybrid VW....

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/vw-unveiling-an.html
As we suspected, it says, "No word yet on when we might see it on this side of the pond."
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  #69  
Old 06-16-2008, 10:18 PM
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The Golf Hybrid will get almost 70 mph mpg (ed. note: D'oh!) while meeting Europe's stringent Euro V and America's Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards, making it green enough even for California. The car is said to emit just 89 g/km of CO2. (For comparison, the Prius emits 104 g/km and Honda Civic Hybrid emits 116.)

Well since the car meets the Tier 2 Bin 5 standard, lets hope that we see it soon.
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  #70  
Old 06-16-2008, 10:32 PM
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Which goes to my original inpression of the Toyota Prius, It's made of molded plastic, fiberglass, some metal and a lot of glue. I've never seen such a cheap car in all my life like that rattletrap!

Seriously, if you have to save the planet and you hope the car you drive will bring the buck tooth bunny back to life, then get a VW Jetta or Golf diesel! It really will be better and your getting a better car.

The Toyota Prius is designed to need replacement batteries by 100,000 to 150,000 miles at a cost of some $7000 to $8000! EEEK! Shortly thereafter, it will need an engine replacement if your using it as a commuter vehicle making it close to impossible to get this thing going 281,000 miles to pay for itself.

To make a Toyota Prius, you need the equivalent of 5 years of petroleum to fuel a Hummer H2 for 5 Years! (With the big engine!)
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  #71  
Old 06-16-2008, 10:37 PM
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RIP TDI Golf hybrid

Quote:
Originally Posted by AdvisorGuy View Post
Forgot about this. Here's a link for the diesel-hybrid VW....

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/vw-unveiling-an.html
Click here to read about the death of the VW diesel hybrid. Big shock that it was too expensive to produce.
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Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss
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  #72  
Old 06-16-2008, 10:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselClack View Post
Which goes to my original inpression of the Toyota Prius, It's made of molded plastic, fiberglass, some metal and a lot of glue. I've never seen such a cheap car in all my life like that rattletrap!

Seriously, if you have to save the planet and you hope the car you drive will bring the buck tooth bunny back to life, then get a VW Jetta or Golf diesel! It really will be better and your getting a better car.

The Toyota Prius is designed to need replacement batteries by 100,000 to 150,000 miles at a cost of some $7000 to $8000! EEEK! Shortly thereafter, it will need an engine replacement if your using it as a commuter vehicle making it close to impossible to get this thing going 281,000 miles to pay for itself.

To make a Toyota Prius, you need the equivalent of 5 years of petroleum to fuel a Hummer H2 for 5 Years! (With the big engine!)
Your "facts" are not true. The Prius does not need new batteries that soon. If you search you can find examples of Priuses, Prii, with over 200,000 miles on the original batteries and engines.

There is one example in Vancouver, BC that was used as a cab. Toyota traded the owner a new one for it so they could take it apart and study it.

How many years of petroleum do you need to make the Hummer?

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.
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Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss
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  #73  
Old 06-16-2008, 11:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bio300TDTdriver View Post
Hattie is wise beyond his years!
Thats why I only drive MB's, I want the odds in my favor!
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  #74  
Old 06-16-2008, 11:49 PM
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Edmunds' 2008 Fuel Economy Comparison: Prius v Jetta v Focus v Smar

The diesel held it's own!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=46nMnCt75qI
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  #75  
Old 06-17-2008, 12:21 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bio300TDTdriver View Post
Your "facts" are not true. The Prius does not need new batteries that soon. If you search you can find examples of Priuses, Prii, with over 200,000 miles on the original batteries and engines.

There is one example in Vancouver, BC that was used as a cab. Toyota traded the owner a new one for it so they could take it apart and study it.

How many years of petroleum do you need to make the Hummer?

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.
That's true, I've never heard of any batteries going that early. Toyota designed them to go over 200K which is plenty for most owners. I have heard that Toyota has replaced some battery packs for free out of warranty though, which sure is nice of em

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