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#1
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How much abuse can the W123 bumpers take?
Hey,
I was taking my girlfriend out to dinner friday night in NYC and I parked in a spot that had a car in front of me and a hydrant space behind me. The car in front of me had loads of space in front of it so I parked only a few inches behind it because my spot was bordering on blocking the hydrant and being illegal. Don't worry, I wouldn't put peoples' lives in danger, the hydrant was easily accessible. Anyway, we get back from dinner and this little red Miata wedged itself in between my car and the car behind me, into this hydrant space. We sat in the car for something like 15 min. but were getting quite irritated. It was 10 degrees out, and we all know how long it takes these cars to start producing heat. I no longer had the patience to wait for this guy. I started gently backing up to try and push the Miata a few inches back so that I could get out. It wouldn't really budge (I probably wasn't pushing it hard enough, but I'm a nice guy). I paused, got out to take a look at how much space I had and noticed that I was putting all these stress cracks into the Miata's front "bumper" (it's not really a bumper). I proceded to do what I was doing, with each bump getting harder and harder (I really didn't car what happened to this guy's car) until I finally worked myself free. Finally, here's the question. I'm pretty sure that nowadays they don't make car bumpers like they used to. Just how hard of an impact can the older 123 bumpers take before something gets damaged. I like the idea of just being able to bump whatever the hell I want and then replacing the rubber strip when it gets too scuffed. Thanks a lot for reading through this. Alex
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1983 300D (parked for four years) 2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual 2001 Miata SE 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside |
#2
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The W123 cars in general can take a hard beating and not really show much damage. I think it takes alot to do really any damage to the bumper. I have bumped into a few things, such as some trees and rocks, and no damage.
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#3
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Dont the bumpers have a shock absorber system that was required for cars of that vintage, which allowed hits of 25 MPH or something quite high like that?
I thought the hit rating of car bumpers used to be really high, but the cost/weight/etc. of a loaded bumper system like that to meet the very high federal specs was the reason that they lowered it so that cars have had 2.5 or 5 mph bumpers fr some time, 5mph bumpers becoming the norm for safety and selling reasons... Maybe Im wrong... JMH
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Current Diesels: 1981 240D (73K) 1982 300CD (169k) 1985 190D (169k) 1991 350SD (113k) 1991 350SD (206k) 1991 300D (228k) 1993 300SD (291k) 1993 300D 2.5T (338k) 1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k) 1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k) Past Diesels: 1983 300D (228K) 1985 300D (233K) |
#4
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I think the DOT bumpers are supposed to be 5mph bumpers?
Anyway, mine can definitely take quite an abuse. I've seen people bump into my car when I parked in school... I just looked at them and when they come out to see that their bumper came off slightly they were pretty confused... well hit the wrong car .... Damage to the W123... probably a small scuff that goes away with some damp paper.
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2008 BMW 335i Coupe |
#5
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Awesome. I'll keep on nudging people.
Alex
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1983 300D (parked for four years) 2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual 2001 Miata SE 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside |
#6
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bumper banging!
Yes ladies and germs.................
The 123 federal bumpers can take a real BEATING! Would I be correct in assuming that some or even most of y'all have heard of the "BOSTON DRIVER"? Well then, let me tell you. Having become proficient at the "PARKING BY FEEL" method....newer bumpers (on other cars) can really become distorted! I am not speaking via any IMPACT per se...just pushing slowly with force to determine...a: if the opposition is an automatic or a standard transmission....b: if said vehicle is either in park or in gear...c: if said vehicle is parked with the emergency brake in use...d: weather or not the "opposition" can be moved up to a foot, thus enabling that rare quantity of space to park. Before you folks become irate....occasionally the hatchet under the drivers seat becomes a sort of pacifier....this method of aserting one's god given right to a legal parking space, comes into play when deciding weather the OFFENDER has actually taken up far more than a REASONABLE amount of their own parking space. When the offender takes "more than their FAIR share", the vigilante method comes into play. Caution MUST come into play when weighing the CONSEQUENCES of said actions....ie: neighborhood charastics, car alarms, pedestrians and or folks lounging about either on said street and or parking lots...enuff' said.....y'all get the drill....one more thing is the newness and or the VALUE of the opposition....guerilla tactics all come into play............nightime is DIFFERENT than daytime....needless to say, the BLACK BOMBER does NOT necessarily lead a papmered life. Practice, practice, practice.......As previously mentioned by TXBill, the impact zone is best centered in the middle of YOUR bumper. By the way, the IMPACT METHOD is an entirely different situation...weather in TRAFFIC of in a parking situation.........ALWAYS plan ahead and have a GOOD escape route. The 123 federal bumpers will surprise y'all happily... On another note and room for discussion is the fact of RETRIBUTION..........this is something else entirely. I need a replacement left rear bumper shock from the boneyard...aprox $25 or so, as it has lost it's gas charge and I sometimes need to pullthe bumper away from the car by hand...it stays..............much of the timemy MB is parked out on the street daily across the street from the county courthouse and I frequently return home forom a day with the truck to find the bumper pushed in.....What goes around, etc. Don't worry too much and keepthose diesels humming Best wishes always, spo out. |
#7
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This sounds really dumb but I used to run in to one of those large orange garbage dumpsters outside my business with my 300SD. Someone kept moving it in a place that blocked parking, so I would thump it. Sometimes fairly quickly. Virtually no damage. So 5-10mph in to a really solid object never hurt my car.
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#8
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I had a NYC taxi hit me at a redlight in my 83 300D. It was a good jolt, enough where I could swear my car had damage. He had a push bumper. I got out, and there wasn't as much as a scratch. There was also one time on my way to work I was involved in a multi-car accident. A car hit the car behind me, causing them to hit me. No damage there as well. I've also moved large dumpsters with my 300D.. Damn car was indestructable. Wouldn't try any of this with my 126.
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#9
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My girlfriend told me that she was hit by a bigger Benz (126?) while she was trying to turn into a parking lot, in my 123. It was a hit-and-run; the other car got away. I have yet to see any evidence of any damage...actually, she may not have been hit; she may have heard something fall over in the trunk or something...
I dunno...I do know that the area around the rear left door doesnt' like it when an Expedition's front bumper comes into contact with it...I need to find a way to get that fixed without me going broke in the process...
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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver 1991 Ford F-350, work in progress 1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D Spark-free since 1999 |
#10
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Watch out for those SUV Spare Tires!!! I ran into a Jeep Liberty a few months ago. He was in front of me at the light. He started off like a jack rabbit and then slammed on his brakes. I almost stopped in time!. The bumpers touched and had no damage. But The rear mounted spare tire ruined the grill. lights, hood, radiator, fan assembly etc. on my '87 300D Turbo. About $4,000.00. Insurance paid all but $500 but it took 4 weeks to fix and I had to drive around in a NEON loaner. Yuck!
Joe.
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www.jerseyplanning.com 1987 300TD 440K - My car 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 107K - Tim's car 2000 - CLK320 100K - Deb's car 1994 C230 150K - Josh's Car |
#11
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I slid off the road onetime and took out a mailbox at 45. Car showed zero damage except my license plate was scuffed and bent a bit and also had green plastic in the screw head. I got out expecting to see the whole front end trashed. heh heh needless to say I was QUITE surprised! So if my 201 can take that, your 123 can take more I'm sure!
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1984 190D 2.2 Auto 220k 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport 70K 2004 Lexus RX-330 ??K 2005 Chrylser Crossfire LTD 6K Play guitar? Go to www.cyberfret.com for free online lessons! |
#12
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That totalled 300SD in my signature, it took a Toyota minivan coming head on at ~70mph. All I got out of it was a torn lip. And I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. The car was totalled, but I tell you, I feel SO much safer in my car than in anyone else's, including that Toyota minivan. Three people in it had to be taken away on stretchers.
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Gabriel '91 350SD 162k '83 300SD 210k - rear-ended and scrapped '84 300SD 210k - totalled |
#13
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Wow, glad you came out relatively uninjured! Our 126's are real tanks.. I feel so safe driving it.. it's what Mercedes-Benz was all about.
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#14
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alex, as spo was saying there are the bumper shocks that are basically holding your bumper out far enough to compress and avoid damage to the body of the car. if you smack something fairly hard the shock will compress and then you will need to 'pull' it out to the original extension. this can be done with the bumper on or off the car. needless to say i have had to do it a few times to the rear of my car , hehe. after a while the shocks lose their pressure and you either live with it or get a new shock.
course my rear bumper is held on with coat hangers but that's another story...
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1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP |
#15
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I nudged someone yesterday in traffic by accident with my W210..... No effect to my paint or bumper luckily. I let off the brake ever so slightly and guess I was closer than I thought.
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#dieselFLEET --------------- '97 E300 '99 E300 |
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