We own a 2003 Honda Odyssey (wifes) and I've got my wagons, none of them with the 3rd seats. Wife is concerned about having a child in the third seat as she feels its to close to the back of the car if we were rear ended. We have 3 kids and my daughter rides in the back most seat of the Honda. I haven't taken out the tape measure yet but it seems like her whole body may be closer to the backend in the minivan than basically her legs in one of my wagons if she was in a third seat. What are your thoughts on this? Any differences between the 87 and the 82 300TD 3rd seats as far as safety goes?
Thanks,
Dave

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Currently driving a very clean 1985 300SD from the West Coast.

It depends on how hard you are hit from the rear and at what height on the body.

I personally think that the body of the wagon is very strong and could sustain a very substantial hit to the rear-end without compromising occupants sitting in the 3rd row seat.

In terms of the W124 vs. the W123, I think the W124 is stronger. That's just my opinion, as I'm sure the 123 crowd will say the exact opposite.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

I'm pretty sure the wagon is built a little sturdier than the Honda btw

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

In a rear-end collision, the child will be thrown towards the back of the vehicle. In the minivan, that means being thrown "backwards" into the seatback, with the force evenly distributed over the body. In the TD the force will throw the child "forward" against the seatbelt straps (since they are facing rear) with the force focused on the points where the straps touch the body. More likely to result in broken bones and bruising. Plus, they are more exposed to broken glass from the rear window. If you rear-end someone else, of course, the whole dynamic is reversed. I think in general I would feel safer with my kids in the minivan.

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1987 Mercedes 300D ~200K (Greasecar & Biodiesel)
1993 Ford F-250 7.3 IDI diesel 165K (Biodiesel)
1996 Thomas/International Bus with DT466 engine

You could always test it with inlaws you do not like...

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

I wonder if there is a crash test You Tube video for the 300TD like there is for the sedans? Now that would be helpful in answering this question.

Kevin
1979 240D manual
1984 190D manual

I can feel your pain with the wife. I have one of those too!

To answer your question, when you have a child sitting in the rear seat, whether it's in the minivan or any Mercedes, worse in the Volvo, and a crack-smoking dude hits your vehicle with his SUV or truck at high speed while you're waiting at a red light, you most likely have one child less.
The same will happen to you, or your wife, if the same dude T-bones you while running a red light, despite the fact that you're driving one of the safest vehicles on the road.

If you're flying and the plane crashes, you're most likely dying as well. Same if you go to the mailbox, and the aforementioned dude loses control and sidesweeps you off the sidewalk while you're sliding the letter thought the slot.

For all those reasons, my wife now refuses to drive, or be driven, or walk. Lately she doesn't want to leave the bed, being afraid what would happen to her if she slipped while getting up and hit her head on the wall.
I got that one under control though, by mentioning what happened to her if the roof came crushing down on her while being in bed.

All that aside, I just wonder: how many times in your life have you been hit hard in the back, by a crack-smoking, speeding dude in an SUV or pickup, while waiting at a red light?

Point in case: there's no way to protect yourself and your loved ones from God's fury. Best advise to you: buy a Hummer H1, have it armored, and don't drive it. And the best way to make sure you won't have a kid that gets hurt is using a condom every time. Afraid something might happen to your wife? Don't get married.

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Bernard
Ventura, Calif.

My current Diesels:
1995 Mercedes E300D SE
1992 Dodge D250 Ram with Cummins Turbodiesel
1985 Mercedes 300CD Turbodiesel Coupe
1978 Mercedes 240D (daughter's 1st. car)

i used to haol kids in the third seat of a volvo wagon.

i would be reluctant to do so now.

i think the mini (ugh) van would probably be a bit safer. in a rear ender.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

But not in most other serious accidents.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

exactly.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Those are my thoughts exactly.

Lots of people are killed every year in SUV rollovers yet the SUV drivers feel "safer" because they are up high. Sometimes one's gut feel isn't the best way to judge a risk. If you get hit really hard from behind in any car it could be disasterous. I agree with those who think the wagon is less safe but I expect the difference is far less than you may think.

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LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold

I used to let my children ride in the 3rd seat of our TE/4matic, but that's because they loved to. Mostly for freeway travel.

I felt that they would be safer in our E150 conversion, but that's why we bought the E150 conversion, safety.

We've been in a serious accident, hit head-on / left corner by a drunk, police estimate 85mph+. We all survived, except the 2year old van, but that's why I bought the only body-on-frame double-wall constructed full-size van in the industry. You have to make choices, be sure that you can live with the consequences of those choices, I do. The minivans are mostly paper-mache in comparison, I've met two people who lost children in minor accidents in minivans.
The T124 was/is to me the car version of the heavy-duty vancar, and what I preferred to drive. I feel very good about the collision survivability in the center and front seats of that car.
Yes it is likely that, in the unfortunate event of a rear-end collision, your children are less safe than in many minivans in a similar collision (unless it is the notorious Dodge with the self-ejecting rear seats). I wouldn't put my in-laws in a Dodge minivan.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Wow, a lot of excellent observations on all of the items above. Only thought I had here was that sturdy is not always what you want in an accident. Certainly you do for the passenger space, but crumple zones are amazing dissipating energy over time and space, kind of like a giant cushion. So, I have the new version of the Odyssey, with basically tons of safety stuff that was not available in the 123/124 era.

My degrees are in safety. I would take the van in most situations, concerning kids in the very back. Only scenario that would be better for them in the wagon vs. the van is when you slam into something headon.

Just a tough question all the way around. I presume you are a good driver and you are not rearending others. It simply would scare me to death to have my girls facing the back.

I've thought it would be best to get them in and then pour those styrofoam peanuts up to about the shoulder level. If you get hit by something big and heavier than you going faster than you the law of physics will rule and your safety will be in peril regardless.

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raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

Here's a short safety clip on MB's.
My sons sits in the third seat, and I have no issues with that.