What kind of vehicle do you have

[Jesse]

mom's car.

 

[FoxMustang]

'98 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC
'89 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
'89 Ford Mustang LX 5.0

Total: 24 cylinders, 14.6 liters. More than I need, not as many as I want.

 

[Mastodon]

2006 smart fortwo coupé

45 hp common-rail turbo diesel
6-speed clutchless manual transmission (think Tiptronic)
heated leather seats
air conditioning
sunroof

It costs C$17 to fill it with premium diesel.

And on my last tank, i averaged 51 MPG, combined city and highway.

But where are the freakin crumple zones!?

I drive a 96 Jeep Cherokee, white, pretty damn reliable.

I'm willing to run anywhere within 20 miles so long as I don't have to carry anything heavy so I only really drive to school, guitar lessons, and errands.

I was going to take an 86 Volvo over it but my mom sold it to old car salvager and made me take the Jeep.

I'd take either over a new car even if my parents offered to buy me one. I think it has something to do with me being a pack rat and not letting go of anything. I grew up around both of those cars so that's why I wanted them.

I was actually kind of sad when I saw the Volvo leave.

 

[darren]

But where are the freakin crumple zones!?

Right here.

 

[Shawn]

'89 Ford Mustang LX 5.0

Nice. Got a pic?

 

[Scott]

A red Dodge Dekoota Sport truck, and a yellow Chevey Aveo

 

[Mastodon]

Right here.

Ha, yep, you'd be screwed.

Those crumple zones are much too small, and why are they bragging about that steel frame? Back when cars were new they were designing them to fully withstand impacts, so since the frame wasn't absorbing the energy the people were, and died.

They didn't test side or rear impacts either. I'd be more willing to drive this in London, but I would not DARE take out on I-95.

 

[Drew]

Actually, I disagree - the pasanger compartment is still essentially intact. You're no worse off in that than you would be in a Corolla or Civic.



Meaning, of course, you're still dead, but there's enough of you left to bury.

 

[darren]

If you watched the whole video, you'd see the part at the end where they say that no matter what vehicle you're driving, you'd be dead after a 70 mph head-on collision into a concrete barrier. Your internal organs could not withstand that kind of deceleration.

There's a member of a smart forum i'm on that got t-boned on the highway while travelling 110 km/h (70 mph). The person in the Kia SUV in the next lane over fell asleep at the wheel, drifted into the ditch, woke up, overcompensated and plowed head-on into the side of his smart. Both vehicles hurtled into the field off the right side of the road. His car rolled several times. He had bumps and cuts and a fairly major concussion, but he survived. And bought another smart. His story here and pics here.

Ever see the 30 mph crash test videos of some pickups and SUVs? Not pretty.

 

[FoxMustang]

Nice. Got a pic?

 

[Drew]

If you watched the whole video, you'd see the part at the end where they say that no matter what vehicle you're driving, you'd be dead after a 70 mph head-on collision into a concrete barrier. Your internal organs could not withstand that kind of deceleration.

I have a feeling you're not talking to me, since I agree with you, but just in case, yeah, I watched the end.

Honestly, due to the higher center of gravity, I'd be more worried about being inside a SUV in a situation like that - even with the Smart car I was half expecting the thing to flip over the barrier.

 

[darren]

No, i was actually talking to Mastodon.

The centre of gravity was a problem on the original smart which failed the famous "elk test". (A high speed obstacle avoidance manoeuvre... many SUVs wouldn't fare much better.) Mercedes widened the rear track (and put wider tires on), installed their Electronic Stability Program and stiffened the suspension considerably it improved things quite a bit.

It's also built using a "double floor" construction, whereby the engine (in the rear) and suspension crumple and push UNDER the passenger compartment instead of into it, as in most cars.

I wouldn't want to be in a highway-speed collision in any vehicle. But i like smaller, lighter cars for the simple fact that you can get out of the way quicker. The best way to survive an accident is to avoid getting in one. I've driven big SUVs and i feel completely unsafe in them. They're tippy, floaty and generally can't accelerate, turn or stop quickly enough.

 

[Drew]

It's also built using a "double floor" construction, whereby the engine (in the rear) and suspension crumple and push UNDER the passenger compartment instead of into it, as in most cars.

No shit... That's brilliant.

Add to all of this the fact they look cool and can park in the same space as your average grocery cart, and I still want one.

 

[Mastodon]

If you watched the whole video, you'd see the part at the end where they say that no matter what vehicle you're driving, you'd be dead after a 70 mph head-on collision into a concrete barrier. Your internal organs could not withstand that kind of deceleration.

There's a member of a smart forum i'm on that got t-boned on the highway while travelling 110 km/h (70 mph). The person in the Kia SUV in the next lane over fell asleep at the wheel, drifted into the ditch, woke up, overcompensated and plowed head-on into the side of his smart. Both vehicles hurtled into the field off the right side of the road. His car rolled several times. He had bumps and cuts and a fairly major concussion, but he survived. And bought another smart. His story here and pics here.

Ever see the 30 mph crash test videos of some pickups and SUVs? Not pretty.

I watched the whole video, I also just finished another entire quarter of drivers ed.

The local news recently ran a story saying that a recent study showed that Minivans are safest, followed by suv's and pick-up trucks despite the roll-over factor.

I'll try to find the study a little later.

Most drivers do not know how to maneuver properly unless they are trained. Are you going to instinctively veer when someone or something jumps in your way? Probably, but if you drive conservatively you should not have to do anything but brake.

 

[eaeolian]

I've driven big SUVs and i feel completely unsafe in them. They're tippy, floaty and generally can't accelerate, turn or stop quickly enough.

+1. My Explorer drives me nuts - plus the visibility sucks, since the pillars and the mirror and everything else seem to have be explicitly put right in the sight lines - at least for 6'2" guys who drive Italian-style ("arms out").

 

[Mastodon]

http://www.smart.com/-snm-016792625...forfour/ausstattung/purestyle/highlights.page

I would be willing to drive that.

Anyway, let's stop before this turns into a stupid internet debate.

The best way to avoid crashes is to walk