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Detroit, 8:26 AM
Thu Nov 26
20 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #iihssmallcarratings more →

    IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of MushyHeirloom MushyHeirloom
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
     Reply
    MushyHeirloom was starred MushyHeirloom was unstarred
    Image of MushyHeirloom MushyHeirloom
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    My buddy's '98 Escort looked like that Accent when he rear-ended a Sportage a year and something ago.


    He did it at about 10 mph, though.

     Reply
    MushyHeirloom was starred MushyHeirloom was unstarred
    Image of Ford Tempo Fanatic Ford Tempo Fanatic
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    $2,000 in damages for a minor fender bender. Pick up a old Ford Tempo for $500, insure it for under a grand, get in a fender bender, rip off the bumper and toss on a mismatched Topaz bumper from a junk yard.


    Have beer.

     Reply
    Ford Tempo Fanatic was starred Ford Tempo Fanatic was unstarred
    Image of MushyHeirloom MushyHeirloom
    06/11/09

    @Ford Tempo Fanatic: Same with a Volvo, except without having to replace the bumper.
     Reply
    MushyHeirloom was starred MushyHeirloom was unstarred
    Image of sos10 sos10
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    As long as the car absorbs most of the impact when hitting a pedestrian... it's only a car after all.
     Reply
    sos10 was starred sos10 was unstarred
    Image of dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    I have the impression that this insurance sponsored "authority" does not like small cars: I wonder if they are trying to steer people towards larger, more expensive cars with higher insurance premiums...
     Reply
    dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity was starred dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity was unstarred
    Image of Graverobber Graverobber
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    I wonder what the correlation is between low-speed impact damage and braking performance. I'd expect that the Hyundai and Kia take longer to stop than the pricier cars, but then I'm kind of an elitist dick that way,
     Reply
    Graverobber was starred Graverobber was unstarred
    Image of OldeEnglishD OldeEnglishD
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    Even if the Rio or Aveo will "Buff right out" would you really want to? That damage actually makes those cars look better.
     Reply
    OldeEnglishD was starred OldeEnglishD was unstarred
    Image of combat chuck combat chuck
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    My Accent imploded like a frightened doodlebug (awkward analogy) when I rear-ended another car at low speed in traffic several years ago. The insurance co. came back with a $1,500 estimate to replace the left front fender, bumper, hood and left headlamp. I thought the whole point of these so-called "crumple zones" was passenger safety, though. Sure, the whole front end is gone, but you walk away without a scratch.
     Reply
    combat chuck was starred combat chuck was unstarred
    Image of combat chuck combat chuck
    06/11/09

    @combat chuck: Oh, and yes, I would trade my crappy fake plastic non-bumper for a real, ol' fashioned steel bumper any day.
     Reply
    combat chuck was starred combat chuck was unstarred
    Image of A strolling player A strolling player
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    Thanks, IIHS. Because I didn't already know how small cars managed to keep their passengers safe despite their size.


    When there ain't much crumple zone to go around, it's going to crumple. Get over it.

     Reply
    A strolling player was starred A strolling player was unstarred
    Image of Deartháir II Deartháir II
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    Isn't that the idea with these cars? In order for them to be safer, they're supposed to disburse the energy of the impact around the body panels. They sacrifice sturdiness for safety. Yes, it costs more, but that's because they are designed to take as much of the damage in their body panels as possible so that it's not transferred to the soft, squishy, messy parts in the seats.
     Reply
    Deartháir II was starred Deartháir II was unstarred
    Image of Pixel Pixel
    06/11/09

    @Deartháir - Now with more SingoFinger™!: Yeah but small accidents are a different ballgame. And a lot of the reason for the costs is crappy design. Mostly in making the bumper cover (which does nothing in a serious crash) out of plastic that can't survive minor knocks, and overlapping the bumper/fender in ways where a hit to the bumper is transferred to the fender damaging the much more expensive sheetmetal and/or lights.
     Reply
    Pixel was starred Pixel was unstarred
    Image of Deartháir II Deartháir II
    06/11/09

    @Pixel: The bumper cover used to be just decoration, back in the 80s and 90s. Now, particularly in small cars, they're all designed to transfer damage.


    The energy from an impact has to go somewhere. Plastic can absorb a lot of energy without damage, but when that amount of energy is exceeded, it's gotta go somewhere. It's not always "crappy design". Bumper covers used to always wrap around and go all the way back to the wheel-well, in the interest of protecting body panels. Part of the reason they don't any more is that it's an efficient way of transferring energy in a collision.


    Sorry, it sucks that it costs so much to fix, but that's why it's so much safer.

     Reply
    Deartháir II was starred Deartháir II was unstarred
    Image of TampaRon TampaRon
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    $9,380 for the Kia? Its totaled!
     Reply
    TampaRon was starred TampaRon was unstarred
    Image of Deartháir II Deartháir II
    06/11/09

    @TampaRon: Twice!
     Reply
    Deartháir II was starred Deartháir II was unstarred
    Image of Jagvar Jagvar
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    So a fender-bender is almost enough to total a Kia Rio?
     Reply
    Jagvar was starred Jagvar was unstarred
    Image of sos10 sos10
    06/11/09

    @Jagvar: Yeah, isn't it great?
     Reply
    sos10 was starred sos10 was unstarred
    Image of 1000songs 1000songs
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    No wonder NYC and NJ are the only place I see those unbelievably ugly Bumper Bullys. Apparently it's OK to park using the Helen Keller method.


     Reply
    1000songs was starred 1000songs was unstarred
    Image of Graverobber Graverobber
    06/11/09

    @1000songs: What that thing needs is a pair of Truck Nuts peeking out beneath it like under the skirt of a girls high school gym coach.
     Reply
    Graverobber was starred Graverobber was unstarred
    Image of sos10 sos10
    06/11/09

    @Graverobber: oH no, that image is going to haunt me now.
     Reply
    sos10 was starred sos10 was unstarred
    Image of GreenN_Gold GreenN_Gold
    06/11/09

    @1000songs: Helen Keller method, I love it. I will have to use that one next time I'm a passenger in a car that does this.
     Reply
    GreenN_Gold was starred GreenN_Gold was unstarred
    Image of HurtsSoGood HurtsSoGood
    06/11/09

    @GreenN_Gold: You back into your space until you come into contact with something. Then you put it in D and straighten up until you come into contact with something. What? That's not standard practice in the City?
     Reply
    HurtsSoGood was starred HurtsSoGood was unstarred
    Image of Floydster Floydster
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    I regularly cars like this (with a bit more twine, sometimes) driving around. The repair only costs that much if it's done. Also, I imagine the other party's insurance will generally cover you if you're hit in the back, no?
     Reply
    Floydster was starred Floydster was unstarred
    Image of pauljones pauljones
    06/11/09

    @Floydster:

    That's assuming they have insurance. As Los Angeles resident, I can tell you from personal experience that not everyone does. I got rear ended driving my mom's car in downtown by a guy who barely spoke English, had no insurance, and just drove off.
     Reply
    pauljones was starred pauljones was unstarred
    Image of leavethegun-takethecannoli leavethegun-takethecannoli
    06/11/09

    @Floydster: How do you "regularly a car" like this?


    And you only get paid if the other driver sticks around. When most people bump another car when parking, they just leave.

     Reply
    leavethegun-takethecannoli was starred leavethegun-takethecannoli was unstarred
    Image of mytdawg mytdawg
    06/11/09

    @Floydster: Not in a no-fault state. You are on your own.
     Reply
    mytdawg was starred mytdawg was unstarred
    Image of smalleyxb122 smalleyxb122
    06/11/09

    @mytdawg: Which is one of a few reasons that Michigan sucks.
     Reply
    smalleyxb122 was starred smalleyxb122 was unstarred
    Image of electricarchie electricarchie
    06/11/09

    In reply to IIHS: Small Cars Are Big On Damage In Low-Speed Collisions
    I parked (in my '97 Range Rover) behind a smart fortwo the other day in Hoboken. When I got out, I nearly died laughing I couldn't believe it: the center of my front bumper was in line with the rear "smart" badge. I could have completely destroyed the back end of the car by just bumping it, like most urban drivers tend to do, getting out of the spot.
     Reply
    electricarchie was starred electricarchie was unstarred
    Image of pauljones pauljones
    06/11/09

    @electricarchie: You admit to being anywhere near Hoboken? That place is the Barstow of the east.
     Reply
    pauljones was starred pauljones was unstarred
    Image of Tiberiuswise is all ate up with sarcasm Tiberiuswise is all ate up with sarcasm
    06/11/09

    @pauljones: Hoboken is packed to the gills with insanely hot chicks and lots of bars.
     Reply
    Tiberiuswise is all ate up with sarcasm was starred Tiberiuswise is all ate up with sarcasm was unstarred
    Image of brandegee brandegee
    06/11/09

    @Tiberiuswise: If by that you mean packed to the gills with awful, cheezball Irish/sports bars loaded with meatheads, tanorexics, and stale Stella Artois, then yes.
     Reply
    brandegee was starred brandegee was unstarred
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