What do you feel safer in, classic or plastic?

[ozute]

I was just wondering what you folks felt safer in.. I personally miss the old tougher classics, and feel safer in them having a tough shell around me, rather than these flimsy aluminium foil things they're building these days..

What do you feel safer in?

[Torana]

Hmmmmm... a very interesting question with potential for some interesting arguments. I'd say classic because they don't crumple and are stronger in terms of rigidity but then again the plastic cars have better equipment like ABS... but then again classics don't have airbags which I believe kill more people than they save.....

[Julie]

I'm gonna definately go with plastic. More safety features, and even though as torana said they crumple, isn't that a good thing? I always thought the crumple zones were there to absorb some of the force out of the impact. Newer models tend to have things like airbags, ABS, better brakes, traction control. I guess I am also a bit biased too having witness and being first on the scene to a fatal accident, which involved a 'classic' being ripped in to half and pieces of it flying left right and centre. After seeing that I would never drive an old car.

[DazVYSS]

The problem with a classic is when you have a big head on your car is strong and does not have any give you take the full inpact eg your doing 80 kph and the other car is doing 80 kph when you colide your body is now doing 160 kph about the same as a sky diver without a parachute at that speed the are thrown onto the dash and steering wheel not much fun .Now you in a new car say my vyss (plastic)first of all theres every chance due to modernday refinements ABS excellent susspention etc I may actualy avoid the accident if I dont and collide my car will statigeically crumplr absorbing much of the inpact the I will inevitably meat the air bag like a stunt man lands on from great hights and more than likely walk away with minor injurys the other(classic) will more than likely be burried.Air bags do save lives and although my car may look alot worse after an accident than a kingswood its because its designed to so witch would you rather.

[jacko]

I always say prevention rather than cure. The newer cars (plastic) have the features to avoid crashes (prevention), such as ABS, traction control, ESP & BA (some models), etc., whereas the older cars (classic) don't. Also, I think the newer cars are much easier to handle, and respond better.

When it comes down to the crash though, sure, the older cars might have a tougher shell, but that isn't always a good thing, and doesn't mean you're more protected. The newer cars are designed to crumple away, and absorb the impact force (as Julie said) and the airbags and seatbelt pretensioners there to protect the occupants. The older cars don't absorb the force of the impact, and therefore pass it on to the occupants, who get thrown around more, and can have serious injuries (esp. 'cause there's no airbags)..

[ozute]

With the majority of people saying that the newer cars are designed to absorb the impact, what about a multiple impact, say on a freeway where you are impacted on both ends. In a multiple impact accident, will a new car still be providing any sort of protection after all the airbags have gone off, and you're a sitting duck? Does shell strength improve your chances then?

[DazVYSS]

With the majority of people saying that the newer cars are designed to absorb the impact, what about a multiple impact, say on a freeway where you are impacted on both ends. In a multiple impact accident, will a new car still be providing any sort of protection after all the airbags have gone off, and you're a sitting duck? Does shell strength improve your chances then?

In a classic you died in the first impact anyway.

[ozute]

In a classic you died in the first impact anyway.

Why so black and white Daz?

[cizocizo]

i say plastic only because i had a pretty hard stack in a vs and the outside was rooted, but the inside was fine. makes me feel pretty safe cruising in my vs

[ozute]

For a new twist, what if you had to make a choice, and 2 identical cars sat side by side. One was built with the same toughness as the old days, and with all the latest safety features, and the other was the newer plastic version with the latest same safety features....? Which would you choose and why?

[Julie]

Still take the new car, because whilst you can put airbags, abs etc into older cars, you can not change their structure. The newer cars have the crumple factor the older ones don't, even if someone managed to make a 'crumpling classic' it would be a compromise on the newer version that has had countless hours in design and safety testing by professionals. I do appreciate the toughness of the classics, and even wish that some of that toughness was retained in the newer models, especially with the little things like petrol lid covers (the plastic ones are just too flimsy ). But when it comes to safety I think its good that they chose safety over strength.

[vlv8vic]

id have thought the newer ones, as far as occupant safety and excluding airbags etc, are as tough as the older cars. i can see what you mean ozute, tehy are heavier and have that toucher appearance but the shells of each car new or old, panels between the passengers adn th outside world can only have improved overtime. i knwo in crash ratings the newer commies rate 4 stars, Vl and older rate 1 star.... ill agree with the stats and say id feel safer in the newer under ANY circumstance.

[DazVYSS]

Look at it like this put a empty beer can on your forehead and hit it with a hammer yes it will hurt and probably break the skin but the can will crumble taking alot of the impact now take a 5mm steel can put it on your forehead and smack it with a hammer you will be knocked out require stitches and probably fracture your skull (no give) it is that black and white after many years in the car industry I know how it works.

[AussieHolden]

I'm going for classic cause they will never make'em like that ever again.

Fact:- Did you know that older cars brake slower then newer cars ?

There was an artical in our news paper about the stopping distance of older & newer model cars and I found it shocking so when I plan to get my classic Holden I plan to upgrade it's braking system as new as possible.

I miss having a Old Holden

[DazVYSS]

I'm going for classic cause they will never make'em like that ever again.

Fact:- Did you know that older cars brake slower then newer cars ?

There was an artical in our news paper about the stopping distance of older & newer model cars and I found it shocking so when I plan to get my classic Holden I plan to upgrade it's braking system as new as possible.

I miss having a Old Holden

Any chance of a translater being available.

[AussieHolden]

Sorry that's just me with some grog.

[fu2]

i think i feel safer in a plastic but nothing newer than a VR exec. i hate air-bags. thats why i love my vp, they have the crumble zone but not the airbags. + my dad had a huge crash in a vp when a car flew airborn into him. he got out and the door feel off and he walked up to our house and said he had an accident and walked back.

the car was screwed but he wasnt. so anything with cruble zones gets the tick with me

[jetspin_vn]

Classic all the way... that way you know you stand a fair chance of being able to be buried in your car

[HDT_aero]

i feel saver in a classic not for the injury factor but the money factor

if i prang a new car its gonna be a write off cause thats how they are designed (im guessing we are talking about a mojor prang btw)
if i prang my old pos i can fix it and live to see another drive

then again im a poor *** who cant afford much ...

[Julie]

For some strange reason I have the feeling if the question was changed to "what car do u like best, classic or plastic?" the results would be exactly the same.

[ozute]

Julie, I guess there were a couple of reasons for me putting this question up. Firstly, I personally do miss the strength of older cars, of being able to literally stand on the bonnet at the footy etc, shunting into something accidentally didn't mean a big deal, and the weight of the old cars had other benefits like the extra weight on the wheels when towing etc (or so I thought e.g. pulling a heavy trailer up a grass hill the newer cars lack weight to assist traction and just spin). What's also interesting to keep in mind, is that most basic model cars these days still do not have any safety features except for the fact that they crumple. My exec has no ABS IRS GPS ACS Airbags etc, so it was from that kind of angle that I would like a little extra beef in the body I guess, which makes me feel a little safer.

[Jamie W]

I feel pretty safe in both to be honest.

[ozute]

Jamie W, your avatar "laugh at all pathetic rice here" is hilarious, those things are a joke. Looks like a lego set of a 2 year old not a carpark!

[jetspin_vn]

The skyscraper tailpipes are drop dead hillarious!!

[Wombat]

My absolutely ideal car would be an EH wagon, fitted with an Alloytec 190, five speed auto, four wheel anti-lock discs, a nice air-bag wheel from Momo (they are available...but be sitting down for the price :my: ) with the proper sensors fitted, passenger side bag, good bucket seats, retractable seatbelts all round, 16" wheels with modern rubber, suspension all fully rebuilt with power rack and pinion steering. This would be a "best of both worlds" car.

Only one thing stops this vehicle from sitting in my driveway....


winning lotto....