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How safe are our cars?
- Thread starter dbb7697
- Start date
A general overview of the car's safety is presented on pages 2 thru 8 of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Owner's Bible 1986-1995.
...to paraphrase, "the E-Class was a premium automobile engineered like no other car in the world. The new model delivered standards of safety and sophistication unmatched by any manufacturer at that time."
Some of these pioneering safety advances are now standard fare that we take for granted these days in the auto industry .
- high tensile strength side impact & engine intrusion crossmembers
- kinetic energy redistribution "crush" zones
- fuel tank above axle
- safety cell passenger compartment
- SRS supplemental restraint system (aka "airbags")
- ABS antilock braking
- ASR automatic slip control
Our cars have approached their 20th anniversary. The car's safety is ensured by it's owner's concern & diligence of maintenance.
From a safety standpoint, the W124 could very well be built better than its successors. I'd certainly take my 19 year-old 500E anyday over a brand new Smartcar. Gas mileage ain't everything.
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Over here, a lot of 500E's got rear-ended, and more than once.
It will take anything from a maxima to sliverado, Taheo, Land cruiser, Pajero with bull bars. you name it.
The structure and attachments part are not only strong, but are hard wearing. The car can take some pretty bad frame deforming hits and the bumpers would still be re-usable... some cars were hit multiple times and never needed new bumpers!!.
It will take anything from a maxima to sliverado, Taheo, Land cruiser, Pajero with bull bars. you name it.
The structure and attachments part are not only strong, but are hard wearing. The car can take some pretty bad frame deforming hits and the bumpers would still be re-usable... some cars were hit multiple times and never needed new bumpers!!.
Happened in Germany this summer. No doubts about this information.
But- i agree- they were extremely lucky.
Oi. Both the trucks and the car have German license plates!
True... but those are Heineken cans all over the car...
True... but those are Heineken cans all over the car...
Tuborg
http://punjapit.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/tuborg.jpg
Noone drinks Heineken here...
RD- Rendsburg.
Google Map- Rendsburg.
My sister and her husband bought a 300E for their kids to drive, on my recommendation. A few years later, my 17 year old niece was sitting at a stop light and got rear ended by someone who wasn't paying attention. The car was totaled but she walked away without a scratch. Maybe more impressive is that her cello in the trunk, which was worth more than the car, also escaped unharmed.
Hi,
I, somewhere, have a crash test made by few european magazine. Were in contest, the W124, BMW 5 serie, Opel Omega, lancia Thema, and others. I think the W124 came second best just after the BMW 5 serie. I will try to find this article (in French... )
There is no comparaison between a car designed at the beginning of the eighties and a car designed 5 years ago, the lastest being by far the safest. It is all due to the design of the crash zones, the capacity of the structure to absorb the forces and to distribute them among the structure. Look at the A pillars of different cars caught in a crash and you will understand. Weight is also an important factor and our cars are not that heavy. So in a crash against a heavier car, the impact won't be good for us.
But that life, and I guess there are choices to be made between pleasure and safety.
As a motorbike rider, a sport one I ride about 5.000 Kms a year only for pleasure, I know what it is all about.
Alex
I, somewhere, have a crash test made by few european magazine. Were in contest, the W124, BMW 5 serie, Opel Omega, lancia Thema, and others. I think the W124 came second best just after the BMW 5 serie. I will try to find this article (in French... )
There is no comparaison between a car designed at the beginning of the eighties and a car designed 5 years ago, the lastest being by far the safest. It is all due to the design of the crash zones, the capacity of the structure to absorb the forces and to distribute them among the structure. Look at the A pillars of different cars caught in a crash and you will understand. Weight is also an important factor and our cars are not that heavy. So in a crash against a heavier car, the impact won't be good for us.
But that life, and I guess there are choices to be made between pleasure and safety.
As a motorbike rider, a sport one I ride about 5.000 Kms a year only for pleasure, I know what it is all about.
Alex
Our cars aren't that heavy? On my registration it says my car is 1730kg - empty. Most cars are 500kg below that weight. Especially with that huge lump of aluminum in front (the engine...) I think the 036 would hit like a hammer... Most cars would be far worse off than we, I'd guess?
If you crash against modern car with same weight ( for example W212) - 036 will loose. BUT- people drive now mostly small dishwashers- they got no chance against 036.
Funny fact- our 124er are just 2 cm longer then modern C class.... We have small cars
Here are more:
[youtube]EKXGNJJsP2M[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=W0Y3g9-sHzw&feature=fvwp
[youtube]EKXGNJJsP2M[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=W0Y3g9-sHzw&feature=fvwp
Yeah,cool stuff.
BUT! Does anyone have a crash test W124 against a modern car? Would be very interesting....
It was an article in "Hamburger Abendblatt"- solid newspaper. Happened this sommer. Try to google it. As said- they were extremely lucky, delivered to Hospital, but no serious injuries.
Here we go
" Aus diesem Wrack sind drei Männer auf dem Weg zum Hurricane-Festival lebend rausgekommen."
http://www.google.de/imgres?start=9...47&tbnw=196&ndsp=47&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:100,i:25
" Aus diesem Wrack sind drei Männer auf dem Weg zum Hurricane-Festival lebend rausgekommen."
http://www.google.de/imgres?start=9...47&tbnw=196&ndsp=47&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:100,i:25
In 09, I was sitting at a red light when my (first) 94 E500 was hit head on by a Toyota Sequoia. Probably because of the height of the Sequoia's bumper, the air bags did not deploy. The Sequoia's bumper, however, ended up about a foot from my windshield. My three year old son in the back didn't believe we were in an accident until we got out of the car and he saw the toyota buried in our engine compartment. $11k in body work later, it lived again. For two more years, that is, when I plowed into a tree at about 40 mph. You've never seen a tree jump in the road like that, I swear! The car was totalled, beyond repair, and became a donor for a 500E owned by a friend of Dave Hendy. But I walked away. My chest was sore for a few weeks from the seatbelt and air bag, but that was pretty much it.
From 40mph, about 65km/h into a tree, pfff. Don't want to think about that stuff with any other car!
As a comparison, I attached some pictures of what happens if you drive with less 30km/h (if that!! More like 20-25) into a lightpost.... She didn't even notice she actually hit the damn thing, but to see a lightpost (which didn't have ANY damage or scratches) go so far into the engine bay scared me quite a bit.
As a comparison, I attached some pictures of what happens if you drive with less 30km/h (if that!! More like 20-25) into a lightpost.... She didn't even notice she actually hit the damn thing, but to see a lightpost (which didn't have ANY damage or scratches) go so far into the engine bay scared me quite a bit.
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Experience has led me to believe luxury cars (at least, what we USA folk place those cars in) tend to be designed to protect the occupants.
Getting a little serious: it is important to take a step back and just be grateful where we are at; totally unexpected things can happen. Take my very humbling experience from a few years back; I'm someone who spends hours washing his car, takes meticulous care of things, and overly conservative with every decision. But this one...
I walked away with a broken nose and utterly destroyed pride.. the worst part was facing everyone, as the immediate perceived notion was, "rich kid doesn't appreciate what he has", when in reality, it was, "guy who worked his ass off made a very very stupid judgment call first time in his life". The silver lining? I now have an e500 instead of too much car
Getting a little serious: it is important to take a step back and just be grateful where we are at; totally unexpected things can happen. Take my very humbling experience from a few years back; I'm someone who spends hours washing his car, takes meticulous care of things, and overly conservative with every decision. But this one...
I walked away with a broken nose and utterly destroyed pride.. the worst part was facing everyone, as the immediate perceived notion was, "rich kid doesn't appreciate what he has", when in reality, it was, "guy who worked his ass off made a very very stupid judgment call first time in his life". The silver lining? I now have an e500 instead of too much car
Please mind also, that this w124 was cutted nearly in pieces by getting passengers out, i don´t have pics straight after crash.
Hi,
To add infos to the debate, two tests made by the EUROPEAN NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME
http://fr.euroncap.com/fr/results/mercedes_benz/e_class.aspx?dontlaunchmobile=1
And only 7 years between the designs of the two cars tested.
Alexis
To add infos to the debate, two tests made by the EUROPEAN NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME
http://fr.euroncap.com/fr/results/mercedes_benz/e_class.aspx?dontlaunchmobile=1
And only 7 years between the designs of the two cars tested.
Alexis
I really think Mercedes need to be #1 in those lists...
Also, a better link is http://euroncap.com/results/mercedes_benz/e_class.aspx?dontlaunchmobile=1, since that doesn't require us to speak French
Also, a better link is http://euroncap.com/results/mercedes_benz/e_class.aspx?dontlaunchmobile=1, since that doesn't require us to speak French
The S124 did pretty well even after the Stig blew one up...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=UIv0bOd9XtA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=UIv0bOd9XtA
Here's another great reason to own a W124. This is incredible.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/209479-r-i-p-my-beloved-300ce.html
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/209479-r-i-p-my-beloved-300ce.html
"Thank God for the narrow escape. Lots of things could have went fatally wrong. I was passing a car on a one-lane road (Texas 21, Hwy 190 Eastbound to I45) when another car ahead suddenly made a left turn. At the last second I veered my car to the right, barely missed the turning car but lost control and the car landed in the ditch on the left side, flipped twice over and rested on the roof. Fortunately no other car was hit.
I, my wife and daughter are fine except for 3 sore bodies with sprained necks and bruises as we were examined at the hospital.
I think we were lucky to be in a Mercedes. Not sure whether there might have been more serious injuries if the car was another one."
I, my wife and daughter are fine except for 3 sore bodies with sprained necks and bruises as we were examined at the hospital.
I think we were lucky to be in a Mercedes. Not sure whether there might have been more serious injuries if the car was another one."
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Wow. Make sure to read post #49 in that thread also... text copied/pasted below:
"This reminds me of my crash in October [2007] (mine was worse ---). Some bozo wasn't paying attention and ran a traffic light on a divided highway and hit me, crossing on a green, full in the driver's door running about 60 mph in a heavy Chevy 3500 work van, fully loaded (I'd guess 7000 lbs, or so). I don't know how much he slowed down, I wasn't really interested in much of anything but getting down to the hospital for getting sewn up and xrayed as I got one hell of a kick in the ribs and some cuts with glass stuffed in them -- it was still short sleeve weather here.
The driver's door got shoved in at least a foot, and the front doorpost below the windshield is pushed in at least 18", the roof is bent over on the passenger side, climate control section of the dash is flat, even the dash vent on the passenger side is busted, so is the glove box.
I couldn't shut it off (it was my 1987 300D) because the keys were too far inside the dash to get hold of, although it did stop when someone found some pliers and got in there.
I stayed strapped in, didn't hit my head on anything (like the front of a van!), just poked it in park, climbed out, opened the trunk for some paper towels to stop the bleeding, and sat on a pickup truck tailgate waiting for the ambulance. All three other doors work, even with a bent in center doorpost on the driver's side.
No broken bones, just bruised ribs and now a partially frozen shoulder from being unable to move it much, plus surgery to fish out the busted glass that didn't come out on it's own.
A family friend was in the same type of accident a week later, and after five weeks in the hopsital, he died -- busted ribs and broken hip, never repaired as he was never in good enough shape for surgery, got pneumonia and a MRSA infection, kidney failure, diabetes went nuts, awful.
I don't intend to ever drive anything but a Benz, I'm quite convinced being in one saved my life.
That recent a purchase, you should get full replacement value, which means everything you spent. The insurance (not mine!) offered me $1600 for mine, but I'd just bought another one (nowhere near as good, I got ripped) for $4850 -- they eventually paid the whole amount. Look it up on Kelly or NADA, and yours is definitely on the top end of the scale, you may even get more than you paid. An 87 300D ranged from $3000 to $8000.
Peter"
The driver's door got shoved in at least a foot, and the front doorpost below the windshield is pushed in at least 18", the roof is bent over on the passenger side, climate control section of the dash is flat, even the dash vent on the passenger side is busted, so is the glove box.
I couldn't shut it off (it was my 1987 300D) because the keys were too far inside the dash to get hold of, although it did stop when someone found some pliers and got in there.
I stayed strapped in, didn't hit my head on anything (like the front of a van!), just poked it in park, climbed out, opened the trunk for some paper towels to stop the bleeding, and sat on a pickup truck tailgate waiting for the ambulance. All three other doors work, even with a bent in center doorpost on the driver's side.
No broken bones, just bruised ribs and now a partially frozen shoulder from being unable to move it much, plus surgery to fish out the busted glass that didn't come out on it's own.
A family friend was in the same type of accident a week later, and after five weeks in the hopsital, he died -- busted ribs and broken hip, never repaired as he was never in good enough shape for surgery, got pneumonia and a MRSA infection, kidney failure, diabetes went nuts, awful.
I don't intend to ever drive anything but a Benz, I'm quite convinced being in one saved my life.
That recent a purchase, you should get full replacement value, which means everything you spent. The insurance (not mine!) offered me $1600 for mine, but I'd just bought another one (nowhere near as good, I got ripped) for $4850 -- they eventually paid the whole amount. Look it up on Kelly or NADA, and yours is definitely on the top end of the scale, you may even get more than you paid. An 87 300D ranged from $3000 to $8000.
Peter"
Dave,
Our T-Bone was very similar on a snowy day. We were side swiped on a two lane road as a Ford truck entered our lane and struck the left side of our 400E which caused us to proceed into the oncoming lane at a 90 degree angle, sliding sideways at 35 mph. A Toyota truck then T-boned the right side and caused the same injuries you experienced to my wife ie. . . bruised ribs and frozen shoulder.
The car came to rest in a field still running. The car looked like an hour glass on both sides. All doors and pillars were bent in, however, still worked and NO broken glass. Completely totaled.
Will provide pictures if I can find them. Glad we were in the Panzer Tank!
Our T-Bone was very similar on a snowy day. We were side swiped on a two lane road as a Ford truck entered our lane and struck the left side of our 400E which caused us to proceed into the oncoming lane at a 90 degree angle, sliding sideways at 35 mph. A Toyota truck then T-boned the right side and caused the same injuries you experienced to my wife ie. . . bruised ribs and frozen shoulder.
The car came to rest in a field still running. The car looked like an hour glass on both sides. All doors and pillars were bent in, however, still worked and NO broken glass. Completely totaled.
Will provide pictures if I can find them. Glad we were in the Panzer Tank!
Humm..
There are 2 things positive I can say about safety of our W124's. First, MB did extensive testing and their requirements in places far exceed min country requirments. Seat back strength is min requirement is 150 lbs aft load ultimate(at the center). MB shows some bar graph and they wayyyyy exceed it. When the seat snaps in another car- you loose seat belt tension(if you are lucky) and get tossed about. Or you can break your back and the occupant behind you will sufer un-needed injurys.
The specs are to try and design to the real world- but it isn't always exactly correct. How well they do in the world and not on the sled is what is important.
Michael
There are 2 things positive I can say about safety of our W124's. First, MB did extensive testing and their requirements in places far exceed min country requirments. Seat back strength is min requirement is 150 lbs aft load ultimate(at the center). MB shows some bar graph and they wayyyyy exceed it. When the seat snaps in another car- you loose seat belt tension(if you are lucky) and get tossed about. Or you can break your back and the occupant behind you will sufer un-needed injurys.
The specs are to try and design to the real world- but it isn't always exactly correct. How well they do in the world and not on the sled is what is important.
Michael
