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Comments
Vehicles being physically pushed forward in a rear end crash isn't exactly a terrible thing, as it allows the force to be dissipated over a greater distance and time. Head on collisions usually aren't 100% head on, leading to the frontal offset crash tests. If you watch that test, both cars usually end up spinning as they dissipate force. Front and back collisions are also better than t-bone type collisions because of the distance between your butt and the point of impact. In a front or rear collision, the point of impact is 5-6 feet away, where as a side impact is 5-6 inches away.That is why side air bags are important.
LOL!
Now I'd love to see an M1A2 Abrams with a rearview mirror! hahaha. That would be priceless!
Regarding the other comments. If I have to be rear ended I'd rather be in a 65 ton Main battle tank than say a subcompact car or even a Semi!
Yeah you'd feel the tank move a bit if a Semi hit it doing 40+mph but the 1500HP engine would be murder on fuel economy considering it can seat only 4 people.
The fact that the one vehicle ends up being accelerated in a forward direction isn't the real key here; it's the amount of crush involved in both the impactor and impactee vehicle that occurs and dissipates some of the kinetic energy of the impactor relative to the impactee's speed that determines the acceleration on the impactee vehicle's occupants. That acceleration rate is what relates to injury as well as the design of the car seat and head rest.
If the vehicles are both stiff frame with solidly mounted bumpers, the acceleration on the impacted vehicle and the deceleration on the striking vehicle will be much more rapid causing more injury.
I watched a Saturn rear-ended by a Cobalt a couple of Saturdays ago. The Saturn started to bend behind the rear wheels to allow the rear end to crush more without accelerating the occupant cage as much. The Cobalt deteriorated back to the motor absorbing lots of energy in bending and crushing metal and parts.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I've driven a tank but not an Abrams. I do fantasize about stealing one and letting it rip on Highway 17 out of Santa Cruz. Sure, I'd spend a lifetime in jail (maybe two) but it would make a statement to Caltrans. And I would get to San Jose faster in rush hour.
- Automatic.
- Automatic.
I can take my old 1987 4Runner and merge just fine in L.A. because I have a manual gearbox and 3rd gear gets me going quite quickly from 40-60mph. Downshift and floor it - zoom - I'm gone. In a slush-o-matic, well, yeah, you need gobs of HP and Torque because you're always running at 1/2 optimal efficiency.
Lug lug lug - STOMP. Gosh - nothing happened!
DUH.
The manual in the Smart is a clutchless manual like Mercedes used to make in the 60s. Technically it's a manual with solenoids and computer activation of the clutch. So it will downshift quite quickly, and it's QUICK if you drive it aggressively in manual mode because it has a good torque to weight ratio. 20-40mph in traffic is a cinch. 0-60 requires holding it in gear until 3/4 of redline, but it's fine - certainly no worse than a typical Buick or Camry made ten years ago.
On one of those police chase video shows, I remember a man did just that with a tank in the San Diego area. He rampaged through a residential neighborhood, running OVER parked cars, trucks and even a motor home. He got the tank stuck on a freeway divider, and the police were able to get on the tank and eventually shot and killed him. So I wouldn't recommend this...
You silly bay area folks...you don't have to weld anything, here in Michigan at Varsity Ford they have a number of Superduty Ford trucks with the snow plow prep already installed and ready to go. You just add your Myer blade and hydraulics and you are all set.
This way you can angle the blade from inside the cab, so as you push the cars out of your way, you can alternate right or left.
Still many of the post in this discussion have reached back into the minds of many of us to express the concerns that most US consumers have. If we are going to buy a sub compact how will it hold up to an impact with the millions of bigger vehicles we see on the road every day? I agree that no one plans on having an accident but they do happen. While any accident would cause us to clinch our teeth in expectation it is easy to see how most people might look at getting hit by the neighbors 18 year old son driving a F-150 when you go through an intersection in your new Smart.
I agree with Shifty that we need to study more to see why small car deaths are going up when the total death rate for new vehicles are going down. There could be any number of reasonable explanations. But your brain tells you that if you are given the choice of getting hit by a Smart car or a Expidition you aren't going to pick the Expidition and pull for some freak set of circumstances to save you.
And Shifty, there have been times when I might have decided to put a plow on the front of my Old Ram Charger when I was commuting. But an extra heavy duty Brush guard did just the trick one afternoon. My wife was driving a friend to the post office when a Grand Am ran head on into her coming around a slippery curve. My Wife saw the Grand Am coming and managed to pull as far right as she could and stopped. The Grand am hit just to the left of our front license plate and dead on into the front bumper and brush guard. We drove the Ram Charger home and later had it fixed getting a new bumper, replaced the drivers side fender and stearing box. They just cleaned an re polished the brush guard. They had to bring in a flat bed to haul the Grand Am away. I do some off roading so I believe in body armor. I haven't added much to the GMC but there are times I have considered it.
Thats the model the French army uses, they have the rearview mirror so they can watch the battle.
Ducking and running
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
For sale 10,000 French assault rifles only dropped ONCE.
Ok, how many French men does it take to defend Paris?
Answer: No one knows, it's never been done before.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Yes, it'd be so great to just mow down all the big SUV's into flat pancakes, minus their owners of course.
In the UK you can drive a tank legally on the road there. Funny how we have less freedom in the US than they do in the UK when it comes to cars. I guess that's what they get for paying high taxes on fuel.
You can also drive an Ariel Atom to work, when it isn't raining, which it usually is.
I wonder if the Atom now available in the US would be considered a Compact or a Subcompact?
Don't postpone your dreams
it said....
And then I see this ad, for a mere $130,000....
http://www.tankride.com/images/Russian%20Panzer%20For%20Sale.JPG
I mean, this CAN'T be a co-incidence.
"Going to war without France is like going duck hunting without your accordion".
Don't postpone your dreams
it said....
And then I see this ad, for a mere $130,000....
http://www.tankride.com/images/Russian%20Panzer%20For%20Sale.JPG
I mean, this CAN'T be a co-incidence.
No it can't, it's fate, buy it! Oh can I commute with you when you get your WW2 Tiger Tank?
It's a diesel so it gets good economy.... for a 50 ton Battle tank. :shades:
I bet if Toyota built our tanks they'd get much better fuel mileage and you could go through a whole war without a warranty claim.
Well, I guess the US can afford that kind of economy for their tanks. Most tanks seem to use diesel I wonder why we have gas instead?
I bet if Toyota built our tanks they'd get much better fuel mileage and you could go through a whole war without a warranty claim.
Maybe but I don't think I'd want a Camry M2A4 Battle Tank with a Hybrid engine in it. Imagine the size of the battery!
Would an APV be based on a Corolla platform?
Probably they'd sell tanks under the Scion brand for the hip, new, modern Gov't military. LOL! :shades:
I bet if Toyota built our tanks they'd get much better fuel mileage and you could go through a whole war without a warranty claim.
I think in the past, they were busy making aircraft that only needed to complete 1 mission...
The only thing that would stop you from driving one here is size and weight. The metal tracks would also pose a problem but they make rubber pads that you can put on them to solve that issue.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I think that was Mitsubishi.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Well the M1A1 uses a gas turbine engine that can run on just about any fuel. Gas mileage isn't so great but the turbine engine is very light weight.
The M1's relatively high mobility is achieved through a high power-to-weight ratio conferred by its 1,500-hp gas turbine powerplant. It is compact, starts more readily than a diesel, but has lower fuel mileage. In tanks produced after mid-1990, an Allied-Bendix digital electronic fuel control system is claimed to reduce fuel consumption by 18%-20%. Development of a recouperator that uses exhaust gases to preheat air entering the engine's compressor is also aimed at reducing fuel consumption. Moreover, the Army claims that the AGT-1500 is much more reliable than a diesel, noting a fivefold increase in average hours of operation before an overhaul compared to the standard U.S. tank diesel.
Source
The Bradley uses a diesel engine but it makes about half the horsepower which is why the Bradley had lighter weight aluminum armor initially.
The only thing that would stop you from driving one here is size and weight. The metal tracks would also pose a problem but they make rubber pads that you can put on them to solve that issue.
Yes I think you have to have the rubber treads on the tracks otherwise you'd chew the road to bits.
Well, let's veer back onto the topic before they cancel my Christmas gift.
Hopefully a car-themed gift.
Rear-engined, rear-drive, I get a kick out of just thinking about it. :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
How statistically significant is the difference between the "top" of the list and the "bottom?" Are we talking about 1 dealer visit over 10 years of ownership, 2 visits, maybe 3?
They aren't likely to improve the dependability of any sub compact if they can't make a profitable car dependable.
I am almost willing to accept that the fact that I will never have 4 working power windows if it saves me from the boredom I currently experience when I drive.
That's a good point. It's kind of like those JD Powers Surveys where the best cars might have 80 problems per 100 cars and the worst have 320 problems per 100 cars. So that averages out to if you have one of the best cars, you still have a problem. If you have one of the worst, you might have 3. And what if that one problem is a bum transmission, whereas the three are a malfunctioning clock, a bad power window switch in the back seat area, and a burnt-out courtesy light? :P
Now, I did know somebody with a 2002 or 2003 Jetta that sprung a coolant leak less than a month after he bought it. And I know someone esle with a 2001.5 Passat that, around 2004 began having chronic starting problems that took the dealer months to diagnose. However, I blame the dealer more for that one than VW...the ended up replacing everything BUT the problem part! Once it finally got fixed, it's been almost bulletproof. I think it has around 150-160,000 miles on it now.
I dunno if this is an old wive's tale or not, but I've heard that the German built VW's are usually okay, but the Mexican ones can be troubleprone. Any truth to that?
Actually, I would totally disagree with that statement. If it is a problem to the chief it has to be a perceived problem to the consumer.
Something has put VW on the bottom rung of dependability list like JD powers for years on end. It isn't likely that there is some kind of conspiracy against VW or BMW would be hit just as hard. Something has caused Wolfgang to release a press statement quoted by Ruters and even on Edmunds inside line to the effect that VW have been getting low dependability ratings.
But maybe you have a point. Why do you believe VWs are perceived to be less dependable by the consumer or isn't it a problem?
So it can be said that the Ford and GM products are less reliable than their Japanese counterparts from Toyota and Honda. Do you feel you got a lower quality product purchasing the your truck versus something like a Tundra (I am just using that example to put it on concrete terms, I would've bought what you did if I had your needs).
Something has put VW on the bottom rung of dependability list like JD powers for years on end.
What is the difference between the cars at the top and the cars at the bottom? Is it rank order or is it statistically significant?
It isn't likely that there is some kind of conspiracy against VW or BMW would be hit just as hard.
I think you mean Audi. And maybe that proves the case that its perception, since they share so many components...although I find it hard to believe that "premium" buyers tolerate more problems then generic car buyers.
Something has caused Wolfgang to release a press statement quoted by Ruters and even on Edmunds inside line to the effect that VW have been getting low dependability ratings.
Ruters doesn't do any ratings, is a news reporting agency. Some freelance write submitted and article. A big chunk of Edmund's editorial staff came from Sport Compact Car where perception is still very important.
I'm not saying VWs are the bee's knees, I am just saying we've heard before how the reliability of brand-x is terrible and someone would have to be crazy to buy one, etc. I think its pretty much just talk. My Accord spent way more time on a hook (5) than the Contour (1)(rated worst pick by C/U), I have yet to have been stranded by a VW.
My favorite, though is this:
http://www.conceptcar.co.uk/news/design/cardesignnews28.php
The Volvo 3cc was stunning to actually see in person. God, what a gorgeous car.
But VW isn't just brand X it is a known product with known dependability problems. It only stands to reason if their bigger more profitable cars are at the bottom of the list and many of us have had personal experience with VW parts and service, the last being the true meaning of oxymoron, a new sub compact or micro VW would be at best a toss of the coin. No one here would likely say, "ohh I just can't wait till that new Yugo micro compact gets here." To me VW is in the same boat. First Hyundai has pulled away from VW in dependability studies and second Kia is now ahead of VW. I might be softer on VW if it had shown the same improvements as at least the korean cars have moved up in the last few years. Vw has been down on the bottom or very close to the bottom of dependability list for at least the last five years.
I actually liked the Passat and test drove one when I was looking at the PT and the Focus. But then I realized it was very unlikely that VW would be as dependable as either one of those two. I ended up getting the PT for me and the Focus for my wife.
But I will give you this. If VW makes some changes and becomes dependable I will be as happy as the next guy. I just am not willing to invest any of my money to put them to the test. They have simply failed the test too many times in the past.
If the customer perceives a problem that problem is as real as it gets.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
WRX and MazdaSpeed3 come to mind.
Funny thing about VW is you have fiercely loyal fans on one side, and then people that got burned on the other. The latter group would not drive another VW if you gave one to them for free. The former will defend them to the death, especially when it comes to interior materials.
What about :
Honda Civic Type R (to 2006)
Skoda Fabia vRS (diesel)
Skoda Octavia vRs (petrol or diesel)
VW Polo GTi (diesel)
Mitsubishi Evo - think of a number - VII, VIII, IX
Mazda MX-5
BMW M5
Audi RS6
Audi TT
Audi RS4
Porsche 911
Alfa Brera.............ooops, sorry, you said reliable.