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Old 03-07-2012, 03:44 PM   #33 (permalink)
johnunit
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee View Post
I happen to enjoy responsive handling and maneuverability more. Besides, when's the last time you called on sheer mass for "safety"? Let me think.... nope, not any time in the last 4 decades for me. Sorry.
in a 2-vehicle collision the heavier car will tend to come out better.

In other words, would you rather be rear-ended sitting in a tractor trailer or a metro? which one will be more likely to result in whiplash? How about when someone crosses the centerline and hits you with a closing speed of 100mph? Would you experience higher G-forces in a 2000lb vehicle or a 4000lb one? I'm not saying these advantages aren't worth giving up for otehr things, but they're very real.



Responsive handling is nice, but it's appeal is limited to in the turns. It can be downright tiring on long trips, depending on the car and situation. I find most small cars twitchy and tiresome on long high-speed trips. My crown vic I can just cruise along with one hand, practically whispering to the person next to me, barely noticing road imperfections. By contrast I get out of my Prius or my old Esteem feeling fatigued and roadweary.
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2001 Prius - 170,000 KM - just got it (no consistent FE numbers yet)
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