You can lead a horse to water ...( Friend buying a Jeep )

[wdb]

I'm glad your friend was not injured any more seriously. When a car is folded badly enough that the door won't open there is good reason for concern.

My neighbors were hit head-on by a Ford pickup; they were in a Hyundai something or other, a little ute. They were both seriously injured and spent months in recovery (he is still recovering and in fact will never be the same - mashed hip, knee, elbow), while the pickup driver walked away. Their car was crushed to the point of intrusion into the passenger cabin. Airbags can only do so much. (Personal aside: after seeing pictures of their car I will never, ever, buy a Korean vehicle.)

For folks like your friend who are genuinely concerned about being protected in front end collision: Volvos are good, so are Subarus. Smaller Subies get okay gas mileage although if you do a lot of stop/go urban driving the mileage can be pretty horrible. I don't really know much about Volvos other than that they cost a fortune to fix.

[Cd]

So, she is telling me that the reason that Civics have high insurance rates is due to theft.
They went to look at a couple of used Civics, and both were missing airbags due to theft.

I didn't realise there was such a demand for Civic airbags.

" Psst .... wanna buy some full auto machine guns ? And ova here, Vinnie " The Rat "is got us some nice contraband Civic airbags. Yeah we some real bad azzes. "

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Cd

So, she is telling me that the reason that Civics have high insurance rates is due to theft.

OK, time for Economics 102: If you buy an inexpensive used car, you don't need theft or collision insurance, which saves quite a bit of money. Ever wonder why insurance company stock is considered a good investment?

[freebeard]

I served some time ...on jury duty. What I learned is that car thieves gather in dark back parking lots to trade stolen vehicles, Honda Civics can be started with a single 'shaved' ignition key, and to gain egress to a Honda Civic you grab the top of the passenger door window and pull outward.

Also, motel rooms are full of people sitting on the bed washing checks.

[Xist]

I honestly think that the best advice for the friend would be the virtues of a five-point harness. I imagine that would distribute the force of impact better than two belts.

[Eddie25]

ill just leave this here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sVmoOZRypk

my friend purchased a jeep and after 6 month of owning it his repair bills came to more than what he bought the car for (around 10 000 $). i would not recommend

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by Eddie25

my friend purchased a jeep and after 6 month of owning it his repair bills came to more than what he bought the car for (around 10 000 $). i would not recommend

I'd take a more proactive approach and recommend not buying from that used car lot again, and otherwise being a lot more careful buying used cars.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by wdb

after seeing pictures of their car I will never, ever, buy a Korean vehicle.

I'm going to reiterate Vskid3's excellent point that you want to see a car mashed up because it means it dissipated the energy instead of transferring it to the occupants. Andy's point about the conservation of momentum tells us why a heavier vehicle is almost always the safer option when involved in multi-vehicle collisions.

Really though, I refuse to listen to anyone that places lots of emphasis on driving a larger vehicle for safety reasons while simultaneously failing to have reasonable diet and exercise habits. My coworker's Ford Exploder broke down and became less valuable than the tow bill, and I tried to discuss better vehicles options for his lengthy commute and cargo needs. Being easily 100 lbs overweight and a smoker, he said he had to drive a larger vehicle for safety reasons. He also said it allowed him to see over traffic.

In a car, I have no problem seeing down the road, through the vehicle ahead of me, as long as it's a car. The only vehicles I cannot see beyond are the larger SUVs and trucks. My point is that buying an SUV or truck for safety reasons is an extremely selfish decision that puts everyone else at greater risk of collision and injury.

Originally Posted by Cd

SUV safety, once a key concern for the segment when it was booming in the 1990s, has made real strides in recent years. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported in June 2011 that SUVs (including crossovers) are now safer than cars, even when comparing vehicles of similar weight. Real-world fatality data for 2005-2008 models reveal 28 driver deaths per million registered SUVs. There were 56 car driver deaths and 52 pickup driver deaths per million for the same period. Minivans were the safest with 25 driver deaths per million registered vehicles.


I hove* to wonder if minivans are 'safer' because they are driven safer ( by families with children ! )

The data might be interesting, but as you point out, it still leaves everyone to wonder if the vehicle type is the cause for the safety, or the type of driver that chooses the vehicle type. I know young men would be much more likely to drive a car than a minivan or SUV. Young men make foolish decisions.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Andy's point about the conservation of momentum tells us why a heavier vehicle is almost always the safer option when involved in multi-vehicle collisions.

Still, what some people seem to forget is that it's far safer not to become involved in collisions - whether with other vehicles, or with stationary objects - in the first place. Which is a heck of a lot easier to do in a small, nimble car.

I don't know whether it's learned helplessness, a belief in predestination, or what. Just like your co-worker, who probably blames fate or genetics for his extra 100 lbs.

[freebeard]

If an accident is in the cards, the truly enlighten simply don't go out on the highway. Sucks to be a commuter.

An example is last December when I chose to drive on black ice, instead of waiting until morning.