Personal "Crash Test"

[jwight]

Saw some photos at the Easton dealer on Saturday; one of their customer cars hit in the rear by a Dodge pickup. Front quarter damage to the Dodge but it was not drivable; pretty extensive damage to the rear of the smart but it could be driven away. However, the smart was eventually ruled a total loss since the Tridion was bent; apparently this can't be put right so the car must be replaced.

[markitect]

I have a friend who works at a body shop. He has said in the past (before the smart was coming was even in Europe) that if there is frame damage then you are better off if your car is totaled. All modern Unibody frames are impossible to fix to the point where they provide the same protection as they did originally. They can be straightened to make the car drivable, but the exact strength of many components are specifically designed to be rigid, but not too rigid to keep you safe in a crash. Once the frame is bent back it now as different structural properties that will prevent it from perfroming properly in a major crash.

[hsterk]

Originally Posted by markitect

I have a friend who works at a body shop. He has said in the past (before the smart was coming was even in Europe) that if there is frame damage then you are better off if your car is totaled. All modern Unibody frames are impossible to fix to the point where they provide the same protection as they did originally. They can be straightened to make the car drivable, but the exact strength of many components are specifically designed to be rigid, but not too rigid to keep you safe in a crash. Once the frame is bent back it now as different structural properties that will prevent it from perfroming properly in a major crash.

This is a great explanation. Guess it's like a bent paper clip that is reshaped back into shape is never the same - metal fatigue.

[SuperGeek]

Originally Posted by hsterk

This is a great explanation. Guess it's like a bent paper clip that is reshaped back into shape is never the same - metal fatigue.

Yep, and that's part of the reason modern cars have crush zones... so that the 20-30mph impact won't usually total the car. The smart's lighter and has much smaller crush "zones" (small one behind the bumper, I think) and the frame would be impacted sooner than a larger car.

I knew this going into the purchase and made sure to get gap insurance; if I get into a wreck bad enough to total the car, I'll recoup most of my investment, put 99 bucks on another reservation and probably lease/buy a Prius for 2 years. The car's supposed to protect the driver and passengers first, even to the point of self sacrifice.

[evilbean42]

hey guys, a few more pics from the insurance adjuster. BTW got our new smart a couple weeks ago.

[jwight]

Glad you got your new smart - now please post some photos of it. Thanks!

[Gortok]

I'd be interested in knowing what put the huge "spiderweb" on the driver's side of the windshield...

Obviously, it was something the car hit while rolling...not the driver's noggin.

Glad to see you got your new car. Hopefully, this one lasts a lot longer.

[evilbean42]

i believe the windshield was not actually hit directly, but shattered as a result of the car landing on the trid cell at the corner of the windshield as it rolled. this bent the trid cell in slightly and therefore there wasn't enough room for the windshield to stay at its original size and shape, resulting in the smashed glass you see. I will say its tough to tell exactly whats going on while the car rolls across the highway, but there was no debris or anything out of the ordinary to break the glass, just the road.

[Piccola]

Congrats on the new car!!

[SuperGeek]

Originally Posted by evilbean42

i believe the windshield was not actually hit directly, but shattered as a result of the car landing on the trid cell at the corner of the windshield as it rolled. this bent the trid cell in slightly and therefore there wasn't enough room for the windshield to stay at its original size and shape, resulting in the smashed glass you see. I will say its tough to tell exactly whats going on while the car rolls across the highway, but there was no debris or anything out of the ordinary to break the glass, just the road.

We're glad you're still intact... do you still feel like the Smart and its Tridion cell were well built as far as safety goes? i.e. Might you have been injured worse in an average four-seater sedan or SUV? Or, perhaps, do you feel like the high center of gravity made the rollover more likely instead of just spinning on four wheels?