What Is The Crash Test Rating For Opel Gt?

[namba209]

There's a lot of good points made in this thread, kinda makes me wonder how I survived all these years in cars that weren't mandated by big brother for safety. One thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the conditions we're driving in. Here inSANe DIEGO, I see scenes from the "Fast and Furious" every day. 8-10 lane freeways going 75 MPH and I'm passed at a high rate of speed by cars that are 2-3 feet from each other. Scary to say the least. I do my best to maintain the old "Honda-Circle of Safety". Some folks just can't understand when I tell them I drive on 75 MPH parking lots. Others of you may have the really neat twisty turnies, that make driving a real pleasure, all the way up to the point of impact. The crash rating of Opels? IDK, and I sure don't want to find out, again! I try to put myself in a position on the road that I don't get in that scenario. Don't misunderstand me, I really enjoy driving, be it the monza, the big rig, or willit? when I get it finished. I just don't want to have to use the safety features, if any, that were built into the cars. On the surface streets, you'll never see me going above the posted speed limit. On the "Free"ways, I'll bump it up a bit, but even then, I'll still be passed by looney toons. To me, driving is a full time job, with my head on a swivel, checking mirrors, gages, and the road ahead, with an occasional break for a sip of coffee. I hope none of you ever have to hear the sound of crunching metal, or feel the pain of being bent, buckled, distorted and otherwise getting mutilated.

[WOOFS-OPEL]

What ever happened to the 5mph bumbers? It was my understanding that in the '80s (the ugly bumber era) that a 5mph "crash" would cost $0 to repair. I must admit cars built today are better engineered and more reliable then ever (due mainly to better electronics, specifically fuel injection). I do like alot of the new cars & trucks on the market today but I can't see myself with a $400-500 per moth car payment. I am happy with my 11 year old Toyota truck and my 36 year old Opel - total monthly payments = $0.

The three best advances in automotives in the last 20 years:
1. Fuel injection
2. Front wheel drive (you would agree if you lived where it snows)
3. Computers.

I know FI has been around for 40+ years.

The thing I don't like the most about new cars - the "black" box. I don't like the idea that how I dive is being stored in my cars memory, ready to be downloaded by the dealer or insurance company to tell me I redlined my car so my warranty is void or I was doing 30 in a 25 when I was involved in a accident. In my opinion that is spying - chances are anybody driving a car 1 or 2 years old (mostly GM) is being "watched", especially if you have onstar - they know where you are, how fast your driving and could track your every move. I will not buy a car that has that much control over me, go ahead ask your dealer about the black box. If I want to do a burnout or do a little red light race that's my business.

One more thing that freaks me out - drive by wire, but I think I will leave that for another day (I guess I am like the guy who did not want to change from mechanical to hydraulic brake systems?)

[ushawk1]

Originally Posted by WOOFS-OPEL 2. Front wheel drive (you would agree if you lived where it snows)

Front wheel drive is the devil. For my snowy adventures I got an old 80's Subaru with 4WD. It is called the "Artic Cat" after the snowmobile....it doesn't get stuck. I have slipped, slid, and got stuck in front wheel drive as well as rear drive. Front wheel drive and torque steer is evil I tells ya.

[opelwasp]

Subaru Impreza the second best car I ever owned. Just dont tell my opel.

[baz]

Originally Posted by WOOFS-OPEL The three best advances in automotives in the last 20 years: 1. Fuel injection 2. Front wheel drive (you would agree if you lived where it snows) 3. Computers. I know FI has been around for 40+ years.

these have been around a bit longer than 20 years
fuel injection mid 30's i think possibly late 20's (aircraft industry)
fwd 1928 alvis
and computers 1823 by charles babbage
i think the best of these has been injection systems ,i hate fwd and i hate the way you have to swop boxes when an ecu goes down till you find the right one
40 years ago when out with my dad the car stopped , he opened the bonnet(hood) and played with the plugs till he got a corroded one to connect and the car worked again
last month i was out with a friend and his car broke down ,we popped the bonnet and all we could do was play with connecters till we found a loose one
40 years of progress ????

[Opelkurt]

You want safety? Check out the chassis reinforcement / pseudo-rollcage in this Finnish Kadett C!

-Kurt

[ushawk1]

Very nice.....thinking of building something like that under my GT. That should hold it together.

[jeff denton]

Wow. A little overkill, maybe, but that's OK. I'd like to see the rest of it!

[ushawk1]

I had the greatest idea ever......I am going to build a James Bond style ejection seat so I can bail out before the wreck. Then all I have to do is not get ran over by the cars behind me. It sounds good. Is there a rocket/aeronautical/mechanical engineer in the house?

[jordan]

We used to make f-16 fighter jet ejector seat simulators where I work.

[namba209]

Jordan, I don't think a simulator would work for what he wants, well, maybe it would. I got to ride in a ballistic ejection seat simulalor one time in my career, I got shot up a set of rails about 25 feet, hit the bumpers on the top and fell back down on the shock springs. Then again falling that far may be worse than the damage the accident would cause. Best bet would be a 0-0 rocket seat, that would put him up 400 feet in a couple of seconds, but would need a zero-delay parachute, either worn by the driver or part of the seat. Then too, you'd have to have the roof blow off too. Also, the seat back would be rigid, no adjustment. Naw, forget about it, I've seen and heard of too many inadvertant seat ejections caused by trained personnel, knowing it would be worse with an untrained person. Bad plan.

[coolchrisp]

Then again if you hit the ejection button and it happens the car doesnt hit any thing..you will have a car with no interior and be in need of a new roof and paint job!!

[2 Fast 4 U]

Originally Posted by coolchrisp Then again if you hit the ejection button and it happens the car doesnt hit any thing..you will have a car with no interior and be in need of a new roof and paint job!!

Not only that it would be hard to stop the car if your flying above it

[namba209]

Originally Posted by coolchrisp Then again if you hit the ejection button and it happens the car doesnt hit any thing..you will have a car with no interior and be in need of a new roof and paint job!!

You can put a lot of emphasis on no interior and a paint job. In the Blackbird there was no need for a destruct system to be put in the cockpit, the seat rocket motors did a real good job of destroying all the "secret" stuff in them. Of course from the inside and windshield back, everything would be burned away. Come to think a bit more about it, the gas tank would probably explode too.

[Tru-Craft]

Originally Posted by jeff denton Wow. A little overkill, maybe, but that's OK. I'd like to see the rest of it!

If he adds a few more angled roll bars it will be real safe.......the driver won't be able to get in it!!!

[ushawk1]

After looking under carpet and chipping out rusted metal of my GT, I think if I got rear ended the body would fly off from the rest of the car. The chassis stopped here, but the rest of the car is skidding down the street. Hell, I am more likely to fall through the floor and get run over by my own car.

[ryanr1299]

I am an aerospace engineer...I can whip up one of those seats for you, we'll throw some accelerometers in there so when they detect a crash the vehicle will activate the explosive bolts and eject the roof, then shoot your butt right out the top. I wouldn't recommend this, because you would probably have to forego a spare tire to store the parachute. I would make my passenger hold it. But I'm quite mean.

Joking of course, I like a lot of what is said here. I've only owned my GT for a few weeks but I love it to death. I find myself driving it more and more, but I was out last night getting some dinner and I found the road FULL of hot-rodding high school kids (wasn't it just yesterday that was me????). I will admit I was a little nervous driving my beautiful little Opel around in that.

I agree with most of what is said about the safety advances in new cars, what most people don't realize is that cars are designed to be totaled when hit, to absorb all the energy so the occupants are preserved. I'm glad this was pointed out. It's a hassle sometimes, but in the end the changes are good. More lives saved.

But yes, after last night I can say I will be driving Max (my daily driver) whenever school may be out :-)

-R