Shhh, don't let the people trying to make Civics fast know. That way they'll all be gone eventually.

Wait, the Civic got worse than 4 stars? Wow.

 

Although for legal reasons I shouldn't endorse that claim , if I were somebody else I'd agree with you.

 

actually only on side star ratings, but I was using that as an example not as a bash.

But as an example, the brand new 2005, S2000 has exactly the same ratings as the FC RX-7

 

New plan : buy a bulldozer and tbone civics. Check.

 

To the original poster - some reiteration is needed:

Full cage - BAD idea. Too much danger of whonking your head on the front bars. Even really good padding (hint: *not* spongy foam) will only go so far. Since you are not wearing a helmet - don't get a cage.

Roll Bar - fine. Make sure you have clearance between the main hoop and your head and pad the thing *well*.

Racing Harnesses (4 point or better)- not necessaerilly a great idea. A standard DOT 3-point is designed to stretch and give way at impact to slow your body down. This is pretty much the best approach at highway speeds and below. A race harness does not give (that's why they are not DOT approved) because at very high speeds they are designed to keep your body and seat in one place (inside the car). Since you will not be wearing a neck restraint when you use these, you are more likely to receive neck injuries from a collision. There is a DOT approved 4-pont harness out there which woudl be better recommended. Do a search of the forum for the manufacturer info.

My recommendation? Spend you money on good defensive driving courses (note: *not* HPDE's). You want a course that will teach you slow speed car control, situational awareness and defensive driving techniques. This would be the best investment of your money - tighten up the loose nut behind the wheel.

Good luck,

-bill

 

I don't get it: if your head hits your padded roll cage, wouldn't it have hit your window or the top of your door anyway? I wouldn't think that the 1.5" or so would make that much of a difference.

 

ehhh i think thats bs. now ive heard that on the mr2 if you get rear ended theres a high chance of an explosion

 

ay, im teh one who started the airbag and accident thread. im new to the FC, and i wanted to know a little more about it. i came into the tuning world through my friends 95 vr4, a car that has more technology than most of the cars out there today. im just gettin an idea of how safe/unsafe the car is."lame saftey threads?" think of it from my position, why would i wanna buy a car that is gonna be my coffin. Im not saying the FC is a deathtrap, because the people taht have responded with constructive information and not bullshit like you seem to be responding with, i understand that its a safe car. SO, if you think my threads are BS, then dont post in them at all. dont waste your precious time.

 

I vote we all buy Pinto's. They received 5* in all their crash test ratings.

 

i fell safe in my seven. was in an accident in my old nissan sentra 96. my seatbelt didnt catch and then the airbag deployed and smashed my face harder into the windshield and dash. i will NEVER own another car with airbags. and im gonna put 5 point harnesses and a roll bar in the 7 when its done.

 

LOL! You sure did...... you sure did.





Looks like the engine stayed put to me.

 

Yep, I'll just close them.

I mean common... get a clue. You need to stop listening to your buddies and go look yourself.

If you are concerned about safety why haven't you visited the NTHSA and IIS websites and looked at the crash damage reports.

Like any car built after 82 would have a frame that would even let an engine intrude... <just sadly shakes head>

And do you really think that everyone here would even be driving the car if they were not safe??? Sure sounds like it with your posts.

 

You people can talk all you want, but I have only seen 1 person post pictures, which speak for themselves.
The driver, and passenger in the background, the next day.

One of the front rotors shattered, he ran off the road on a curve, flipped into a tree 10 feet off the ground, and walked away.

Flipped over, and towed home.


FCs appear to be safe in severe collisions.

 

 

did they have a roll bar?

 

The FC is a pretty safe car. I hit an SUV head on with a combined speed of about 50 mph in my 88 NA. Needless to say, the car was totalled. The impact was strong enough to vertically bow the unibody but the engine/tranny didn't move. My friend and I, who were both wearing seatbelts, walked away without a scratch. I was so confident in the way that the car was built that I went out later that day to look for another one.

As far as airbags go, I've seen more people injured by them then helped. If I had a car with airbags, I would very carefully remove or disable them.

I'm curious how the EVO VIII's rate in safetly. One of my late friends hit a wall in one and the car shattered like glass.

 

i never said i believed anything they said. the reason im asking is to get the real answer. i knew my manager was probably telling me some wild *** story, so thats why i posted it here so people that actually know about the car could give me the correct answer. I never once said i thought these cars were unsafe. i understand these questions might be stupid to most of you, cause you hvave been driving these cars for a long time, and know alot about them. my posts are total n00b posts, and ill admit it. so instead of mocking me for how stupid these questions may seem to you, howabout a nice "no ur manager is bullshitting u, these cars are really safe" and be done with it. theres no need for criticism

 

Just curious:

Of those people who've been hurt by airbags, how many of them were not wearing seatbelts? Also, how many of them were shorter than 5'6"? And had the airbags not been there, would the people have sustained worse/different injuries than they got?

I ask because I know a few people who had their lives saved by airbags. They all are between 5'10" and 6'2", and were wearing their seatbelts.

 

T-Boned a 79 F100 Pickup in the rear axel. I don't know what the speed of the my FC was but it was definately above the posted speed limit(65) 97ft of 4-wheel lock-up I'm guessing impact speed was around 55ish.


I had a bump on my head and a cut on my knee from the broken steering column surround.

 

Well my friend who is about 6'2 rear-ended a stopped car at about 40 mph in a Honda Accord. He was wearing his seatebelt, and his airbag deployed. The only injury he sustained was a NASTY burn on his forearm from the airbag. He had to have it treated at the hospital. The most bizarre thing is that his girlfriend who was in the passenger seat with no seat belt or air bag wasn't injured at all. Don't ask me how.

Second case in point is my aforementioned wreck. The CRV I collided with had airbags, and the driver spent about a week in the hospital. I don't know if the airbag caused her injury, but I do know that everyone was wearing seatbelts. The fact I was in a 2700 lb. FC and she was in an SUV, and she was the one that was injured is a bit fishy.

 

speed does kill, but i'd think youde be even less safe in a honda. from what i can remeber of my '91 hatchback (which is a NEWER design than the fc chasis): unpredictable at-limit handling, sub-par tiny brakes, considerably lighter and thus less metal to save your butt than an fc. and while it didnt have the kind of power that could get you into trouble, it certainly didnt have enough to get you out of it.

sure, collision and safety technology has advanced by leaps and bounds since the fc was designed, but its still a very capable car--one if driven prorperly and resposibly can get you out of potential accidents better than 95% of the other cars out there today.

being a good driver is always the biggest safety factor.

 

i was saying that you'd drive a honda slower (hopefully), not that the car itself was safer.

 

Newrotorhead on this board flipped his going 80 or so, He also hit another car. He had the sunroof open and no seat belt on and was able to walk away with just a scratch on his elbow. Granted he should've worn the seat belt. I feel pretty safe in my car. I felt really safe in my old 85 Caprice. Just a bit of cosmetic damage when I hit a Chrysler minivan which was at a stop at 50 mph. I lost the cigarette I was smoking and ended up in the passenger seat in perfect driving position. I might've swallowed the cigarette as I never found it.

The way I see it is this. There is no such thing as an accident. Just expect the unexpected and have fun. That was the only traffic crash I was ever in. I did back into a light pole with my truck once. Tapped it. It only hurt my pride.

 

The head on info is not available for 04/05 evos, but the side impact is scary bad. Like only two stars for front the seats.

http://www.safercar.gov/

 

I understand your position. You're inquiring about the safety of a car you're interested in purchasing. To be honest i'm surprised I don't see more threads like this. I mean of all the noob questions to ask, this one is probably the LEAST asked. For some reason everyone barges in here and suddenly starts asking how to make their car faster, or how to beat their cocky friends m3 or some other stupidity. If it makes you feel any better this thread is somewhat refreshing.

On that note, I dont believe that sticking more technology into a car will make it safer. Personally (and i say personally mind you...) I think air bags are probably the stupidest thing ever invented. "Hey, people seem to be smaking their faces on the steering wheel in a car crash....so why don't we have something explode out to meet them halfway?" Idiocy....
First and foremost I believe that safety lies with the driver. Drive smart, and drive well. If the fc will teach you anything, it will be how to become a better driver. Why you ask? Cuz it has nothing. Most models have no ABS, no airbags, and no power steering. Bare bones, just you and the car, kind of driving. Keep it basic and be aware of every other driver out there and u'll be just as safe in this car as in any other car.

**** happens, no matter what car you're driving.