katkaroto

i might say the test were 1997 test. i wonder if the testing has changed...

and that 240... may god help it in AUTO-HEAVEN

Acesanugal

iTrader: (5)

I try to remain confident and alert when I'm on the road and I don't obsess about getting in a crash. The thing is, accidents are exactly that...Accidents. No matter how safe of a driver I am, I always know in the back of my head that I could lose a tire on the interstate at just the wrong time, like when changing lanes. Even though I do drive the speed limit as a general rule, I will sometimes do 5mph over if conditions allow. Sure, I may get passed by every minivan and pickup truck...but who cares? If they want to risk a ticket and their lives, let them!

The FC is a fairly small car but I never really compare it to new cars in terms of safety. I never feel like my car is any less safe than another. There are so many variables involved in an accident that it doesn't really matter what rating a car was awarded.

All you need to do is be a safe driver. Be aware of what's around you. If you do happen to have an accident, its out of your control anyways...so sit back and enjoy the most powerful braking system you can possibly hope to ever experience....

iamsisyphus

The idea behind the airbag was that it was a passive restraint, like the seat belt mice. People would not be able to avoid being safe as they did when they didn't buckle their seat belt. Then they realized that if you don't where your seat belt, the airbag will kill you. The moral of the story is, your no safer than you were with just your seat belt. Now new cars have energy absorbing crumple zones and stuff like that which do enhance safety, but this car is too much fun to worry about paltry things like that.

Go out and drive!

tmc3

Be careful who you buy it from though. Just because he says it's in good shape, doesn't mean it's good. I bought from a guy in this forum, and it was supposed to have no problems, but the next day, it didn't start. Almost $1000 later it was working and the guy refused to take any responsibility for it. I ended up suing him and winning half the money, but it was a huge pain in the rear. Two months after it was fixed it broke down again, and it's only now that it's working right.

SpeedOfLife

iTrader: (16)

I'm surprised no one has noted this. If you install a proper roll cage you would be able to hit your head on it in a wreck, or even just getting in and out of the car. Having a roll cage necessitates wearing a helmet. If you don't wear one, but still have a cage installed, you could die from a wreck that you would have walked away from if the vehicle were stock. Besides, the whole point of a roll cage is to keep the roof from collapsing on you if you roll it (or get stuff dropped on you, but if you have people dropping **** on your car you may have more to worry about than just keeping that roof up...). They probably don't do a whole lot in the way of keeping a door from getting punched in.

Evil Aviator

A proper roll cage will help protect against front and side impact, and will have padding.

Oh really?

Mine (shown without the SFI padding installed):

pk-mofo

Hmm, well what can you do right? Thats my biggest worry, that i buy the car, and it breaks down on me the very next day. Well from the test drive it seemed fine, my friend test drove it too, so the ride itself was good. And honestly couldnt see anything seriously wrong with it. The engine was rebuilt in '99, and has about 70kms on it, how long do you guys think it'll last me? Atleast 1-2 years im hoping. He said the last engine blew, he doesnt know the reason why. Maybe he does but just not telling me, but who knows. The car apparently hasnt been in any accidents over $2000, and i dont really have the money to check it.
Also, in terms of oil. This guy said that he thinks the reason his engine blew was due to synthetic oil, is this possible? Can the engine blow due to use of synthetic oil? I mean ive heard to use non-synthetic oil, but what does synthetic oil do to this engine?

aznpoopy

i'm a bit skeptical as to whether padding can help protect your head from a x0 mph contact with a big metal bar. at any rate, cage is really a bit overkill for this discussion

the most problematic safety issue with these cars is the fact that they are much smaller and lower than almost every car today. even more so if you are lowered. people simply do not see you when they check blind spots or, for instance, when they're peeking out from behind a row of cars to turn into an intersection.

be attentive. wear your seatbelt. that's the best you can do. for minor/medium accidents the rx7 isn't going to be much worse than modern cars, minus the crumple zones. for bad accidents you'll probably be screwed in some way regardless.

Evil Aviator

So rather than using materials specifically designed for impact protection in auto racing, you would prefer hitting your head on the stock piece of 1/8" plastic trim screwed to the sheet metal of the car?

NCross

iTrader: (18)

They may be light weight, but the structure is engineered very well for rigidity. The steering wheel collapses upon impact correct? If you get a convertible, put a roll bar in it as with any other convertible your SOL if you flip.

4 piston front breaks. Better handling than an average sedan or SUV. 50-50 weight distribution. Low enough to go under semi trucks if they pull out in front of you

hurleysurf24

iTrader: (3)

i held up pretty well

JunpoweR

iTrader: (1)

Yur Vert looks JACKED!!
FC3s are very rigid chassis with enough crupmle to save you in a head on collusion. My experience was in a 90 I bought for $600 from a friend.I was going about 65mph into an up hill sweeper. There was a left turn lane with cars stopped. The second person (woman in rx300 expired british international dr lic)in the left turn lane decided to cross over the solid white lines (in ca you cannot cross solid white lines)right in front of me. I hit them with the Front drivers side of the car. The Drivers side frame rail took most the hit and crumples the firewall about 2" in.The Dr side wheel get toe out by 20 degrees.I was still able to move and drive the car a block after.
Pretty Safe in straight forwards accidents but I don't know about side impact.
I was only wearing the auto shoulder belt(no lap belt) and got away with a light scratch on my wrist from hitting the steering wheel.I got out after flying about 60-70 ft from the point of impact. I threw her car into a camary that was in front of her and Totalled it. The camarys trunk flew open and both sides dented out over the fender archs from being bend in so badly.Walked up to them and asked if they were okay and they looked at me, wide eyes and asked if I was. Since we were both fine I just asked her if she knew you couldn't cross over solid white lines while stopped.She them told me she was going the wrong way and wanted to get on to the Golden Gate Bridge.(she of course was going the wrong way)
Well her insurance paid me $4870 for the settlement and $1500 for Medical to close the case.I got paid $6370 bux about 4 years ago.
Here a few pics of the car before and after.I made out big time on this rx7.Anybody have a gold 90 I am looking to buy another one.

Before


After

aznpoopy

do you really need me to spell this out?

-yes they are made for racing. but racing means they were intended to be used in conjunction with helmets. they were not intended to be used against your bare skull. if you ever find a racing class that requires a roll cage but does not require a helmet, let me know and i'll rescind my argument.

-if you want to talk about design, the standard car was already designed by professional engineers with safety considerations for you in normal daily driving mode. i.e. non-harness, non-helmeted, sitting in a normal seat.

-the typical top bar of a roll cage is going to be alot closer to your head than the frame of the car for the rather obvious reason that the roll cage has to fit inside the car. meaning your head doesn't have to move nearly as far to bang on something.

rotary#10

iTrader: (38)

thats why i love the s4 manual belts in my s5 hehe i learn from the first FC
auto belts that they don't hold up.

ITSWILL

iTrader: (12)

I don't think roll cages are a bad idea, as long as you have a proper racing seat and harness that holds your body in one spot.

Certainly if your head hit the roll bar in in a crash you would be better off with padding on it. This is why cars have padded dash boards.

If you got into a severe accident I could really see the roll bar saving your life.

The types or roll bars and roll cages we are talking about here are designed for racing, where there could be more severe accidents. This is why the helmet is required. Your typical accident on the road, does not usually involve drag racing or driving at 100+ mph.

With that said, as much as I don't think it is a bad idea I don't really see why it would be necessary in a street only car under reasonable conditions

Evil Aviator

I think I see why you are confused on this issue. The safety hierarchy starts with the helmet, and then progresses to the roll cage. That is the only reason why a helmet is always required in racing events which require a roll cage. If you take the SCCA solo autocross standard for example, a helmet is still required with the stock interior, while a roll cage is optional.

The NHRA rules are pretty good at showing the standard safety requirement hierarchy. I simplified them for the purposes of this thread:

13.99 second 1/4 mi - Helmet required
11.49 second 1/4 mi - Roll bar required
9.99 second 1/4 mi - Roll cage required

SpeedOfLife

iTrader: (16)

Most peoples' heads will flop around a lot in a wreck, add to that the play in the seatbelt before it's completely locked and whatever stretching and morphing your body will do during the impact and you suddenly have a large bubble where your head could move around in. If your head sits 8"+ under the top bar and you have a short neck, MAYBE then you wouldn't have to worry much about hitting your skull on a roll cage, but I wouldn't chance it anyway. Besides, I've seen removable roll cages before, use that if you insist on streeting your ten second car.

Anyway we're way off topic. I think the most important thing to remember is that the MOST CRITICAL safety device in all vehicles is THE DRIVER. These cars hold up well in most types of wrecks, and while you may not be able to prevent all wrecks, it's still your responsibility to do your best to keep that from ever happening.