Nuvolari

iTrader: (4)

Not to bring up a bad subject but I was just surfing the NE forum and read about another FD owner that was killed in his car . Unfortunattly I read several threads like this over the past four years but most photos that were posted of the wrecks ( and I am not trying to be insenstive here ) were either very high speed wrecks were the cars rolled and .Obviously at very high speeds there isnt much you can do other then be safe and use your head . But this thread sounded like the driver was T boned and thats my biggest fear as a 3rd gen owner side impact (and I am 6'2). The paper thin door scare the **** out of me sometimes.I was almost T boned by a Suv last fall and it was close......

I am having a roll bar installed this fall and was thinking if any other guys out there thought of reinforcing the doors for better side impact strength ? From the pictures of rear end hits , it seems like the car holds up well.and the roll over should help but a few extra pounds of steel bars in the door wouldnt be a bad idea ? I will be in the 450rw range when my single kit goes in this fall so a few extra pounds wont hurt if I can improve the saftey.

Kiflin

There was a big thread on the strength of doors in the Lounge a month or two ago, someone should have the link to it somewhere.

DomFD3S

Well...think about it this way.

You could very well be creating your own personal coffin. Adding the steel bars could make it more difficult for the "jaws of life" (heaven forbid, should they be used) to cut through the vehicle.

My opinion...T boning is usually one of two scenarios. One, a vehicle flys through an intersection at a high rate of speed and basically t-bones someone. This being a direct T-bone. Two, a vehicle gets clipped in the rear quarter panel causing the car to slide. This causes most drivers to overcorrect and starts going sideways. This eventually leads to a t-bone, but indirectly so.

Either way, the point where a t-bone can actually hurt a passenger (in the FD) is rather small. (The quarter panels on the front and rear are a much larger target than the actual doors). If anything, it requires a vehicle to be going at a high rate of speed.

I don't think door reinforcement (for defensive driving purposes) is necessary.

EviLPeNeviL

iTrader: (2)

My accident back in Feb was sorta a front side bone hit. Still trying to fight it out with insurance as of today, I have perfectly reasonable arguments, witness statements and using CVCs all in my favor, but them bastards still won't take liaibility.

But anyways basically I was hit on the front passenger side fender, neck pains were immediate for the next 2.5 months. for the first month or so I had this huge nasty *** bruise caused by my seat belt buckle thingy due to the impact.

But I also hear that FDs are a rather safe car..... so yeah....

-Dan

Shinobi-X

You say you are 6'2'', so I'm guessing you also weigh a good bit as well. How wide are your shoulders, and how much do you weigh? There really isn't enough space in the FD between the doors to make much difference, but I believe better defensive driving, as was stated above, will be your best bet. Reinforcements will help, but most likely with lower speed impacts.

I also notice that you are in VA- I'm in MD myself. I don't know if this has happened over there, but here's some food for thought. As you may know, they recently have installed cameras at traffic lights, to catch people who run the red. Statistics have shown, that this has significantly reduced the amount of side impact accidents (good for your peace of mind), but in turn, has increased rear end collisions. The FD can absorb damage from the front and rear a lot better than it's side, so I would say you have an even lesser chance of being T'd, with the outcome being serious to deal with...but again, anything can happen, no matter the car. Just make sure to hesitate at those intersections, instead of that drag launch, and for the most part, you should be good.

adam c

iTrader: (2)

A full cage will give you better side impact protection. It will also make it more difficult to get in and out of the car. Other than that, I dont think there are any other options.

Nuvolari

iTrader: (4)

Well I am about 182 . and the car fits like a glove with the seat at one position from the end .Well as for the saftey tips, lol ...I am pretty good and have never been in a accident , so 20+ years without a incident . My uncle was a NY state trooper and he taught me how to drive, and how to be defensive. However living in VA I have aquired 9 points in two years....since I installed my 99 spec wing( go figure ) But I see many objections to think about now. I always thought if I ever got hit front or back they would have to cut the doors since the way I have to get in the car. But I would also agree these little cars hold up well. Mitch ( Piper Motorsports) does a lot of race cars , so I may as him if he has any ideas when he does my cage.

I guess Mazda could have put side impact air bags , but are they in the RX8 ? or any other small two seater for that matter ?

bajaman

There are actually some rather massive steel bars in those paper thin doors. You will see them if you ever take a door panel off. Once closed, the door is actually a pretty damned tough piece of the car.
Now, as anyone of any size, myself included, that drive an FD know, a big car or SUV is gonna come quite a ways into our "space" in the event of an impact. And when that space is so small and limited, yeah....you are gonna get pretty fucked up.
I rely on the car's agility and my own reflexes to avoid accidents. This is simply all one can do. I've had sports cars or sports sedans all my life, and have lost count of the number of times I'd have been FUCKED if I was in some land-barge car or truck that wouldn't have been able to manuever as well.
So in the end, you make a concious choice when you hop in your FD or other small car that you are accepting the inherent risks associated with driving it. I see the difference when I am sitting 4 feet off the ground in my 4 X 4 Suburban, and I can see that my hips and shoulders are about 6 inches away from the door, as opposed to being ON the door in my FD.

I guess I am just saying there is only so much you can do to protect yourself. I say, don't worry too much about it, be smart, DRIVE smart, and ALWAYS expect some ******* to be an idiot!

Shinobi-X

....so long as you are concious.

JimmyJimboJet

IMO, a roll cage and aware, defensive driving is the best thing you can do to keep yourself safe.

kromano

Didn't Mazda reinforce the doors in '94... something makes me think that. I have a 93, but I remember someone telling me that the weight increase from 93 to 94 was due to door reinforement and passenger airbag.

skunks

You gotta get one of those nascar 24pt cages which have those 4 bars with additional supports going across the driver's door and 3 bars going across the passenger's door

In anycase, does anyone else get scares when you look out your window and see that a SUV's tire is as tall as your shoulders are? SUV's and lifted trucks should be banned from public road ways .

curlybillbrosie

ride a motorcycle for a while amongst normal traffic. after that you will feel snug as a bug in your FD.

bajaman

GOOD point!

It is indeed a whole different world out there, riding a motorcycle in heavy city traffic!
I had a friend who got bumped from behind whilst stopped at a traffic light, he said it wasn't a hard bump, but when he looked back, it was some chick who was messing with her kid in a car seat, and she must have let her foot off the brake 'cuz she rolled forward and hit him. He was like....."what the F, lady?" and she just sort of looked at him stupidly.....