ultimate_ed

I've been following threads here and at some of the other car forums (infiniti, cadillac, etc.) for a while as I'll be looking at one of these for a new vehicle next year. This report caught my eye becuase the G35 fared the worst with $14,000 in damage according to the IIHS testing.

http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr080207.html

But, it's also pretty disturbing to see that the TL was not much better at $11,200 in damage. My two top candidates got the crap beat out of them.

You can bet you're next insurance renewal will be reflecting this.

gauravp123

interesting - I don't foresee paying more in my next 6 month renewal...these reports come out all the time and that doesn't mean everytime a report comes out, your rates are going to go up.

micwiltay

Wow, finally the TL is considered a luxury car. LOL.

psheu

That's horse shit I think that's just numbers those insurance company cooked up trying to charge more premium on the ppl who drives a better car. I have modified my front end to a full 07 type S bumper... so I know how much they cost.... and the 4 grand cost on the front end is a total bullshit number.... I mean I don't know about the G's.... but the benz and Lexus always cost more on parts anyway.... but to have TL top those 2..... I think that number is wacked..... even if you buy the non-discounted parts from acura dealers, the parts for the front shouldn't cost more than a grand... and that's including the A-Spec front under spoiler.... and the back.... WTF did they come up with these numbers???? Anyway.... I just don't think that number is right.... and someone should stop this scam.....

lembowski

iTrader: (1)

Not saying much though when they also include the TSX

Bearcat94

Beyond this, they are totalling the cost of ALL 4 collisions as if that had some meaning. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that an single car will incur all four types of damage - even over the course of it's entire service life. I agree, it's just a way to make the insurance cost numbers look worse.

Sounds like what the insurance companies want is for everybody to have Hummer front end - Tall, Long and Flat.

bruce.augenstein@comcast.

Although it's possible your insurance premium will go up a tad, crash damage repair is a relatively small number compared with injuries and lawsuits. For a good rundown on relative safety statistics of newer autos, go to:

http://www.informedforlife.org/

This is where the money is, and the TL/TLS look really good. Go to vehicle rankings in risk order after you've checked out your particular ride.

Bruce

Black_05_TL_6SP

I have to agree, there is no way you would sustain all four impacts.

ultimate_ed

Bruce - that's definitely a good point. Actually, if anything, it's really worse news for Infiniti than Acura. In the news broadcast, the G35 was specifically mentioned and video clips of it were shown since it was at the bottom of the list. No specific mention of Acura in the reporting.

It was painful watching that G35 front end get crunched in slo-mo.

MR1

As Bruce stated car damage repair is the small part. Do a little more research here and other places. Look how many TL's have been involved in real world accidents and the driver has received little or no injury.

If Something bad happens, I'll give up the car to keep away from serious injury. They are well designed to protect us and I applaud the results.

jonathan.chance

That's EXACTLY what I thought when I read this...

black label

They aren't just replacing the bumper. They are crashing the car, then having an adjuster inspect the damage as if it were a claim. There are a lot of parts behind the bumper that will get damaged as well, those are also included in the cost.

It may be that the benz and the lexus' bumpers do a better job of absorbing the impact and therefore there are less parts behind the bumper that need replacement.

csmeance

isn't the TL and G35 designed to crumple in certain key area to absorb most of the impact? These numbers are just for repair costs, but did they have dummies in the car to see the amount of injury the driver would have received?

OKNBPTL

All things being equal, I'd rather have the structure crush properly to minimize the impact on the occupants, than be more rigid and transfer the impact.

In a crash that severe, repair costs should be the least of your worries. Bottom line - buy a car that protects its' occupants, not the hard bits, and carry good insurance.

dejavecu

I know this is due to the fragility of fiberglass but our bumpers are like glass. I hit a small terrier ( yes an accident and I did stop, especially since the family was right there) and it has completely cracked my aspec front lip and bumper. Years ago I hit a deer in my crown victoria and barely a mark.

Bearcat94

Look closer.

The offset/corner impacts are at 3 mph; the straight on impacts at 6 mph. Further the impacts were against a "simulated average" bumper and the real car. They were trying to show that unequal bumper heights caused the real car to slide under or over the "average" bumper. IOW - the bumpers are not taking the brunt of the impact and absorbing damage.

Although crumple is built into all of these cars, the impact speeds are low enough that it should be minimal, and if direct bumper-to-bumper impact, should be aborbed by the bumpers alone. Further, at those speeds, injury should be unusual.

Bearcat94

This is my favorite part. Why would they expect Infiniti to design the G35 to collide with an FX35? What the hell kind of design criteria would that be? There would be no props for the good looks of the G35, thats for sure.


"Oh, I *know* it looks goofy, but if I ever rear end an FX35, I'm golden. "

leedogg

I'll take car repair bills over medical bills any day

geekybiker

Ah. average bumper height. Not much you can do with SUV's and trucks.

KN_TL

iTrader: (3)

I agree. I thought this had something to do with the safety, not cost.