Towbar protection in an accident?

[ChronowerX]

Hi, I've got a 1995 Peugeot 205 and I was wondering how a towbar would protect the car in a more serious collision. I know on newer cars they have crumple zones on the back so a towbar can be less effective but what about on old, very lightweight cars?

As standard I just don't feel like it would hold up at all well in a rear collision. The front I feel better about with that heavy diesel block to absorb the impact.

I know people also said it can easily bend the floorpan but I'm more bothered about the risk of serious injury than writing the car off.

Thanks.

Edited by ChronowerX on Friday 17th June 01:51

[soad]

I'm not too sure on this one, but always have thought that being rear ended in a car which features towbar, the offending vehicle would have come off worse...at least at slow speeds

[Beyond Rational]

I'd worry less about the rear, which is six foot away, instead worrying more about the door to your right, six inches away.

[soad]

Fit a roll cage?
Also is the towbar currently fitted? Can't see it being too effective against a big heavy high vehicle such as range rover?

[MartyPubes]

ChronowerX said:

Hi, I've got a 1995 Peugeot 205 and I was wondering how a towbar would protect the car in a more serious collision. I know on newer cars they have crumple zones on the back so a towbar can be less effective but what about on old, very lightweight cars?

As standard I just don't feel like it would hold up at all well in a rear collision. The front I feel better about with that heavy diesel block to absorb the impact.

I know people also said it can easily bend the floorpan but I'm more bothered about the risk of serious injury than writing the car off.

Thanks.

Edited by ChronowerX on Friday 17th June 01:51

Are you suggesting fitting a tow bar to improve the performance of your car in a crash, or does your car have one and you're just curious? Either way, if you're worrying about crash safety, a 16 year old 205 probably isn't the car for you. That diesel lump will probably end up in your lap in any accident worth worrying about...

[Mr Dave]

Spend the money on better life insurance.

Or buy a motorbike, less of you so much less likely that a car is going to hit you.

[ChronowerX]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I wasn't clear, the car has no towbar on at the moment.

I was looking to buy an Octavia Mk1 or Toledo Mk2 but I'm going to wait till I'm 20 in December before I do that (insurance premiums drop and I need to save up). In the meantime I'd rather make mine a little bit safer if I can. I'm not planning on crashing but you never know what's round the corner.

The other alternative for me is my Mother is selling her Peugeot 106 D. It's the 1996 model (facelift) with a drivers airbag. Do you think it would be much safer in a front end accident than a 205 or do you think it's shorter bonnet and smaller engine would be less effective in absorbing an impact?

[Baffled Spoon]

I have read that towbars can increase risk of whiplash in low speed impacts as they are directly mounted to a solid chassis member and as such there is very little impact absorption from them. In a higher speed crash, I doubt it would make a significant difference. 106 is probably not much safer. Airbag or not, it doesn't absorb impacts well.

Just drive carefully and be observant to what others are doing/ may do next.

[5lab]

a tow bar could simply be looked at as a way of extending the stronger structure of your car rearwards. In an accident that would bend bodywork, but not structure, a towbar will protect a car. In an accident where the structure of the car will be bent either way (which is the sort of accident you'll get hurt by) i'd wager it'll make no difference.

If you want a safer car, flog it and buy a equally cheap old volvo

[FreeLitres]

My dad used to just use an old tennis ball over the towbar. I don't think it will hold up in an accident though.

Oh, wait..

[dern]

One thing that's worth bearing in mind is that if someone drives in to the back of you with a tow bar and you claim for any cosmetic damage the assessor will probably want to make sure the body shell hasn't distorted due to the impact transmitted through the tow bar by putting the car on a jig. With an older car this may not be cost effective and they may simply write the car off. This is what happened with an old mondeo we had. We got lightly rear ended, claimed off the person who drove in to us for damage to the bumper and they wrote it off as the value of the car was less than the cost of getting the car on the jig.

Mark

[Dog Star]

Friend of mine got rear ended a couple of weeks ago - some couple with a kid in the back absolutely wellied into the back of her at a junction - in the car that hit her a toddler in back flew over the seat into the windscreen , airbags went off - it was fked! Yet before she had even got out of the car the smashed up wreck sped off!

Last laugh on her though - because of her towbar there was a small scuff on her bumper

[sklar]

ChronowerX said:

The other alternative for me is my Mother is selling her Peugeot 106 D. It's the 1996 model (facelift) with a drivers airbag. Do you think it would be much safer in a front end accident than a 205 or do you think it's shorter bonnet and smaller engine would be less effective in absorbing an impact?

See here for the 106's sibling NCAP result.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3FdnWU5ecg

[ChronowerX]

Hmm, interesting. The one saving grace with the 205 is the handling so the chances of me getting into a crash are most probably quite low.

What are your views on the safety of the VW A4 platform? Most probably be ending up with a Seat Toledo or a Skoda Octavia. For some reason a 2.0 110 TDI is as cheap for me to insure as my Pug!

[sklar]

Just slow down, you wont need the 'handling' abilities then.

[ChronowerX]

@Sklar, who said I drive fast ? You still never know when you need to swerve if a car pulls out or a bend suddenly tightens a lot.

As for the crash test. I've seen that before and it's rather worrying. However I've never seen a proper crash test with a 205 in it so it's hard to compare.

[snotrag]

ChronowerX said:

What are your views on the safety of the VW A4 platform? Most probably be ending up with a Seat Toledo or a Skoda Octavia. For some reason a 2.0 110 TDI is as cheap for me to insure as my Pug!

FYI the Octavia and Toledo are actually the Golf / A3 basic structure - same as the Bora.

[ChronowerX]

snotrag said:

FYI the Octavia and Toledo are actually the Golf / A3 basic structure - same as the Bora.

Yeah they're all based on the VW A4 platform. I think I'm going to stay away from VW's and Audi's. Although essentially the same car they're more expensive to buy and insure. I think I prefer a 3 box design like the Bora, Toledo and Octavia as opposed to the 2 box. Although the Golf has nice styling.