How safe is the average 510?

[GT Motion]

A friend of mine and I got into a conversation about safety, and he personally said he would never want to go fast in a 510 just because of how unsafe it would feel. I kind of feel the same way to a point, the cars are old and need some re-conditioning to be safe again.

 

So, in the event of an accident, on the street or at the track, how safe do you think the car would be? I am not referring to cars that have good roll cages, brand new rebuilt chassis etc.

[philcas1987]

Gotta ask how safe are you're driving habits. I got sandwiched in my 4 door. Crumple zones did their thing. Still alive. Dislexicdime got t-boned. Still alive. You're always taking a chance. Heard horror stories about 510 wrecks.

[GT Motion]

Gotta ask how safe are you're driving habits. I got sandwiched in my 4 door. Crumple zones did their thing. Still alive. Dislexicdime got t-boned. Still alive. You're always taking a chance. Heard horror stories about 510 wrecks.

 

I am not talking about my personal driving habits, I am just asking about the cars safety in general in an accident. No matter the driver or how they drive, you can always get t-boned, rear ended, have some sort of failure or go off at the track. I saw some pictures of 510's that rolled over and the cars seemed to not collapse on the drivers head which is a good sign.

[Skib]

just dont worry about it.......... if you get hit hard enough your fucked no matter what your driving.

 

 

 

and sometimes you just get lucky .... just look at Bonvos 610

[kmc63]

I love my little 510 but they are small economy cars with thin sheetmetal.Safety was an afterthought IMO until volvo started really making some good reinforcement.Skib is right you get hit hard enougth it wont matter.

[Burabuda]

just dont worry about it.......... if you get hit hard enough your fucked no matter what your driving.

 

and sometimes you just get lucky .... just look at Bonvos 610

x1

had a similar conversation last night with a guy crowing about modern safety features

and why we all need to drive new cars

(in my experience, it's usually women who are safety-obsessed)

 

anyway, i says that when you're number comes up no superior safety feature is going to save you

and he looks at me as if to say he didn't buy into that hocus pocus

 

finally, he wonders if he should buy his missus a nice, new camry

and then i tell him the horrible, true story of how a dear, little girl was killed just last year in her mom's new camry ...

 

... when a huffer plowed right into their parked camry at 60mph

very sad story

 

(and if you're interested, the huffer will be deported when he gets out of prison)

[danfiveten]

I would trust my 510 to take as much of a hit as my 08 sentra. Reason why you may ask? Because new cars have to many safety features built in that can kill you just as much as they were designed to save you. Airbags have killed people, crumple zones have been responsible for death. It doesnt matter the age of the car if you get hit in just the right way, every car is a potential death trap. At least with a datsun you dont have all the electronics that can now freak out and cause death like brakes goin out just cuz the computer freaks out. I feel just as safe in my datsun, as i do in my 08 sentra, and 96 sentra.

[sssr20det510]

Ive only heard about 1 person dieing in a 510, Not to say it hasn't happened more but most people i know that have wrecked 510s have walked away with min damage to them selfs.

[littlejason]

Safer than a 1200, I would imagine!

[FoxyRoadster]

Who cares about being safe in a vintage car.. I throw caution into the wind when I drive and enjoy it. :cool: When its my time to bite it I'll bite it.

[Dguy210]

Safer than a 1200, I would imagine!

They hold up pretty well actually.

 

[datzenmike]

These cars are at least 38 to 43 years old. Mandatory seat belts were only a few years old. Crumple zones were barely even being thought about by Volvo and Mercedes at this time and 5 MPH impact bumpers still to come. Did the 510 even have head rests in '68??? The 510 was probably average for the time. I would not ever want to be in an accident in one, hell I wouldn't want to be in any accident but a newer anything would be better. My first car, a 5 year old '64 Dodge had a single master cylinder, rock hard metal dash, no head rests and didn't even have seat belts. We've come a long way in 40 years.

 

The fact that someone survived an accident in one is meaningless. The mechanics of all accidents are different. You could lookup accidents involving 510s and compare to a similar car of that era and maybe draw some conclusions. I remember back then and people believed they were safer in a larger car. I suppose if you hit a 510 with a 2 1/2 ton Chevy... you were.

 

Very safe........... definitely not. A Volvo was considered quite safe at the time.

Safe.................... no worse than any small car of the time.

 

Unsafe............... not known by the average person as being unsafe except for the general perception that you were safer in a larger car. Actually a larger car hitting a large car is no worse than two small cars hitting, perhaps worse actually. Since there were more big cars on the road everyone imagined being in a small car being hit by a much larger one. Not the same thing but more likely to happen.

Deathtrap.......... definitely not ever considered a deathtrap.

[BRE_dAtSuN]

i had a car rear end me as i was stopped at a red light and he was going about 40... pushed my bumper and dented my tailight panel and lower valance..found it had some rust and bondo work so i bought new parts and welded them on... u should have seen the other car =( looked like it hit a wall

[Guest DatsuNoob]

510s are pretty safe, unless one falls into the hands of INDY510, then it doesnt stand a chance :lol: j/k

[MicroMachinery]

I'm guessing safer than a "Smart Car".

 

[r0p0doe]

It all depends on how well you know your car, I'm still getting used to mine. I feel safer in my honda but I have the time of my life in my 510

[DanielC]

When I first got my 521, I was taking automotive classes at Clackamas Community College. I had my truck up on a hoist, working on something under it. One instructor came over, was looking under it, and called the other instructor over. His comment was "look at the frame on this thing", and "It looks beefier than the frame unsed my full sized truck." They then went and got the guy in the parts and tool crib, and he came out and looked at the frame. Pretty much they had the same conversation with him.

 

By the end of the term, one instructor, and the parts guy had their own 521 trucks.

[steve g]

its all relative....

if you are going get hit by another 510... not so bad... get hit by a huge ass 4x4 or even a 510 doing 100+ mph than not so safe then...

All cars are unsafe... your driving habits and alertness is what keeps you safe.

I have been in the autobody business for a long time and have seen full size lincoln towncars that were fatal accidents... on the other hand i have seen toyota corollas damn near torn in half and everyone was ok...

A t-bone (broadside) collision is the easiest type of accisent to get seriously injured or killed in... no car is safe in a side hit unless youre up high... One thing a 510 has an advantage on with this is its very light so the car will transfer sideways and slide rather than getting bulldozed like a heavier car would..

 

Be aware of your soroundings and enjoy your 510.

[danfiveten]

People who own smart cars arnt very smart in my opinion. I mini could total one.

[Duke]

When compared to a modern car of any size, I would say that they are "unsafe" if you are only considering what would happen in a collision. For me though, driving my 510 is much more engaging than driving a modern car. I don't have a stereo, sound deadening, or other creature comforts. This makes me feel much more connected to the driving experience, which in turn makes me pay more attention to what I am doing and what is going on around me while I am out on the road. So in that sense, it may be safer when compared to a modern car.

 

I personally know my car inside and out. I can identify pretty much any noise, rattle, or shake it makes. This helps me identify if anything is potentially unsafe in the car, such as loose suspension parts or chassis pickup points. I feel safer knowing what is going on with the car than just blindly driving an appliance like many people do these days.

 

For me, my 510 is my only car. I have personally never felt any safer or less safe than when driving any other car. I say don't worry about it and enjoy the ride.

[thisismatt]

I'm guessing safer than a "Smart Car".

 

Not-a-Smart-car FAIL. VW CrossFox, http://www.car-accidents.com/2007-auto-crash-story/3-19-07-smart-car.html

[MicroMachinery]

I'm guessing safer than a "Smart Car" VW CrossFox from Brazil.

 

Fixed.

[INDY510]

.

I've had my 510 for 10 years ......... .. ... it has kept me safe ........... ... because it doesn't drive

[datzenmike]

When I first got my 521, I was taking automotive classes at Clackamas Community College. I had my truck up on a hoist, working on something under it. One instructor came over, was looking under it, and called the other instructor over. His comment was "look at the frame on this thing", and "It looks beefier than the frame unsed my full sized truck." They then went and got the guy in the parts and tool crib, and he came out and looked at the frame. Pretty much they had the same conversation with him.

 

By the end of the term, one instructor, and the parts guy had their own 521 trucks.

 

The 521/620/720 frames are very strong... but the 521 and 620 have one very bad safety issue. The one piece steering column and steering box. In a frontal accident the column is non collapsible and is like a spear to anything slamming forward into it.. Also there are no 'crumple zones'... so think about that if a 521 should run into you! That frame is coming at you and isn't going to absorb impact by folding up like a tin can.

 

 

People who own smart cars arnt very smart in my opinion. I mini could total one.

 

I disagree. Yes there is a perception that they are small and light and would be at a disadvantage in an accident. But no different than 40 years ago with the 'small' 510s and larger Chevys. I think I would rather be in a smart car than a 510 in an accident.

 

 

To be fair... bigger is better.

 

 

 

When compared to a modern car of any size, I would say that they are "unsafe" if you are only considering what would happen in a collision. For me though, driving my 510 is much more engaging than driving a modern car. I don't have a stereo, sound deadening, or other creature comforts. This makes me feel much more connected to the driving experience, which in turn makes me pay more attention to what I am doing and what is going on around me while I am out on the road. So in that sense, it may be safer when compared to a modern car.

 

I personally know my car inside and out. I can identify pretty much any noise, rattle, or shake it makes. This helps me identify if anything is potentially unsafe in the car, such as loose suspension parts or chassis pickup points. I feel safer knowing what is going on with the car than just blindly driving an appliance like many people do these days.

 

For me, my 510 is my only car. I have personally never felt any safer or less safe than when driving any other car. I say don't worry about it and enjoy the ride.

 

Yes they are more fun to drive and you can feel more connected to the experience, but you could also say that a newer car lowers driver fatigue by being easier to drive. Enjoy the ride.

[Shonuff]

since most of em are hopped up im sayin death trap.

 

but any car is one, just have to drive it right.

 

 

 

food for thought