| Author |
Message |
    
Scott-OZ
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 06:49 pm: | 
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My D1 is a 95 mod. in a few years, if LR are to be believed I will need to change air bag modules and possibly wiring. That is about A$3,000 for EACH bag and about the same for the total wiring loom (engine and occupent compartment) - allow for fitting costs and you are looking at about A$10,000 for a car whose value here is about 20-25K. Even if it were worth 50K that is a lot of dosh in anyone's books. General Motors Holden do not have such a caveat on their vehicles made in Aust. and their bags are arguable the safest in the world. They have full size bags with a one piece circuit. I was horrified when fitting an aftermarket car alarm to my LR to see a wire that had pulled out of the block going into the bag of the bag module in the steering wheel. I put it back in in the only place for it. I have since been told by the dealer that someone before me had removed the light in the dash for the bag self test circuit which was why it as not coming on at start up. That means it probably had problems with the circuit. He tells me they have had problems with some of the early bag models (94 here for RR and 95-96 for Dico) with intermittent probs with the ciruit - very hard to trace; apparantly generally the circuit in the cabin needed replacing at about $1,500 for the harness and several hundred to fit!!!
Anyway, I have said enough for one thread.
Cheers |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 07:38 pm: |
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Scott, FWIW, I remember reading somewhere that the only car makers that didn't have fatalities from premature airbad deployment was BMW, Honda and MB. This was before Diamler-Benz and Chrysler merged.
All airbags that I know of were made to last 10 years. Not just for Land Rover. If I owned a vehicle over 10 years old that was pre 1997 (for the US) I would not re-install the airbag myself if it was legal to do so. I have nothing against airbags but I have more faith in a 5 point restraint than an airbag. Too bad we don't have a choice to get a 5 point option if that's what we would rather have over the airbags.
I have a buddy who used to work for one of the suppliers of air bags to GM and from what he told me I wouldn't put much faith in those either. I should ask him if they also supplied bags to Rover at any point. |
Daniel Covaciu (Danielcovaciu)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 08:28 pm: |
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I to have always thought that cars should come with a 5 point harness rather than bags. I wish we had that option. I have several friends who have scars from being burned by airbag gases but do not know anyone that says airbags saved their life or prevented injury. Personally, I hate airbags. I think that a 5 point would keep me much safer than any air bag configuration. IMHO |
Paul T. Schram (Paulschram)
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 10:57 am: |
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There is no way I will even consider replacing my air bags in my '95 Disco. With the light blinking and an air bag ECU that is uncommunicative to Autologic, Rovacom, or Testbook, I really don't see the need!
Never owned a vehicle with (operable) air bags and don't intend to now. Not real excited about ABS (something else that doesn't work on my Rover).
Prefer not to even wear seat belts (survived bad crash in '79 where the driver's seat was destroyed)but we know what that will get you.
Paul |
muskyman
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 11:24 am: |
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as some of you may remember last year I hit a 300+ lb deer at highway speeds in my subaru outback wagon
the airbags both deployed(one sending my stainless coffee mug outa a cup holder and into my head!) and I was ok.
the amazing thing was the shards of glass from the windsheild imbedded in the forward side of both bags. I can only wonder where that glass woulda ended up had they not been inflated.
also the roof line of the car was smashed down so they might have taken some force there as well. I was wearing my seat belt and did not really feel the bags but I cant help but think they afforded me some protection.
I read a test done by some safty organization that tested airbags on cars going into an auto recycler and they had less then 1% failure even though the cars where slated for a tear down.
this makes me think that the 10year thing is more of a economic stonwall to force people to by a new vehicle. nobody in there right mind would spend 5k to 10k on a truck/car that is likely to be worth less then that.
my 94 disco bags will stay in place till they show signs of potential failure then be deactivated and removed by me. FWIW |
Ross Thoma (Rossthoma)
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 02:00 pm: |
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It is a safty device of the truck and is origional equipment like front windscreen, therefore the insurance company may have to take it up the a$$ for a change. especially if it is in the manual that it must be changed You may want to check with your department of transportation then with the insurance co. when you have the gvt info to back up your claim. And some components are lifetime warrented ie: emitions stuff like cats.
Ross Thoma |
muskyman
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 04:11 pm: |
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never heard of a insurance company paying for any maintenance?
they will more likely laugh at you and say yes it needs to be done,no we dont pay for it and if you dont do it we will deny certain coverage.
they dont pay for brake jobs. and they are safty devices and the manual tells you to keep them in good repair.
nice idea...but highly unlikely |
Ross Thoma (Rossthoma)
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 04:33 pm: |
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My comment came from getting a new windscreen free every year from my insurence company in Canada.
Braks are like tires and are different, but the airbag thing... I think that it should be checked out through the state the phone call is free and if you explain the situation and argue your case right you may save yourself some cash and if not... well now you know.
RT |
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