Lightweight or Heavy Build?

[raj_5004]

As the topic here was going OT, i thought its better to open a new thread!

I have noticed quite a few cars have very thin & lightweight body panels. Most of these cars are japanase ones. This may be done to improve fuel efficiency but some may also argue that it increases pedestrian safety, safety of others in even of head on collision & also aids crumple zones. Frankly, i find such reasoning (apart from the FE) to be nonsense! i would be glad if someone wants to contradict me on this one!

examples of such cars are all suzuki, honda, toyota cars and the likes.

On the other hand, there are some cars who are relatively built stronger, that is, with heavy & strong body panels. They are not the most fuel efficient cars but i am sure they are safer in an event of a crash. Again some do argue that such heavy cars damage the other lighter cars a lot more in a collision. so how is the better built car to be blamed? i would ask, why was the other car built lighter or with such thin panels? also others say that these cars dont have good crumple zones which i feel is not true.

examples of such cars are the german cars or even our own tata & mahindra.

personally i prefer heavily built vehicles as they can take more abuse in the crowded & jam packed roads of mumbai, as in, they can take small shunts & knacks without any body damage, which i feel is essential. also, on highways, the floaty feeling of lighter built cars dont inspire a confidence in the driver.

So which is your choice of the two & why?

 

[cooldhaya]

I prefer the heavier built cars for all your above said reasons! The reason is we travel a lot by car so we need a pretty sturdy SUV which can absorb impacts! And on FE my Safari 3000cc Dicor engine gives 14.5kmpl in plain highways , does the Innova having a lighter body and only a 2600cc engine give better FE than my Safari? AFAIK the answer is no! So no arguements that the heavier built cars gives lesser FE! Maybe the pick-up might be slower but we are not racing on roads , just commuting! Safety is always paramount than speed which only the heavier built cars can provide!

 

[type-r]

i would love heavybuild cars. but sadly my civic isnt. the rear bumper is too light. it can be pressed with my legs if i am relying on it. sometimes i feel that i may actaully dent the bumper by mistake! but otherwise my car has pretty strong build.

 

[Crazy cat]

I prefer heavily built cars. They give you a solid feel and makes you feel safe and also the body withstands minor bumps.

 

[blackbeauty]

Heavy built for me. Feel safer when sitting inside a heavily built one. More safer on highways.

 

[Shynish M]

I too like the heavy body. The worse I have seen is Daewoo cars. They are just like plastics as Raj mentioned earlier.

Raj, most of the people say Innova is the best and it is VFM. Have we ever seen a safety crash test report for this one? (If I have missed it, please give me the link). Where as I can say for sure that Safari and Scorpio are crash tested and has better built in any aspect.

FIAT Punto is an example; personally I have felt that it has better and solid body compared to the rival i20 (Opinion may differ), though both ha the safe safety ratings.

I will give 100% mark for Ambi for its solid body

 

[350Z]

It is indeed a heavier built car any day for me, primarily because of the safety of car and those sitting inside. I realize how unsafe it feels sitting inside an 800 even in city; leave alone the highway drives, no comments about Nano anyways!

I will give 100% mark for Ambi for its solid body

You are dead right. Ambassador is a car made for Indians and made by the Indians.

i would love heavybuild cars. but sadly my civic isnt. the rear bumper is too light. it can be pressed with my legs if i am relying on it. sometimes i feel that i may actaully dent the bumper by mistake! but otherwise my car has pretty strong build.

Hey, you do not need to worry about it. This is deliberately done by car makers; otherwise making the bumpers stiffer would rather only crack them at a small hit. If you want to measure the actual build quality, check out the body.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[raj_5004]

So till now, almost everybody except AMG prefer heavily built cars with stronger panels.

i dont know whether scorpio/safari/innova is crash tested but i do FEEL safer in a scorpio/safari as compared to an innova. ABS & Airbags do help but i first prefer the basic structure to be strong, then depend on these electronics to save my life. i have read & seen many innovas in kerela which have had a frontal collision & the car caught fire, in some cases, killing its occupants.

just imagine, the body panel that gets dented by a small stone (weighing a kg maybe) hitting at a speed of 30-40 kmph (????), how will it protect me against a huge SUV/truck weighing 2-5 tons colliding at the same or maybe greater speed? I do understand that there are side & front impact beams which maybe strong but again, thats a "maybe". hence i like cars which makes me feel safer.

apart from safety, even if i consider the practical reasons, like i mentioned. such small stones & impact making a huge dent on the body panel is a no-no for me, especially in the dense mumbai traffic. i dont like shelling out huge repair costs for somebody else's mistakes!

 

[RSM]

I personally like the FEEL of heavy build cars.
Anybody who opens my Punto's gate, will surely comment about its feel.

Also with heavy vehicles will be excellent on highways because of its stability.

Light cars have some advantages, specially for city driving. Its easier to manuvaour in budy traffic and parking.

 

[cartoos]

I like heavy build cars as well, feels safe inside and stable on road.
What RSM is saying is true for me too. I have voted for heavy build.

 

[Crazy cat]

....

I will give 100% mark for Ambi for its solid body

Amby's build quality is more of a crude build. I've heard many instances of Amby's engine getting into cabin during a crash. But for minor crashes, it could help.

 

[350Z]

I personally like the FEEL of heavy build cars.
Anybody who opens my Punto's gate, will surely comment about its feel.

Hopefully the case is same with Linea too, or most of the Fiats for that matter. Haven’t sighted any accidental Linea yet.

Amby's build quality is more of a crude build. I've heard many instances of Amby's engine getting into cabin during a crash. But for minor crashes, it could help.

Perhaps that refers to engineering? But speaking about the build quality in general, the car comparatively scores ahead. Have seen many Ambys trashing up some modern cars or even when I was driven around in an Amby in Trivandrum, It was sure a “secure” feeling and comfort is a bonus too, this may sound humorous but one needs to experience the car to realize it.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[ilango[speed thirst]]

I like the heavy build cars , esp the suvs


The escort which was first sold in india , that was a superb iron car .


And not to forget the sierra and the tata estate /mobile , they were too solid with comfort.

So till now, almost everybody except AMG prefer heavily built cars with stronger panels.

i dont know whether scorpio/safari/innova is crash tested but i do FEEL safer in a scorpio/safari as compared to an innova. ABS & Airbags do help but i first prefer the basic structure to be strong, then depend on these electronics to save my life. i have read & seen many innovas in kerela which have had a frontal collision & the car caught fire, in some cases, killing its occupants.

just imagine, the body panel that gets dented by a small stone (weighing a kg maybe) hitting at a speed of 30-40 kmph (????), how will it protect me against a huge SUV/truck weighing 2-5 tons colliding at the same or maybe greater speed? I do understand that there are side & front impact beams which maybe strong but again, thats a "maybe". hence i like cars which makes me feel safer.

apart from safety, even if i consider the practical reasons, like i mentioned. such small stones & impact making a huge dent on the body panel is a no-no for me, especially in the dense mumbai traffic. i dont like shelling out huge repair costs for somebody else's mistakes!

I felt as raj said , i can say innova is safe car (I didnt mention strong) , you can see the in accident thread about my friends innova . Airbags in it saved life (i guess so by seeing the car , )

 

[Shynish M]

Amby's build quality is more of a crude build. I've heard many instances of Amby's engine getting into cabin during a crash. But for minor crashes, it could help.

What you heard is correct. If you really happen to see Ambi's design (engineering as 350Z mentioned) is really outdated. Gearbox - Fly wheel assembly is almost inside the car although it is under the floor. The is clearly visible in the floor gear models. So there is a high possiblity that the engine will move backward (read to the passenger cabin) on direct frontal collision. But the collision should be that strong.

 

[Crazy cat]

Hopefully the case is same with Linea too, or most of the Fiats for that matter. Haven’t sighted any accidental Linea yet.


Perhaps that refers to engineering? But speaking about the build quality in general, the car comparatively scores ahead. Have seen many Ambys trashing up some modern cars or even when I was driven around in an Amby in Trivandrum, It was sure a “secure” feeling and comfort is a bonus too, this may sound humorous but one needs to experience the car to realize it.

Drive Safe,
350Z

Modern are cars too week to be compared with Amby. I know how it feels to sit in an Amby. We had two Ambies back to back, Nova and Classic(Isuzu).

What you heard is correct. If you really happen to see Ambi's design (engineering as 350Z mentioned) is really outdated. Gearbox - Fly wheel assembly is almost inside the car although it is under the floor. The is clearly visible in the floor gear models. So there is a high possiblity that the engine will move backward (read to the passenger cabin) on direct frontal collision. But the collision should be that strong.

May be they should try and build a crumple zone in it.