Ok gang, I've been doing some researching into various models of S class and E class for safety. And would appreciate your thoughts and comments.
Beginning with the W126 what is remarkable about these 2 videos is that there is almost no intrusion into the passenger cell compartment at 70 mph head on crashes. I have personal experience of how safe the W126 420 SEL is. It likely saved my life many years ago, but I understand its SRS systems and crumple zones are not as up to date as the cars sold in the 2000's.:-
So we know that the W126 is very safe, and as for the W140 many of you will have seen this video:-
But you may not have seen this video of an W140 taking out a VAN when the 140 is side impacted by the VAN...
or these *allegedly* of a W140 crash at 180 km/h - again the passenger cell remains intact
So here is a BenzWorld thread to an E class wagon being rear ended at 60 mph plus, the Mercedes W210 Wagon owner walked away, but the guy who hit him was life flighted to hospital: -
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/1278974-my-wagons-gone-check-out-hit.html
In a rear-ender with all the crumple space behind you in the W210 wagon, you are going to be very, very safe I think and that thread proves it...
But in a side impact the E320 wagon does not fair so well... although this as an early model year:-
Whereas in the last model year of 2002 of the W210 you can see the side impact is much improved...
Similarly here you can see the diver's door stays shut in the 2000 - 2002 E class...
Whereas in the 1996 - 1999 E class it does not:-
Interesting huh? So it's not just later model years are more reliable with Mercedes but they are likely safer too... ( as a rule)
So where do we go from there?
Well I looked at the BMW 7 series E65/66 as you can get a similar vintage to the last MY of the W210 2002 E class, as the E65 begins in 2003, and the videos show it is probably much safer, especially in side impacts - look at the dummies head + plus it has knee airbags...
Yet my due diligence revealed that the E65 is much more of a nightmare car in terms of getting it reliably on the road - valve seals, transmission seals, alternator bracket gasket seal - which together will cost a fortune... So safer yes, but once you factor in the cost of making it reliable it becomes the same price as a used W221...
And the S class W221 seems the best of all to me prior to say 2012 - no surprises given how technology MB and others' marches on - just look how good it is in the side impact part of this video. Note how the B pillar dents the side impact machine!!! Go to 0' 43"
And even in the E class from around the same time period it is better - go to 1' 18" - but no where near as good as the W221, for example in the same side impact test the W221 side window does not even break.
Plus the W221, if I understand it correctly has the ability to avoid accidents for you as well and has an A pillar head air bag as well as curtain head bags...
So here is a compilation video from MB of the various S class cars crash tests: -
Now a word of caution based on my own thoughts and what I have been told. Speed:- People in the know suggest for every 10kmph the impact doubles...
Obvious concept, but bear that in mind especially in poor driving conditions or when you have idiots out drunk or high on drugs. One poster I know from the Ferrari forum lost his partner, and was very seriously hurt himself, because someone high on Marijuana crossed the central reservation and hit his vintage Porsche 356. He was not speeding at all, but an older car did not help him at all...
My only other thought is what about very high speed accidents? I ask experts to assist here...
Yes, at low to medium speed accidents the W221 is likely very safe and the E65 Beemer is safer than the W210 and the W210 is safer than even the earlier s class, but what about very high speed accidents: -
But the Mercedes Benz S class W126 and W140 are TANKS. No question about it. Look at the very first video - 60 mph head on it to another car in a W126 - they all survived. Would a W221 do that? I'm not so sure...
So let's look at the one example of a head on W140 crash into a concrete pillar at 80 - 90 mph - Princess Diana's crash. The British Intelligence officer in the passenger seat was the only person, reportedly, wearing his seat belt and he survived.
Here are some pictures of the W140 car
So the one remaining question I have if there are any experts on the forum or folks who have seen many different s classes crashed cars come in - is the W221 as safe as the old tanks at speeds above 70 mph?
TANK vs modern crumple zones... I wonder if MB designs the cars to be best in the crashes we most normally or most frequently have? It would make sense from a business perspective? (i.e. at or below the speed limits)
If you have any information to address this please do share. My gut says you might ("might") be better of in a 1998 or 1999 W140 at a super high speed accident on the Autobhan, but by W221 and W222 probably not? (FYI - from what I have been told the W220 is not as safe, not as well made either)
Lastly, the 2017 Volvo crash tests of their S90 and XC90 I have looked at are incredible. Far less internal injuries likely in offset frontal impact test.
Drive safe and I hope you find these videos interesting and helpful to do just that drive safe & enjoy Life! :grin
Beginning with the W126 what is remarkable about these 2 videos is that there is almost no intrusion into the passenger cell compartment at 70 mph head on crashes. I have personal experience of how safe the W126 420 SEL is. It likely saved my life many years ago, but I understand its SRS systems and crumple zones are not as up to date as the cars sold in the 2000's.:-
So we know that the W126 is very safe, and as for the W140 many of you will have seen this video:-
But you may not have seen this video of an W140 taking out a VAN when the 140 is side impacted by the VAN...
or these *allegedly* of a W140 crash at 180 km/h - again the passenger cell remains intact
So here is a BenzWorld thread to an E class wagon being rear ended at 60 mph plus, the Mercedes W210 Wagon owner walked away, but the guy who hit him was life flighted to hospital: -
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/1278974-my-wagons-gone-check-out-hit.html
In a rear-ender with all the crumple space behind you in the W210 wagon, you are going to be very, very safe I think and that thread proves it...
But in a side impact the E320 wagon does not fair so well... although this as an early model year:-
Whereas in the last model year of 2002 of the W210 you can see the side impact is much improved...
Similarly here you can see the diver's door stays shut in the 2000 - 2002 E class...
Whereas in the 1996 - 1999 E class it does not:-
Interesting huh? So it's not just later model years are more reliable with Mercedes but they are likely safer too... ( as a rule)
So where do we go from there?
Well I looked at the BMW 7 series E65/66 as you can get a similar vintage to the last MY of the W210 2002 E class, as the E65 begins in 2003, and the videos show it is probably much safer, especially in side impacts - look at the dummies head + plus it has knee airbags...
Yet my due diligence revealed that the E65 is much more of a nightmare car in terms of getting it reliably on the road - valve seals, transmission seals, alternator bracket gasket seal - which together will cost a fortune... So safer yes, but once you factor in the cost of making it reliable it becomes the same price as a used W221...
And the S class W221 seems the best of all to me prior to say 2012 - no surprises given how technology MB and others' marches on - just look how good it is in the side impact part of this video. Note how the B pillar dents the side impact machine!!! Go to 0' 43"
And even in the E class from around the same time period it is better - go to 1' 18" - but no where near as good as the W221, for example in the same side impact test the W221 side window does not even break.
Plus the W221, if I understand it correctly has the ability to avoid accidents for you as well and has an A pillar head air bag as well as curtain head bags...
So here is a compilation video from MB of the various S class cars crash tests: -
Now a word of caution based on my own thoughts and what I have been told. Speed:- People in the know suggest for every 10kmph the impact doubles...
Obvious concept, but bear that in mind especially in poor driving conditions or when you have idiots out drunk or high on drugs. One poster I know from the Ferrari forum lost his partner, and was very seriously hurt himself, because someone high on Marijuana crossed the central reservation and hit his vintage Porsche 356. He was not speeding at all, but an older car did not help him at all...
My only other thought is what about very high speed accidents? I ask experts to assist here...
Yes, at low to medium speed accidents the W221 is likely very safe and the E65 Beemer is safer than the W210 and the W210 is safer than even the earlier s class, but what about very high speed accidents: -
But the Mercedes Benz S class W126 and W140 are TANKS. No question about it. Look at the very first video - 60 mph head on it to another car in a W126 - they all survived. Would a W221 do that? I'm not so sure...
So let's look at the one example of a head on W140 crash into a concrete pillar at 80 - 90 mph - Princess Diana's crash. The British Intelligence officer in the passenger seat was the only person, reportedly, wearing his seat belt and he survived.
Here are some pictures of the W140 car
So the one remaining question I have if there are any experts on the forum or folks who have seen many different s classes crashed cars come in - is the W221 as safe as the old tanks at speeds above 70 mph?
TANK vs modern crumple zones... I wonder if MB designs the cars to be best in the crashes we most normally or most frequently have? It would make sense from a business perspective? (i.e. at or below the speed limits)
If you have any information to address this please do share. My gut says you might ("might") be better of in a 1998 or 1999 W140 at a super high speed accident on the Autobhan, but by W221 and W222 probably not? (FYI - from what I have been told the W220 is not as safe, not as well made either)
Lastly, the 2017 Volvo crash tests of their S90 and XC90 I have looked at are incredible. Far less internal injuries likely in offset frontal impact test.
Drive safe and I hope you find these videos interesting and helpful to do just that drive safe & enjoy Life! :grin
