Type 44/5000 safety rating

[JordanVw at aol.com]

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In a message dated 8/27/02 10:37:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
bswann at worldnet.att.net writes:


>
>
> OK - Listers, I'd appreciate some help with this one.  I had always been
> under the impression that out Type 44's were rather safe.  Please help me
> refute this.  I thought I saw some testimonials awhile back proclaiming
> that in this very type of drivers side accident the occupants came out
> miraculously unscathed, while the other vehicle disintegrated on impact, or
> something to that effect.
>
> I personally con't see how this can be knowing something of the
> construction of these cars.  The only thing I can see is these safety
> rating are making a comparison to the newer luxury cars with side impact
> air bags, and even then, I question this rating.
>
> Here is what happened - the potential buyer of my '87 5000 turbo quattro
> avant backed out due to the following email:
>
> Joe Buyer here.  I've run into a bit of a snag with my wife regarding the
> purchase of your avant.  She's a firm believer in safety ratings and when
> she looked up the stuff on the 87 5000's was not amused at their 1 star
> drivers side rating in the 83-88 range.  Unless I can find something in
> print somewhere to convince here otherwise I'm afraid I'm going to have to
> pass on the car.
>

in april of '99, as some of you may remember, i was driving my "late" '84
Audi 5000 turbo about 65-70mph on a 4 lane highway and was hit by a chevy
corsica that was driven full force into my left front fender by a pea brained
19 year old trying to run a stop sign..  the impact spun me around twice and
i ended up about 500 ft down the road, backwards, drivers side against the
guardrail on the shoulder of the road. the car was still running after the
impact, albeit steaming as the radiator was annhilated, but running
nonetheless, and i shut it off w/ the key.  i just had my seatbelt fastened.
i walked away from that collision, requiring no medical treatment.  the
passenger in the corsica was seriously injured (dont know what ever happened
to him) as his head went thru the windhield. the corsicas windshield was
laying on the engine, the hood of the corsica having been thrown off the car
and laying some distance away.
anyway, i think pictures speak louder than words.  i still have the pictures
of my audi after the flatbed brought it home..  if anyone would like to see,
let me know. after that i went out and bought another type44.  that car saved
my life..  if i had been driving anything else i think the outcome would have
been very different..
chris
'86 5kT
'84 5kT (parts car now)