Disappointed XJ Owner

[comare]

I have owned my 95 XJ for 2 years now and just couldn't fault it. Reliable in every sense of the word on & off road, so proud I was to own this vehicle that I had it raised a couple of inches, had bigger tyres put on it and just 2 weeks ago had a side awning fitted to it.
Last week stopped at the lights a Subaru Impreza travelling at approx 50Kmh runs up the rear of my beloved Jeep. The Jeep crumpled like a concertina, chassis twisted, rear floor section buckled....Jeep has been written off by the insurers. After seeing the chassis rail twisted, unfortunately I no longer have much faith in this particular model of vehicle, the Subaru on the other hand didnt look anywhere near as bad as my Jeep.

[bruggz351]

Unfortunate.
To be fair though, the subi would have dived under the XJ, picking up the rear diff and just bending everything.
I take it no one was hurt?

[comare]

Just a sore neck, both drivers. I was so p....d off after the accident that I knew it was going to be written off.

[layback40]

The jeep crumpled up like its designed to.
You dont have a broken neck !!
All modern designed cars do this.
Yes the subie went under you, if it had been high speed your rear bar would have gone through the windscreen of the subie & no air bag would have saved the driver.

[rupicon]

Stuff happens did you think you can just drive off after something like that
Bad luck but cars can be replaced

[muddy]

The jeep crumpled up like its designed to.
You dont have a broken neck !!
All modern designed cars do this.

Precisely this - there's an awful lot of energy involved in cars hitting each other, even at low speeds. That energy has to be transferred somewhere - better used to crumple up the car than turning occupants into tomato sauce.

Old cars, those ones that people hanker over because they were made out of girders and inch thick steel and would be able to drive away after an accident with just a minor dent were brilliant places for you to end up horribly maimed or dead after even minor impacts. But hey, the car was fine!

Of course, I get the logic some people apply - old car, minor dent that you can fix cheaply. Modern car, same crash, writeoff or serious cost involved. It's a cost I am happy paying, tell the truth.

[junglejuice]

I agree with muddy re the safety aspect but it is a shame that it has been written off....

I have 2 here that could have donated their bodies for future use...

[TassieTJ]

Photo's ?......interested in how the FRP tailgate ended up

[braith7]

Old cars, those ones that people hanker over because they were made out of girders and inch thick steel and would be able to drive away after an accident with just a minor dent were brilliant places for you to end up horribly maimed or dead after even minor impacts. But hey, the car was fine!.

Footage of new and old car crash tests - the older cars get owned by technology - top video and bottom video are particularly worth seeing - http://www.core77.com/blog/transportation/old_cars_crashing_into_new_cars_which_is_safer_236 60.asp

[mud_slut]

Yeah I disagree I unfortunately rolled my jeep a few months ago near broadford due to heavy fog a solid rock wall and some unfortunate morning light. I smashed my alloy bar a Lca bracket and had to replace the doors and front quarter panel on the drivers side from all the gravel rash as the car had to be dragged out on its side....but when I saw the 2010 rav4 that had done the same thing as myself at the same place 10 mins before at the tow truck yard I had restored faith in my xj, this car was demolished, nearly split in two, all the airbags deployed, and the passenger wheel completely ripped from the CV. And ontop of it all I drove her all the way back home...there's plenty of faith to be had in the xj

[TheOoz]

It is a sad day when we lose an XJ, but the engineers design vehicles to absorb the energy of the impact to keep you alive as a few have already said.

Don't blame the XJ, blame the numpty in the WRX!

Go and grab another one for $3000. Market value is $2500 - $4100 in Redbook so a small scratch creates a write off.

[kyphonii]

The crash has little bearing on the right off.
damaged rear bumper on hilux's cost more than your xj.
just the tail gate would add up to more than the XJ market value.
They get all parts prices off the stealer.

[junglejuice]

Footage of new and old car crash tests - the older cars get owned by technology - top video and bottom video are particularly worth seeing - http://www.core77.com/blog/transportation/old_cars_crashing_into_new_cars_which_is_safer_236 60.asp

All I can say is I am glad that I am not driving that old Chevy!!!!

I would rather the car be written off then my wife or myself...