How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

[BlackAndTan]

Something I recall seeing at the NHTSA site ages ago that I haven't found there lately... a report detail mentioning that all other things being equal, a heavier vehicle is a safer one, in collisions. The Disco is definitely heavy, as evidenced by the gas mileage or lack thereof.

I'm curious about how safe you've found Discos to be in collisions or rollovers (safer than some SUVs there due in part to weight/wheelbase)? Is there any other SUV out there safer that's not a Land Rover, of comparable or lesser cost, in your opinion? (Not thinking of switching.) Crash tests tell part of the story, and certainly there are more advanced anti-crash systems. I recall before I bought mine seeing plenty of pics of Discos fallen off cliffs with not so bad results. Any difference between the D1s and Ds, do you think?

 

[rmuller]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

All of the roll overs and accidents people have had from here (about a dozen or so of them), they've walked away, and have bought another rover.

I remember reading in a crash test result that they do very well, except for the drivers left leg, that area is prone to damage..

 

[flyfisher11]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

Where is that thread where that dude was asking about whether or not Hill Decent worked in reverse? That is a good example as he had no belt on and he rolled like a mutha and had his kids aboard and only he got hurt (no belt). They went end over end and survived. Even his kids laughed about it.

edit: found it
http://www.discoweb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52300&highlight=HDC+Reverse

 

[RoverLee]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

First of all, someone tried to use Hill Decent going in reverse? The way a person drives determinds a roll over. If you floor it around corners or switch lanes and drive out of control your going to flip any vehicle. I have driven my Disco pretty hard and have never even be close to flipping over. As for accidents this thing is a tank, weighing in at over 6000lbs.

 

[jasonmk12]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

I hit a 1980 something Chrysler Le baron at around 30-35 miles per hour. No airbag deployment, didn't even phase me at all actually. I wish I had pictures of the Lebaron, wasnt anything left of that thing and all I needed was a new bumper, hood and front quarter panel. Id say it did really well. Ill take the rover in an accident over almost anything.

Jason K

 

[lrsafari]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

Although it is a RRC, I was rear ended by a new Toyota Sienna in '02. Officer estimated he hit me doing 30MPH and I was stopped.

The body on the RR moved forward on the frame mounts, but didn't detach. the gaps on the passenger side almost closed and the drivers side opened up and he dented my bumper and destroyed my resonator and exhaust tip. And my fiance and myself were in a lot of pain for a few months.

The engine in Toyota (5 star rated, right) went INTO the interior! Crush zone=passenger body.

I drove away, noisely, but drove the truck for 3 more years.

Now that is not a rollover, but sure does tell you a frame is a nice thing to have.

YMMV

Scott

 

[TheataSigma]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

I hit a tree pretty hard off road (slipped off a rock while coming down over a rock wall). Bashed in my front bumper and hood pretty good. No other damage, truck stalled, hazards went on...etc. Shut it all off for a bit, checked out the damage and then she started right up again and I drove off on my way.

Even after trashing my bumper I was able to find a replacement and get my trashed one swapped out. So even if you get into a small accident with the disco they are somewhat easy to repair.

Winslow

 

[jymmiejamz]

I had a large tree fall on my old disco with a person in the front seat, and I drove the disco home. It totalled it because the body was twisted so badly, but it definitely held up well.

 

[RoverDisco98]

My 98 Disco got rear ended by a Chev Surburban and was pushed into a Toyota. Totalted the Chev and wiped out the rear end of the Toyota. Damage on the the Disco.. bent the rear bumper slightly wrinckled the quarter panels and bent the spare tire mount.
One of the reasons I bought the Disco is having survived an accident in which my classic Mini Cooper was cushed with me in it. I figured 6000 lbs is going to be far better than 1400lbs. As much as I loved the MINI (6 years in restoration) I am very glad I was not in the Mini when the Suburbam hit me.

 

[dannyballs]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

My first Disco was a '99 SE7. I got a call back in '03 that my wife was in an accident and I should run over to her work. When I arrived on seen I noticed that the Disco was there and my wife was not. She had been rushed to the hospital and when I caught up with her, she was in the emergency room. After the doctor examined her, he released her 5 minutes later with a mere bruise on her inner right thigh.

The Disco was t-boned right at the drivers door by a Ford Explorer doing 45 in a 25 mph zone. The first reponders had to actaully cut the door off to get my wife out. Needless to say that this 6 year old vehicle was declared a total loss by State Farm. When I went to look at the Disco at the body shop, the manager put her on the lift and said he wanted to show me something. He lifted her in the air and demonstrated to me the the chassis (frame) had not as much a scratch on it. It was as straight as it was when it came off the assembly line in Solihul.

Ask me if I trust my family in a Disco....Yeap. Part of the reason I now own two of them.

 

[galen216]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

First of all, someone tried to use Hill Decent going in reverse? The way a person drives determinds a roll over. If you floor it around corners or switch lanes and drive out of control your going to flip any vehicle. I have driven my Disco pretty hard and have never even be close to flipping over. As for accidents this thing is a tank, weighing in at over 6000lbs.

That is a blanket statement to say the least, every roll over I have seen was at slow speed and often times not even in a bad terrain.

Just because you haven't flipped doesn't make you a good driver, you can't account for what has never happened.

As for me, I'll take my RRC with ARB over most any car on the road for safety.

 

[RoverDisco98]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

As mentioned in my earlier post.. This is why I no longer drive a 1400 lb car.

 

[mgreenspan]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

I don't think these things actually weigh 6000lbs. I'm pretty sure I had a weight ticket from a move that said 5120 and I've got lots of heavy bullshit on.

 

[ptschram]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

I either know, or know of 14 people who have been in roll-overs in Discos. Only one did not survive.

Only one of the survivors was not able to extricate herself from the truck.

One was arrested for false informing after walking to the nearest exit to call the highway patrol and walked back to the truck. He was arrested as the cops refused to believe that he could have survived the crash, much less walk the mile to the exit.

I have a truck in the shop now whose owner's wife AND father in law were both in roll-over crashes in RRCs. Both walked away and both now drive only Range Rovers.

My son was rear-ended twice in his '88 RRC, Both times, the cars that hit him were totalled. The last time, he was stationary and hit by a Ford Excursion going an estimated 45 MPH. The driver was helicoptered to the hospital while my son calmly drove his RRC home.

I have flopped my Disco three times, it barely shows a scratch!

 

[brianhoberg]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

I had an accident where my 2003 DII ran through a Ford Focus that pulled out at the last minute trying to cut across two lanes of oncoming traffic with a cop next to me. My truck was totalled by insurance due to the frame being "slightly" bent, but we all survived and walked away fine. I had my 3 month old son with me in his carseat in the back.
Thread was here:
http://discoweb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=45694&highlight=rover+focus

 

[Wasatch Disco]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbEa3C2vL7U

 

[brianhoberg]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbEa3C2vL7U

Yeah, in an accident like that you better plan to have knee replacement surgery after the dash eats into the legs like that.

 

[daven5735]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

My wife was "T-boned" at the right rear axle by a guy driving a Ford 3/4 ton PU who ran a red light. She was going 40-45 and as she was spun around, the Disco started flipping in the air. Witnesses say they don't know how many times but it was a bunch. She ended up sliding on the roof. One of the witnesses stopped and helped her get out of the seat belt which was holding her in upside down. She walked away, albeit with a compound-fractured collar bone from the seat belt. She is now the owner of a 4" long metal plate and 6 screws. She is 5'2" tall and didn't even get a bump on her head. I, on the other hand am 6'2" tall and might not have been so lucky given the amount the roof was crushed on the drivers side. Yea, LR's are pretty safe in our book. I miss those sliders and the Terrain Master bumper.

 

[skydiver]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

My wife, my kids and I walked away from this in 2001 w/o any injuries.
I was driving.. wife in passenger seat, kids in the back. This 'was' my 1997 Disco I.
I was able to get out myself & get the wife & kids out. We were sitting on a guardrail before any EMS/Police came. They couldn't believe we were in there.

These photos were taken the morning after the accident at the impound yard.

I bought a 2001 DII as a replacement.

-Tommy

 

[Drillbit]

Re: How safe are Discos in accidents, compared with other SUVs? What stories do you have?

I have flopped my disco twice off roading (in the same spot no less) I also see smashed up disco's every day. They hold up better than anything else I have seen. I have seen them rolled, with the front end flattened, T boned hard etc. There is rarely any blood on the inside. I know that doesn't mean the person walked away but I have a buddy who rebuilds ricers and he is forever throwing away bloody seats and carpets. Physics are on your side in a rover.