Galah Sessions

[fpv_gtho]

Thats the model my mum has. I have to say, that whilst a nice strong car is an affordable car, its still not going to keep you out of hospital.

Crumple zones FTW

[motorsportnerd]

Having a strong car isn't all it's cracked up to be

Still - perhaps the Holden went under the Camry?

I didn't see the crash - but since the Camry isn't exactly 4WD height I doubt it.
And as I said - I bet the guy driving it has a very sore neck. Surprised the car didn't absorb some of the impact via its crumple zones. The Commodore may be a write off, but I suspect the guy driving it won't have a sore neck to worry about as the crumple zone would've reduced the forces.

[motorsportnerd]

Thats the model my mum has. I have to say, that whilst a nice strong car is an affordable car, its still not going to keep you out of hospital.

Crumple zones FTW

You have first hand experience of them not working and leaving someone in hospital? I agree - crumple zones are necessary.

My main reason for posting the above story was to express my surprise that the rear of the Camry wasn't damaged. One would normally expect the crumple zones to have worked on such cars. After all, the Camry is a reasonable safe car and Toyota does design them with proper crumple zones.
It is possible in fact likely that it was a very low speed crash (that's a 60 zone - the Camry had stopped for the lights and the Commodore failed to do so, so the speed may have been less then 20 kms) - in which case the crumple zones probably weren't needed and the Commodore took a surprising amount of damage.

[fpv_gtho]

Not first hand experience per se, but my mothers been rear ended in her old '73 Fairmont that left her very shaken (and similar comparative panel damage between the Commodore and Camry in your story) and my brother also t boned his VH SS into a RFS Landcruiser, which whilst left him unscathed (but still in hospital, the news of which unsettled me fairly heavily), his friend who was also in the car had a fractured sternum from the seatbelt.

[SlickHolden]

Take it from me, They are much stronger at the rear then the front all cars, even my car. I was hit in the rear by a after 2002 model camry and the hit in the rear pulled my neck out, No damage too my car but marks on the camry.
Last year my mum was at the lights and this Renault hit her in the rear very hard at a red light... Anyway that hurt her and her friend in the car, Damage scratches... Damage too this guys car would have been replace bumper and fog lights grill almost headlights.. But just goes too show the rear is so much stronger but it hurts the body.
When i hit the SUV in the rear my car looked bad.. But i didn't feel the impact it was that light.

MSN it takes a trained eye too spot the VR-VS difference Sometimes you don't want too look that hard.. Like picking whats VL series 1-2 difference ???? Glad they do it better now a days.

[Matra et Alpine]

VERY few designers take the time and expensive to build in very complex deformation structures at the rear. Any impact forces the occupants IN to the seats so it isn't as important as forward crumple zones for safety and often they're protecting the fuel tank where 100% protection is more important than force absorption

[SlickHolden]

Fuel tank bottom rear like mine.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I can pick a VR/VS by looking at it.

But only if the wheels are standard i'm a hubcap/alloy anorak.

[fpv_gtho]

Isnt the interior trim the only other visual difference? If you were good at propping up bonnets of locked cars, that'd make it alot easier.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Badging perhaps would make a difference. and some colours may be model exclusive.

[nota]

Isnt the interior trim the only other visual difference? If you were good at propping up bonnets of locked cars, that'd make it alot easier.

Another way to tell IIIRC is the VS has those trim inserts in the grille nostrils whereas the VR does not

[Mr. Jinx]

Also, the Holden badge on the VR is black, chrome-ringed, with a chrome diagram of the "old" Holden lion. Whilst on the VS, the Holden badge is all silver, with a 3-dimensional Holden lion, in a new design - same as the one today

[Blue Supra]

^^ beat me to it...

[clutch-monkey]

i can tell a VN.... it's usually the one thats crashed into a ditch.

[nota]

i can tell a VN.... it's usually the one thats crashed into a ditch.

It'd be fasinating to compare crash statistics between Holden VN & Ford EA ..