Volvo For Life - Your Not Kidding!!!
 

Hi all!

Long time no speak!

Glad to see this site all back up & running, but just wanted to give everyone a good reason to show you all why you have made such a good choice buying a volvo!

4 weeks ago I was hit head on by a 6 1/2 ton recovery truck going too fast down a country lane near Harrogate, causing him to spin out, then hit me head on, with him travelling backwards towards me.

I have been told without any certain terms that if I wasnt in the car I was in, I would more than certainly be dead!

I was left with a badly dislocated ankle, whiplash & bruising, but I can only commend the car on how well it coped with the impact, because im pretty sure it wasnt designed to take the severity of the impact it did, and the pedal box & cabin were still intact!

To put it in to context, the recovery truck itself had to be recovered as it had ripped out its back axle!

Unfortunately it means my V70 AWD is now no longer with us, and is now a category B writeoff with approx 16.5k worth of damage, ouch!!!

Pictures attached!

Forgot to say that when im payed out, ill definitely be buying another, although I dont really want to be a crash test dummy again!

So now it will be either classic V70, P2 V70, or a C70, think its time for some T5 action now, rather than LPT!

Steve

Well, you car is scrap but at least you can be repaired........

Hope they pay out fast for you............ maybe you could get some personal injury compo too? If the guy was driving like a jackass you should milk his insurance for every penny possible...... :car-smiley-003:

I have a solicitors on to it now, so going the whole hog for the car, personal injury, loss of earnings etc...

That is already in hand!!!!

Steve

In total five vehicles have driven into the back of my 850, all were taken away on a tow truck, I have so far always driven away.

Thats why I always drive Volvo, when I go on business trips abroad I look for the V70 taxi. Then I bore the buggers to death telling them about my 400,000 mile plus 850 tdi :-)

Glad to hear you're safe thanks to the Volvo. Looking at the photos made me think though, surely we'd all be safer in left hand drive cars?

These type of on-coming collisions nearly always stove in the right hand side and thus, the driver too, so why don't we all sit on the other side out of harms way?

good god thats a mess glad your ok (for the most part) every time i see pics like this it makes me glad i drive what an ovlov

good luck with the ins and the new ovlov

i think volvo h.q. would be interested in your photographs, they do request ones of severe collisions which help their research.

I can say I really do appreciate the safety of these cars, and ever more so with a car that was approaching ten years old, and had nearly done 150,000 mls, just a shame its gone, just a bit surreal as its as if that isnt my car on those pictures, it was a bloody good car too!!!

Steve

I think they would, have thought about sending the photos away to them, and to take on something weighing three times as much as its own weight, and more crucially to remain structurally intact in the cabin its amazing!

Check out how rippled the roof is!!!

Steve

Ouch!. Good to hear your are in one piece though " well sort of ".I have yet to come across anyone who regrets buying a Volvo after a crash.The safety issue was why i bought my first

You are making me think twice about changing car.... Hope you are better soon tho!!

After saying the photos I would only look for another Volvo.
Glad your safe.
Best of luck with the insurance company.
Jim

It was one of my thoughts at the time, mainly because of cost of petrol etc, but in the grand scheme of things, is it really worth scrimping on a bit of petrol if it means the difference between life / death or losing limbs etc???

You should send those pics' to Top Gear , perhaps they would like to replecate the accident with a Magane.
Glad you are relelatively unscathed.

Mike

That thing would destroy 2 maganes, never mind 1!!

just glad you are o.k. there, it just goes to prove that, and i quote 'an old mans car' is far better safety wise than most of the latest so called super safe cars, i am more than happy with my 6th volvo and love em', hope you get better quick there mate, volvo's always prove themselves.....

Happy to hear you are relatively unscathed, that looks like a hell of an impact, testament to the build quality of these superb cars.
Volvo for life and how!!!

Just moved the thread to showroom.

Glad your ok. The car can be replaced. You cant.

Accident....
 

I am very glad you are OK - that is all that matters - metal can be replaced!

Whilst taking my daughter to Pleasurewood Hills in July, the third party coming the other way had failed to see the traffic in front of her stop, and so pulled out into my path to avoid going into the back of stationary traffic. I do hope she genuinely thought she could make a third lane on a narrow road, as opposed to thinking a head on smash would be better than a rear end into stationary traffic!

I do not scare easily, and have had my fair share of prangs in the past, but all at relatively slow speed, just with metal damage, never injury - thankfully.

The third party bounced of the side of my wife's Corsa (car written off) and no-one was seriously hurt. Had she been six inches further over I would not be writing this, but would be dead. It was a sobering thought.

The Corsa was great - 55mpg, cheap to run etc. and a replacement widely available.

I still however keep coming back to the fact that I nearly died. I had always assumed I would see an accident coming, and have enough time to take avoiding action - reality is nothing like this - it was instant.

So now I am looking for a Volvo to protect my wife and daughter, and as later model as possible with as many safety features as possible.

The Volvo produced 'LIV' magazine do articles on 'Volvo Saved My Life' - I am sure they would be interested.

Once again - I am glad you are OK!

Chris

2 weeks ago I was minding my own business doing 121mph* when I went to brake for a corner and BANG - my rear trailing arm declared independance - annexing part of the chassis with it. I hit a stationary object at over 75mph* - but both myself and my father walked out without injury

See here

* Measured via the still working GPS logger

All I can say is it is a bloody good job I have a roll cage!!

Volvos are the safiest cars.I think everyone who has one knows....Thank god you are Ok .

my thoughts too

when the time comes to replace my 855T5 it will be with another Volvo :car:


http://tanakatire.web.infoseek.co.jp...O_for_life.gif

That looks like quite an impact! Glad to hear your more or less fine :)

When I was a kid I used to quite like Ford Sierras (As well as Volvos naturally ;)) However after my dad accidently went into the back of one at probably about 30mph (maybe more I can't remember) I wasn't quite as keen...

'82? Volvo 240: Bent bonnet, broken headlight and gasp a cracked grill (although damn expensive from the dealer!). Some of this damage was probably due to the car landing in a ditch afterwards. We drove it around for a while afterwards with a boarded up headlight! Shame insurance company wrote it off (car was 9 years old). I'm sure someone will have fixed it up.

'84ish Ford Sierra: Bent shell resulting in the doors jammed shut and the passengers (who weren't even seat belted) having to climb out the windows! The back naturally was all smashed.

So what did we do? Buy a Volvo 740 :D

Aaaaagh, no, the thought of how much earache I'd get if Our Lass were on the side that got hit most.....

Having seen just how much damage can happen in even a low speed impact, I am quite happy I drive a Volvo.
The only accident I have ever been in was a very low speed one resulting in a little bit of damage to a bumper, but my brother has been in quite a few, and I have seen some of the cars afterwards. What I have seen makes me like my Volvo even more, as I have also seen how well they stand up to impacts.
My father's '79 245 has been rear ended in traffic 3 times that I know of, and those "stupid ugly bumpers" have meant that each time the other car has been towed away and the Volvo has had only minor marks on the rubber.
Volvo for life!

The Sierra was probably the first Ford that was designed with any sort of safety in mind but any sort of shunt pulls the shell completely out of shape. When I was young and foolish (32) I managed to put one sideways into a bollard at about 20mph. The bollard hit on the quarter panel and none of the doors would open afterwards.

When I was even younger I managed to have a collision similar to the one here with a bus which was overtaking a roadsweeper when I was driving a 1983 Ford Orion. I walked away from that with nothing more than cuts, bruises, whiplash, broken teeth, a broken jaw and a shattered cheekbone, all of which required surgery to put right.

My interest in my Mini waned with the dawning realisation that the results of an accident weren't going to be pretty.

I have to say I feel quite happy that my wife is driving our kids around in an S40.

Glad to hear you got out of that ok!! Lucky escape!

Makes you realise how safe the cars are to be honest..

Well I guess all I can say to everyone is thankyou for the messages of support, and I am on the mend, I'm just praying that this stupid cast on my foot doesnt have to be a part of my life for much longer!!!

I just thought it would be fitting to prove just how safe these cars are, and to be honest without all the help from this forum for the past year I probably wouldnt still have had it!

Its funny when you get the "jesus christ, how the hell did you walk away from that" reaction when people see the photos, but I think considering what happened I did get off lighly, although I would prefer not to do it again had I have been given a choice!!

I'm quite impressed my post has got a 5 star rating, although im not sure what this means!

Steve

I'm quite impressed my post has got a 5 star rating, although im not sure what this means! "A 5 star crash rating" What does it mean?

Glad that you are OK. It certainly was some impact. I was thinking of a 1998 volvo 940 for ease of servicing and maintenance as I could repair most of it myself but I think I will now buy a 5 year old VOLVO V70 as it is a safer car.
If I was living in the UK I would buy a volvo V70 bi fuel. Petrol/LPG. Saw a 2004 V70 bi-fuel for 7,700 pounds. We may sell our 2007 LHD toyota corolla D4D and buy a RHD volvo V70 and get it LPG converted in France, as the UK Lpg system does not conform to French regs apparently. GPL/LPG is 75- 79cents a litre. Diesel 1euro 28.9cents a litre. 98 1euro38.
Best regards. James.

HOLY POO!!! Glad you're ok

Air filter looks good for a few more miles:thumbs_up::thumbs_up:

LOL @ Georgey.....

Suppose in car terms it was wearing a clean pair of underpants then, as you never know when your air filters going to be on show in public!

I only serviced it back in july, had only done about a thousand miles on the new oil & filters!

Its a bloody shame it happened, it certainly had one of the better LPT engines thats for sure!

Steve

The rating system is there for forum users to rate threads for the benefit of others, perhaps to highlight threads relating to particularly interesting articles or other must-read content.

In this instance I rated the thread with 5 stars to attract attention as I believe the images you've posted serve as a stark reminder to all of us that driving can sometimes be extremely hazardous, especially with some of the idiots we see frequenting our roads. I was imagining how it might've turned out if that'd been me in my Mk1 Pug 106! If what you've posted reminds someone to fasten their seat belt tomorrow, or take it a little easier next time they're B-roading, it could even save someones life.

That's quite an impact you've had, and I'm glad to hear that you've come away from it! A tribute to the superb build of the cars we love :thumbs_up:

I guess Ford didn't realise at the time that its only sections of the car that should be crumple zones, not the entire car! Probably why they bought Volvo in the first place!

The Orion crash didn't sound too bad initially till I finished reading :o (Nicely written though :)) My uncles mate managed to crash his Peugeot 205 GTi years and years ago in similar circumstances although he ended up hitting a tree and had the complimentary stay in hospital after.

Steve

Truly amazing that you made it through the crash... What a car to take such a big hit...

Sorry to hear about your injuries and I hope you're up and running very soon... in your new Volvo of choice!

Kind regards

Steve

Glad to hear your on the mend.

I had a accident last year in a 960. It was written off as not financially viable to repair. But even with a bent B pillar I drove it until I was paid out, the other car was lifted onto a flatbed.

Average mileage per year is 10,000 .And lets say Volvo,s average 30 mpg where other makes of car would average 40mpg. To keep it simple petrol is £5 per gallon,and that means your paying £8 per week extra in fuel to run a Volvo.Add to that the safety issues and reliability of Volvo,s and that 8 quid is nothing !:teeth_smile:

Thats a mess! Glad your ok though!

I recently had a num nuts in 2004 pug 607 plough into the rear wing, rear corner of my 88 740. He hit me at about 30mph. As it hit I saw all bits of glass, plastic etc flying about in the rear view mirror so when I got out I feared the worst! I needent have, my exhaust tail pipe was slightly bent, rear bumper scuffed and a tiny crack in the light lense!
His car was almost a wright off! one of the doors wouldnt even open!

Says alot about volvos I think!

An update folks...

After 6 (extremely long....) weeks i've finally managed to ditch the cast on my leg, so im looking at a few bouts of physio to bring normal movement back to the leg, so well on the road to recovery, its just funny how much you take for granted just even walking normally!

Just glad the car saved me from it being any worse!

Steve

good to hear the cast is off,how are doing with the claim?you should have cost of car by now ,if they say they are waiting till your better,which is reasonable, ask for an interim payment in order to replace the car,if you are breaking it keep us informed ,regards malcolmk