S8 dead!!!

[builder22]

Glad to hear that you are ok after that, very scary situation.

[Just_Ben]

Thanks guys. Apreciate it!
Insurance inspecting car tomorrow!

[briang9]

glad everyone OK

[HPsauce]

I think the only reason I got away with buying my S8 was the "safety" argument.

But then SWMBO had walked away from being rear-ended at 60mph while static at a red light, due to being in a big, strong car. It literally had a bend in EVERY panel and the boot lid was well into the back seats; luckily she was alone.
(confession; it was an Austin Ambassador, and we got more from the insurers than we paid for it!)

[Night Train]

I'm glad everyone's OK Ben, sorry about the car though....

Bill Blank's experience is yet another testament to the safety/ strength/ build quality of these magnificent vehicles.

[Reffro]

I hope you don't mind Ben but I thought I'd illustrate the post with your pictures of the car...

[Just_Ben]

Thats her!

Pictures dont do it justice though. I'll post pics of with bonnet up - engine and box are ripped from the car! Even snapped the steering rack from it's mounts!! Been looking around it this morning and shes a mess.
If you look at the front, the front panel is still in line with the bumper as it bent the chassis legs - it's 9" out of line with centre of the passenger cell! Even though shes that twsted, all doors open fine and the engine, that was sat on the floor, was still running!!

[jayzee]

Originally Posted by Reffro

I hope you don't mind Ben but I thought I'd illustrate the post with your pictures of the car...

What a b@stard looking at that!

Glad you are all okay

[Adrian E]

Amazing how the properties of aluminium result in a totally different pattern of damage to a steel car. Looks like the whole front end has shifted across so it doesn't align with the rear? On a steel car I'd expect more damage to translate up and across to the A pillar and screen etc from the longitudinal members taking more load backwards into the structure of the car. On an ali car the whole structure crumples more and absorbs energy that way.

Ali is great in cars until the fire brigade have to cut the roof off, then they really struggle as the cutters just crush the ali like a coke can and don't actually cut it without several goes! Seen a virtually brand new Jag XJ-R cut up at a demo to make the point.....

[edit - for the 2nd time today I'm posting in a thread on different sites where the previous posts weren't visible till after I submitted my reply - must be a glitch in Firefox or something......]