l300 vs l400 - crash safety

[CascadiaAdventures]

Hi!
I'm fairly new to delicas, but I've done a few weeks of research. I was just wondering if, in a head on collision, l400s are signigicantly safer than l300s. I know that the airbags and front engine make it safer, but I was wondering how bad it is in a l300? Are my legs totally screwed? I am most interested in l300s from 1991 onwards.
Thanks!

[Yokohama]

So that you understand, I own an USA Spec L300 and am aware of the crash issues with it. I have thought about adding some reinforcement and/or a bull bar for the front end.

L300 crash test:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTPTTn0CJl0
L400 crash test:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrDBj2Ebjls

[CascadiaAdventures]

Thanks for those! What kind of reinforcement can be done to an L300?

[FalcoColumbarius]

For one, the L300 in that vid is an Express Wagon, not a Delica Starwagon. Not sure how similar the Hyundai Starex is to the Space Gear but the vehicle in the second vid is a Starex. We have a member in this club, Josh, whose wife was driving home one night on the Number 16 Hwy, doing 80 kliks in a Starwagon. There was a drunken driver coming the other way, presumably doing 80, maybe more, drifted into wife's lane and created a head on collision. Starwagon went into a spin, taking out another vehicle and landed wheels down in a ditch. Both the other vehicles were totalled. The Starwagon was still driveable, wife was shaken up but fine. I'm sure if she drove into a static surface, such as a concrete wall ~ then the outcome would have been different.

As far as air bags go ~ there have been incidents of reconstructive surgery, or even death because of the air bag.

The Starwagon weighs two tonnes, you also sit high. I've driven my Starwagon for seven years, had a couple of near misses, like going into a sideways skid at 50 kliks to miss the other party, I feel secure. I've had people come up to me and say "I wouldn't want to be in an accident in that vehicle" ~ to which I reply "what kind of vehicle would you like to be in an accident in?" Most people don't look very far, like most in traffic that don't look beyond the the bumper of the car in front ~ and lately not much further beyond their android. There is much assumption. Many think Delicas are "top heavy" ~ I've had mine at 50° lateral, didn't fall over ('though I was cautious).

There are always at least two sides to the story and just because it's on the internet doesn't guarantee the information is accurate.

Falco.

[Shaun Van Ramen]

I, very recently, got the front of my '91 L300 clipped by another vehicle. I was doing around 50Kph and they were near dead-slow. The Bull bar (or cactus-masher as we called them from where I used to live) made a big diff. My left front corner is good and tagged (still drivable) but they got the worst of it. Granted it wasn't head on, but I am still surprised at how well SvR survived.

Pics after I finalize the claim.

[konadog]

Don't crash.....

[Yokohama]

For one, the L300 in that vid is an Express Wagon, not a Delica Starwagon

I can't imagine that the crash protection would be all that much better in the Starwagon in the type of collision shown.

I'm sure if she drove into a static surface, such as a concrete wall ~ then the outcome would have been different.

I will agree with that; the fact that the other car was not a fixed object, probably had something to do with the outcome.

As far as air bags go ~ there have been incidents of reconstructive surgery, or even death because of the air bag.

I have also heard of the issues with airbags. However, I credit airbags to helping my brother (who now lives in Vancouver) walk away from a rollover crash in his Honda Fit. The Fit had deployed just the right airbag, for him to avoid injury. The Fit was super totaled, but he only had a scratch!

The Bull bar (or cactus-masher as we called them from where I used to live) made a big diff. My left front corner is good and tagged (still drivable) but they got the worst of it. Granted it wasn't head on, but I am still surprised at how well SvR survived.

That is why I am considering one; how much weight does the bar add?

[josh]

I have no worries about driving an L300. Like Falco said, my wife faired quite well in her head on. The vehicle cab interior was not altered at all.

That said, you can get airbags on later model L300's. The late 90's early 2000's were equipped with them.

Josh.