"Peter Parker" <nospam (AT) zero (DOT) com> wrote

An insurance company will not recommend used airbags. A while ago I read where
one company had a HUGE judgment against them because they only paid for a used
airbag, which failed to inflate in a subsequent collision. As you noted, you can
find used airbags, but don't expect any guarantee they will work. Depending on
how the donor car was damaged, how the airbag was removed, stored, and
installed, it can be damaged and left unworkable.

--
Tony Bad

02 Jetta Wagon
01 Eurovan MV
91 Jetta 1.6 Diesel
86 Jetta
79 Rabbit 1.5 Diesel (semi-retired for now)
Schwinn Continental 10 Speed
Radio Flyer Pedal Car (my daughter made me add this)

You're right. The carmakers never bothered to test them.

Were you joking when you wrote this? I was...
While I won't say they are the next best thing to sliced bread
I can say they've tested them in the standard condition where
the occupant is in their seat and wearing the seat belt properly.


In article <Xns94936EC0DEFD2nospmnowherecom (AT) 216 (DOT) 196.97.131>,
Bingo <nospm (AT) nowhere (DOT) com> wrote:

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 09:53:29 -0600, Bingo <nospm (AT) nowhere (DOT) com> wrote:

The entire purpose of the side air bags is a collision where you are
broadsided. Instead of your head and body impacting the side of the
car/side door glass (and stopping in millimeters) you impact the
airbag. This gives you a few extra inches for your head/body to
deccelerate, thus likely saving your life.

Scott

Well, why don't YOU price out what the repairs would be... sometimes you can
get a certain amount and still keep the car... and get it fixed. Insurance
companies use a program that usually gets a price quote of NEW parts from
the dealer if they are available... when someone rearended my 87 cabriolet,
they were going to total the car because the bumper (which had a minor
almost unnoticeable dent) was $300-$350 (unpainted) and the trunk lid was
$600-$650 (again unpainted) so w're looking at $900-$1000 just for TWO parts
of a car they only valued at $1700, not to mention any of the body damage
beside the trunk and getting the car repainted... there was NO damage to the
engine/drivetrain/frame... and they were only valueing it so low because at
the time it had 189,000 miles on it (happy to say it now has over 195,000).
I made a deal with them to only value the car at $1500 (the state of FL has
certain rules about totalled vehocles... basically they dont care if it is
valued at under $1500... $1501 and the car would not be street legal) and
give me near that amount for the repairs and I would take care of it...
Well, I got the trunk operable again, but I never actually made the repairs
(waiting to rebuild the car at 200,000 miles). Car runs great, but doesn't
look as great... is perfectly safe... AND... I had a parts car with a good
back end, that I had paid $250 or $350 for, so I ended up making money off
the parts I would have had to purchase...

basically, see what they would do if you wanted to keep the car and make the
rpairs... if you have a good car then you might want to hold on to it...
none of my cars have airbags and i dont see the need for them... the only
injuries i have had in the 4 accidents I have been in were from seatbelts
and one permanent one from my knee hitting the dash... an airbag is NOT
going to prevent those injuries :-/


"Komang" <komang (AT) here (DOT) iam> wrote

I don't see why used airbags would not work... maybe rebuilt ones, but used
ones should work as well as the ones on his car did... I set off an airbag
at school one day that had been sitting on the shelf for 10 years and there
was nothing wrong with it... it's just a chemical reaction so far as i
know...


"Tony Bad" <SpamSpamSpam (AT) bakedbeans (DOT) spam> wrote

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