Let’s settle this debate once and for all. Are new cars safer than old cars? Now, hear me out. On the top of my head, newer is always better. However, there are a lot of people claim that older cars are safer for the following reasons:
- Older cars were bigger
- Older cars were fully made out of metal.
- Older cars were made of stronger metal.
Let’s discuss each one.
Are New Cars Safer than Old Cars?
1. Older Cars Were Bigger
There’s some truth to this claim. Older cars were indeed bigger. This was mostly because during the early ’80s and 90’s, the world didn’t have any problems with over congestion of cities. Plus, bigger cars were created for a specific demographic. Nowadays, a good number of cars (of the same name) are smaller in size and even newer cars come in half the size of their predecessors.
But is bigger always better? Not usually the case. A bigger car means a bigger target. Also, being bigger means you take up a lot of room on the road. It’s easy to hit a pole or another car because you didn’t “expect” you’d hit them. The car’s size has absolutely nothing to do with its safety. Size only affects how many you can get in the car and how big of a space you take on the road.
Older Cars Were Fully Made Out of Metal
True, a lot of older cars have a lower metal to plastic ratio. A lot of older car owners think the rising use of plastic (and “softer” metals) in their cars mean they are not as safe as their full metal cars. If anything, older cars were much heavier.
Basically, what you have is a metal cage. Also, worth noting is that our understanding of metals back then is not as good as what we know now. We have a better understanding of how metals act under pressure, how they bend, why they bend, and how to make them better. With this understanding, engineers have found ways to reduce the amount of metal needed to make a car (to make them lighter, faster, and easier to control) while still ensuring the passengers are safe.
Older Cars Were Made of Stronger Metal
Not true. While older cars were made of thicker metals, this does not mean they were stronger. Please understand that a time difference of 20 years can mean a lot of advancements in metallurgy. Metals used in cars in the 1990s was great back in the 1990s, but it’s nothing to what we have now.
While the majority of the cars we have now have a thinner metal housing, we have a much better understanding of metallurgy, allowing us to come up with better alloys. Better alloys mean better strength and durability.
Why Are Newer Cars Safer, Then?
So, are new cars safer than old cars?
Yes! Newer cars are a lot safer than older cars because we already learned a lot about metals, cars, and what happens in accidents. Engineers and car manufacturers have studied various accidents and mishaps to come up with a solution to what puts a person in danger during a collision. By tweaking and upgrading the design over the years, car manufacturers have created cars that put the passengers at their safest during an accident.
Not to mention the myriad of safety standards we have developed over the years. Newer cars have airbags, roll bars, and better metal cages. All these developments were created to ensure the safety of all passengers. There are countless stories you can read on the Internet about people saved by an airbag or the car’s traction control. You are less likely to die or suffer a debilitating injury with a modern car than with an older car. That’s a fact.
Old Or New, Get Your Car Checked at T3 Atlanta
Whether your car is old or new, it’s always important to have your car checked to ensure all safety features are in tip-top shape. The helpful mechanics at T3 Atlanta can help you by doing a systematic maintenance check of all the safety features in your car to ensure they perform when you need them. Whether you need routine maintenance, a regular checkup, or in-depth work on your vehicle, T3 Atlanta can help. Give us a call today!
A lot of things can come up on a road trip. Sometimes this means having your car break down in the middle of nowhere. Or being caught in a massive thunderstorm. Either way, it’s always better to know you have an emergency car kit in tow for such moments. A summer road trip emergency car kit does not need to be very large. As a matter of fact, it’s better if you pack as light as possible while making sure you have the essentials. An emergency car kit should include:
A lot of us bring our pets on our summer road trips and that’s not a bad idea. Pets enjoy having fun with their owners and you wouldn’t want to leave them out, right? But you have to make sure your pet is ready for the road trip. Aside from that, you need to ensure you brought all the essentials for your pet so he/she can better enjoy the road trip.
The last thing you want on a road trip is being stuck on the road because your car broke down. Taking your beloved car for a maintenance check is quick and painless and can assure you of a lovely road trip. In case mechanics find issues with your car, they can just provide the solution to make sure you are safe on the road.
Once you see the temperature gauge rising, don’t panic. One thing to note is that the car won’t explode. Panicking might cause you to make erratic decisions and this can be quite problematic, especially when you are on a highway. Just relax and monitor the rise. Is it rising to fast? Is the rise slow but steady? After you have composed yourself, follow the steps below.
After you turn the AC off, you should see the temperature gauge either going down or at least the rise is slowed down. To further help your engine out, turn on the heater on full blast.
The first thing you need to check as soon as the car has cooled down is the radiator. Open the cap and see if there is enough coolant in there. If you think the radiator is empty you should go and top it off. Now, not everyone has the proactiveness needed to consider carrying a gallon of coolant in the car so adding water is a good alternative. Try to turn the ignition key and turn on the AC, all the fans should be running. If you spot one fan that’s not running that could be the problem.
A lot of groups have had the chance to test the mileage of various vehicles while running the AC and having the windows down. One of them, called the Society of Automotive Engineers, finally sought after the answer to the question in a scientific way.
Normally, you’d want to have your AC serviced at least once a year. Think of it as a yearly checkup where the technicians ensure your AC is clean from dust, pollen, and gunk while making sure it is working as intended. If need be, expert AC technicians will check and clean every component of the AC system on your car.
The simple answer is that wheel alignment is the process where a mechanic ensures there is a proper alignment of your car’s wheels. In more depth, the process involves adjusting suspension components to bring the wheels into specific angles.
On a daily basis, your wheels and whole suspension system takes a beating. Every bump you hit, pothole you encounter, and every curb you get into contact with affects the suspension system. If you want your car to be in pristine condition, then a wheel alignment should be part of your maintenance checklist.
Most mechanics would give you the “at least twice a year” answer and while that is not wrong, it’s not right either. A wheel alignment schedule should be fluid.
I don’t know about you, but when I was younger, I had this weird voice inside my head to consistently top off my gas every chance I got. I’m not sure if it was the irrational fear of running out of gas in the middle of nowhere (which is usually the start of some horror movies) or just the thought of making sure the car is filled up all the time.
Unless you have a broken axle or anything tire related that makes the car unmovable, you should consider pushing the car especially when it’s in the middle of the road.
The first thing you need to consider before pushing your car out of the road is the area. How busy is the street and is it safe for you to push? When you are in a very busy highway, then you might want to take your chances with putting up your early warning signs first.
Alright, let’s assume that you are not a totally clueless driver and you actually noticed the fuel gauge dropping to E as in “Empty”. If you are in the city the first thing you need to do is to find the nearest gasoline station. While reaching the gasoline station just as the car starts to putter is the target, that might not be the case.
This one can get a bit tricky. When you run out of gas on the road, you simply can’t do the same things as in the city. First thing you need to do is assess how far you are from the nearest gas station. Depending on where you are this can mean a few hundred meters to a few miles. If the gas station is within walking distance, you can take your chances of making the trip. However, you can only do this on places that you know are safe.
When we are car hunting, we often have this idea of looking for what we want first before setting out for the day. Oftentimes, we already have the car we want in our head so when we find one we automatically feel like that’s the car you are taking home.
If you feel like you are getting overwhelmed by the information you are taking in then don’t hesitate to take down notes. Get a notebook and jot down the stuff that you noticed on each car.
Want to really evaluate the car? Turn the radio and air conditioning off but leave the windows up. This is so you can hear any noises emanating from the car. You might hear an unusual noise from time to time and this can be indicative of a problem. If you do hear an unusual sound, try to isolate it by changing speeds, gears, or stopping.
While it will be your decision that will matter in the end, having an expert take a look at the car can help you ensure you aren’t buying a dud. Our experts at T3 Atlanta can help you make a more informed decision by doing a quick check on the car during your test drive. We can point out issues that you might miss or any pointers for you during your car hunt. Call us today to schedule a test drive or checkup.
