These following sites of government bodies crash test almost every car. You can check to see how safe is your car in case of a crash.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/testing/ncap (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, USA)
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ratings.htm (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, USA)
http://www.aaa.asn.au/ancap.htm (Australian New Car Assessment Program, Australia)

FYI:

1. Korean cars e.g. Daewoo Leganza & Hyundai Elantra are poor performers.
2. Some of the good brands also have high injury potential e.g. Nissan Sunny, Infiniti Q45.

In a similar accident in which you will escape un-hurt if you are in a Honda Civic/Toyota Corolla, in the Korean cars, you will come out with a broken bone somewhere.

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Don't take life too seriously, it aint permanent.

You are little late . Recently, after selling my old car, I have purchased a new suzuki car. When I was purchasing that car. My approach was toward its price and patrol consumption. As you know it is very difficult to maintain car expenditures on monthly salary alone. Yes you can think over this point as in saudia arabia everybody has its own good car. They can afford but in pakistan it is very difficult to purchase a car. Even a motor cycle price is equal to suzuki 98 model.

[ 02. November 2003, 12:56: Message edited by: Arshad ]

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Principal
Prof Dr. Arshad Sheikh, M.Sc, DHMS, RHMP
Government Zamindar Degree Science Collge, G.T Rd
Visiting Prof, Tahir Homeopathic Medical College.

Good idea for a tread--
A car is only as save as its driver first of all--, but--
We drive a Volvo 1992 940 estate in a country where the highest spead is 60 miles/hour.
i maintain the car myself as a bit of a hobby and it is spot on.

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Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath

I agree with prof dr. arshad that it is very difficult to maintain a car in Pakistan. The reason is the streets are closed. Roads are not smooth. Patrol is available on high price. In this condition, maintaining a car is a problem. Earlier I was also on motor cycle. As my house is located in a congested area where carrying car is difficult task. I have also purchased a new car. But now I am feeling difficulty where I should place it.

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<b>DR. MUJAHID HUSSAIN, DHMS, DCA (SRILANKA), RHMP<br />TAHIR HOMOEOPATHIC AND ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC, KHAN BAHADUR PLAZA,<br />CIRCULAR ROAD, GUJRAT STATE </b>

Hans, yours is one of the all time safest cars around.

Working on my car used to be my favorite past time. Don't get that spare time now as reading about homoeptahy consumes that

Regarding owning a car in Pakistan, I know the multitude of problems and can only pray that things get well.

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Don't take life too seriously, it aint permanent.

About 20 years ago i held a senior position as a car savety controler and accident assesor. this was an eyeopener job-- as we saw wht an impact a 30 mile crash can have.
so-- i would not sit into a Hyunday after having had a look at that chassis, likewise a Golf, or ford fiesta.
For the really difficult days, when there is ice and snow, or the days where all motorists are in a hurry we have this Mercedes unimog 4 wheeldrive, which is built to forestry savety standards. you would survive an 10 ton impact on the roof.
OK-- this might be a bit extreme-- but this vehicle got me out of a difficult situation already twice, where I had to attend a patient in a critical condition, and would not have made it in the Volvo because of severe flooding.
So-- money spend on a save car is money wisely spent.

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Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath

And what has the above post got to do with the price of fish?

I drive a Nissan Almera - so how bad is that one??? Wish I could afford a Merc as a homeopath. (Rubric - Envious)

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RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Ricky, only Nissan of UK (& Australia, probably) use the Almera name. I believe Almera is called the Primera in Japan, there might be difference in body shapes (hatchback or sedan). Anyway, here is the link for your car. You didn't mention the model, so I assumed it to be 1998.

It has got excellent safety stats, as good as they come in this class.

http://www.nasva.go.jp/assess/html2000e/e00f032.html

Twofingers, unfortunately, the shearing off of the bumper in no way tells you about how a car would behave in case of an accident. Bumpers are made to absorb frontal impacts. You will be amazed at how poorly ALL the car bumpers will perform when hit from side.

Hans, the Mercedes Unimog is military grade vehicle and probably 95% of the people have either never seen it or heard about it. I am surprised that you own it

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Don't take life too seriously, it aint permanent.

In Pakistan BMW is the safest car. In Pakistan people prefer to purchase small cars. In small car SANTRO is safest and has hard body. I have corolla model car. I do not need a car as my home is located near to my clinic which is on GT road (Grand Trunk Road). This is the longest road of Pakistan. The car is reserved for my kids for carrying them school and back. Sometime I use my car for traveling from my city to other city. Car in Pakistan is a status symbol otherwise we hardly need a car.

[ 09. November 2003, 00:54: Message edited by: Arshad Sheikh Homeopath ]

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Homeopath

The Primera is bigger than the Almera. My car is the 2002 model.

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RSHom - Registered Homeopath