Fri 27th June.
Nasty smash near Bristol
- Thread starter Landy Andy
- Start date
funflair
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Of course a PVC is a metal box and is going to fare much better in a shunt, I guess that is a risk we accept when we choose our style of vehicle.
OP
OP
Inside lane of motorway and hit by a lorry. I would like to question what speed it was doing.
But less damage to the occupiers.
OP
OP
Anything hit up the arse by a big lorry is going to suffer, and possibly you could say a straight impact on the rear the passengers are better off in a van where the rear folds and absorbs the impact,
- Jun 30, 2011
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I saw a smash, it wasn’t even a bad one but the coach built roller team broke up on the whole side like a paper bag, a bit of wood and hardboard.
I hope ours would fare better than that.
I hope ours would fare better than that.
OP
OP
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- Jun 30, 2011
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I’m not sure, but it really shook me up just seeing it, I know you read things about construction but when you see it, wowI’m sure mine wouldn’t. They are made light
I vowed never to get one of those but are they all the same?
OP
OP
I think if you have a plastic skin, stuck to kindling with polystyrene and then wafer thin ply it is never going to end well. Aluminium skinned would be better but not much.
A PVC has a proper structure.
Perfect photo to post in any threads enquiring if it's safe for passengers to nip in the back for a snooze!
captainPaul
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One of my work vans LWB VW Crafter clipped by a Min bin pushed my parked van 3 or 4 metres up the road, bent the whole chassis and wrote it off! 
Grianan
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I have a PVC and I think in that kind of accident it would be badly damaged. Sometimes a write off is better than a repair.
captainPaul
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I actually think the wee mini was put back on the road again after writing my van off! Lol
GJH
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It isn't always what is obvious. When our first motorhome was hit at the rear offside corner by a Asda home delivery van the panel damage didn't look all that bad but the impact moved the rear end of the motorhome approximately 2 feet or so such that the rear nearside wheel ended up on the pavement with the tyre half torn off, the washroom door (which was at the corner hit) fell off, the cooker (against the rear panel) shifted several inches and the battery shifting broke the locker door (though held by the strap so didn't fall out).
When it was hit at the front two days later by a Corsa it looked like the damage was confined to the front bumper but the cab was out of line with the body.
The motorhome was written off but put back on the road by a subsequent owner. It is currently on SORN with MoT expired October 2023 so was on the road for about 10 years after the write off.
Photos at https://www.gjh.me.uk/smash/
When it was hit at the front two days later by a Corsa it looked like the damage was confined to the front bumper but the cab was out of line with the body.
The motorhome was written off but put back on the road by a subsequent owner. It is currently on SORN with MoT expired October 2023 so was on the road for about 10 years after the write off.
Photos at https://www.gjh.me.uk/smash/
JockandRita
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It probably would Paul, with the body being metal framed as well as aluminium clad, and on an strong Iveco chassis.
Cheers,
Jock.
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My comment was focussed on passenger safety rather than survivability of the vehicle. If I should be unluck enough to have an RTA I would like to be alive and well enough to fill in the claim form!!
Last edited:
- Oct 29, 2021
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A mere scuff to some back street chop shop.
One careful owner, full service history sir.
Correct. Its shocking to see the damage a heavy lorry can inflict on lighter vehicles. I do however think there should be a standard to have more strength in motorhome bodywork, some are unbelievably flimsy.Anything hit up the arse by a big lorry is going to suffer, and possibly you could say a straight impact on the rear the passengers are better off in a van where the rear folds and absorbs the impact,
OP
OP
They can’t though due to the amount of crap people want to carry. They already struggle with weight, unlike yours.
Is a properly made and jointed aluminium sandwich ( using decent thickness) going to be much heavier than the wood they currently use¿
captainPaul
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Just bought a wee Porsche a couple of weeks back and hope I don't get a rear shunt in the arse of it, the engine is a work of art
OP
OP
I don’t think swapping GRP panels for Ali, and sticks to light weight Ali channel would make much difference in being rear ended in accident.
lunarman
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I posted on New thread before reading this one.
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Except, generally the occupants are in the drivers cap area which is metal so not necessarily much greater risk. (excepting those travelling with children/extra passengers)
Of course - not sure about A class's.
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N& B have a video of when they crash-tested a Flair in head-on accident. It survived quite well, but rear-ender from heavily laden lorry might be different.
I don't think anything short of a Chieftain tank would not really crumple if hit by 40 tons even at 10 mph. I saw the result of a container lorry hitting the back of another container lorry on the A14 a few years back. The cab of the rear lorry was simply a pile of scrap. and the container it hit was about 2/3's of its length with one side looking like a badly blown tin of corned beef.
OP
OP
All depends on each accident. If stationary and a big old lorry piles in most things are going to crumble, but that isn’t the normal accident. Most are glancing, blows and speed has been reduced, but even then a coach build just collapses like a bit of ikea furniture unlike a solid structure.
lunarman
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More information.
Severe delays and two lanes closed due to debris on road and accident, a caravan, car and a lorry involved on M5 Avonmouth Bridge Southbound from J18 M49 to J19 A369 Martcombe Road (Portishead).
Lanes three and four (of four) [open]. Recovery on scene.
It seems there was a coming together of the motorhome and a car transporter lorry.
Severe delays and two lanes closed due to debris on road and accident, a caravan, car and a lorry involved on M5 Avonmouth Bridge Southbound from J18 M49 to J19 A369 Martcombe Road (Portishead).
Lanes three and four (of four) [open]. Recovery on scene.
It seems there was a coming together of the motorhome and a car transporter lorry.
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