MB longevity / how safety systems will function
01-31-2010, 11:53 AM
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2007 S 600 / '06 911 Porsche C4S cab
MB longevity / how safety systems will function
After years of switching cars and opting for new, I've decided to keep my S600 for the long haul and hence went for the extended warranty.
You see lots of 10 and 15 yr. old Mercedes on the road, but how well do all of their saftey systems work? Air bags, sensors and all the rest could deteriorate/fail or be useless after 10 years -- or not.
Anyone have any insight? Not everyone wants to keep dropping 100+ k on cars on a regular basis. An S 600 is the top of the line and a car worth keeping for its comfort/handling/options etc. But will it still do the job in 10 yrs?
You see lots of 10 and 15 yr. old Mercedes on the road, but how well do all of their saftey systems work? Air bags, sensors and all the rest could deteriorate/fail or be useless after 10 years -- or not.
Anyone have any insight? Not everyone wants to keep dropping 100+ k on cars on a regular basis. An S 600 is the top of the line and a car worth keeping for its comfort/handling/options etc. But will it still do the job in 10 yrs?
01-31-2010, 12:21 PM
#2
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There is no precise or quantitative answer...need to use CommonSense/Stats/Engineering 101 principles to judge risks for self
All structures/sensors/systems/airbags/seatbelts/brakes&tires have decay curves, shapes of which are fairly unknown even to MB engineers as tech of 2010 is radically different from tech content/networks of '00 or '90 cars...many advances over past 5 yrs in high-strength steel&glass as well as smart brakes/seatbelts and a myriad of hardware/software safety networks like PreSafe, etc
Driving is likely one's riskiest daily activity
Most who can afford $150K+ commuter cars have a high net worth and value their health/safety more than do low net worth guys
Can't ever buy back one's health if one's "economical" bet on an old car proves misjudged in that perhaps once in a lifetime major collision
Hell, many capable drivers will never have a collision in their life, so can laughingly claim, in retrospect, that all money spent for greater safety was "wasted"
Would argue one's health and daily peace of mind will always supersede a few bucks "wasted" on maximizing safety
All structures/sensors/systems/airbags/seatbelts/brakes&tires have decay curves, shapes of which are fairly unknown even to MB engineers as tech of 2010 is radically different from tech content/networks of '00 or '90 cars...many advances over past 5 yrs in high-strength steel&glass as well as smart brakes/seatbelts and a myriad of hardware/software safety networks like PreSafe, etc
Driving is likely one's riskiest daily activity
Most who can afford $150K+ commuter cars have a high net worth and value their health/safety more than do low net worth guys
Can't ever buy back one's health if one's "economical" bet on an old car proves misjudged in that perhaps once in a lifetime major collision
Hell, many capable drivers will never have a collision in their life, so can laughingly claim, in retrospect, that all money spent for greater safety was "wasted"
Would argue one's health and daily peace of mind will always supersede a few bucks "wasted" on maximizing safety
01-31-2010, 12:33 PM
#3
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There is no precise or quantitative answer...need to use CommonSense/Stats/Engineering 101 principles to judge risks for self
All structures/sensors/systems/airbags/seatbelts/brakes&tires have decay curves, shapes of which are fairly unknown even to MB engineers as tech of 2010 is radically different from tech content/networks of '00 or '90 cars...many advances over past 5 yrs in high-strength steel&glass as well as smart brakes/seatbelts and a myriad of hardware/software safety networks like PreSafe, etc
Driving is likely one's riskiest daily activity
Most who can afford $150K+ commuter cars have a high net worth and value their health/safety more than do low net worth guys
Can't ever buy back one's health if one's "economical" bet on an old car proves misjudged in that perhaps once in a lifetime major collision
Hell, many capable drivers will never have a collision in their life, so can laughingly claim, in retrospect, that all money spent for greater safety was "wasted"
Would argue one's health and daily peace of mind will always supersede a few bucks "wasted" on maximizing safety
All structures/sensors/systems/airbags/seatbelts/brakes&tires have decay curves, shapes of which are fairly unknown even to MB engineers as tech of 2010 is radically different from tech content/networks of '00 or '90 cars...many advances over past 5 yrs in high-strength steel&glass as well as smart brakes/seatbelts and a myriad of hardware/software safety networks like PreSafe, etc
Driving is likely one's riskiest daily activity
Most who can afford $150K+ commuter cars have a high net worth and value their health/safety more than do low net worth guys
Can't ever buy back one's health if one's "economical" bet on an old car proves misjudged in that perhaps once in a lifetime major collision
Hell, many capable drivers will never have a collision in their life, so can laughingly claim, in retrospect, that all money spent for greater safety was "wasted"
Would argue one's health and daily peace of mind will always supersede a few bucks "wasted" on maximizing safety
+1
01-31-2010, 03:03 PM
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BMW, Tesla, Mercedes, Porsche
If anything, airbags would need to be replaced, but I wouldn't expect the car's safety systems to fail. The thing I'd be worried about is how much more advanced cars are in 10-15 years and whether or not it would be able to withstand the other, newer cars in any sort of accident.
01-31-2010, 04:49 PM
#5
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Airbags last a long time.
I had one of the first Mercedes with an airbag, 1985 500SEC. It has a sticker that said to service the airbags after TEN years. Materials have improved. Current models do not have an airbag service interval specified.
I had one of the first Mercedes with an airbag, 1985 500SEC. It has a sticker that said to service the airbags after TEN years. Materials have improved. Current models do not have an airbag service interval specified.
01-31-2010, 05:11 PM
#6
MBWorld Fanatic!
There is no precise or quantitative answer...need to use CommonSense/Stats/Engineering 101 principles to judge risks for self
All structures/sensors/systems/airbags/seatbelts/brakes&tires have decay curves, shapes of which are fairly unknown even to MB engineers as tech of 2010 is radically different from tech content/networks of '00 or '90 cars...many advances over past 5 yrs in high-strength steel&glass as well as smart brakes/seatbelts and a myriad of hardware/software safety networks like PreSafe, etc
Driving is likely one's riskiest daily activity
Most who can afford $150K+ commuter cars have a high net worth and value their health/safety more than do low net worth guys
Can't ever buy back one's health if one's "economical" bet on an old car proves misjudged in that perhaps once in a lifetime major collision
Hell, many capable drivers will never have a collision in their life, so can laughingly claim, in retrospect, that all money spent for greater safety was "wasted"
Would argue one's health and daily peace of mind will always supersede a few bucks "wasted" on maximizing safety
All structures/sensors/systems/airbags/seatbelts/brakes&tires have decay curves, shapes of which are fairly unknown even to MB engineers as tech of 2010 is radically different from tech content/networks of '00 or '90 cars...many advances over past 5 yrs in high-strength steel&glass as well as smart brakes/seatbelts and a myriad of hardware/software safety networks like PreSafe, etc
Driving is likely one's riskiest daily activity
Most who can afford $150K+ commuter cars have a high net worth and value their health/safety more than do low net worth guys
Can't ever buy back one's health if one's "economical" bet on an old car proves misjudged in that perhaps once in a lifetime major collision
Hell, many capable drivers will never have a collision in their life, so can laughingly claim, in retrospect, that all money spent for greater safety was "wasted"
Would argue one's health and daily peace of mind will always supersede a few bucks "wasted" on maximizing safety
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01-31-2010, 09:54 PM
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'87 260E, '00 C230, 01 S500
My '87 still going strong, but I should get those airbags checked. I've only read of 1 w124 here on the forum where a piece of debris hit the airbag sensor just right that caused it to go off despite no crash. That must have been scary.
01-31-2010, 10:57 PM
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GL550, C55, 335i Coupe, vintage Mustang
I think WSH is trying to say that you should have traded that dangerous clunker in 37 times already if you value your life and the safety of your family.
I'm no chemist, but if I remember correctly from my Chem 101 class and for that matter, 6th grade science, chemical compounds have half lives, and I would venture that the "solid rocket fuel" style propellants found in airbags will probably last close to a century if not longer before deteriorating to the level of nonfunctional. If you liken it to smokeless powder or gun powder, they last a long time before they wouldn't burn. As far as the bags themselves, they are made of a heavy nylon, which when not exposed to light, or air for that matter, will last a long time also. Is there an exact science used to determine the useful life, maybe, but I doubt we as a society have really determined how long some of the things we've created will last.
Nick
I'm no chemist, but if I remember correctly from my Chem 101 class and for that matter, 6th grade science, chemical compounds have half lives, and I would venture that the "solid rocket fuel" style propellants found in airbags will probably last close to a century if not longer before deteriorating to the level of nonfunctional. If you liken it to smokeless powder or gun powder, they last a long time before they wouldn't burn. As far as the bags themselves, they are made of a heavy nylon, which when not exposed to light, or air for that matter, will last a long time also. Is there an exact science used to determine the useful life, maybe, but I doubt we as a society have really determined how long some of the things we've created will last.
Nick
01-31-2010, 11:02 PM
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GL550, C55, 335i Coupe, vintage Mustang
Nick
02-01-2010, 12:50 AM
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2013 SL 550 (Previously 2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo-S, 2015 Tesla P85D, 2007 S600, 2005 E55 AMG)
After years of switching cars and opting for new, I've decided to keep my S600 for the long haul and hence went for the extended warranty.
You see lots of 10 and 15 yr. old Mercedes on the road, but how well do all of their saftey systems work? Air bags, sensors and all the rest could deteriorate/fail or be useless after 10 years -- or not.
Anyone have any insight? Not everyone wants to keep dropping 100+ k on cars on a regular basis. An S 600 is the top of the line and a car worth keeping for its comfort/handling/options etc. But will it still do the job in 10 yrs?
You see lots of 10 and 15 yr. old Mercedes on the road, but how well do all of their saftey systems work? Air bags, sensors and all the rest could deteriorate/fail or be useless after 10 years -- or not.
Anyone have any insight? Not everyone wants to keep dropping 100+ k on cars on a regular basis. An S 600 is the top of the line and a car worth keeping for its comfort/handling/options etc. But will it still do the job in 10 yrs?
The way I look at the longevity question is that (i) structurally the car is going to be as solid in 10 - 15 years as it is right now from a mechanical and passive safety POV, (ii) air-bags are proven technology and there is nothing high tech or distinctive about the MB bags in themselves that is not shared with every other manufacturer and tested and qualified, though (iii) the active-safety electronics that might trigger them are distinctive but at the same time can be diagnosed if not functioning during proper service. (iv) The sensors like radar are easily tested in day to day driving - they either work or do not.
Implicit in keeping a car this long is that it is treated well, serviced regularly, and on maximum extension warranty. (Which we both have)
Even if the active-safety sensors all failed at 10 years old, you are still driving a car that has more passive safety measures than most any other car. Based on my trouble free experience so far, I have not the slightest worry that my S600 will let me down if I am still driving it 10 years from now. (Or my son has inherited it!)
Chris
02-01-2010, 11:45 PM
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2007 S 600 / '06 911 Porsche C4S cab
You guys in this forum provide some great insight! -- Thanks!
As for WSH, I may have to hit you up for a loan for a new 2017 S 660
so that I won't feel guilty about diriving my family around in a decrepit 10 yr old S 600.
As for WSH, I may have to hit you up for a loan for a new 2017 S 660
so that I won't feel guilty about diriving my family around in a decrepit 10 yr old S 600.
02-02-2010, 11:50 AM
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I often wondered what would be the quality of a 10 - 15 year old MB, but more from a maintenance standpoint than a safety standpoint.
This WSH guy is truely entertaining to say the least. Would be nice to listen to him ramble over a nice prime meal, rib-eye of course.
This WSH guy is truely entertaining to say the least. Would be nice to listen to him ramble over a nice prime meal, rib-eye of course.
02-02-2010, 12:18 PM
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Well, that would depend on the age of the cow. Cows have lifespans, if you are not carefull you could get a piece of meat that is past its prime-you would then put your family's life in danger....
02-02-2010, 05:22 PM
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'08 M5, '10 Land Cruiser
I think WSH is trying to say that you should have traded that dangerous clunker in 37 times already if you value your life and the safety of your family.
I'm no chemist, but if I remember correctly from my Chem 101 class and for that matter, 6th grade science, chemical compounds have half lives, and I would venture that the "solid rocket fuel" style propellants found in airbags will probably last close to a century if not longer before deteriorating to the level of nonfunctional. If you liken it to smokeless powder or gun powder, they last a long time before they wouldn't burn. As far as the bags themselves, they are made of a heavy nylon, which when not exposed to light, or air for that matter, will last a long time also. Is there an exact science used to determine the useful life, maybe, but I doubt we as a society have really determined how long some of the things we've created will last.
Nick
I'm no chemist, but if I remember correctly from my Chem 101 class and for that matter, 6th grade science, chemical compounds have half lives, and I would venture that the "solid rocket fuel" style propellants found in airbags will probably last close to a century if not longer before deteriorating to the level of nonfunctional. If you liken it to smokeless powder or gun powder, they last a long time before they wouldn't burn. As far as the bags themselves, they are made of a heavy nylon, which when not exposed to light, or air for that matter, will last a long time also. Is there an exact science used to determine the useful life, maybe, but I doubt we as a society have really determined how long some of the things we've created will last.
Nick
A W221 S-class will of course still be a very safe way to travel in the year 2017 and beyond, prior accidents and maintenance etc not withstanding. The W220, which is coming on for 12 years old, proves this by arguably still being safer than +95 percent of vehicles on the road.
02-02-2010, 06:15 PM
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That's your explanation?? mor*n!
02-03-2010, 07:02 PM
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2006 EB 16.4 (just a Volkswagen)
How dare you have the temerity to argue with WSH. I mean the guy's so rich he dare not even post a picture of his myriad new SL/S/CLs (all copies of the AMG variety, naturally). Hell I worry every day about my POS BMW which has an epic 18,500 miles on it now. What a dinosaur.
A W221 S-class will of course still be a very safe way to travel in the year 2017 and beyond, prior accidents and maintenance etc not withstanding. The W220, which is coming on for 12 years old, proves this by arguably still being safer than +95 percent of vehicles on the road.
A W221 S-class will of course still be a very safe way to travel in the year 2017 and beyond, prior accidents and maintenance etc not withstanding. The W220, which is coming on for 12 years old, proves this by arguably still being safer than +95 percent of vehicles on the road.
-n
