How strong is the safety cell of a BMW?

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 21:53:28 +0100, "Jason" waffled on about something:

I recently tested this myself. The E36 doesn't get a very good safety rating on most reports, but I have no complaints about my old one.

Whilst stationary I had a white van man park himself into the boot/trunk at an estimated 35-40mph. I have to go on the speed the guy in the body shop estimated as I didn't even see the guy coming, I was looking to the right for a gap on the roundabout.

I drove home, he certainly didn't.

Unfortunately due to my towbar I gained a bent boot floor which rendered the car beyond economical repair, which was a bit annoying as it was a nice clean car, and would probably pass an MOT with just one new rear light glass. It still drove/drives and stops in a straight line, with only the rattle from the redesigned exhaust to let me know something's not quite right round the back!

Dodgy.

The best !!!, my son is alive thanks to it, E26 hit by a Volvo on the passenger side, dragged 37 ft over a curb, sidewalk, road and gravel against a final rest on a concrete power pole .... My son was home that night, the passenger spent 3 days in the hospital, but was back to normal in 2 weeks, only thing able to savage from the 318 was one (1) rear wheel. Damm good German steel tubes did it.