I actually read an article about small cars being safer because the people driving them were being extra careful, whereas the folks in bigger cars were presumably not, due to the extra "safety" of their car. People are funny.

 

Why hinge the entire argument of safety on the crash outcome ?
There are other factors . For instance a Crown Victoria is a "large" car (only requirement in the large vs small argument) yet has a potential gas tank explosion in a rear end collision. A Porsche is a small car but can outmanuever a huge truck in avoiding the crash . In short ..there isn't just one simplistic answer . There are a plethora of circumstances which contribute to an outcome . And why can't a little Honda scoot past a swerving truck instead of two giant titanic vehicles (each lacking control) creaming each other ?

And how expressing that a large truck = larger target.
How many accidents are avoided by centimeters with a small car that woud be a full hit with a larger one ?

But yes ..crash the big car into a smaller car and the physics are clear cut for that specific instance . But that's not the entire picture of a collsion . Nor is it the entire realm of safety.

 

Well... that's what the kids have to live through, isn't it? But I do take your point, Larry. What if little cars are less likely to have the crashes in the first place? So let's look at that also.

No, but the bottom line is drivers and pax in larger cars fare better in crashes than those in smaller cars. You're certainly right that I can maneuver a small nimble car to avoid collisions that people in large clumsy cars endure. In fact, I've had a couple of avoidances that amounted to those centimeters you mention. One would have decapitated me with a truck bed if I had been in a wider car, because I was out of mountain on the off side and a sliding truck put a four-foot crease down the body work of our MG ... right beside my head and shoulder. I agree completely with the principle, but how many drivers can take advantage of that smaller width and the car's agility to benefit in a potential crash situation?

I can, and certainly any of us here who go to DE days to learn their cars have the same advantage. That's why I was careful to say I've never followed the statistics myself. I focus when driving, even at my age, which by itself gives me and anyone with me a big advantage over most people. All that counts for a lot, so we must take those factors into account when deciding for our own families.

You omitted one more factor for example: how much harder is it to stay focused when driving a wallowing SUV? Once you get past the idea of limiting your demands to keep the wallowing down to an acceptable amount, you've pretty much run out of stimuli to keep you paying attention.

But with all that said, it only applies to cars driven by people like us. The small cars we choose are not just small, they are entertaining by design. And it only applies ... well, to us frankly. And people like us who own similar cars. The statistics say that none of those factors help the average driver and passengers in smaller cars. Again, I can't quote the exact statistic without research I'm too lazy to do right now, but I read the source reports and the bottom line I took away was that the injuries and fatalities to people in such cars are not only more likely when hitting a larger car -- which is obvious, as we agree -- and they are not only more likely to suffer severely in accidents overall. The bottom line I remember is that they are more likely to suffer a serious injury or fatality per mile driven than people in big hulking annoying boats. Memory may fail me, but that conclusion annoyed me, so I think I remember it correctly. I'd be happy for an authoritative correction. (Maybe I will look all this up when I have a spare moment. I'd rather be wrong on this point. But I don't think I am.)

Maybe one more factor comes into play. Most people give respect to larger vehicles, starting with semi's and working down to big SUV's and the Hummer, but the respect is all used up by the time they get to Chevy Velvas or whatever those little dinky things are called these days. Respect in driving terms equates to their being more likely to notice the maneuvers of such vehicles and avoid them. Or so that factor would suggest. I'm just guessing about causes of course. We both are because we have no research I've seen into the causes of the annoying conclusion from the statistics. As I say, no one invites formal investigation of such questions because they really do not consider the likely answers to be politically correct. (Save your family: buy big. Or educate your reflexes at racing classes. No. Definitely not PC.)

That last factor is one that works in favor of exotic sports cars like ours incidentally. You don't have to be big to get respect. When we drive a mundane car as a loaner or a casual rental, I feel bloody invisible after enjoying our daily driver NSX for ten years. And the Carrera we replaced it with is the same type of car as the NSX in the eyes of others. They slow to look at it; come up as if to pass and then loiter in my blind spot admiring it; and they give me right of way at times when I really have no claim to it.

All that helps when it comes to not being hit by random motion among the mammoths... Obviously, I bought a Porsche just to enhance highway safety in California.

Gary

 

I don't see the appeal in having a 'fun' car as an alternative to a 911. My 2nd car is used for utility; towing, cargo, people, etc. When I want fun I'm in the 911.

As for the safety concern, check the ntsb crash test results.

 

You want safety, buy a Volvo. I bought my second vehicle (PT Cruiser) for it's utility (daily driver, grocery getter, yard waste to the dump, etc, etc). Plus, it's such a terrible driving vehicle as far as ride, gas mileage (for a 4 cylinder), I consider my drive in the Porsche a personal treat that I've suffered enough during the week to earn.

 

Of course I want my DD to also be fun. To have to suffer through the week in a dud, well, it's useless torture. There are plenty of fun cars that can also be DDs. Who says we should be limited to one fun car and that should be a 911? Doesn't make any sense at all.

 

So you want fun and a DD? That sounds like a 911 to me.

 

I don't think anyone meant that you should be limited to one fun car in general.

I got that you were trying to achieve:

* fun, tossable, which you feel implies small
* safe, which you feel implies not small
* daily driver, which I guess means "less dear" than the 911?

I don't know if practicality matters to you - like space, etc.

The 911 is small and tossable, relatively. Having another car like that, even if less dear - nothing wrong with it - seems a little redundant and doesn't resolve your somewhat conflicting goals.

Maybe think about your real life situation re:safe. Have you been in car accidents where you live now? Why? Why not? How much of that answer do you feel is due to luck (good or bad)?

 

I have a '11 Golf TDI as my daily and the 911 for fun. It's a reasonably "small" car, solidly german built, fun to drive, has all the tech you'd want, and I've averaged 40+mpg since owning it. Seemed like the perfect car to me and all for @ $25k brand new.

That would be my .02 for a recommendation. As a bonus, getting 50mpg on the highway will make you feel ever so slightly better about getting 15mpg in the Porsche.

 

Get a Subaru. Some of the BEST crash test results. WRX or STI are great small cars. Even a Legacy GT (althought not that small) is still a blast and very very reliable.

 

I completely agree with these posts. Why drive something that handles as poorly (going by PT parks's remarks and several reviews) as a PT cruiser when you have other very good choices like the MINI cooper (styling could be polarizing) or VW golf. I've driven my wife's MINI cooper S convertible through one of the roughest winters over mountain passes with big rigs around me. Never eevr felt intimated or unsafe. It's FWD with dedicated winter tires makes for a very good winter ride too.

 

I witnessed an accident last year that keeps me out of small cars (apart from my sturdy C2S). While driving my daughter to a soccer game we witnessed a pickup truck rear end what I think was a Toyota Yaris. The Yaris was hardly moving in the right lane of the freeway. The pickup driver must have been distracted and failed to realize traffic was slowing from 55 to 5 mph. I looked over when I heard the bang and saw what remained of the Yaris -- it now looked like a 2 seat Smart car, the back was completely flattened -- scooted forward with 2 adult occupants. Anyone in the back would have been killed without question.

 

I would much rather be in an accident in a S-Class than in a Honda Civic. I have seen them both after accidents.

 

As much as I love my 911, I can't say I find it comfortable enough to be a DD. Maybe because I have the 19" Lobster Claws without PASM...the ride is pretty tight - much rougher than my 993 coupe with 17" cup rims.
Anyway, I've had 5 5 series in a row and each time the lease is about up I start to ponder whether or not I should make a change. Somehow, between driving characteristics, comfort, and the value of BMW leases I always end up in the same damn place.

 

I have gone through this discussion many times with my wife. Although, I am using the DD mainly for going and returning from work, at times have to pick up my 5 and 3 year olds. I agreed with my wife that 911 is too small for such duty. For my daily driver, I have given in and now driving a 2009 Landcruiser. It is big and heavy. As a previous post stated p(momentum) = mass x velocity. Going with the landcruiser was a big change but has its own perks.
You already have a 911 for sprited driving. Why not get a vehicle that is completely different? Nice comfy sedan with high tortue? (ie: MB E63) or a SUV that you can go offroading with? (ie: landcruser, 4runner). After driving my sedan or the truck all week, getting in my 911 over the weekend is very very sweet.