Xantia vs Toyota Carolla

bostwickenator · Post by **bostwickenator** » 20 Jan 2011, 04:47

This is the back of my Xantia 96 Estate after it was rear-ended. The Toyota was totaled. Got to love how these cars are built.

spider · Post by **spider** » 20 Jan 2011, 10:05

Your tow bar helped

as they usually do as they will take the force usually.

I do not really see any damage to your car though at all apart from a scratch on the bumper. I though the roof might of warped with the impact (306 style) but from the pic it looks good.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 20 Jan 2011, 10:54

The car behind is a totalled Toyota? You look like you've been fortunate
here and this is the best example of why a towbar is worth having.
Anyhow. It made the numbers fall off the numberplate!

It looks like there's a crease on the rear wing above the bumper between
the corner tail light and wheelarch. Do all the doors and tailgate open and
close / seal correctly?

Andrew

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 20 Jan 2011, 11:15

The annoying thing about a towbar is it generally sends the force into the chassis area, so check that carefully for damage and the boot floor too.

I looked at a Xantia hatch which had been slightly bumped, a few scruffs on the bumper and towbar cover. However the crumples zones under the boot floor area on the underside of the car had started to crumple.

Im not surprised the Toyota came off worse as it hit the towbar.

I quite like a towbar for rear bumper protection, even when in a parking space it protects it from scratches of people parking too close. They just dont look too good.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 20 Jan 2011, 11:30

Agree with that Chris; it depends how substantial the towbar is and how
sacrificial it and it's mountings are in the event of an impact. I must say
having a towbar is good as it stops idiots parking too close; just have to
watch I have the towball covered as grease never goes well with cream
work chinos...

Andrew

addo · Post by **addo** » 20 Jan 2011, 19:24

Don't you wipe your balls clean?

I tow a fair bit, and always thoroughly degrease the towball after decoupling. Only takes a moment and I know that if I put it off, similar to that which you describe, will occur.

Working year 'round in shorts is something of a consolation...

bostwickenator · Post by **bostwickenator** » 21 Jan 2011, 06:30

spider - Just to the left of the tow bar it looks like one of the engine bay pillers of the Toyota made a clean 5cm wide cut through the bumper.

andmcit - Everything still works perfectly. Believe it or not someone managed to make that crease in a mall's carpark a few months ago (don't ask me how).

Citroenmad - I'll pull up the boot liner and have a quick look, from an inspection underneath the chassis all the welds are looking fine and I couldn't see any deformation or fracturing.

Old-Guy · Post by **Old-Guy** » 21 Jan 2011, 16:57

From bitter experience (rear-ended by a big van) deformation starts just behind the rear seats - I have two slight creases here, but no external creases and all the shut lines appear normal. Four months on and there's no sign of tyre scrubbing or other problems.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 21 Jan 2011, 23:43

Since the Toyota drove into the back of your car, I'd be inclined to get it professionally inspected. Inside the rear bumper is a load of energy absorbing glass fibre structure, I'd expect this to have been damaged, you'll have to remove the rear bumper to inspect it. If it has been damaged, it's done its job in absorbing energy and protecting the car, it's disposable and won't do the same job a second time, i.e. it needs inspecing and replacing.