Custom Steering Wheel (no airbag) Insurance

[custardavenger]

I'm going to have to post some pics of my crash from a while back when I get home.

No air bag = lots of scars to show off.

It's like Mike said. Its the impact with the wheel that does the dammage. We don't have pretensioners on the belts so in a crash you would keep moving forward till you've taken up the slack. In my crash all of my injuries would have been prevented or wouldn't have been so bad if I'd have had an Airbag.

Anyway. Back to the original question.

[mrzwei]

I seem to remember being here before, but if you're determined to fit a wheel without an air bag then take the opportunity to fit a full harness belt. An air bag at the very least saved me from serious injury. (Didn't stop the police sending me on a 'speed awareness' course though   s:D s:D

[Ilogik]

Ive seen a couple of mk3 crashes that looked quite serious and the air bag didn't deploy, think one was Natalies on here, another on us forum.

I think its luck of the draw.

 m http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR1NJtX9r-c m

everything in life can kill you, its like people who save money all their live and then die, because they were saving something that never came. Be cautious yes! but you can't go through life always fearing, if its your time its your time.

[Anonymous]

That's the best thing I've ever heard you say Ilogik. Well said.

That said, each to their own. I'm not saying that an airbag doesn't help in the event of an accident, I'm merely saying that IMHO I don't consider it to be a major factor when I'm driving a car.

[markiii]

Rob, are you saying teh roadster doesn't have pretensioners?

[loadswine]

Well I don't think about it constantly when I'm driving either, but I think if I had an accident I'd rather have one than not, even moreso if one of my loved ones was driving.

I don't really go along with the everything will kill you philosophy, so hang it all and don't worry about anything.
Might not kill you if you didn't have one, but it could do a great job of messing you up. Airbag is pretty passive, so I don't begrudge it space in the car.

I agree it is personal choice though. If the feel of the steering wheel is of more importance to an individual, then up to them.

This is nothing to do with insurance though.   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[roger]

We don't have pretensioners on the belts .

Do on my USA car manual, at the top (not the bottom). Are UK/European cars different?

[Ilogik]

Driving round with the stock wheel last few days, I can't wait to go back to the 300mm one, it felt like i was driving a boat and didn't feel as connected to the road as  would of hoped.

[Anonymous]

This threads has moved on a bit since I started it, did I start it - I can't remember now  s:flame: :flame: s:flame:    s:flame: :flame: s:flame:  

Nice to see a healthy response from everyone - but I always work on the basis of "each to their own", we've all got our good and bad experiences.

I'm certainly considering changing the wheel as sometimes it does feel a bit to big, we will see.

Rob.

[Ilogik]

You going to Santa pod on the 13th Rob? should be a couple of mk3's, you can have a blast with my 300mm wheel, see if it suits you.

[Mike68]

Ive seen a couple of mk3 crashes that looked quite serious and the air bag didn't deploy, think one was Natalies on here, another on us forum.

I think its luck of the draw.

 m http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR1NJtX9r-c m

everything in life can kill you, its like people who save money all their live and then die, because they were saving something that never came. Be cautious yes! but you can't go through life always fearing, if its your time its your time.

What a load of bs, in the video it looks like there's a cover missing from the centre of the steering wheel for some reason, can't imagine why that is. The airbags are there for a reason, same as seat belts. They do save lives and most of the time they do work. OK if you feared everything then no one would go outside but then a plane may crash in your house etc but there are things we can do to remove the risks.

One thing for certain is that I would rather be alive and kicking thanking for airbag technology over regretting removing one after an event, afterall, prevention is better than cure. As for insurance policies, any excuse not to pay and they won't pay, simple as. If you have removed an item that is there to reduce injury, this will be taken into account for any claim for personal injury and the insurance company would have a very valid case. If you have modified a car and haven't told them then they will not pay, no matter how unrelated it is to the claim.

[Mike68]

Sorry to go on folks, but as you can apreciate, it's my job and my job is my passion (not my only passion) and I don't mean to offend anyone just trying to care.

[custardavenger]

Rob, are you saying the roadster doesn't have pretensioners?

Ok I may be wrong on that if they are in the other end. I'm used to them being in the buckle.

[markiii]

pretty sure they are in the inertia reels but I could be wrong

[widermuller]

Off the top of my head, pre 2001 cars 2 airbags and pretensioners, post 2001 that, plus side airbags.

[custardavenger]

Seem like there is in the Manual.

Ok This is where I would have rather had a air bag.




I'll be keeping mine.

[markiii]

Off the top of my head, pre 2001 cars 2 airbags and pretensioners, post 2001 that, plus side airbags.

no roadsters ever had side airbags

[Anonymous]

My passenger seat has an airbag, luckily i can turn up the radio and drown her out.  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[DannyN]

Talking of airbags, what about the ones on bikes

(This is NOT Safe For Work!)

 m http://cid-5920c022d2cf9286.skydrive.li ... Public/Air m ^_Bags^_Save^_Lives.wmv

[lemans]

All this talk of changing steering wheels.

How easy is it to change the standard wheel for another standard coloured one?   Specifically is the airbag something that a diy mechanic can safely do?

[Anonymous]

Piece of cake. Two bolts at the side of the wheel removes the airbag, and then one big one holding the wheel itself on. You'll need a boss to adapt the stock mount to aftermarket (muffdan is doing a GB on them now as it happens  s;) s;)  ), but it's all just a few bolts.

[Anonymous]

Piece of cake. Two bolts at the side of the wheel removes the airbag, and then one big one holding the wheel itself on. You'll need a boss to adapt the stock mount to aftermarket (muffdan is doing a GB on them now as it happens  s;) s;)  ), but it's all just a few bolts.

Disconnect the battery first - just in case.  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:   We don't want a Premature detonation Dan  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Anonymous]

Can do, I never have.

[mrzwei]

Seat belts and air bags are not really about you, they are about who else you kill or maim in the process. If you want to drive at the edge or whatever then track days or racing is / are the answer. Around here your lucky to get out of forth gear (third if you're behind yet another Nissan Micra, and apparently I'm now old enough to be driving one   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  )