# I want to buy a land yacht **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 18, 2015, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873 "2015-11-18T07:56:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2015, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/61 "2015-11-22T06:03:19Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > One of the first safety requirements was, believe it or not, a "5 mph bumper’ - a bumper which could withstand a whopping 5 mph impact without damage. > The sheet metal bumpers of the 60’s gave way to shock-mounted bumpers somewhere in the 70’s (with Detroit predicting that complying with the regulation would cause ruinous costs). Although the 5 MPH bumper standard went away rather than getting more stringent. As mentioned earlier in the thread, one of the few advantages of older cars is that they handle low speed crashes much better. Most modern cars definitely can’t survive a 5 MPH crash without damage. The 5 MPH bumper was always more of a consumer protection regulation than a safety one anyways and while it didn’t drive Detroit out of business the 5 MPH federal-compliant bumpers were really ugly and unpopular. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2015, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/62 "2015-11-22T10:01:14Z")
The whole idea behind the “5 mph” bumper standard was that NHTSA declared that by 1973 cars should be able to withstand a 5 mph collision and _not have any of the exterior lights damaged._ In 1974 they also had to be able to withstand an angle/offset 5 mph impact. So from 1972 cars went from [this](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/1973_Ford_Thunderbird_blue_rear.jpg) to [this,](http://cdn.barrett-jackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/81181/81181_Rear_3-4_Web.jpg) and none of that was to actually protect the occupants. Once the IIHS got involved, the attitude shifted to “to hell with the car, the people inside of it are far more important.” > [@usedtobe](#): > > You want an old land yacht, give up the idea of a safe car - Detroit hated the idea of incurring costs just to improve survivabilty - it was something on the order of ‘Survival of the Fittest’ - if you want to live, don’t wreck your car! would you get the fuck off of it about “Detroit” already? The Japanese or European cars of the time were hardly any safer. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/63 "2015-11-22T13:39:19Z")
> [@THOUGHTCRIMlNAL](#): > > I definitely dotn want a hearse > > Guys the reason why i dont want a 50s or 60s…is i dont want to end up like this in a 30 MPH crash ☹ > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-WYKYrq5FI > > Atm Im in Kentucky, may move to Virginia Not trying to tell you what to do, but you can get a 2005ish land yacht for \<$4500 if you shop around. In 2011 I bought a 2002 town car for 4k. Better safety features, better gas mileage, less mechanical problems, easier to find replacement parts. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/64 "2015-11-22T13:47:58Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Not trying to tell you what to do, but you can get a 2005ish land yacht for \<$4500 if you shop around. In 2011 I bought a 2002 town car for 4k. > > Better safety features, better gas mileage, less mechanical problems, easier to find replacement parts. not all that safe in a side impact: [http://oppositelock.kinja.com/ttacs-jack-baruth-severly-injured-in-accident-1496683131](http://oppositelock.kinja.com/ttacs-jack-baruth-severly-injured-in-accident-1496683131) > **[You Have Questions, I Have (Some) Answers](https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/01/you-have-questions-i-have-some-answers/)** > > “So my daddy was like going on the same middle of the same two lines as a black car and then they both crashed. I heard a boom sound and I said “did we crash?”So that’s the only crash report delivered by someone who didn’t get his bell rung at the... ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/65 "2015-11-22T22:08:08Z")
!!! THIS JUST IN !!! If you crash a car, you can get hurt! Tell everyone you know! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/66 "2015-11-23T01:39:35Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > not all that safe in a side impact: > > [http://oppositelock.kinja.com/ttacs-jack-baruth-severly-injured-in-accident-1496683131](http://oppositelock.kinja.com/ttacs-jack-baruth-severly-injured-in-accident-1496683131) > > [You Have Questions, I Have (Some) Answers | The Truth About Cars](http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/01/you-have-questions-i-have-some-answers/) 2005 Lincoln Town car. 5 star ratings in all crash tests. > **[safercar.gov | NHTSA](https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/safercargov?redirect-safercar-sitewide&vehicleId=1619)** > > SaferCar.gov is now NHTSA.gov. You can search for vehicle ratings and do recall checks on vehicles, tires, car seats, and more. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/67 "2015-11-23T16:52:55Z")
Consider a 1984 GM Diesel. Better mileage than gasoline and the bugs had been worked out by then. ---
**Author:** ![SpyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@SpyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpyOne)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/68 "2015-11-23T17:11:10Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > One of the first safety requirements was, believe it or not, a "5 mph bumper’ - a bumper which could withstand a whopping 5 mph impact without damage. Actually, the “no damage” rule didn’t just cover the bumper. Starting September 1, 1972, “The standard prohibited functional damage to specified safety-related components such as headlamps and fuel system components when the vehicle is subjected to barrier crash tests at 5 miles per hour (8 km/h) for front and 2.5 mph (4 km/h) for rear bumper systems.” “The standards were further increased for the 1974 model year passenger cars with standardized height front and rear bumpers that could take angle impacts at 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h) with no damage to the car’s lights, safety equipment, and engine.” “The most rigorous requirements applied to 1980 through 1982 model vehicles; 5 miles per hour (8 km/h) front and rear barrier and pendulum crash tests were required, and no damage was allowed to the bumper beyond a 3⁄8 in (10 mm) dent and 3⁄4 in (19 mm) displacement from the bumper’s original position.” And then the 80’s dialed that back: “NHTSA most recently amended the bumper standard in May 1982, halving the front and rear crash test speeds for 1983 and newer car bumpers from 5 miles per hour (8 km/h) to 2.5 miles per hour (4 km/h), and the corner crash test speeds from 3 miles per hour (5 km/h) to 1.5 miles per hour (2 km/h).” Ostensibly because complying with the standard was costing automakers too much. (Quotes are from Wikipedia) ---
**Author:** ![SpyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@SpyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpyOne)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/69 "2015-11-23T17:26:47Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > The 5 MPH bumper was always more of a consumer protection regulation than a safety one anyways From wikipedia: “Consumer and insurance groups have decried the weakened bumper standard, saying it has increased overall consumer costs without any attendant benefits except to automakers” And: “In the United States, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, subjects vehicles to low speed barrier tests (6 mph/10kph) and publicizes the repair costs” > [@](#): > > federal-compliant bumpers were really ugly and unpopular. Can’t argue with unpopular, but I find these _beautiful_. (Lots of cars did it less elegantly.) [http://www.automobile-catalog.com/photo/1975/658925/43310.html](http://www.automobile-catalog.com/photo/1975/658925/43310.html) ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/70 "2015-11-23T17:56:07Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Consider a 1984 GM Diesel. Better mileage than gasoline and the bugs had been worked out by then. They’d arguably fixed the most egregious of the reliability issues by then (at the expense of even _worse_ performance than the earlier ones) but good luck finding one; sales seriously tanked after the 1982 model year as oil prices fell and word got out about how awful the earlier ones were. IIRC, sales of the 350 diesel in 1984 were somewhere in the hundreds. > [@SpyOne](#): > > Can’t argue with unpopular, but I find these _beautiful_. > (Lots of cars did it less elegantly.) > [http://www.automobile-catalog.com/photo/1975/658925/43310.html](http://www.automobile-catalog.com/photo/1975/658925/43310.html) I have to admit that I also kind of like the “rubber fangs” style early 5 MPH bumpers, but I recognize that’s pretty much just nostalgia now. At the time they were pretty jarring to American car buyers coming out of about three decades of cars being nothing but unbroken chrome up front. I think the later ones with the full wrap-around rubber are still straight up ugly, though. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/71 "2015-11-23T18:17:39Z")
results varied: [![](https://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IMG_2657.jpg) ](https://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IMG_2657.jpg) [![](https://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/comment-image/166272.jpg) ](https://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/comment-image/166272.jpg) [![](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/72 "2015-11-23T18:45:29Z")
> [@SpyOne](#): > > Can’t argue with unpopular, but I find these _beautiful_. > (Lots of cars did it less elegantly.) > [http://www.automobile-catalog.com/photo/1975/658925/43310.html](http://www.automobile-catalog.com/photo/1975/658925/43310.html) Ew, that’s tacky as fuck. But now I know who inspired Lil’ Jon’s grill. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/73 "2015-11-23T19:30:43Z")
A side question- what new cars have that great smooth ride? Without being gas-guzzling POSs. (I accept not getting great MPG, sure). ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/74 "2015-11-24T03:29:23Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > You’re mistaken about several things. > > \ > The notion that old cars were safer because they were bigger/heavier/had big bumpers/etc. is nothing more than a myth which needs to die. No I am not; I am just speaking from a different viewpoint. You look at it as some engineer would and I’m looking at it as a mechanic would. Slipsticks vs wrenches. And I did not claim they were safer just much better than the crap handed us today in many daily circumstances. And I’ve had the actual collisions and experience to prove it. At least IMHO. As for that crash – staged as a special event to celebrate an organization trying to prove its worth. Wanna bet I can stage a crash using the same models showing the opposite? Loser picks up the tab. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/75 "2015-11-24T07:16:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > A side question- what new cars have that great smooth ride? Without being gas-guzzling POSs. (I accept not getting great MPG, sure). I once drove a Mercedes sedan - circa 1987. It was like a big wad of bubblegum - you can try to make it alter speed or direction, but plan it at least a block before it actually is needed. But it was smooth - like the 1956 Olds we had. The first car I was aware of - a huge, lumbering beast. ---
**Author:** ![botsgotme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/76 "2015-11-24T14:57:02Z")
get a Cadillac Sedan De Ville-huge and safe. plus, my dad’s one (with the Northstar V-8) got 27 MPG on the highway. But don’t buy one made from 1997-2001 (those years, the Northstars had bad head bolts-which came loose, leading to a head gasket failure). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/77 "2015-11-24T18:31:59Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > I once drove a Mercedes sedan - circa 1987. > > It was like a big wad of bubblegum - you can try to make it alter speed or direction, but plan it at least a block before it actually is needed. > > But it was smooth - like the 1956 Olds we had. The first car I was aware of - a huge, lumbering beast. Yes, but I’d like to know what\* new\* cars have a nice smooth ride. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/78 "2015-11-25T15:55:43Z")
Oh, that’s easy. Maybach, Bentley, Rolls… ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/79 "2015-11-25T16:21:31Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And the dash was made of steel and aimed right at your face, and the steering column was a solid shaft of steel aimed right at your chest. And, culturally, seat belts were for old ladies and pansies - a good driver wouldn’t need them, and anyway it was safer to be thrown clear than to be caught in the crash. > > Darwin ran rampant in those days. This raises the question of whether you’d be that much safer in a '20s or '30s car, with hardwood body frames that tended to [smash](https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/5687690360/in/album-72157626646768526/) to the proverbial [smithereens](https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/5687121435/in/album-72157626646768526/). ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873/80 "2015-11-25T16:39:56Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > This raises the question of whether you’d be that much safer in a '20s or '30s car, with hardwood body frames that tended to [smash](https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/5687690360/in/album-72157626646768526/) to the proverbial [smithereens](https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/5687121435/in/album-72157626646768526/). if it’s old enough it might not have safety glass in the windscreen, so you could look forward to sharp daggers of glass flying around too. I truly believe that if the automobile was to be invented today, it would be very difficult for the average person to be allowed to own one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-buy-a-land-yacht/737873.md?page=5)