After years in Lincoln Navigators, we made the leap to the LR family last month. We purchased a gently used 05 LR3 with all the bells and whistles. We had a few initial problems that were quickly resolved by the local LR dealer, Aristocrat Motors in Merriam, KS who went above and beyond to make things right and us happy. (This is an awesome dealership by the way, where Customer Service is alive and well). Our first big trip was a 2000 mile round trip to the beach in Florida at the end of last month during which the LR3 performed flawlessly and was a real pleasure to drive, not to mention that we averaged nearly 21 mpg with the A/C blasting.
After returning home we shared our enthusiasm with our friends who are now looking for an LR of their own.
But back to my story. What I really wanted to share with the group was the flawless performance of the vehicle and its safety systems during a recent accident. At about 1 a.m. we were travelling down a two lane highway with no other vehicle traffic. There were four adults in the vehicle and we were going approximately 40-45 mph. With no warning a very large deer ran into the lane of travel. I was in the passenger seat and caught a momentary glimpse of the deer as it was illuminated by the driver's side headlight at the moment of impact. There was the obvious thud followed by the explosion and flash as the airbags deployed. A quick second thud followed and all was dark. The lights came back on and the vehicle came to a stop and the cabin was filled with "smoke" from the airbags. After ensuring that everyone was OK we pulled off the roadway to assess the vehicle and look for the deer. There was clearly some damage to the vehicle and the deer was nowhere to be seen. Some traffic picked up and without a shoulder on the road we decided to drive the vehicle to our friend's nearby house. The LR drove fine and we made it home. In the light of day and after a little sleep we all discussed the abdicant and the experience. After 20 plus years in law enforcement during which I have been to countless accidents some things stand out:
-There were no injuries despite the force of the impact. The deer was as tall as the vehicle hood and probably weighed close to 170 pounds.
-The airbags and seatbelts worked perfectly. Both bags deployed and immediately deflated and the propellant and lubricating smoke quickly dissipated. Nobody even had "whiplash" the next day, I believe due to the fact that the vehicle weight and momentum pushed through the impact rather than snap to a stop and thus we were not snapped fore and aft. All of the seatbelt buckles and retractors remained functional.
-The primary point of impact, the driver's fender and bumper corner, sustained damage and rolled back as designed but did not touch the tire or jam the door.
-The bumper protrusion was sufficient to lift the deer and this resulted in the deer impacting the passenger side of the windshield. The windshield cracked and flexed but there was no *********** or safety glass pellet spall.
-The radiator and other critical components remained functional as did the electrical system allowing for self recovery from the scene.
-We all praised the driver for keeping the vehicle on the roadway and for the smooth stop. We were amazed when she admitted that it all happened "automatically" and felt like the vehicle did the work. I do recall sensing multiple servo-like clicks which I now believe were suspension, steering and braking actions by the vehicle.
Needless to say we are all impressed. The car is seriously damaged to the tune of $11K and will be in the shop for up to four months, but all of us are safe and that's what's important. If I could afford to do so I'd put all my family and friends in LR vehicles just for the safety. As a side note based on my experience and a little internet research I recommend that if you are in a vehicle when the airbags deploy, take a shower as soon as possible as the propellant and lubricating powers will irritate the skin. Both the driver and I had little to no abrasion but did have what looked like chemical burns on our faces the next morning.
Sorry for the length of my post but I did want to share my experience.
After returning home we shared our enthusiasm with our friends who are now looking for an LR of their own.
But back to my story. What I really wanted to share with the group was the flawless performance of the vehicle and its safety systems during a recent accident. At about 1 a.m. we were travelling down a two lane highway with no other vehicle traffic. There were four adults in the vehicle and we were going approximately 40-45 mph. With no warning a very large deer ran into the lane of travel. I was in the passenger seat and caught a momentary glimpse of the deer as it was illuminated by the driver's side headlight at the moment of impact. There was the obvious thud followed by the explosion and flash as the airbags deployed. A quick second thud followed and all was dark. The lights came back on and the vehicle came to a stop and the cabin was filled with "smoke" from the airbags. After ensuring that everyone was OK we pulled off the roadway to assess the vehicle and look for the deer. There was clearly some damage to the vehicle and the deer was nowhere to be seen. Some traffic picked up and without a shoulder on the road we decided to drive the vehicle to our friend's nearby house. The LR drove fine and we made it home. In the light of day and after a little sleep we all discussed the abdicant and the experience. After 20 plus years in law enforcement during which I have been to countless accidents some things stand out:
-There were no injuries despite the force of the impact. The deer was as tall as the vehicle hood and probably weighed close to 170 pounds.
-The airbags and seatbelts worked perfectly. Both bags deployed and immediately deflated and the propellant and lubricating smoke quickly dissipated. Nobody even had "whiplash" the next day, I believe due to the fact that the vehicle weight and momentum pushed through the impact rather than snap to a stop and thus we were not snapped fore and aft. All of the seatbelt buckles and retractors remained functional.
-The primary point of impact, the driver's fender and bumper corner, sustained damage and rolled back as designed but did not touch the tire or jam the door.
-The bumper protrusion was sufficient to lift the deer and this resulted in the deer impacting the passenger side of the windshield. The windshield cracked and flexed but there was no *********** or safety glass pellet spall.
-The radiator and other critical components remained functional as did the electrical system allowing for self recovery from the scene.
-We all praised the driver for keeping the vehicle on the roadway and for the smooth stop. We were amazed when she admitted that it all happened "automatically" and felt like the vehicle did the work. I do recall sensing multiple servo-like clicks which I now believe were suspension, steering and braking actions by the vehicle.
Needless to say we are all impressed. The car is seriously damaged to the tune of $11K and will be in the shop for up to four months, but all of us are safe and that's what's important. If I could afford to do so I'd put all my family and friends in LR vehicles just for the safety. As a side note based on my experience and a little internet research I recommend that if you are in a vehicle when the airbags deploy, take a shower as soon as possible as the propellant and lubricating powers will irritate the skin. Both the driver and I had little to no abrasion but did have what looked like chemical burns on our faces the next morning.
Sorry for the length of my post but I did want to share my experience.
