thecarguy

Ok, here's the deal... First off I've been a lurker for quite some time and recently put in my order for a silver 07 Mustang GT 5spd with red ICAP and premium trim - yes extremely excited and should have it by end of next week!

On to my issue- I decided rather quickley and without much thought to not order the side airbags. A few weeks went by and it started messing with my mind. I am the type of person that will let something torment me for a while.

This is my thinking, if I were a single guy I would not care about the side airbags, but I'm not and if my wife were injured in a side impact it would kill me. Then I also started thinking about re-sale value, would it be lower?

So a few questions for you all to help me out...

1) Do you have the side airbag option?

2) Do you think I am over thinking it and should just be happy with what I am getting?

3) Do you think it would hurt re-sale value?

As a side note, I am always in the habbit of looking both ways before I drive through an intersection. Not that that necessarily matters.

Thanks in advance!

JustFord0099

why think about resale now!? you havent even driven it yet! just enjoy the car man.

Sharp

My personal opinion, I don't like side air bags in SUV's and vans when you have car seats next to the windows. When air bags first came out they said they made every one safer. After 50+ children were killed by the air bags, they realized the children need to be away from the air bags and put the kids in back or a switch to shut it off. Now their moving the air bags back with the kids. However a mustang is different. I would like to see how the bag looks inflated. I think it does not reach the back passenger. So it should be a good thing. Ever little bit helps.

Tres Wright

1) no
2) yes
3) no

Personally I never even considered getting them. In nearly 30 years of driving I've never even come close to being hit in the side, it's getting rear-ended that's tough to protect against.

into the blue

Air bags were a must for me.Ordered a deluxe with side air. The money I saved with the base radio about coverd the cost.

thecarguy

Thanks for the inputs, I'm feeling a little better. The thing is I tend to agonize over pretty much anything so it's sometimes hard for me to tell what's worth it and what isn't.

Cowtown

Mandatory item for me. I've personally witnessed several t-bone accidents with people not paying attention and pulling around people stopped at a red light and zipping through the intersection.

I mean for $500 why not protect yourself? And yeah I highly doubt they would come anywhere near the rear passengers.

RedDragon777

i made the choice to pick the car off the lot rather than order one...i would have ordered it but the car i wanted was already on the lot waiting for me and it only had 20miles on it....so i bought it but sometimes i wish i had ordered it so i could of had the airbags...BUT it would concern me if i tried changing the door sub or speaker and the airbag being a hassle to work around or inflating on me while i was working on the door

Hollywood_North GT

Given that the NTSB has conclusively proven that side CURTAIN airbags can PREVENT death or severe head injury, why would you even have to lament over this?

Just because one has never been in a side impact, doesn't mean you never will. Out on the roads, you just never know; it can be a war zone at times. Don't you want every advantage you can get?

Death is permanent. Too late to debate it then.

Imatk

I have the side airbags because I'm the type that looks at Consumer Reports magazine and others to see safety ratings of cars.

And without exception EVERY car that has side airbags is safer than the exact same car without the side airbags.

As for the airbags being unsafe... the first airbags that came out could injure a child and would generally deploy with a much greater force causing all kinds of injury. New airbags don't do that.

Bottom line... if it were me and my wife were driving the car and I DIDN'T get the airbags and she died because of a side impact I would probably never forgive myself for skimping on the 300 extra bucks that it would have cost me if I got them.

I don't know what the price on them is now... mine cost around $327 for the airbags... a very very small price to pay in my opinion.

It's kind of like tires or brakes... not something you really want to skimp on.

Just my 2 cents of course.

Juice

We took a shot in the right rear quarter panel of our convertible with a Dodge Durango that was doing about twenty. Pushed in the right rear.

My wife recieved a bruise in he right arm below the shoulder. No head injury, thank God. We were on the way to pick up my daughter. If she was in the back, she would likely of been hurt. I do not have side airbags and will never again make the mistake of not getting them.

NOLAGT

I got them and I will always get them. I have been hit from the side and been slammed around in the car more than one time. Not my fault but I would always want a car with them to be safe. The front ones might not be good for small kids but you can usualy do something about that.

Take a look...these are my 2 worst wrecks

This is was my integra...made a left turn...dodge ram going about 50 hit me on the passenger side right where the door meets the front fender. I spun and hit a telephone pole. I was pulled out by on lookers because stupid me didnt have a seat belt on and I hit my head on the PASSENGER SIDE DOOR...out cold for a few seconds and I couldnt remember anything...where I was...what happened...where I was going and why!

Yeah yeah dont say crap about the window sticker...that was long ago and I never said it added powah lol




Then there was my last one...my cl-s...kid hits me on passenger side and I go out of control heading dead on with yet another telephone pole. Lucky for me I slam into a 10" flat faced curb at the last second and that throws the front of the car just to the right of the pole. But my back end slams up on the pole and I slam into the driver side door and proceed to do a grind all the way down this big ol curb till I stop.






That tire pic....that is telephone pole that got stuck between the RIM and the TIRE....it goes in and out and the tire is still inflated!!!! Thats how hard and fast it hit.

What I am trying to say is you never know when you are going to hit or be hit...I would want all the protection I can get. It might delay the order but if you ask me....its worth it!

TacoBill

I have them, $380 option.

This is one option I never want to see.

moc1976

I do not have them. I think its up to you on whether or not you are making too big of a deal out of it. I have never had a car with side airbags. And I do not think it will hurt re-sale value.

NOLAGT

Here is one more better shot of what went on in my last wreck...you can follow the tire marks....my oil pan hit the curb and shattered so that all the oil in the grass

I dont think it will do a thing to the resale and I wouldnt worry about that. But IF you ever hit your head on you window(like I have) you will wish you shelled out the 380.

BuzzyStang05

I got them too. Small price to pay for piece of mind. I also do a lot of high speed highway driving. My chances of a serious crash at a high rate of speed is higher than most.

BTW, in regards to the eariler post the side air bags are in the seats, not the doors. I've had my doors apart more times than I care mention fussing with my subs and what not.

dekujala

I have them in mine and I'm single, I believe they lower my insurance a little as well.

2006GT

$380 is a pretty small price to for something that can better yours or your passenger's (wife or son in my case) chances of surviving a wreck. It should be a no brainer.

Webba

When I ordered mine in 05 I ordered it with side air bags but Ford couldnt fill my order so I gave up and figured Id wait for the Shelby. Well next thing I know the dealers are playing the $$ enema game and I founf the same car I ordered in an 06 but without the side air bags. I would definitely get them in a heart beat if they could be done aftermarket for $400 but they cant so life goes on. It is a fantastic option and should be one of the most important ones for someone buying a new car. Screw resale, worry about safety. But if you cant get it dont lose sleep over it. Drive your **** car and smile because when you get behind the wheel you wont think about anything else

NOLAGT

Yep they are in the seat...on the side near the top....they stop you from hitting the door.