E30 Zone

Would I have to tell my insurer if I lowered my car about 40mm?

I was thinking as it would only make the ride height look "normal" not slammed, if I painted the springs black would it look as if it was standard?

Any thoughts? I don't want to have problems if I smash up my car in the future.

Usually insurance companies consider it a performance modification as it affects the handling so youd have to declare.

This is the sort of height i'd get.

Get Eibach's - they're black as standard

You think I can afford them?

I was just planning Jamex's. And slapping some good old hammerite on them.

May give my insurer a ring tommorrow.

how are you insured if it 3rd party only they wont look at your car if anything happens

Fully comp.

I declared my suspension and it cost me about £80 a year - so long as the modifications cost less than £10k which they most definitely do!

I bet it will be alot more than £80 for a youngster.

Just found this on my insurer's website.

We will insure the following modifications:

Ӣ Tow bars (being added or removed)
”¢ Replacement engines ”“ like for like (cc and type) only if the previous engine is beyond repair
Ӣ Wheelchair access to a car/van
Ӣ LPG conversion by an appointed installer
Ӣ Any increase in wheel size at manufacturing stage as an optional extra is accepted

Doesn't look good.

Ollie_bwoii wrote:Just found this on my insurer's website.

We will insure the following modifications:

Ӣ Tow bars (being added or removed)
”¢ Replacement engines ”“ like for like (cc and type) only if the previous engine is beyond repair
Ӣ Wheelchair access to a car/van
Ӣ LPG conversion by an appointed installer
Ӣ Any increase in wheel size at manufacturing stage as an optional extra is accepted

Doesn't look good.

Sounds like those are things they'd insure without an extra premium.

Still worth ringing and asking.

Ollie, this is not meant in any way as advice - but I reckon more people running cars with mods probably don't declare them than people that do. Obviously, everyone should be insured to the hilt without leaving their insurer any potential 'get out clauses' if you had to claim...

With an older car, its extremely unlikely an insurance assessor would even take a look at the car to check its damage - it would almost certainly be carried out by the accident repair centre. And they would write it off if you did any more than very neglible damage.

In my experience, I had an Audi 80 b2 quattro my missus kindly removed the front subframe, suspension etc from in an accident - It was lowered with aftermarket wheels and a stainless steel exhaust, none declared. An assessor did actually check my car when I was there taking my ice out. 5 seconds he took, and had no issues with the car at all.

Because your chromie is so damn high I could almost rest a pint glass on the top of your front tyre at the Cov meet, I think lowering it would give it a 'normal' appearance anyway

You could put M-tech IS springs instead.

Ollie, I have declared all mods on my car, just as said above, don't give them any cause to wriggle out of a claim, my advice is to tell them about it.

Tell them it can't cost that much and that way you won't worry about crashing your car / having it stolen and loosing your car plus being charged for non valid insurance.

Because your chromie is so damn high I could almost rest a pint glass on the top of your front tyre at the Cov meet, I think lowering it would give it a 'normal' appearance anyway

+1

Correct me if i'am wrong, but if you insure a Hartge or Alpina i think there just classed as normal 325i's they have a load of mods, and i recon most will be insured just by the reg, I.E a normal 325i or 323i

if i'am wrong correct me

your car wouldnt look lowerd anyway if it was dropped 35-40mm

If you were worried about it then fit mtech suspension, M3 control arm Bushes, them Drop hats a zoner from the US is selling, will bring the front down by 30mm, Rebushed rear ARB.

Your car looks so standard anyway with bottle tops and what not i dont think it would be inspected that much if there was an accident, anyway a set of black spings aint going to look out of place

Its hardly an engine conversion

Just my 2p's worth

Some companies will give you a cheaper quote for a lowered car, I think Adrian Flux are one of them. I've always thought it best to insure every mod, to be on the safe side. I've seen varying degrees of arguments for and against insuring them like.

Blitz wrote:You could put M-tech IS springs instead.

I offered him some at the cov meet

Forgot to ring my insurance company today.

Oh well. I think i'd be fine, but.........

JWaller360 wrote:

Blitz wrote:You could put M-tech IS springs instead.

I offered him some at the cov meet

Did you?

Got that Tec1 spoiler yet?

Alex wrote:

Because your chromie is so damn high I could almost rest a pint glass on the top of your front tyre at the Cov meet, I think lowering it would give it a 'normal' appearance anyway

+1

Correct me if i'am wrong, but if you insure a Hartge or Alpina i think there just classed as normal 325i's they have a load of mods, and i recon most will be insured just by the reg, I.E a normal 325i or 323i

if i'am wrong correct me

your car wouldnt look lowerd anyway if it was dropped 35-40mm

If you were worried about it then fit mtech suspension, M3 control arm Bushes, them Drop hats a zoner from the US is selling, will bring the front down by 30mm, Rebushed rear ARB.

Your car looks so standard anyway with bottle tops and what not i dont think it would be inspected that much if there was an accident, anyway a set of black spings aint going to look out of place

Its hardly an engine conversion

Just my 2p's worth

Your wrong matey. You eed to insure them as an Alpina or Hartge. Even though it stateson the log book 323i n mine the cars nown for being an Alpina. The insurance would be massive to list it as a moddified 323i.

Felix79 wrote:

Alex wrote:

Because your chromie is so damn high I could almost rest a pint glass on the top of your front tyre at the Cov meet, I think lowering it would give it a 'normal' appearance anyway

+1

Correct me if i'am wrong, but if you insure a Hartge or Alpina i think there just classed as normal 325i's they have a load of mods, and i recon most will be insured just by the reg, I.E a normal 325i or 323i

if i'am wrong correct me

your car wouldnt look lowerd anyway if it was dropped 35-40mm

If you were worried about it then fit mtech suspension, M3 control arm Bushes, them Drop hats a zoner from the US is selling, will bring the front down by 30mm, Rebushed rear ARB.

Your car looks so standard anyway with bottle tops and what not i dont think it would be inspected that much if there was an accident, anyway a set of black spings aint going to look out of place

Its hardly an engine conversion

Just my 2p's worth

Your wrong matey. You eed to insure them as an Alpina or Hartge. Even though it stateson the log book 323i n mine the cars nown for being an Alpina. The insurance would be massive to list it as a moddified 323i.

Ah rite, are there specialists who will insure them for what they are then ?

try brentacre, they are awesome. They are only interested in power upgrades.

For example my m50 tourer is quoted at 197bhp, i can strip it out , cage it etc etc but as long as it doesn't develop more power the premium doesn't go up.

They specialize in VW, so are very accustomed to engine conversions.

I'm not sure if they have a minimum age of 21 though

I've never been able to find reasonable insurance for my 325 touring with any modifications. Adrian flux were
the closest at 1500 with just lowered springs. I'm 22 with no ncb paying £1000 with direct line, fully comp.

Try and get this though - it was 600 then I moved to a new house 2 miles away and it went up £400 for no reason!

Alex wrote:

Felix79 wrote:

Alex wrote: +1

Correct me if i'am wrong, but if you insure a Hartge or Alpina i think there just classed as normal 325i's they have a load of mods, and i recon most will be insured just by the reg, I.E a normal 325i or 323i

if i'am wrong correct me

your car wouldnt look lowerd anyway if it was dropped 35-40mm

If you were worried about it then fit mtech suspension, M3 control arm Bushes, them Drop hats a zoner from the US is selling, will bring the front down by 30mm, Rebushed rear ARB.

Your car looks so standard anyway with bottle tops and what not i dont think it would be inspected that much if there was an accident, anyway a set of black spings aint going to look out of place

Its hardly an engine conversion

Just my 2p's worth

Your wrong matey. You eed to insure them as an Alpina or Hartge. Even though it stateson the log book 323i n mine the cars nown for being an Alpina. The insurance would be massive to list it as a moddified 323i.

Ah rite, are there specialists who will insure them for what they are then ?

You have them as a sub catigery on the 3seris. For example you do e30 , Alpina 2.5 . That's how I orginally did it with Lancaster insurance.