M52 insurance woes!

[joshce]

Ive just completed an m52 conversion, the reason for doing this originally was so that I could have a fast big engined e30 while paying the original 318is road tax. The annual irish road tax for the 318 is 550, which is bad enough, but the annual road tax for a 2.8 litre engine is....a whopping 1200 per year.

Heres my problem, I tried putting it on my personal policy, which they refused to do despite giving me a quote a year and a half ago for the conversion?! they now say that due to stricter rules I cant be insured untill Im 25 (23 now), even though i had two 525s insured at the age of 19. They say they wont insure me on anything bigger than a 2.5, yet they will switch over my 2.3 merc with no additional cost to the €600 premium from the 318is, this is why everybody dislikes insurance companies

So my next plan was to put it on my dads classic policy, and drive it with open drive, which I've been doing for the last while with my other car. When I rang them they put it on the policy temperarily, but to keep it there, they need an engineers report(fine) and proof that Ive changed the log book to a 2.8, which means I would pay the full 1200 tax per year, this makes the whole conversion pointless.

Has anyone here had similar trouble with insuring a car with an engine conversion?? I want to be as legal and straight as I can be with insurance but I refuse to pay the so called "road tax" of 1200, has anyone had to change the log book?? Im thinking about trying Caroll Nash in the UK

[Grrrmachine]

So what you're saying is, you're doing something illegal and people won't let you do it?

I want to be as legal and straight as I can be with insurance but I refuse to pay the so called "road tax" of 1200

Laws aren't pick-and-mix. If you want the big toys, then cough up like everyone else has to.

[joshce]

Heres a link to the build thread, not sure if people are signed up
http://www.e30owners.com/forums/showthr ... post178715

[pac1982]

If your going to break one law you may as well break them both and pay cheap tax and cheap insurance.

I wouldn't do it but if i was going to i do it properly

[E30BeemerLad]

I never declared the engine swap to DVLA when I put my M52 into the touring, then I stacked it and had plenty of plod looking over the car at the scene of the crash and all they were bothered about was whether the mods were declared to my insurer (which they were).

Obviously, in Ireland you have a different way of things for tax, so not sure if you'll get around that or not.

For my insurance, I have used a broker called Keith Michaels for the last 2-3 years with my M52 swap and they have been quite reasonable on price. All mods declared, use for commuting and 10k annual mileage. I'm 37 with full NCD and it is still £500 for me, so you will get reamed.

www.keithmichaels.co.uk and ask for Jeremy and tell him Lee with the 24v E30 sent you.

[joshce]

I never declared the engine swap to DVLA when I put my M52 into the touring, then I stacked it and had plenty of plod looking over the car at the scene of the crash and all they were bothered about was whether the mods were declared to my insurer (which they were).

Obviously, in Ireland you have a different way of things for tax, so not sure if you'll get around that or not.

For my insurance, I have used a broker called Keith Michaels for the last 2-3 years with my M52 swap and they have been quite reasonable on price. All mods declared, use for commuting and 10k annual mileage. I'm 37 with full NCD and it is still £500 for me, so you will get reamed.

www.keithmichaels.co.uk and ask for Jeremy and tell him Lee with the 24v E30 sent you.

Thanks a million, I'll give him a go when I'm calling around on Monday, really appreciate that! The other downside of classic policy is the 3500miles a year, 10k sounds alot more likelyhood, cheers

[joshce]

So what you're saying is, you're doing something illegal and people won't let you do it?

I want to be as legal and straight as I can be with insurance but I refuse to pay the so called "road tax" of 1200

Laws aren't pick-and-mix. If you want the big toys, then cough up like everyone else has to.

I have no issue about snaking out of road tax, its to be expected when the government charge such high rates, and punish people with older cars. For instance, if I drive a 535i worth €800, I pay the taxman €1600 per year to drive it on his potholed, road sign baron, lumpy roads. I expect the roads to be made of heated rubber for that price. I have no issue paying a reasonable amount of 550 per year, which is what I plan to do, but even 1200 is crazy. Insurance is another story, Driving with dodgy insurance, weather it be declared as a 90 "328i" or as a smaller engine, is asking for trouble, thats why I want to keep insurance straight...screw the taxman

[deanocool]

So what you're saying is, you're doing something illegal and people won't let you do it?

I want to be as legal and straight as I can be with insurance but I refuse to pay the so called "road tax" of 1200

Laws aren't pick-and-mix. If you want the big toys, then cough up like everyone else has to.

I have no issue about snaking out of road tax, its to be expected when the government charge such high rates, and punish people with older cars. For instance, if I drive a 535i worth €800, I pay the taxman €1600 per year to drive it on his potholed, road sign baron, lumpy roads. I expect the roads to be made of heated rubber for that price. I have no issue paying a reasonable amount of 550 per year, which is what I plan to do, but even 1200 is crazy. Insurance is another story, Driving with dodgy insurance, weather it be declared as a 90 "328i" or as a smaller engine, is asking for trouble, thats why I want to keep insurance straight...screw the taxman

very good points josh - you do have to ask yourself though what are the costs if an declared driver stacks that supposed undeclared 328? probably less than if he didnt declare it - thats the problem with britains roads today, honesty gets you a bigger bill unfortunately...no insurance gets you a minimum ban , kiss on the cheek and a tuck in bed , and i pay a wedge at over 30 years old for what?..........

i have literally seen eyeball on, drink drivers walk off easier than non - insurers. that really boils my blood, as a drink driver is technically uninsured so should feel twice the brunt of the law imo!!!!

[billcarr182]

I think insurance is a scandal waiting to happen. Like banking it's an industry backed by government legislation. Knowing this they proceed to abuse their position. These companies have no sense of proportionality when it comes to mods. You pay a grand+ for declaring lowering springs and I guarantee you'll get nothing when you have to claim.
For me, a 2.7 converted 1.6 was so much because their method was to compare old power vs new. So because the power had 'doubled', the premium reflected that. It would cost me less to insure a 20k 993/996 than my car now. And these bastards always bang on in their ads about 'their unique knowledge of modified motoring'. Motha fluxers.

[joshce]

Ye its true, they really are a no good bunch of humps,Its just crazy the way it works. Im gonna have to do a bit of research on whats the best route, better safe than sorry. Its the inconsistency of it that gets me. I was insured on a 525 sport when i was 19, for a year and a half, now I'm 23, and they refuse to insure me on anything bigger than a 2.5, yet they will switch over a 2.3 mercedes which is the daily for no increase on the €600 premium from the 318is??! Apparently due to "stricter changes". Even though it was only the lady on the phone, I had to try explain to her that this is why so many young people are using dodgy insurance, Im trying to go about it the right(ish) way and get nowhere. I also firmly believe it depends on who you get. About a year ago or more, I went to switch over to a lexus soarer 2.5 twin turbo for about 4 months. When I rang the woman told me that I couldnt be insured on it untill I was 25, even though I'd switched over to this car numerous times. I hung up the phone, rang back a half an hour later, got a bloke, and I was insured on the car for a quarter for free on my policy, ridiculous, they obviously have some descretion, so true about not getting anything back for mods. Your paying every year for the potential to be screwed by the very people you paying to help you. I just cant help rant on about it!

[dugie]

I insured my E30 with a strockered M50 engine which is 2.8 but I insured it with Adrian Flux as a 2.5 as that's what the engine number told there system it was for £1,100 and I didn't have to prove anything about the mods to them or chance the V5. I had lots of problems before I called them with lots of companies refusing to insure it because of the swap or they wanted £2,000 which is way to much. I am 26 though which probably helped me. I'd say just keep at it you'l find someone who will insure you eventually it took me about a month of searching.

[joshce]

That sounds good,sometimes you can just get lucky, ye Ive just been hunting around, Im in no major rush, its on temp classic policy for now

[anothere21323i]

So what you're saying is, you're doing something illegal and people won't let you do it?

I want to be as legal and straight as I can be with insurance but I refuse to pay the so called "road tax" of 1200

Laws aren't pick-and-mix. If you want the big toys, then cough up like everyone else has to.

I'd suggest that if you're going to break the law, then don't advertise the fact on an open source internet forum....

But if you do, expect to receive a world of hurt and pain when you get caught out. It's not worth it - don't do it.