DVLA Declaration of mods

[bmwe30mtech]

Hi,

I have made a few mods to my car, and the dvla want all the infomation on my car repeated to them now. ie chassis no. I have only done a kit wheels exhaust etc!!! They also want pics before and after mods etc. They say i HAVE to provide this info. Its all declared on insurance so its ok. But its annoying, and do you all have this problem/experienced it??!!

Paul

[johnono]

better for u in the long run. but find out first what their policy is on modified cars and if u have to pay a increase/penalty.

[tylerma]

as far as I know you dont have to notify the DVLA of mods
unless its a mod that changes the data on your logbook & their data base
things like colour/engine change/ that sort of thing

[oze30]

If i do do a engine change.. say a 2.7.. using a 320, can I say that the car is a 2.0??? and pay less tax/insurance??

[Jon_Bmw]

If i do do a engine change.. say a 2.7.. using a 320, can I say that the car is a 2.0??? and pay less tax/insurance??

Yes if you are a dodgy c**t. But no if you would like insurance that will pay out when you need it.

[16azev_needed_for_my_e30]

At the end of the day - as long as your job is not mechanic then who knows what engine is in any car?? - all we can do is insure it as the log book states

As long as your mod's don't change the engine number then doo it - I mean im sure some people couldn't find there engine number even if u gave them a haynes manual -

Just don't have loads of stickers on it telling the insurers what u've done

My fisrt car was a mini 1000 - with a 1293cc engine with twin 1 3/4 Su's, K&N's - rollcage, whels, bucket seats blah, blah...... exhaust - u name it i done it & i always insure it as a mini 1000 with a few mods that u cuold tell by lookin at the car - i never declare engine mods - because as far is i know (which is not alot) it's standard

[fuzzy]

ive never heard of the dvla asking for details on mods. as tylerma says only things like colour and engine capacity concern them. how did they get on to you in the first place?

[Jon_Bmw]

At the end of the day - as long as your job is not mechanic then who knows what engine is in any car?? - all we can do is insure it as the log book states

As long as your mod's don't change the engine number then doo it - I mean im sure some people couldn't find there engine number even if u gave them a haynes manual -

Just don't have loads of stickers on it telling the insurers what u've done

My fisrt car was a mini 1000 - with a 1293cc engine with twin 1 3/4 Su's, K&N's - rollcage, whels, bucket seats blah, blah...... exhaust - u name it i done it & i always insure it as a mini 1000 with a few mods that u cuold tell by lookin at the car - i never declare engine mods - because as far is i know (which is not alot) it's standard

Ok say you hit someone and chances are they might need a wheelchair for the rest of there life, blah blah blah. That insurance company that has to pay for this(maybe millions of pounds) will tear you car apart to try and find a way to wriggle out of paying. Scumbags that they are. But as long as you say to an insurance company when they ask about mods, "its standard as far as i know" then you're not stitching yourself up.

[Chaos]

At the end of the day - as long as your job is not mechanic then who knows what engine is in any car?? - all we can do is insure it as the log book states

As long as your mod's don't change the engine number then doo it - I mean im sure some people couldn't find there engine number even if u gave them a haynes manual -

Just don't have loads of stickers on it telling the insurers what u've done

My fisrt car was a mini 1000 - with a 1293cc engine with twin 1 3/4 Su's, K&N's - rollcage, whels, bucket seats blah, blah...... exhaust - u name it i done it & i always insure it as a mini 1000 with a few mods that u cuold tell by lookin at the car - i never declare engine mods - because as far is i know (which is not alot) it's standard

your a moron then.

[Nostrils]

I with most of the others, unless the modification changes the chassis/engine no., colour or use, then they dont have to know about such things as exhaust, lights, interior etc.....

....but the insurance company does. For example, I had an XR4i in the 80's and decided on an exhaust, cossie dampers and mintex brakes/pads - I got quotes before the work was done and was amazed to find that the insurance was cheaper because of my safety mods without increasing the engine more than 10bhp!

Insurers today are a cunning bunch and as said before, will do anything to get out of paying if they are suspicious of anything - stickers are a complete no no. They are particularly interested in body mods, lights and other bling that 'might' make your car more desirable to a thief.

"I hate insurance companies"

[kam-325i]

Hi,

I have made a few mods to my car, and the dvla want all the infomation on my car repeated to them now. ie chassis no. I have only done a kit wheels exhaust etc!!! They also want pics before and after mods etc. They say i HAVE to provide this info. Its all declared on insurance so its ok. But its annoying, and do you all have this problem/experienced it??!!

Paul

That is a load of Male Cow Muck.
The only things you MUST tell the DVLA are:
Change of engine. even if the engine is of the same type. Different engine serial numbers
Change of Colour.
Change of Chassis.
Change of Owner.
Change of Taxable Class.
Change of Passenger Numbers
Change of Fuel Type.

Wheels, Exhausts, Body Kits or suspension mods do not and are not required by the DVLA, BECAUSE THEY DONT HAVE THE SPACE ON THE DATABASE.

[JOSEMI]

Wheels, Exhausts, Body Kits or suspension mods do not and are not required by the DVLA, BECAUSE THEY DONT HAVE THE SPACE ON THE DATABASE.

I DO believe that

Jose

[stevetigger]

Hi,

I have made a few mods to my car, and the dvla want all the infomation on my car repeated to them now. ie chassis no. I have only done a kit wheels exhaust etc!!! They also want pics before and after mods etc. They say i HAVE to provide this info. Its all declared on insurance so its ok. But its annoying, and do you all have this problem/experienced it??!!

Paul

That is a load of Male Cow Muck.
The only things you MUST tell the DVLA are:
Change of engine. even if the engine is of the same type. Different engine serial numbers
Change of Colour.
Change of Chassis.
Change of Owner.
Change of Taxable Class.
Change of Passenger Numbers
Change of Fuel Type.

Wheels, Exhausts, Body Kits or suspension mods do not and are not required by the DVLA, BECAUSE THEY DONT HAVE THE SPACE ON THE DATABASE.

[Moofles]

i am pretty sure that the onus is on YOU to tell the insurance company what you are insuring with them. Ignorance is not a valid defence...they will probably tell you "well it's fine, as long as you don't want us to pay your claim seeing as it's not the car we insured". And i don't think you'd have any defence...where's e30beemerlad, doesn't he know about these things??

oh also, if whoever it was above was implying that because you used a 320i head you could insure it as a 320i, well no - because they ask for the capacity. Which is nothing to do with what the engine is called or known as - however, you could almost certainly do this in reality as it would be very difficult to tell them apart.

You'll only have to tell the DVLA anything that would alter details on your v5 i think.

[bmwe30mtech]

Hi,

I have made a few mods to my car, and the dvla want all the infomation on my car repeated to them now. ie chassis no. I have only done a kit wheels exhaust etc!!! They also want pics before and after mods etc. They say i HAVE to provide this info. Its all declared on insurance so its ok. But its annoying, and do you all have this problem/experienced it??!!

Paul

That is a load of Male Cow Muck.
The only things you MUST tell the DVLA are:
Change of engine. even if the engine is of the same type. Different engine serial numbers
Change of Colour.
Change of Chassis.
Change of Owner.
Change of Taxable Class.
Change of Passenger Numbers
Change of Fuel Type.

Wheels, Exhausts, Body Kits or suspension mods do not and are not required by the DVLA, BECAUSE THEY DONT HAVE THE SPACE ON THE DATABASE.

Ok thanks everybody (sorry not been able to get onto the internet a lot lately). I dont know why they wanted it, but it was annoying, had to take a pic of it, waste of my time p*ssed me off. Well i have done what they asked, and wont again! I 'gave' the car to my mum,(as she covers more miles) and thats when they started to question.

Paul

[kam-325i]

If you dont mind me asking, Where/To whom did you have to send the info to, & How. eg mail,fax,email.

[Cotty]

At the end of the day - as long as your job is not mechanic then who knows what engine is in any car?? - all we can do is insure it as the log book states

As long as your mod's don't change the engine number then doo it - I mean im sure some people couldn't find there engine number even if u gave them a haynes manual -

Just don't have loads of stickers on it telling the insurers what u've done

My fisrt car was a mini 1000 - with a 1293cc engine with twin 1 3/4 Su's, K&N's - rollcage, whels, bucket seats blah, blah...... exhaust - u name it i done it & i always insure it as a mini 1000 with a few mods that u cuold tell by lookin at the car - i never declare engine mods - because as far is i know (which is not alot) it's standard

your a moron then.

Bit harsh, but insurence is based on utmost good faith ie they rely on you to be honest. If you are dishonest then they will be within their rights to decline a claim on the basis of the modifications.

[ian332isport]

What's the penalty if you don't inform the DVLA of changes ?

[bmwe30mtech]

If you dont mind me asking, Where/To whom did you have to send the info to, & How. eg mail,fax,email.

By post direct back to dvla in a envolope they provided.

[iil325i]

i got told by a coper u only need 2 tell the dva about the engine and plate (if you change them that is)

other things like colour u only need 2 tell them when you need to send the log book back for something else

[m-dtech]

If i do do a engine change.. say a 2.7.. using a 320, can I say that the car is a 2.0??? and pay less tax/insurance??

that would be an engine upgrade and not conversion so notifiy dvla of capacity change.

make sure when insuring that they are aware of the capacity.

not classed as conversion as both are m20 engines

[kam-325i]

If i do do a engine change.. say a 2.7.. using a 320, can I say that the car is a 2.0??? and pay less tax/insurance??

that would be an engine upgrade and not conversion so notifiy dvla of capacity change.

make sure when insuring that they are aware of the capacity.

not classed as conversion as both are m20 engines

Also of the engine serial number......

[ajay31]

be wise and listen.....
if you mod a car, then bash it, you phone the insurance and chances are it will be picked up by a company like mine.
there is no time to change the 17's back to 14's or take the bodykit off etc.

it goes into secure storage where within 3 days it has either had an assesor out to view it or goes off to a recognised bodyshop for repair.
anything not declared will null and void insurance completely and not only will you not receive pennies you will also get bill for movements and storage and the pain of paying to get your car removed from the yard.
trust me when i say its not worth it.

a young lad had a week old mini cooper daddy bought him, put an an induction kit on, rolled it and the insurance would not pay him a bean, due to it not being declared.
along the same matter any change of front bumper and removal of towing eye voids aa nad rac cover unless declared modified or lowered, in which case its a private quote which begins around 180 if a specialised vehicle is needed.

[fuzzy]

i agree with what your saying about visual mods, but i wouldnt declare an engine swap if your upgraging the engine to one of the same type, like a 320 to a 325, because its visually the same and theres very little chance theyed go to the extent of stripping down an engine to find anything,even minor differences would be unlikely to be noticed as the assessor wont know every detail of every engine. when i wrote off my last touring, they had it assessed and crushed within 5 days,i was there stripping bits of when the guy came(with the insurers consent!)and he wasnt there more than 5 minutes.they dont want to run up storage costs. but its your choice and your gamble

[stevetigger]

i agree with what your saying about visual mods, but i wouldnt declare an engine swap if your upgraging the engine to one of the same type, like a 320 to a 325, because its visually the same and theres very little chance theyed go to the extent of stripping down an engine to find anything,even minor differences would be unlikely to be noticed as the assessor wont know every detail of every engine. when i wrote off my last touring, they had it assessed and crushed within 5 days,i was there stripping bits of when the guy came(with the insurers consent!)and he wasnt there more than 5 minutes.they dont want to run up storage costs. but its your choice and your gamble

Surely the engine number would give it away as a 2.5?

[Pilsbury]

If the insurance company can find a way of not paying out, they will.

Also, if you get found out by the DVLA or the police driving a car with an engine change, and so on, you will attract a LOT of heat with regard to ringing and so on.
If you have nothing to hide, declare it. If you are hiding something, and have an accident, go to sell the car or get stopped by the police and the check the car over, you will be in for a lot of trouble.

[Cotty]

i agree with what your saying about visual mods, but i wouldnt declare an engine swap if your upgraging the engine to one of the same type, like a 320 to a 325, because its visually the same and theres very little chance theyed go to the extent of stripping down an engine to find anything,

Its your gamble but dont be surprised if you end up with nothing or a huge bill.

[Cotty]

along the same matter any change of front bumper and removal of towing eye voids aa nad rac cover unless declared modified or lowered, in which case its a private quote which begins around 180 if a specialised vehicle is needed.

I didnt know that. Im just about to lower my car and im with the AA

[ajay31]

just make sure they are aware, that is is lowered, normally you can load lowered cars providing:
they have a towing eye.
they are not too low.
my car is lowered 65 mm ll round and wont go on a normal bed, due to the sump being so close to the floor, also any touch of an angle and with my sub, tools the back grounds out as well.
only a personal opinion but the aa suck. i work with all the clubs and they are the least helpful to their members, try brittania rescue if you have not already joint.

[Cotty]

been an AA member for years only once had a problem. They were busy and sent out a local garage that were rubbish, broke down 2 miles further on and had to call them out again.

[massive]

I know that it depends on your personal circumstances, but on average how much more do insurance companies charge for a set of 17's and lowered 60/60 on a 325i sport. Im 25 with 4yrs no claims in a low risk postcode. No claims or convictions.

Does anyone have an idea from experience, because I aint declared sh!t, but thinking it might be an idea if I weight up the costs

[kam-325i]

Some charge, some dont....

you will have to shop around.

[Cotty]

Some charge, some dont....

Some wont even insure a modified car

[Turbo-Brown]

Pay a little extra on your premium now, or risk paying a lot if you have an accident and the isurance doesn't pay out!

Also, the AA tow truck operators aren't allowed to use towing eyes! Their guidelines state that they must attach to a suspension arm or similar believe it or not!

[bmwe30mtech]

Hi Guys,

Today i got a letter from dvla telling me that they cant give a registration certificate yet, and that they must see the car in person. They want me to drive it to Maidstone and show them that it is the correct car! What a joke. They say its a random vehcle check????

Paul