insurance for modified 318is

[tim_s]

hi guys
having a nightmare trying to get a reasonable quote for my potentially modded 318is.
my renewal is Ԛ£660 with my gf on.
we're both 23 (im pushing 24), she's provisional
I have 2 yrs NCB, an SP30 in 2002 and a Ԛ£1k fire claim in 2002.
all current mods declared (exhaust, suspension etc)

with rebore and intake modifications declared, no one on confused.com will insure me, even without the gf on it

with 170bhp claimed power, and all mods declared, HIC want Ԛ£1058, adrian flux Ԛ£1100. both without the gf on it.
anyone any ideas? im not gonna pay that much extra for it, can insure an m50 engined one cheaper. or just buy a 328i/audi s2 or something which is also much cheaper.
looks like i might have to sell on my conversion

[m3ben05]

expensive but insurere dont like mods like that, i doubt you will find it much cheaper

[tim_s]

they wanted Ԛ£1800 for an M50 conversion! bastards! i actually think its just me and my record, i dont think its the mods that much they're getting arsy about.

[SwirlyE30]

Why tell the the actual power figures tho mate? Or the rebore. Most guys on here with 2.7's insure them as 2.5's. Id personally blag as much as i could. At the end of the day, whos going to strip the engine and notice that its been bored out slightly more.

[Turbo-Brown]

How about greenlight, or firebond (can't remember if they do mods though)

If it's any consolation, I'm 25 and paying about Ԛ£750 for Brown with 4years NCB, so Ԛ£1100 doesn't sound too bad to me.

I'm on a 5000mile limit too.

[Turbo-Brown]

Why tell the the actual power figures tho mate? Or the rebore. Most guys on here with 2.7's insure them as 2.5's. Id personally blag as much as i could. At the end of the day, whos going to strip the engine and notice that its been bored out slightly more.

This has been covered before:

Don't declare a mod and you could find yourself liable for the costs of the damages you cause.

If you have a big accident, you can bet your ass they'll have the car inspected for ALL mods so that they don't have to pay out.

Also, they ask how powerful it is.

[paulj]

I was always told "if you want cheep insurance buy a corsa"

[SwirlyE30]

Yeh, obviously the stuff you can see is has to be declared. But are you really telling me they strip the engine down and look for stroke/bore differences etc? If so then fair play. But i cant quite see it myself.

[tim_s]

there are quite easy ways to check bore/stroke. stroke you can do by measuring the stroke through the spark plug hole with a pokey thing, and if you can get some clever calipers i'm sure you can measure the bore too.
i'm considering going with HIC, as long as i can get the girlfriend on there, and mb try lowering the mileage a little bit cos im not using the car that much at the mo.

[tim_s]

cheers for the heads up on greenlight and firebond mr turbo-brown, will have a go, not tried either

[Turbo-Brown]

Yeh, obviously the stuff you can see is has to be declared. But are you really telling me they strip the engine down and look for stroke/bore differences etc? If so then fair play. But i cant quite see it myself.

Loathed though I am to admit it, I suspect that if you ding the back of someone's car they won't give a toss about what they can't see.

However, fall asleep at the wheel and end up derailing a passenger train and they will definately start looking for ways to re-claim their costs from you personally. (assuming you're alive)

[dark_sounds]

hmm interesting,,, 325 power with double the cost????

though still,,, im paying 1500, for standard 318is will be 1600 once ive declared all my planned mods... im 19 though

[m3ben05]

1500 for a standard 318is, your getting done mate! Try elephant or tesco, they both insured my M3 when i was 19/20 for only a few hundred more than that

[dark_sounds]

2 write offs ;) and a CAT F insurance area... no ncb, driving for just over a year.

next year should be interesting,,, 3 crashes,,,,

edit:: i am with elephant.... and tesco wouldnt touch me...

btw tim!!! would be a waste to just get rid of it!! u should have it! insure the bugger! its not that bad a price! would be the ultimate shame that you would never forgive yourself for! to watch it leaving and probably never having the chance to do it all again.... KEEP INSURE ENJOY!

[kezza]

1500 for a standard 318is, your getting done mate! Try elephant or tesco, they both insured my M3 when i was 19/20 for only a few hundred more than that

I suspect it's his postcode, are you in London Darksounds ?

[dark_sounds]

yeah,,, croydon postcode... doesnt help... lowest possible band for area...

[SwirlyE30]

Yeh, obviously the stuff you can see is has to be declared. But are you really telling me they strip the engine down and look for stroke/bore differences etc? If so then fair play. But i cant quite see it myself.

Loathed though I am to admit it, I suspect that if you ding the back of someone's car they won't give a toss about what they can't see.

However, fall asleep at the wheel and end up derailing a passenger train and they will definately start looking for ways to re-claim their costs from you personally. (assuming you're alive)

Yeh, your right dude. I mean ,personally id take a risk on some things, 2.7 insured as 2.5 etc. Because if its blagable, then ill have a go at blagging it! But yeh, your right if its a serious accident. Not been/never known anyone to have been in somthing major so i guess i dont know the extent as to the inspection after the incident

[TheDutch]

I have nothing useful to add to this thread, I'd just like to thank elephant for insuring my iS for Ԛ£210.

[tim_s]

Ԛ£210?!!! Man you must be old
thats really good. mine would prob be a lot better if it weren't for 2002, was a bad year! seriously sucks that it still appears to affect my insurance (loss of NCB, a fire claim and an SP30).

[agent006]

Try Lancaster (www.lancaster-ins.co.uk) I had a really good quote for my modified 325. Something like Ԛ£600 fully comp, 21Y/O, no NCB, 4 points.

[andymn]

gotta join in this.......

had 2 quotes:

318is fully comp 10 yrs NCB = 238
325 fully comp as above = 237


lolololol

and because i told them i was a member of the E30 Zone they knocked another 10% off....214 quid..........yeeeeha

ADRIAN FLUX is the MAN.....and yes i am knockin on... ( a bit)......lol

[stevetigger]

Well this year my insurance quote was Ԛ£300 FC on the 318i Lux convertible

But with the new engine going in

Its shot up to Ԛ£500 FC...........Bas**rd's

[tim_s]

haha. well adrian flux weren't too good for me, Ԛ£1100 with the mods, but im not sure about the 10% thing though, might be worth a go with them. done a bit more phoning around, lancaster are going to get back to me, nothing else of any interest has come up though. HIC want Ԛ£930 or something TPFT on it modded, want Ԛ£1058 fully comp and thats the best on it modded so far. they want Ԛ£15 to do an independent valuation, unfortunately sods law the car's in about the roughest state its been for ages - needs a re-repair on the door as some monkeys did the spraywork for some damage the council did to it...
am quite pissed off with it all atm. they won't insure the gf on it either.
so.... dont know what im gonna do yet.
im surprised they won't just insure it as a 325i seeing im claiming the same power.

[dark_sounds]

tim_s,,, iirc ur name popped up last nite at guildford, we were sympafising (sp?) however someone had a good point i didnt think of,, think it was stuartgallafant, something to do with the fact if something ws to go wrong while driving, more prone to i dunnoi something like going up in smoke... etc... cant remember what else but some good points...

just out of interest, with all thse modifactions wil it still be lighter then the 325? im assuming so, cos then you have a 325 beater round the track right? a better handling 325 basically. more evenly balanced. etc..

i say save up keep working on it, and transfer insurance when its ready,,, its worth it

[Karan]

just lie

[dark_sounds]

tbh i dont see the problem either, id agree with those who would scam it..... ill explain why.....

crash number 1:
polo mk4 with S/S exhaust undeclared... crash,,, they want to see my car for inspection as i was fully comp... i took off the exhaust,, replaced with old.. i told them theres some valuable sound equipment i needed to take out before they could have it,, and i was busy,, so they rearanged a time to suit me... sorted..

crash 2:
polo mk2. TTFT
very serious crash,,, brakes failed.. rolling in junction and hit by honda accord at 60mph. everyone in hospital one of which for 3 months... insurance company and police did not even look at the car.... the car got stolen next day by some addington pikey... i reported it stolen, and left it at that...

crash 3:
bmw e30 318is RIP TTFT
hit a brick wall, lack of control...
insurance company arnt interested in the car at all,, i could have had a M3 lump under their and so far,,, no one will have known about it,, (month later) i did have my exhaust whcih was declared mind you,,, though still, could have has it lowered, uprated cams, turbo, anything,,, no one would have known,

i think the only time it might make them turn heads and investigate is if it is a serious speed acident, which is obvious there was serous speed involved. but as long as you dont get to them proveable serious speeds, then they wont look at it...

like a 2.7 bottom on 2.5 if your doing 30mph or claim to be in the crash, then why should they check the mods because a 1.0 is capable of doing 30mph...

i believe also ur more likely to get away with it in terms of 3rd part,,, then fully comp,, as their lack of customer service for the 3rd party insurer acts as a benifit whereas the fully comp customer service, can pester you and rush you.

though if i can insure it and it wont be ridiculous then i will, etc, exhaust, lowering, tints, alloys, bodykit,,, etc...

[tim_s]

lol cheers for the replies guys! am finally getting somewhere close to a reasonable quote. got Ԛ£800 fully comp, Ԛ£300 excess, all mods declared through lancaster, brilliant suggestion, cheers guys! will need to go through the policy carefully, but its looking good. i'm happy with the quote, can't get the gf on it with them though, so not perfect. thats with 170bhp declared.
I've also had a 'estimated' quote of Ԛ£570 or something from greenlight with all mods declared and flywheel hp at 170bhp, so another fantastic suggestion hopefully! Ideally i want to try to find somewhere i can get the gf on and myself and hopefully get it for about Ԛ£1k.

[tim_s]

and dark_sounds, away from the world of insurance companies and estimated flywheel figures, once fully mapped with standalone, high CR 2.1 and ITBs, you can guess im sure what it will do vs a 325i on power alone.
and yes will be at least 100kgs lighter, and have less weight past the front turrets. the engine work doesn't add any weight.

[tim_s]

karan, you up for a beer sometime? wouldnt mind seeing that jap crap of yours... thought you'd end up jap'd.

[dark_sounds]

hence why u should keep it and insure ! im glad things are looking up for you, hope to see it when its ready!!!

[tim_s]

cheers! the quotes are coming down, Ԛ£750 fully comp is the best now, agreed value, like for like replacement on the engine mods!

[Karan]

yeh sure how does nxt week sound... ill give u a call

[tim_s]

suits me mate, give us a buzz
should drag jonb out too.