The Cost Of A Modification!

[jeebowhite]

OK, so I am looking into mod's for my car, and come across two eBay listings...

First: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230950294936&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123#vi-ilComp

and I am thinking its a sweet deal! not as good as a remap I know, but for the cost of a tank of fuel and perhaps 40% performance and 20% fuel economy (and a 14 day guarantee!) looks good...

Then a second one...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170995393531&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

If I went for performance, I would get up to 10% and if I went for economy, I would stay where I am but get between 10 and 15% more MPG, which isnt too bad!

So I set about calling the insurance company, Admiral said that if I was to buy the TDI UK they wouldnt insure me! :| so I looked further into it, and did a quick "confused.com" search... For a standard car - I would pay about 800 if I renewed tomorrow, to include the TDI chip alone... £1155!!!!

I will wait and see about the other one, but I think the entire industry is either having a right laugh today, or a about 400 Aston Martins DBS/DB9's just blew up and the insurance industry just got told they are forking out for it!

So I am wondering, if anyone did get a tdi chip, what did your insurer charge you for it?

[DanGersFord]

Its actually a joke the amount they charge you for mods especially engine mods

[Aldoo]

i know ill likely get told off for this..

but its a chip, dont tell them. just pull it out if needed

i know its not the right thing to do. but its better than the thousands driving without insurance that is the reason why we're paying such crazy amounts!

Tom

[Peange]

Mine wanted an extra £180ish a year for a tuning box. That was about about a third of what i was paying at the time (so £45/mo to £60/mo). Decided against getting the box.

The hike is probably because you can do more damage to people/cars/yourself. The reason insurance is so expensive is because people make whiplash claims using 3rd party lawyers. They charge 2.5k minimum as legal fees. If we didn't have that it's reckoned prices would drop on average £60/year in the UK.

[jeebowhite]

The thought had fleeted across my mind "dont tell them" but to be honest, I look at it this way... If I plugged it in, and rolled my car, then couldnt get under the bonnet, the assessor comes out, and perhaps wants to inspect it for any changes, and decides that it needs to go to a garage to be reviewed....

They force open the bonnet and ....

I would end up with more cost than I could afford, and for the sake of it, it would be dangerous not to declare it.

I worked out that if I got a TDITuning box, it would save me about 4 - 6 MPG and realistically give me an extra 25%bhp / torque - for £80 thats not too bad, and should start to save me money and give me the tuggy power when I need it... But if its going to cost me £70 a year in excess, then I could have to reconsider...

IF it would save me money, I probably would still do it... but I think it would be foolish not to declare it to the insurance company...