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Modified Car Valuation?


nazsky786
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Hello,

As you have guessed I have a modified Ford Focus, which I'm trying to get insurance on but keep getting the question, how much is it worth?

A question which I have no idea and maybe just over estimating. 

The car originally was a 1.6 Ford Focus LX Petrol.

Mods that have been done are:

Engine swapped from Focus RS500, this includes the LSD Gearbox and other bits to get it to work, intercooler etc. Engine is complete with turbo etc. 350bhp but man be remapped to 425 which is soon.

Next we move to brakes which are standard Focus RS brakes, and suspension which is lowered with coilpacks from Balistain, adjustable etc.

Move onto the fun bit.- it has been AWD Converted from Kuga and Volvo V50 Parts, was told be expensive but wait long enough for parts and you can do this for less then £1000. 

Then we has Body, it isn't 5 door version of a RS, in original ink blue with gloss black accents. Body kit includes front and rear bumper, bootlid, bonnet, headlights, wings, doors trim removed, rear lights, wing mirrors etc. Outside looks like a RS but 5dr.

Interior is a mix and match, it has St 3 leather seats heated, with door panels in leather black. Dash and some panels are alcanatra wrapped. Headliner is black with submarine lighting and starlight as seen in rolls Royce.  Cluster is changed for a big screen cluster from RS. Mileage is at around 90,000. Shell has done more.

All lights led converted, ps2 in glove box. CD player pioneer sat Nav etc. Dashboard boost pods.

So in essence a Mk2 RS ink blue with 90,000 miles 5door with 2.5 litre 425bhp AWD. 

Nearest replace the I can think of is a 2.3 focus RS new one. 

 

I will attach picture but hopefully you can decide for now. 

 

Take care

 

 

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Christ it would have been cheaper to buy an RS in the first place!

Although you don't get the fun of doing it I know. 

Sorry I can't be of any actual help though. I would guess you'd have to find the closest equivalent car to get a rough value from...

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With every car project or had it's ups and downs. But is fun and a great car to drive. The snow was best. Seeing Audi driver shocked with a focus turning it rear wheels. 

I need to attach pics which I will do later need to blur out reg etc. 

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Modifying cars from the original state normally decreases their value. 

The Insurance companies will charge a higher premium because of the stats surrounding modified cars and their drivers, especially if you’ve made it higher performance. But in terms of resale, unless you find someone looking specifically for a modded car it’s often the case that it’s worth less. 

I know when I was looking on auto trader for my focus that I immediately skipped any modded car on the list in my search results. Even if it was just different wheels, lights or something clipped on the windows. I don’t want anything that been tampered with and that seems to be a common theme with car buyers in general. 

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Remember it's an insurance valuation, NOT a sales valuation.  Doesn't matter how much he could sell it for, what matters is how much it would cost to replace with an identical one if someone wrote it off.   

Personally, I don't think it's anywhere near the ~£25k of a proper RS.  I'd say you're looking more around the price of a decent Mk2 ST3, ~£7k or so.  Have you worked out the parts cost?  That might be a good base figure to start with.

Realistically, they want to see it's worth enough for you to be sensible with it (lower limit of £1500 on some insurers) and not worth so much that it would bankrupt them should the worst happen.  If they use it as an 'agreed value' for write off, it'll be better to over estimate than under estimate. :smile: 

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If you want to know the value of the car in its current state you need to go to a specialized car appraiser for a valuation. A decent specified valuation is usually accepted by insurers.

 

 

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Hi,

If you need any help with insurance that offers the option of a fixed agreed value then please feel free to drop me a line.

Regards,

Dan.

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It's the price of replacing it for like for like, or total money put into the car to get it where it is.

I've attached pictures I think. 

IMAG0606.jpg

IMAG0399_1.jpg

IMAG0400_1.jpg

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I appreciate it’s a case of each to their own and I’m sure you’d be bored with my car (the only mod I’m think of is the bluefin mapping), but that car immediately makes me think of loads of lads reviving their engines in B&Q carpark of an evening. Probably just stereotyping and I appreciate there’s a big modded car culture in some parts of the country but I never get it. 

If you did the work yourself that’s impressive though. 

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Personally, I'm seriously impressed that someone could/has done this.  Taking the lowest of the low (in the range) a poverty spec 1.6 petrol and turning it into something that is superior to a MK2 RS i.e. YOURS has AWD and a real MK2 RS doesn't.

Doesn't look chavvy, just looks like a nice MK2 RS. :wub:

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Id love to see the underside of her, where on earth did you find space for a rear diff? or did you modify the spare wheel well?

she looks utterly amazing though, an AWD Mk2 RS with 5 doors, sign me up! :) 

 

 

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ive seen a mazda3 which is basically a ford focus converted to awd and in excess of 500bhp. had to use a volvo fuel tank to accomodate the rear prop amongst other mods.

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Nicely done!

Sadly, in my area that car would not get clearance to be on the road very easily. It would need to go to the equivalent MOT and for them to cross check the changes with the original factory papers where the guidelines are listed. 

The second step would be to talk to the insurance company. Any change above 3000 euros must be declared (single or multiple items). They will send an expert and then decide on a quote. They will charge an arm and a leg to insure this :D.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I did have to shorten the wheel well, only slightly so it still holds the tyres seal and pump etc. RS ST you don't have this issue as there have no rear boot spare wheel well. 

I've put it for 25.000. Reason for it is you cannot buy a mk2 RS awd with that power in 5 door. But you can get the mk3 RS in 5 door awd but a 2.3 4 cylinder instead of the beauty of the 5. 

Power output is within same region if remapped etc. The AWD is slightly different as my car has a front LSD, which does not come on a mk3 unless you get the limited version. 

RS mk2 also don't depreciate a lot reason for it is it looks more aggressive better sounding etc. 

All in all if anything was to happen it would be replaced for the focus RS mk3 or build up another which takes time. 

If you disagree please state how much you would price it for like for like replacement, not how much to sell it for. 

O an thanks to everyone who has already commented. 

Regards

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even though the car you have built is very impressive , you simply cant use the mk3 RS as the baseline value for insurance purposes in my op

its a much newer vehicle for a start and all its systems within are type tested to meet regulatory approval for any of the countries its sold in , where as your modifications dont.

no matter what the power output and 4WD capability your car has , the insurers simply wont see past the fact that the base car is still only a 12 year old 1.6 lx , which isnt worth much really

so the cost of an equivalent base car , plus the cost of all brand new parts needed for the modifications you've done , plus a fair bit of labour.

i cant see that lot being much more than £15k if the car you started with is only worth £2k 

not trying to be a party pooper on all your hard graft,  just looking at it objectively

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Aye, for insurance purposes its an ageing 1.6lx.  The rest of it means not a jot to the night street insurers.

 

The only way around it is a specialist modified car insurer who'll do you a policy to an agreed value, and charge you accordingly.

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