A chap at work has a Subaru Impreza tuned up to 305 bhp. He reckons there's no point telling his insurers, as "there's no way they'll find out".

Personally I don't think it would be too hard, after an accident, for an insurance assessor to plug into VAG-COM (or equivalent) to suss out the car's been modified.

What's the general consensus here ?

Then your friend is a muppet of the highest order.

He is driving without insurance and deserves to be taken off the roads.

As for insurance companies finding out , well you can bet that certain types of car get a lot more attention paid to these kind of things and the assesor would definately check for a remap

Note I said "a chap" at work, rather than a "friend"

305bhp? thats not just a remap, and on a well known to be tuned car, the mods are going to stand out like the proverbial sore thumb!

I think that if he stacks it, he will be feeling a :loser: and shortly after being told his insurance is null and void he will be :bawl: at the large amount of money it will cost to repair, compared to the increase in his premium.

My plan..? Budget not only for the re-map but also the increase in premium. Sorted.

Always wanted to use those smilies!

Apart from having no insurance cover, it is an offence under the Road Traffic Acts to make any false statement or withhold any material information for the purpose of obtaining a certificate of motor insurance. (The latter warning is included with every NU Direct policy - and maybe with every motor insurance policy).

He's a turd, plain & simple.

Needs to be taken off the roads as soon as possible IMHO

Yep, there's enough a*******s around. if he can't afford the insurance he shouldn't get the car in the first place. stick to saxo 1.2's

Jonno.

Then your friend is a muppet of the highest order.

He is driving without insurance and deserves to be taken off the roads.

My thoughts exactly.

in the event of an accident his insurance won't cover his car, he'll have to pay for that himself. On the other hand *it* will cover any 3rd party damage, *but* his insurer can sue him for the cost of the repair to the 3rd party.

I work for an insurance company and you'd be surprised how many people don't declare mods!

I'm thinking of getting mine re-mapped, probably after a year or so. Current insurer won't cover the gains of a jabba'd car! But they are seriously cheap on a standard car!

I could not drive around knowing there was a chance, however slim, that I could get caught out in the event of an accident. Im no angel but the consequences of doing so could be dire. :(

Insurance companies are the maffia... you just don't mess with them. Not even I, who keeps his mods secret from his wife, would even think about not telling my insurer.

his mods secret from his wife,

lol!

Uhm... Official announcement follows:

Anyone who tries to discus the benefits of modifications to ones car will be met with a blank stare and a shoulder shrug if SWMBO is within hearing distance. Don't take this as an opportunity to ask me about my modifications as my answer will be the same... My car is standard, except for the DV and Kruise

Thank you for your patience.

Q, I'll let you into a little secret.

Wives have a habit of knowing exactly what's going on. I bet at a later date when she wants a new frock/kitchen/conservatory you will hear the following "but you've spent

and that goes for the photoshoot pics!

Hmm, and I thought you guys were a little less hasty than the scoobynet crew.

Have you considered that the impreza in question might be an sti 5 with 280hp standard which has had a uk fuel octane map taking it to 305hp.

If so it may be ECUtek which is indeed undetectable without the appropriate software, so it wouldnt really stick out like a sore thumb, there wouldnt be a single extra peice of hardware on the car at all to achieve this!!!

That said, driving with ANY modification without telling the insurers is asking for trouble and isnt advised!

Hmm' date=' and I thought you guys were a little less hasty than the scoobynet crew.

Have you considered that the impreza in question might be an sti 5 with 280hp standard which has had a uk fuel octane map taking it to 305hp.

If so it may be ECUtek which is indeed undetectable without the appropriate software, so it wouldnt really stick out like a sore thumb, there wouldnt be a single extra peice of hardware on the car at all to achieve this!!!

That said, driving with ANY modification without telling the insurers is asking for trouble and isnt advised![/quote']

As you say, it might be undetectable without the appropriate software, but that's not the same as being undetectable. Insurance assessors aren't fools - they will be taking a keen interest in any "performance" car that has been stacked.

are performance pads/disks classed as a mod?

are performance pads/disks classed as a mod?

Yes

are performance pads/disks classed as a mod?

Hmm...

Before renewing my insurance last month, I asked for quotes from a number of insurers, one of which (whom?) was IAM Select. After taking details of the car - including the fact that it had been remapped - the operator on the phone said that the standard policy wouldn't cover it, but that she would contact the underwriters directly.

The underwriters reply was that they would insure the car - but ONLY if I had the brakes uprated as well.

I'm not quite sure about their logic....

Hmm...

Before renewing my insurance last month' date=' I asked for quotes from a number of insurers, one of which (whom?) was IAM Select. After taking details of the car - including the fact that it had been remapped - the operator on the phone said that the standard policy wouldn't cover it, but that she would contact the underwriters directly.

The underwriters reply was that they would insure the car - but ONLY if I had the brakes uprated as well.

I'm not quite sure about their logic....[/quote']

Thats fair enough, as I'm sure if you had the extra power you would want to be able to stop quicker.

whod did you get your insurance with?

Thats fair enough' date=' as I'm sure if you had the extra power you would want to be able to stop quicker.

whod did you get your insurance with?[/quote']

Why? if I use the extra power responsibly, then I don't need to stop any quicker. If I have to stamp on the brakes, then I'm doing something wrong.

Anyway:-

Frizzell (Liverpool Victoria) - their renewal quote was approx. 150 pounds cheaper than a "new business" quote from Greenlight or Adrian Flux.

I am sure that there are many people driving modified cars with out even realising it. I wonder if their insurer would use this to get around paying out. For example my sister recently bought a 2001 Zafira 1.6 Club. As standard this car has steel wheels. Her car has Vauxhall alloys that the original owner probably specified as an ugrade when ordering. Never-the-less this is a modification that her insurer could claim made her car more likely to suffer from crime. Yet it was only yesterday when I noticed the wheels and mentioned this to her that she even realised the car had alloys (she is not the most tuned in about cars), nevermind that it would normally not have had them, so I am bloody sure she never mentioned it to her insurer when she changed over from her old Volvo.

IHer car has Vauxhall alloys that the original owner probably specified as an ugrade when ordering.

Now this is one area that always confusses me. If the owner had the option done at the factory then its factory fit and does not differ from the manufactors spec.

My uncle had an accident his car had alloys fitted as an option and the insurance company weren't going to pay out, but in the end they paid out.

Same as if you've odered your car with Xenon, parking sensors, cruise etc, does this count as a mod? as they are not fitted as standard! :confused: