which are mods and how much bhp

[Red_Nic]

Hello guys, please can you help me?

I am due to renew my insurance and I want to be as completely honest as possible, but I am struggling with some answers.

 

I'm unsure if my car has been modded much, but I'm aware that insurers don't accept ignorance as an excuse!

The guy I bought it from in 2005 said that it had a GT Pack fitted as standard in the factory from new. Which was sat nav, rays alloys, silver metal door kick bars.

are these classed as mods or standard?

 

My ex-boyfriend then replaced the exhaust. It now has a left and right exhaust end pipe. Its stainless steel twin. Does this add bhp? What did my original exhaust look like? twin still?

 

He also fitted a Plenum. carbon fibre engine top. Does this add bhp?

 

He also fitted an Injen air filter. How do insurers classify this? as an upgraded air filter? or an induction system? Does my Injen add bhp?

 

My insurer only seems bothered if it adds bhp.

My 350Z is 10 yrs old now, so if any of these mods did add bhp, wouldn't it have been lost now as its old and untuned?

Do insurers want to know how much bhp was added "in theory" or "in actual practice"?

 

my car pics of engine and exhaust are in my profile gallery folder "jan 2014"

[AliveBoy]

sat nav, rays alloys, silver metal door kick bars. Standard, but make sure they know you have them.

 

Exhaust. Standard is twin, bhp gain = negligable, say +5 to be safe

 

He also fitted a Plenum. carbon fibre engine top. Does this add bhp? I presume you mean engine cover? If so, no gain, purely cosmetic

 

He also fitted an Injen air filter. How do insurers classify this? as an upgraded air filter? or an induction system? Induction kit, bhp gain, technically, none but say +5 bhp to be safe

 

I've added my OPINION in red

 

Edit: Typo

Edited July 15, 2014 by AliveBoy

[KyleR]

Sat Nav, kick plates, GT pack and Rays are optional extras, all need declared to your insurer.

 

The exhaust is non standard and therefore need declared.

 

I assume you mean a plenum spacer and carbon engine cover? They both need declared to your insurer.

 

The injen air filter also needs declared as an induction kit.

 

Out of curiosity, who is your insurer?

 

 

Edit: Just looked in your album, you have an uprated upper plenum, it increases the air flow to the cylinders.

 

You also have various panels etc painted ginger and a stubby aerial, all need declared to your insurer.

Edited July 15, 2014 by KyleR

[Baidan]

Hi, I`ve just changed to a Cobra exhaust, told insurers and made no difference at all, if you can get the make of exhaust that woudl help, as for the rest its cosmetic/dressing doubt it adds anything, best talking it through over the phone with them. Good luck ! BTW I`m insured with privilage, actually theres a few advertised on here that cater for Z`ds search for Insurance at the top.

[mouthwash]

Was the GT pack a factory fit option or a dealer fit?

 

It would be like declaring you've had it sprayed red rather than recession white from the factory if that's the case?

[WhackyWill]

Sat Nav, kick plates, GT pack and Rays are optional extras, all need declared to your insurer.

 

You sure about this Kyle. :scare:

[Red_Nic]

Thanks for your help, all of you.

I'm about to insure with Privilege. They quoted £207 fully comp! the cheapest.

GT pack was factory fitted.

 

Can you tell me how much bhp the plenum spacer has added?

Edited July 15, 2014 by Red_Nic

[Grundy]

Just a thought and a loop hole,

 

Everyone always bangs on about You have to get a re-map to reap the benefits as we have a 'smart' ecu. So in away, none of these are increasing the BHP? Unless a remap is done?

 

 

Just a thought

[AliveBoy]

Slightly off topic, but I always wonder they always ask about improved BHP, but why not improved torque too? I'd say a car with hugely increased torque is likely to be more dangerous than a car with hugely improved power?

 

Take world rally cars for example, they all have nearly the same bhp as each other because they're regulated and restricted to a set power. Their torque figures are mental though which is part of what makes them animals.

[Baidan]

My understanding (limited) is that it any gain is negligable, but I`m sure some old pro on here can confrim, I aslo googled it but found nowt.

[Baidan]

My understanding (limited) is that it any gain is negligable, but I`m sure some old pro on here can confrim, I aslo googled it but found nowt.

 

so basically the car just breaths and runs better, and your welcome,

[StevoD]

Slightly off topic, but I always wonder they always ask about improved BHP, but why not improved torque too? I'd say a car with hugely increased torque is likely to be more dangerous than a car with hugely improved power?

 

Take world rally cars for example, they all have nearly the same bhp as each other because they're regulated and restricted to a set power. Their torque figures are mental though which is part of what makes them animals.

 

because honda, even tuned they have as much torque as an electric toothbrush

[ZMANALEX]

Nic,

 

No power gains to be had with these mods without a remap.

Informing Privilege about your subtle changes will only complicate the insuring process.

Of course if you want to give them the list so that all is transparent and that you have peace of mind, then by all means do so, however I think that it is totally unnecessary.

 

Alex.

[Ekona]

I partially agree with Alex.

 

Unless you get on a dyno, you'll never know if they've added power at all and that certainly wasn't why you fitted them, was it? I would declare no power gains.

 

I would however declare everything, BUT that depends on what they're asking for. If they ask for everything that doesn't come with a standard car (Admiral group do this) then you must tell them about the GT pack extras. If they ask for any non-factory fitted mods, then you don't. Read the text, follow it to the best of your ability, and if in doubt just disclose everything and let them make the call.

[Red_Nic]

@Baidan

my exhaust is Injen

[docwra]

Sat Nav, kick plates, GT pack and Rays are optional extras, all need declared to your insurer.

 

You sure about this Kyle. :scare:

 

If he is then Im not - these were standard OE parts that came from the manufacturer and dont need declaring any more than the interior colour does.

 

However I also disagree with ZMANALEX, anything that is obviously non standard should be mentioned even if it doesnt add power. There was a story a couple of years ago about a guy with a Celica that didnt declare his blow off valve and the insurance company forfeited because if it, its not worth the risk.

 

If in doubt, ask the insurers

 

EDIT: Found this one on Civiclife:

 

Had a car with alloys and a stainless exhaust.

Got pulled.

Copper asked if mods declared.

I said yes, he said he'd check as didn't believe me.

Got letter from cis, saying that they had been made aware that my car has mods, and as I didn't meet the criteria they cover for modded cars, my insurance was voided.

Received court summance for driving with out insurance.

Got found guilty.

 

My punishment.

 

9month ban

6points

£360 fine

 

 

Woohoo. When I returned, my insurance quote had gone up 5times, and stayed like that till my points vanished.

 

Cost me about 6grand in total for not declaring mods.

 

Now I declare every ****ing mod. They even know I've just changed my gearknob. Lol.

[Baidan]

@Baidan

my exhaust is Injen

 

Yeah I`d certainly tell them, is it new`ish then ie since your last renewal? I very much doubt it`ll make much difference to the price, if they do always worth ringing around, actually call another insurer first to get a quote, if lower than admiral initally quote, then hit them with that, they`ll probably match it.

[Mudman]

When I got pulled Saturday - Plod commented on Fujitsubo exhaust and that it was non standard to which I didnt reply (It is declared !) then told me all about his Forester that does 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds

Edited July 15, 2014 by Mudman

[Stutopia]

I'm not trying to muddy the waters, but I think "intent" is part of this. If they record your call (which they will) and you do your best to explain the list of mods you've mentioned, you've given them every opportunity to ask about them and you've also offered the detail you've gathered from asking people in the know - you can evidence this. This isn't the same position as someone with many mods, who has declared none, and denied having them on a call recording - shown no intent.

 

With my insurer, they don't care what brand of exhaust I've got or what the bodykit is, they just mark it as "non-standard" and charge me a premium. I declare the lot, because I don't need the aggro if the worst happens and because the price difference is small. The only one they cared about was the remap and the price was governed by the power gains, so 0-10% gains = £xxx, over 10% from stock = more, and so on.

 

One thing that does occur now, thinking about it. Would plenum spacer count as induction kit given it's a breather mod?

[kbeast35]

One thing that does occur now, thinking about it. Would plenum spacer count as induction kit given it's a breather mod?

 

when i renewed my insurance i had already declared my exhaust and wanted to declare my hfc's, after explaining about 3 times over what high flow catalysts were i was told that they were part of the exhaust system and therefore no need to declare seperately, this was with admiral and although they do not cover mods like for like it was hard work trying to explain something quite basic i would imagine when i fit my mrev2 and try to explain that to them it will still be classed as induction kit using their logic, at no point have i been asked for estimated gains for each individual item or the make/manufacturer, i think with admiral the only time that question is asked is when you declare a remap

as for gt pack i personally don't think that needs to be declared your car is a 350z gt, again when i insured mine i'm pretty sure it came up with options like 350z coupe,350z gt coupe,350z gt roadster and so on

[KyleR]

^^^

 

Yes if you have the option to select 350Z GT then I would agree you don't need to declare the GT pack as an optional extra. It's easy to select online, but over the phone is another matter.

 

I've never heard of an insurance company that doesn't want to know optional extras whether they are dealer/factory fit or fitted by some guy down the pub, either way, they aren't part of the standard car and cost extra upon purchase.

[Flex]

Sat Nav, kick plates, GT pack and Rays are optional extras, all need declared to your insurer.

 

You sure about this Kyle. :scare:

 

If he is then Im not - these were standard OE parts that came from the manufacturer and dont need declaring any more than the interior colour does.

 

However I also disagree with ZMANALEX, anything that is obviously non standard should be mentioned even if it doesnt add power. There was a story a couple of years ago about a guy with a Celica that didnt declare his blow off valve and the insurance company forfeited because if it, its not worth the risk.

 

If in doubt, ask the insurers

 

EDIT: Found this one on Civiclife:

 

Had a car with alloys and a stainless exhaust.

Got pulled.

Copper asked if mods declared.

I said yes, he said he'd check as didn't believe me.

Got letter from cis, saying that they had been made aware that my car has mods, and as I didn't meet the criteria they cover for modded cars, my insurance was voided.

Received court summance for driving with out insurance.

Got found guilty.

 

My punishment.

 

9month ban

6points

£360 fine

 

 

Woohoo. When I returned, my insurance quote had gone up 5times, and stayed like that till my points vanished.

 

Cost me about 6grand in total for not declaring mods.

 

Now I declare every ****ing mod. They even know I've just changed my gearknob. Lol.

 

Holy crap sticks!

[Red_Nic]

How much bhp gain does my plenum spacer give?

No remapping has been done but I have been told that remapping is only significant if there is a new ECU.

 

As my car is 10 yrs old, I probably have less bhp than it started with, so do insurers take that into account?

eg. I had 286bhp to start, if plenum spacer added +20bhp and took it to 306bhp, after 10 yrs my car is probably back to 286bhp?

[Grundy]

None of these are bolt on BHP. You only get BHP increase after a Re-Map. And even then you can't just say X = 5 BHP Y=7 BHP

 

Every car is different for BHP gains.

 

If it was me, I'd be explaining none of them give BHP increases untill a remap.

[Ekona]

All you need to say is this:

 

"As far as I know, there is no power increase for any of these modifications."

 

That's it. No more, no less. That's the truth, you don't know as you've not done a before and after dyno, so how would you know? It's all about honesty, and if they're not happy with that answer then you'd need to go to another company.