The Car Thread

[george_seamons]

Just to throw more fuel on the fire...

I can't see how removing the rear seats would have ANY effect with regards to insurance. As long as it was literally just the seats, and not the rear plastics/carpet etc etc. What's to say you haven't just popped down to the tip, or to buy something that wouldn't fit in otherwise, or...shock horror, to fit bikes in!

If the front seats had been replaced for bucket seats and harnesses, they may have a slightly different view however.

I COMPLETLY stripped the inside of my a3 (as in no plastics, no carpet, no door cards) and it made no difference to the insurers. Maybe that was because I was on a specialist policy, who knows...

[Luke Rainbird]

The best bet would just be to give them a shout and ask.

Chances are it'll make absolutely no difference in the slightest, but if you're unfortunate enough for shit to turn sour then it could be the difference between them denying a payout and having something to fall back on

[craigjames]

General rule is ANY modifications made to the car have to be declared, it's not so much it makes any performance difference to the car, but as Luke says it can give them something to latch onto and refuse any claims you may make. Surely it's better to be safe than sorry?

[Prawny Baby]

I've heard of young lads having insurance cancelled after a crash because they've stripped the rear out.

The argument is, that it's dramatically changing the weight distribution of the car, and thus can have an adverse effect on the handling. it's also removing substantial weight and thus increasing performance.

Stupid I know, but I've known people get screwed because of it.

Whilst it may no effect your premium when you call up, at least it'd be on record.

Too quick to jump on jardo this time guys. Sure, when he throws out a line, by all means bite back, but on that occasion it was just sound and sensible advice.

attitude not required.

[Pashley26]

Have had a rad morning playing about in a Mk5.

I hated them, assumed they would be soft and rubbish. Read internet opinions from forum hero's and all that lark; turns out they are epic.

Lad at work bought one with some inheritance and has basically said to me "I can justify spending £1200 on it, I need to keep this for 2 years so make it so good I can't sell it" and told me to write a list of things to be done to it.

We fitted coilovers last week, I plastidipped his wheels black and tinted his head lights with bits I had laying about. It's booked in for stage 1 mapping at R-Tech, and if it is quick enough for him the rest of the money is going on a set of Falken FK452's and a Miltek cat back. If not then we'll take it to stage 2.

Gave it a PROPER clean today, spent a good 4 hours on it. Used Iron-X for the first time, that shit's amazing!

Here's the afters;

Instagraaaam -

Had a play with the BM as well early this morning, I am pretty sure I can see blackening along the downpipe join which would be my exhaust blow -

The manifold looks fine at the head, and all nuts are tight and free to take off too -

Weirdly there is a blob of weld on the downpipe which is where the gasket has blown -

So I can only presume the weld penetration has caused a spike which has deformed the gasket. So might have to remove that and knock it off.

The downpipe to back box was new last year so it has all been off recently.

Edited August 16, 2012 by Pashley26

[Andeee]

Led number plate bulbs and colour coded boot look arrived today

[CurtisRider]

There's something about LEDs all over a car that I like, plate LEDs look soooooo much tidier than halogens!

[Prawny Baby]

yea, but you're a Fkn LED whore Paul, we all know that

[CurtisRider]

True that, you should see my collection, got about 500 of the buggers ready for teaching next year!

[RobinJI]

I'm fully with Jardo, anything, no matter how small/insignificant needs telling to your insurance. Silly little things make no difference usually, but should there be any issues they can't get out of anything.

On the other hand, judging Dan based on what he drives is a bit silly really, especially when they're a student. You know what I drive Jardo, it's might as well actually be a taxi, but you also know I've just finished a bachelors in Motorsport Technology (1st class with honors BTW), and I've got a fair bit of experience for my age, as such, without wanting to seem big headed, I'd say I know a fair bit about cars despite driving an 80bhp diesel estate. In fact out of my friends at uni we all drove impressively boring and mundane cars, I think it's because the more you learn about cars performance, the more you realise how much of a huge compromise you end up making running a fast car daily. Out of the 4 main friends on my course our exciting fleet consisted of: My Passat, 1.6td estate, a 1.8tdi mk1 Focus estate (standard besides some generic wheels because they had decent tyres), A 2002 1.6 Megane 5 door (100% standard), an E46 318i (standard) and a 1.1 Saxo (standard besides a couple of stickers and a shitty bonnet scoop done as a work experience project.)

In my news, erm.. cleaned it, with a pressure washer and a 'hot foam brush' at a local garage, oh, and I need to put some more diesel in the tank. Exciting stuff. The mini I've been doing at work's getting there though, I'm pretty much ready to put the rest of the floor back in, just waiting for moulds to be taken of the doors, then it's on to the fun stuff (i.e. modifications, rather than just fixing rust/accident damage.)

Looking forward to RetroRides Gathering, which is this weekend. Anyone else going? Well worth a look if you're free on Sunday and anywhere near Prescott Hill Climb course.

Edited August 16, 2012 by RobinJI

[Pashley26]

As a total aside, because I'm done arguing about/with/over Dan.

Would you not say there are only two ways to get respect by the automotive community; you either have an AMAZING car or you know a lot. Everybody else is just in the middle and a but meh'.

I'm in the middle. But there seem to be two defining stereotypes for "respected" members of the community.

[RobinJI]

I'd add a 3rd category of people who organise events, do a lot of marshaling etc. I know a few well respected people in the community who are only so well known because of their involvement in the community. There's also a obviously a fair few who fit both the categories you mentioned. I'm in the middle too, I know a fair bit, but I'm still young and inexperienced, and while my mini's far from completion I'll stay sitting here. Fine by me anyway, I'm not really arsed what my general appearance is personally. The business is a completely different matter though, so yeah, I'll be hoping to get somewhere within the automotive community sometime soon purely for the sake of that.

[Prawny Baby]

In fact out of my friends at uni we all drove impressively boring and mundane cars, I think it's because the more you learn about cars performance, the more you realise how much of a huge compromise you end up making running a fast car daily.

No offense intended with this one dear boy, but I think that's a load of crap

You all ran boring cars because you were poor students!

I ran my A3 daily for 2 years whilst earning good money, and it was FANTASTIC in every way.

Fast enough for track, comfy enough to cover 500 miles per week, and smart enough for a job interview.

224bhp, 40mph on a run, looked great, but subtle enough not to stand out. I cry a little inside every time I remember that it's not parked outside any more.

[davey1991]

Have had a rad morning playing about in a Mk5.

I hated them, assumed they would be soft and rubbish. Read internet opinions from forum hero's and all that lark; turns out they are epic.

Lad at work bought one with some inheritance and has basically said to me "I can justify spending £1200 on it, I need to keep this for 2 years so make it so good I can't sell it" and told me to write a list of things to be done to it.

We fitted coilovers last week, I plastidipped his wheels black and tinted his head lights with bits I had laying about. It's booked in for stage 1 mapping at R-Tech, and if it is quick enough for him the rest of the money is going on a set of Falken FK452's and a Miltek cat back. If not then we'll take it to stage 2.

Gave it a PROPER clean today, spent a good 4 hours on it. Used Iron-X for the first time, that shit's amazing!

Here's the afters;

Instagraaaam -

666

666

66

Had a play with the BM as well early this morning, I am pretty sure I can see blackening along the downpipe join which would be my exhaust blow -

The manifold looks fine at the head, and all nuts are tight and free to take off too -

Weirdly there is a blob of weld on the downpipe which is where the gasket has blown -

So I can only presume the weld penetration has caused a spike which has deformed the gasket. So might have to remove that and knock it off.

The downpipe to back box was new last year so it has all been off recently.

Just too take a few steps back, that is a very very good looking MK5 and i really really do not like modern cars... There is just something about it... Good job.

[RobinJI]

No offense intended with this one dear boy, but I think that's a load of crap

Ok, I didn't really explain my self fully, so I can see how it could be missinterprited, but I'd still say it's true. Most people I know involved in motorsport daily-drive diesel estates or cheap bangers depending on budget. The thing about your Audi is that it's still just a hatchback. In respect to what you could be driving considering your position in life, it was a pretty sensible practical car. I mean you sold the M3, which says a lot in its self, I'm not sure what you daily right now, but last time I saw you I distinctly remember a pizza run in a 1.4l Mariva despite the fact you could have gone out and bought some silly fast sports car, the fact you've got a decent knowledge of cars means you've got a crazy stripped track car, and you daily whatever work give you, (or previously a sensible hatch back). Scale up the budgets from student to full time civil engineer and your Audi was just the equivalent of my mates 318 when you compare it to what you could be driving. I never said we didn't have weekend toys/project cars, just that we daily drive boring crap. In fact most of us have done exactly what you did, we used to daily something nice/desirable, but after a while we stopped being very bothered about it, so ended up parting with it/not fixing it and replaced it with something bland, accompanied by a weekend toy. Every now and then we/I get the urge to daily something silly or the weekend toy, but it never lasts more than months before we get bored of never seeing the cars potential thanks to the truck/old man/school run 4x4 in front of us, and we want practicality again.

Of course there are exceptions, it's only a trend, not a rule, but on the whole, I find that the more knowledge people have about cars, the more mundane their choice of cars is for a daily, relative to their position in life. It works well to think of what you'd daily if you won the lottery too, most of the people who have a vauige interest, or think they're knowledgeable would be in the GTRs, Ferrari GT cars, Aston Martins, Bentlys etc.. while most of the people who are involved in the industry, and/or know their stuff would often be the ones in the RS4s, M5s, (I hate to say it but..) Range Rovers ectt.. Basically all the stuff that shifts for what it is, but at the end of the day is still a practical normal car. Then they'd have the Radical/Rally car/super bike/GT3 etc for the weekend.

[Pashley26]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA REMEMBER WHEN PRAWN USED TO DELIVER PIZZA IN THE A3! LOLZ

[ah147]

And could technically invalidate insurance, so probably not an amazing idea to tell him to just "remove the rear seats".

Just fold them flat and remove the bars and front wheel. Removing the seats all together is not a great option.

Can categorically state that removing the rear seats does not invalidate insurance having spoke to my broker today (works with lots of insurance companies for lots of different commercial firms).

Also from personal experience with land-rovers, seats always in and out. V5 said it was a 9 seater. When I crashed there was 6. (2 front, 2 middle, 2 back).

However, insurance does need to be notified, as always with ANY change, even a change of colour/wheels.

Also, from a personal viewpoint, I wouldn't remove the rear seat, cos then where would I keep my empty macdonalds bags?

EDIT: By the way, didn't post this to stir. Just though a few people would like a definitive answer.

Edited August 16, 2012 by ah147

[Pashley26]

Is that if it is declared or if it is undeclared that you have removed the rear seats?

[haydon_peter]

Can categorically state that removing the rear seats does not invalidate insurance having spoke to my broker today (works with lots of insurance companies for lots of different commercial firms).

EDIT: By the way, didn't post this to stir. Just though a few people would like a definitive answer.

I don't get why people find this so hard to understand...

EVERY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL BE DIFFERENT.

[Prawny Baby]

I see what you mean now makes sense.

At 21, the m3 was the most expensive car I could possibly manage to drive, a did.

At 25, the a3 wasn't the most expensive car I could afford by along way, but I chose to stick with it.

I now have a focus tdi

Point taken

[ah147]

Pashley it's declared. You have to declare EVERYTHING.

Hayden, this is why I spoke to my broker. Brokers aren't insurance companies. They're a middle man. They work with most insurance companies large and small and are experts in this subject.

[craigjames]

I'm going to call you out on this and say bollocks. If it made no difference and wouldn't affect your ability to make a claim and get a payout (i.e. invalidating your policy in the event of an accident), then why would you need to declare it in the first place?

I appreciate that some companies would not be concerned by modifcations such as this, but others would, to the point that any undeclared modifcations to the car would invalidate the policy.

Every insurance company is different and your broker friend doesn't deal with every insurance company.

[Pashley26]

Dude, everybody is more than aware what a broker is. Especially Tic who basically works for DVLA haha

And as we have said, not a problem if it is declared. Insurance compaines like Brenacre are the best for that, I rang them up to get a quote on my A3 and the guy had been following my build thread on ASN and knew all about the car lol

[Leistonbmx]

Dude, everybody is more than aware what a broker is. Especially Tic who basically works for DVLA haha

And as we have said, not a problem if it is declared. Insurance compaines like Brenacre are the best for that, I rang them up to get a quote on my A3 and the guy had been following my build thread on ASN and knew all about the car lol

Hah, pretty cool.

Everyone bums brentacre for modified vehicles. But are they cheap, or roughly the same as others with the added advantage for adding mods and the like?

[crashbanggg]

Also, from a personal viewpoint, I wouldn't remove the rear seat, cos then where would I keep my empty macdonalds bags?

The rear seats are going to remain well and truly in for this reason! ...and allows for more petrol money to skanked when giving lifts

(I apologise in advance for the potentially very n00bie questions in the next few weeks whilst I work my way around the car)

Noobie question number 1: My speakers are f**ked. As it stands, it is the original cassette/ radio head unit with the original 2x3.5" speakers, so nowt special. So, is replacing the speakers with ~£30 speakers (E.g. Alpines) going to be any better than getting ~£15 speakers, or is it the head unit that is the restrictive part? I'm obviously not expecting them to brilliant, just enough to be able to listen to music comfortably.

Edited August 17, 2012 by crashbanggg