[briers]

This isn't for my car but if you took your car to a local exhaust fitter who replaced the back part of the exhaust, keeping the look, size and shape of the pipes the same is this a modification?

The only differences are the backboxes are a very slight different shape and it sounds a bit louder.

Where is the line drawn? It isn't a bigger sports exhaust nor is it different in appearance. It doesnt claim to increase bhp. How do you explain it to the insurers without them thinking you have stuck a big sports exhaust on.

Is it worth mentioning? If you dont could they refuse to pay out in an accident on the entire claim?

The insurer is esure

[rogerxp]

Of course they can refuse to pay as you've not disclosed a material fact (that they always ask). Would they ever know if the mod is so subtle - I doubt very much they would.

All that said, my sports exhaust increases sound, has larger tips, reduces weight & increases bhp by 18bhp, and once disclosed my insurance only increased £10 p/m (from £60 to £70) so wasn't worth hiding IMO.

I'm with Esure too.

[rjwojcik]

Difficult one as there's no consistent answer.

Say my mum goes into a garage and they tell her, that her exhaust is blowing. They then fix it for her using non genuine parts. Would the insurance be null and void? I'm sure my mum wouldn't even know what work was actually carried out, if the insurance asked.

Surely you've just had to do a similar job?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating fraud here in anyway. In fact I've done quite a bit to mine and all of the performance enhancing mods have been declared.

[briers]

thanks guys

I plucked up the courage to phone eSure and i was honest with them. The car in question had it's exhaust rebuilt at a local specialist to the same spec as the original. The appearance, pipes, number of pipes and design is the same.

I mentioned there might be a slight variation in the circumference of the pipes or the back boxes but it was still made to match the originals. I also said it wasn't mean't to increase power (which it isn't). On the subject of sound i said it sounds very much like the original but i couldn't say it was exactly the same.

After checking with the underwriters they said it wouldn't need to be classed as a modification. The only time it is a mod is if its visually different in appearance, adds performance, or is more desirable, i.e. stainless steel sports exhaust... or all 3.

So result

I guess that clarifies if you have a bog standard car which you take for exhaust repairs to your local kwik tit its not classed as a mod.

[magic77]

according to my insurance company even if I fitted a kwik fit exhaust it would be classed as a mod. IMO if its second hard car how do they know it wasnt on car before you bought it and was not aware it was a mod

Joy of insurance companies thieving "£"%$""$

[briers]

yep - i read about this, i bought a car once that had been modified and i didnt realise until after i sold it

ps.. i replied to your message magic but your inbox said it was full; i wasn't being rude

[magic77]

no probs cleared it out now didnt realize it was full

[rogerxp]

...and the mysterious car in question??

Still wondering why the alteration if it doesn't add any more power, noise or visuals - is there a secret compartment for drugs or something??

[briers]

Not your cup of tea Rog, it's a fully loaded XFR

My first saloon and i'm not sure how i feel about it but i need back doors for reasons i wont go into. I dont have it yet, still need to wait a bit so will see how i feel when i pick it up and drive it properly.

Cheers

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by briers

Not your cup of tea Rog, it's a fully loaded XFR

Nice motors. One day when I succumb to actually growing up .

But what's the story with the exhaust - what's the reason for tinkering??