New wheels and insurance

[Little_Si]

I've just bought some original Audi RSTT alloys for my S3. With these also being an optional extra from the factory, do I need to declare them to my insurance company? If they had been factory fitted, I wouldn't declare them as an option, so I don't see why I should now.

Opinions?

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

Declare them - why not? It only takes a phone call.

If they increase your premium then you were right to declare it, as this shows they see it as an extra risk and you would not have been insured if you didn't tell them.

If they don't, then great!

They look great by the way.

 

[imported_ashs3]

Opened a biggy here,
IMO if they were a factory option then no, others will say yes, I know one person on here that declared his RSTT's, Sat Nav and Bose sound ! which IMO is mental.
Most insurance companies will show that the value of the car is not to exceed £30,000 etc and from what I have been told by friends in the business if they were a factory option and the car was written off then the insurer would go to Audi and get the spec of the car from the factory if it was to be replaced. You could also say that you bought the car with them on and not being a car expert did not know that they were the wrong alloys. As said it depends on what they will cost to add to the insurance, Privilege told me that it would cost £160 more a year for RS4 reps that are £400 plus rubber to replace, where as the car as it is, the 17" OEM Avus alloys are £191 each plus rubber /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif so they pay more for the standard ones? the way they look at it though is that if it makes the car more appealing it will be more nick able.

I had a big smash in my 328i M Sport coupe at the end of 2002, it was not my fault and the car had over £5000 worth of repairs done to it, one of which being to replace the front left alloy as it was smashed, now I had 18" MV OEM alloys on the car, the model car I had (E36) came with 17" BBS Split rims, so quite a difference. Now the car was repaired by BMW and they swapped the wheel without questioning it not being standard, any BMW tech worth his wages would have know that the 18" MV came only with the E46 Sport models from 2001 onwards.

It depends as always on the individual condition, the insurer, etc etc. IMO if you are worried about it call your insurance company and ask how much to add them? if you think it is a good price do it.

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

ashs3 makes some good points but remember the new alloys are possibly more attractive to wheel thieves. Your reasoning is spot on in the event of a crash but you don't consider theft.

Please please declare this to your insurance company! There is no valid reason not to make the call.

 

[paul_brad]

I do always wonder what people do with their aftermarket alloys.

All those Trevs in their 1.2 Corsas with 18" alloys and bodykits surely aren't declaring - they have a cheap car because they can't afford the insurance in the first place.

In my own brain, I've decided that if they are original manufacture alloys, I woudn't declare them. There are millions of second hand cars sold with these 'upgrades' that the new owner doesn't know the history of. That's probably wrong of course, but its such a grey area isnt it?

If they were an option from new I definitely wouldnt declare them. I'd have to say, I thought all S3s came with Avus though...

 

[pazaz]

Looks good Little Si /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

I wouldnt bother telling them myself.

PS: Where did you get them from and did yhey come with studs? if you dond mind me asking!

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

I work for an insurance company (not motor) and non-declarations are a very good reason for insurers not to pay a claim.

Insurers also have to be fair and reasonable. If you buy a used car which happens to have upgraded wheels, this is usually mentioned by the seller as it is a selling point - so declare it. If circumstances are that you couldn't possibly have known then I think the insurer would be more lenient.

You guys have expensive cars. You owe it to yourself to have them properly insured.

 

[Little_Si]

My insurance is due in 4 days. The quote I have from my current insurer (Adrian Flux) is nearly £100 cheaper than any other quote I've had.

I could ask them, saying that I'm thinking about fitting some in the near future. If they say it will put my quote up, I can at least bargain with them since it's renewal time.

I can't say that I bought the car with them and didn't know they were not the originals because I bought the car from brand new.

For safety's sake I will probably at least ask how much the quote will be affected.

They do make the car look so much better though.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

Have you tried Direct Line? They are the cheapest for me by far and are mod-friendly. (33 yr old male, full no claims, no convictions or accidents, no mods yet, pay about £400).

 

[imported_ashs3]

Privilege quote for me without my 3 points I am 30 with 7years NCB and that is the car on the drive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

£369

With my 3 points, new SP50 from this March /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

£420

So still ****** cheap IMO, still £100 cheaper than last renewal in Sptember now I am 30 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Give them a go online at http://www.privilege.com/

 

[ImS3ola]

I used to think you didn't have to declare optional extra alloys to the insurance co. However, when i came to take out insurance on the s3 with elephant/admiral, they have a specific box under modifications titled "optional extra alloy wheels". It increased my premium by £60 for the year, but they were still the cheapest quote.

If I were you i'd tell the insurance co. If you can afford a S3 and 18" RSTTs, then you can afford the slight increase in premium.

 

[jojo]

[ QUOTE ]
My insurance is due in 4 days. The quote I have from my current insurer (Adrian Flux) is nearly £100 cheaper than any other quote I've had.

I could ask them, saying that I'm thinking about fitting some in the near future. If they say it will put my quote up, I can at least bargain with them since it's renewal time.

I can't say that I bought the car with them and didn't know they were not the originals because I bought the car from brand new.

For safety's sake I will probably at least ask how much the quote will be affected.

They do make the car look so much better though.

Thanks for the replies.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm with AdrianFlux, and they are very good with all my mods declared, 19" wheels and remap etc... they only raised the premium with the remap though, the wheels and Brembo brake upgrade didn't effect the premium IIRC.
Directline are also very good for standard cars and competitive with remaps from my experience, but they didn't like my aftermarket alloys, wanting to charge £140 more per annum, so definitely shop around. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Little_Si]

So far, Adrian Flux want £652. I'm 29, no points, 12 years NCB, car is garaged every night and I live in a nice area. Although I do up to 20000 miles a year.

On my old A3, I had Kahn RSR 18 inch wheels and Adrian flux wanted nearly £300 extra just for having the alloys. I thought this was crazy, but I ended up paying it anyway.

I'll give direct line a try.

Thanks for all the replies so far /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Little_Si]

Taffy,

I managed to find them second hand on ebay. I didn't really fancy replicas because of extra weight and bendiness. They came with Nearly new Michelin Pilot Sport tyres with 6mm+ tread all round. All alloys are immaculate apart from 1 small (not noticable) mark on one of them. I did have to drive 370 miles on Sunday to view and collect them though!

 

[CARACTERE007]

no brainer,...tell them, id hate to have spent say 15k on a car and then have the insurance company void your insurance, you are then at their mercy! a couple of tenners compared to a couple of thousand out of pocket...seriously no brainer.

 

[Little_Si]

That's sorted then. I'll be giving them a call tomorrow.

BTW, Privilege quoted £760.20 and Direct Line quoted £747.60 (both with protected no claims).

 

[Timbo]

I'm with Adrian Flux too... worth telling them at renewal time as they charge a £30 admin fee for amending a policy afterwards (on top of whatever the extra premium is) but they'll probably waive it if you do it when you renew. If they don't haggle with them!

I asked them about chip & konis and they told me if I went ahead to declare it all at once so I only had to pay the admin fee once! But what if I didn't get the work done all at once?!? Hmmm...

 

[Little_Si]

Well, I've just renewed with Adrian Flux and told them about the wheels. They say that it's fine and doesn't add anything to the cost, but you DO need to declare it as a modification on the standard specification.

Thanks everyone for your input.

I also saved £60 by being a member of the planet-audi.net website.