Air Filter - Insurance Mod?

[Sam16hutch]

Hi,

Just got my 1.2 Expression - 51 plate, done a few things to it already, 172 front grill/Turini's

Just wanted to stick an Air filter on it... To give that meater sound, does this count as an Insurance Modification??

Im with Directline and they dont allow any mods untill your 25, and im only 17...

Also, Which one would i need, Traditional Cone shaped or a Panel one?

If anyone has 1 for sale that i would need, PM me

Cheers, Sam

 

[DrR]

Why you worrying about an air filter if you have done the grill and changed the wheels without telling the insurance?

 

[Sam16hutch]

The wheels are Renault ones, i Asked Renault themselves, these can be bought as an Optional Extra - Factory Fitted...

And the Grill broke, needed replacement so i bought the only available one at the time...

 

[DrR]

Pretty sure you couldn't buy a 51 plate with cup wheels, what with the cup not even being around then?

(bit like me with 182 wheels on my 172 shhh)

 

[Sam16hutch]

How come a Renault Specialist would get that wrong, I gave him all my details car spec etc as well...

Any help with the Filter??

 

[Chrisjk]

i'm with direct line also, the way i got around my induction kit and exhaust was not telling them. if need be ill just put the std airbox bk on if i have and accident and pic up a cheap kwik fit exhaust thenthe brokes cant refuse a pay out

 

[DrR]

Panel filter, don't think anyone would care, and if you do crash just swap it. Cone filer should tell the insurance as it's quite obvious.

 

[Sam16hutch]

Cheers Guys Big help, Any good brands i should look for, also What size do i need??

Is there different Sizes??

Apologies if im being Niave just dont wanna order the wrong thing...

 

[WillC788]

Thing is with a panel filter, it could have been there when you bought the car and you never knew. Alternatively you changed it because you wanted a non-disposable one and better fuel economy (a K&N claim).

 

[WillC788]

Oh and you won't get much if anymore noise unless you're revving up to about 4k. It is just a bit throatier then, not loud or owt. It's barely noticeable.

 

[Sam16hutch]

Heard Pipercross where pretty good for Clio's...

good point, they look identical, and im now car expert hence my questions, so My Niaveness could prove in my Favour

 

[WillC788]

good point, they look identical, and im now car expert hence my questions, so My Niaveness could prove in my Favour

Exactly, me too.

 

[DougClio16v]

Direct line don't allow mod's to under 25's and IK's are known as engine modifications. They won't insure you.

 

[Sam16hutch]

Not an IK, Just a Panel Filter... This ok? - Easily Changeble if i were to have a crash?

 

[DougClio16v]

^ An uprated/sports panel filter is still an engine modification and if they find out you had one in there in a car crash - it's on your back mate. Change it at your own risk.

Changing panel filters is like going for a piss, but if you decide to add one to your car then if you happen to write it off then you need to change it before the insurance send an assessor to look at your car.

 

[Sam16hutch]

Yeah i would, I would prob change it asap if that did happen...

Even if it had nothing to do with the engine...

 

[DougClio16v]

It's on your own back then mate. Be careful!

 

[deadonkey]

is it worth the risk. Surely a slightly different filter wont make the car much faster. Not like an engine transplant or turbo'ing it?!

 

[DougClio16v]

We are in the 1.2 club - we need all the help we can get ffs lol!!

.. Still, do it legally is the best way.

 

[Sam16hutch]

How? Change insurance companies, how would i go about that?

 

[Sam16hutch]

Also, My main reason for wanting to install an air filter will be to make it sound better, not so like a 1.2...

Will a Panel filter do this??

http://www.green-filter.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=812_1043_1054&products_id=204753

This the right one for me??

Cheers, Sam

 

[-Leigh-]

Panel filter will make no difference to performance or sound.

 

[TheCake]

i'm with direct line also, the way i got around my induction kit and exhaust was not telling them. if need be ill just put the std airbox bk on if i have and accident and pic up a cheap kwik fit exhaust thenthe brokes cant refuse a pay out

Thats a great idea. Well done.:nono:

I hate having to type this but anyway here goes, a few years ago I wrote my Cup off, it was well modded and all declared. The police attended, took photo's, carted my car off to a locked pound where I was only allowed to attend to collect things like clothes and CDs.

You will have NO oppertunity to replace or swap ANY parts in any shape or form. You risk having your insurance policy cancelled, a smashed up car, loads of debt and no way to pay it as well as the police treating you as an uninsured driver.

I've seen it all before, on this forum and on others.

So in answer to the original poster, here's a quick thing to remember.

Did your car leave the factory, when built, with the parts you have fitted?

Yes = Car standard
No = Car modified

Make sense now?

 

[Ang]

i'm with direct line also, the way i got around my induction kit and exhaust was not telling them. if need be ill just put the std airbox bk on if i have and accident and pic up a cheap kwik fit exhaust thenthe brokes cant refuse a pay out

Its people like you that make insurance premiums so bloody high !
Grow up !

Think about the poor sod you plough into who then looses his no claims because your insurance is null and void.

Here have a blue peter badge...you're my hero

 

[Sam16hutch]

Lol your right...

I can change mine easy enough...

Maybe no Filter then??

Cheers, Sam

 

[TheCake]

Sam, save your money, go and enjoy yourself. Its next to a waste of money mate.

 

[Andy1.2]

Direct line wont accept any mods at all at your age so you wont be able to tell them anything. When i bought my car it only had aftermarket alloys on as a mod and they wouldnt even insure me because of that so just be careful.

 

[Monkey Machine]

Are you definitely sure Direct line won't accept any Mods before 25. I'm only 23 and insured with them. I purchased my car with tinted windows, phoned them up to delcare them, they said fine no probs.

 

[DougClio16v]

Are you definitely sure Direct line won't accept any Mods before 25. I'm only 23 and insured with them. I purchased my car with tinted windows, phoned them up to delcare them, they said fine no probs.

I was insured with Privilage early last year and they are underwritten by Direct Line. When I went to mod my previous car they told me the same thing that Direct Line tell thier customers - No mods on any vehicle until you reach the age of 25.

Tint's dont effect the structure or performance of the car mate, it's more of a decorative feature, hence why they probably let you have it.

 

[-Leigh-]

Direct Line don't like PERFORMANCE mods until you're 25. Tinted windows are ok, as are alloys I believe. It's just modifications to the engine and exhaust they won't allow.

 

[Andy1.2]

Direct Line don't like PERFORMANCE mods until you're 25. Tinted windows are ok, as are alloys I believe. It's just modifications to the engine and exhaust they won't allow.

No mate they wont allow anything. I was just about to buy online from them for my clio then read the smallprint saying no mods, so we rung them saying it has aftermarket alloys and they said no. So any kind of mod they wont allow except like said maybe tints.

 

[-Leigh-]

Direct Line don't like PERFORMANCE mods until you're 25. Tinted windows are ok, as are alloys I believe. It's just modifications to the engine and exhaust they won't allow.

No mate they wont allow anything. I was just about to buy online from them for my clio then read the smallprint saying no mods, so we rung them saying it has aftermarket alloys and they said no. So any kind of mod they wont allow except like said maybe tints.

Oh, well they informed me that changing the wheels, and lowering the car were fine. Maybe it depends on who you speak to.

 

[lewisniven]

just bung it on mate, really, it wont make any difference, they'll never know and if u do crash its a 2 second job to swap it bk, shud an assesor be coming out anyway.

an assesor is unlikely to notice if thats the only mod too, is he really gonna turn up and start dismantling the air box??? i think not.

get the filter, stick it in, and off you go.

 

[TheCake]

Very foolish advice ^

 

[Fred@BTM]

yeah when you crash and you can't get the bonnet open to swap it???????????

also people from insurance companies look at these car forums, so i'd be careful with what you post!

 

[Neil G]

Isn't a panel filter a replacement/serviceable part though ?

 

[DougClio16v]

Isn't a panel filter a replacement/serviceable part though ?

Yea, but to avoid it getting replaced, you tell the garage not to replace the filter as it has a sports filter and they deduct the filter price off the service sheet and cross it out on the "to do" list.

That's what I did.

Still voids insurance if you don't tell them the original filter has been replaced/ uprated.

 

[Neil G]

What I am sayig is because the panel filter is a 'consumable item' shouldn't you be able to get away with it on the insurance?

IKs are a different story though....visible from the outside and need to be declared

 

[Fred@BTM]

nope, has to be OE spec

 

[thecremeegg]

Did your car leave the factory, when built, with the parts you have fitted?

Yes = Car standard
No = Car modified

Make sense now?

My car has a new ariel and a new sound system neither of which need to be declared so thats not strictly true