Van Manufactured with Wrong Engine; Insurance Void?

CoastingHatbox

Acknowledgement of complaint received from creditor today; just a generic letter promising a written response within 8 weeks.

Meanwhile, I've been sleuthing to try and get a reasonable insurance quote.

I've compared the online comparison websites and I've found I get wildly varying quotes depending on which I use, because they ask different questions.

Some give the option of specifying the increase in engine performance. And of course, the van has (in theory*) more power in the configuration it's in, than it would have otherwise.

Quotes from the comparison websites that ask about the increase in engine performance, are considerably more expensive (200% of renewal quote), even from the same insurer, relative to comparison websites that don't (130% of the renewal quote).

In so far as possible, I've kept all the other variables the same.

I feel dishonest taking out insurance bought through a comparison site that doesn't ask the question. I'm also fairly confident that I will get reimbursed, one way or another.

So, without digressing too much... is my gut feeling around insuring this as a modified van with a 33% increase in power output the 'right' way to go?


*I've been thinking about this; I don't think I have the slower van (as in the BlueHDi 100 engine has been remapped as a BlueHDi 75) because that's often described as too slow getting up to motorway speed and I've never felt mine to be that slow - even considering the last car I owned up to a few months prior to buying the van was a BMW 328i. I've even had people comment on how well it accelerates even though I seldomly really push it. Ideally I'd get it dynoed/tested but that just isn't practical right now, between work and other commitments.

Grey_Critic

If your vehicle cannot match the criteria on comparison websites go see an Insurance Broker.- have you spoken with DVLA about this. The vehicle itself does not match what their records say. It is possible they can change the records which would then make the vehicle insurable.Years ago kit cars were popular and had to be inspected and receive an approval certificate if I remember correctly.

Ditzy_Mitzy

Have you had the van on the rollers yet?  If it's only putting out 75 or so horsepower then surely the whole business can be forgotten?

Herzlos

Google says the 75 does 0-60 in about 15.8 seconds and tops out at 93mph, whilst the 100 does 0-60 in 11.9 seconds and goes to 102mph.

I doubt you'd have access to a private road long enough to get over 93mph, but the 0-60 should be easy enough to determine given a quiet enough NSL road. The 4 second difference will be pretty obvious.

Grey_Critic

Technically the vehicle is not legal. dvla states it has a different enginge - If you change anengine then you need to inform CVLA - I have already said the OP should talk with DVLA - they are the only people who can change the records - once done then there should be no problems insuring the vehicle.

CoastingHatbox

Grey_Critic said:

Technically the vehicle is not legal. dvla states it has a different enginge - If you change anengine then you need to inform CVLA - I have already said the OP should talk with DVLA - they are the only people who can change the records - once done then there should be no problems insuring the vehicle.

Engine code on the V5C matches the engine installed in the van (DV6FD, BlueHDi 100)

The VIN number also matches; although that decodes into and is matched to a derivative that has DV6FE, BlueHDi 75.

So the data is correct alas inconsistent with itself.

CoastingHatbox

Herzlos said:

Google says the 75 does 0-60 in about 15.8 seconds and tops out at 93mph, whilst the 100 does 0-60 in 11.9 seconds and goes to 102mph.

I doubt you'd have access to a private road long enough to get over 93mph, but the 0-60 should be easy enough to determine given a quiet enough NSL road. The 4 second difference will be pretty obvious.

We did a 0-60 test on an open stretch of dual carriageway last night whilst there was no other traffic around. It was well under 15.8 seconds (but not 11.9 seconds as they don't use any mechanical sympathy to get those numbers and I don't want to trash the gearbox!)

CoastingHatbox

I spoke to a local broker this morning, trying to clear up the insurance situation. They were incredibly helpful.

The long and short is, that an insurance underwiter needs to agree to insure the van, acknowledging that it is a BlueHDi 75 with the BlueHDi 100 engine, (not modified but also not standard) and provide something in writing to that effect.

The broker advised it shouldn't be insured as a modified van because it isn't. And it shouldn't be insured as a Partner L1 Professional BlueHDi 75 because it isn't.

With that I've been trying to obtain a fresh set of insurance quotes, ringing around various brokers/insurers. As yet, all have refused to quote. I'm waiting a call back from Admiral (who do their own underwriting) later on this afternoon.

The current insurance runs out on December 30th. In the meantime, I can't wait until potentially the beginning of Febuary for the creditor to deal with my complaint, so I tried my luck with the dealer from whom I bought the van (they ghosted me last time) and I'm waiting a call back from the sales manager. I highly doubt they will call. If they don't, I'll rock up there tomorrow.

After making many, many, many phone calls I've found an Insurer/Underwriter willing to cover the van. Which is a massive relief.

Herzlos

CoastingHatbox said:

Herzlos said:

Google says the 75 does 0-60 in about 15.8 seconds and tops out at 93mph, whilst the 100 does 0-60 in 11.9 seconds and goes to 102mph.

I doubt you'd have access to a private road long enough to get over 93mph, but the 0-60 should be easy enough to determine given a quiet enough NSL road. The 4 second difference will be pretty obvious.

We did a 0-60 test on an open stretch of dual carriageway last night whilst there was no other traffic around. It was well under 15.8 seconds (but not 11.9 seconds as they don't use any mechanical sympathy to get those numbers and I don't want to trash the gearbox!)

That'd definitely confirm that it's the 100 then, without needing to spend any money on it as Peugeot would want to run their own diagnostics anyway.

When did Peugeot say they'd be able to look at it? Because you've only really got this week before places start shutting down for the holiday so if it were me I'd at least try and have it in Peugeots possession before the insurance ran out.

CoastingHatbox

Herzlos said:

CoastingHatbox said:

Herzlos said:

Google says the 75 does 0-60 in about 15.8 seconds and tops out at 93mph, whilst the 100 does 0-60 in 11.9 seconds and goes to 102mph.

I doubt you'd have access to a private road long enough to get over 93mph, but the 0-60 should be easy enough to determine given a quiet enough NSL road. The 4 second difference will be pretty obvious.

We did a 0-60 test on an open stretch of dual carriageway last night whilst there was no other traffic around. It was well under 15.8 seconds (but not 11.9 seconds as they don't use any mechanical sympathy to get those numbers and I don't want to trash the gearbox!)

That'd definitely confirm that it's the 100 then, without needing to spend any money on it as Peugeot would want to run their own diagnostics anyway.

When did Peugeot say they'd be able to look at it? Because you've only really got this week before places start shutting down for the holiday so if it were me I'd at least try and have it in Peugeots possession before the insurance ran out.

Might have done it as you were posting, but I've updated my latest post on the thread to say the insurance is sorted out now.

The new insurer/underwriter managed to provide a fairly competitive quote too, so I've written to the finance company advising that the complaint can be closed.

Spent almost the entire day on the phone trying to get insurance ... very much relieved to have this situation resolved now.