If you engine swap, how is insurance handled?

Post by **alkemyst** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

Now I figure no one is going to know WTF is going on in a normal engine swap....however a turbo is pretty obvious and I imagine with the latest F&F wannabes wrapping their hondas around lampposts (here anyway in s florida), the adjuster will be looking for them if I some how wreck legit (get cut off, animal, oil, whatever) or get hit and then the opposing company trying to say my turbo caused me to get rear ended....

I am really thinking about getting a 240sx to replace my current car. Just got the insurance quote, a 1998 240sx will lower my 6 month premium $30 and change (vs my 1996 Saturn SC2).

Post by **spec-v5150** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

LOL and you are not a f and F wanna be who just gets a 240 just to "swap"???:rolleyes

anyway....you can always get side insurnace but I imagine the engine "may" no be covered. Who knows. Because "technicaly" the swap is illegal. So who knows. Best thing to do would be A)learn what the KA can do for you and its potential and B)call a insurance compnay (I wouldnt call the peopel you plan on covering you) and ask them flat out if you got a new engine and somethign happened, would you be covered. Or ask them can you cover say a 3500 "turbo" kit

Post by **droptopsilvia** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

Well if you're worried about that I'd advise against swapping in a turbo motor. it is an illegal swap.

an insurance company will screw you out of whatever they can, it's thier job

Post by **nissanrcer240** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

thats actualy a good question, i just planned on not tellin the insurance company about it, why bother? unless it does matter?

Post by **Ceptos** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

i was talking about this with a few people, the general gist i got was, first, u cant report the sr swap to insurance (well, i dont know about 'cant', i wouldnt do it formally until looked into tho) becuase it is illeagle for the street. second, it depends on what u want, do u want them to raise your bill? because they probably will if they can, but this also means that the engine is covered by insurance if you report it. if you dont report it, then if you smash your car up the engine is not covered in insurance (i dont know policies of ripping engines out after a car is 'totaled') i dont think it would have any bearing on who is at fualt in the accident tho.

i was thinking about all this a while ago, in my state there is emssions tests, so i would also have to get around that. but, i have a second residence in pennsilvania and i was thinking about registering the car there (also dont need a front license plate there). i eventually decided to build an n/a KA and just not worry about it, i prefer an n/a power curve anyway. i just dont see where i would ever use 350+ hp, or afford it for that matter =)

Post by **alkemyst** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

well not really a F&F wannabe no....I keep it to short stop light deals or the track....these guys winding it up to 120+ in a 45 with cross streets and stores are messed up.

I like fast cars though, I like building them though....I like no car payments too....i'd be nice to get a Viper and do all these things to it, but I want a house next

I wasn't particularly so interested a swap as much as adding on a turbo. I'd imagine a swap without a turbo would go unnoticed by almost anyone....but a turbo is a pretty hard thing to hide now since even women know what they look like.

As far as illegal I am sure absolutely everyone one this board breaks laws here and there whether it's speeding, downloading music/files, etc...that's not the point

.

I didn't get a good answer on the Saturn boards when I asked this question (90% of those guys are all tools it seems) the Porsche guys never had problems as they come turbo'd already and no one checks turbo type or if the 2.5 is now a 3.0, etc.

Website · Post by **s86d** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

heres your answer. After your car is finished (swap, body, etc) get your car appraised by an appraiser who knows his shyt. Then get full coverage on your vehicle based on the appraisers value set for the car. Since the car was appraised the value doesnt depreciate (so rack up as many miles as you want) Be warned the insurance will be very High...

Post by **Ceptos** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

i mentioned it being illeagle because i do not think that the insurance will cover it, regardless. tho if you are adding a turbo and not putting anything illeagle under the hood, than s86d has your answer.

Post by **Dattebayo** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

My Insurance is GEICO, and these guys answered my questions back when i was considering a swap.It is illegal to swap in an sr turbo (jap), but only to drive on the street. Any other type of use is fine. If you swap any other american or DOT emissions legal (comparable to 240 KA emissions for your state) including the RB25DET engine, you will not have to report the swap JUST because the emissions pass.

But im not sure if the RB25 will pass in CA.

If you want to insure your new engine so you get full value for it if something happens, then you will have to report it (DUH) or you will be compensated for the price of a KA engine. SO SR's cannot be reported if you plan to have the car as a street driver. But then again maybe you'll get lucky and find that the State Motor Vehicle people will not communicate with the insurance people.

Post by **NeedCAforS13** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

just swap a KA back (or take the turbo off) if the car gets wrecked... you have afew days before the insurance company sends anyone out to check on the vehicle...

I've heard of afew local guys that did that:) You really don't even have to hook up the motor when you put it back in, it just has to be in there, and look like it works. I mean do you think they're gonna start up your wrecked car and try to drive it around?;)

Sean

Post by **Dattebayo** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

Yes, actually, the sponsered tow company will try to start and move the car. If you wanna pull that off, your gonna have to pay off those people too. Or pick your own tow and send it to your house (whichever).

Post by **NeedCAforS13** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

yep. pick your own tow... send it to your house... and swap the motors back:)

I mean, how hard is it to put a stock KA in? or remove the turbo stuff... and put a stock ECU back in?

Sean

Website · Post by **s86d** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

seeing as how the wiring was changed for the sr you better have a spare ka harness lying around

Post by **NeedCAforS13** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

alkemyst wrote:I wasn't particularly so interested a swap as much as adding on a turbo.

Post by **alkemyst** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

i am not worried about the coverage on the car itself.

I am talking about the other vehicles being covered assuming I am at fault, or they have no insurance my body and passengers.

Fender benders. not even worried about it....I am talking a $50k+ accident.

Post by **Dattebayo** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

Best advise... dont hit other cars with yours

You must be that guy who runs the bumper cars at the fair:rolleyes Really unless your engine flys off the mounts, repeatedly crushes the other driver's head and dances around in front of the insurance agent, you will not have anything to worry about (except a new car).

Post by **Hijacker** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:54 am

if you ask me, there's no point in covering the engine cause if it's damaged, the car's totalled.

If you engine swap, how is insurance handled?

If you engine swap, how is insurance handled?

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