Insurance issues Springs or Air

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R

RAX1P

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Hi All, many of you have pointed out that there are insurance cover issues, if you convert a Range Rover P38 from air suspention to springs.

Today, I contacted 4 of the Major 4x4 Insurance providers, stating that I was having a P30 modified from air to springs, not one said there was an issue and there under-wrighters were happy!
 
I bought mine with coils fitted, I thought I should let the insurers know and they cancelled the policy as it was modified, went to Adrian Flux no issues.
 
RAX1P said:
Hi All, many of you have pointed out that there are insurance cover issues, if you convert a Range Rover P38 from air suspention to springs.

Today, I contacted 4 of the Major 4x4 Insurance providers, stating that I was having a P30 modified from air to springs, not one said there was an issue and there under-wrighters were happy!
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As long as you inform the insurers and get confirmation in writing that they accept the mod that will not be a problem, the rough ride, instability at speed and possibly the new MOT regs will.
 
Datatek said:
As long as you inform the insurers and get confirmation in writing that they accept the mod that will not be a problem, the rough ride, instability at speed and possibly the new MOT regs will.
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I totally agree with you Keith but where do you think you would stand if the modification was done by a Main Stealer. One of my friends was told by a M/S that it would be cheaper to spring it than repair the EAS. They still took over £1200 off him (1999/2000)
 
tomcat59alan said:
I totally agree with you Keith but where do you think you would stand if the modification was done by a Main Stealer. One of my friends was told by a M/S that it would be cheaper to spring it than repair the EAS. They still took over £1200 off him (1999/2000)
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Early Range Rovers (Classics) had an affinity with rolling over going around corners at speed and if swerved at speed. So much so that all police force traffic Range rovers at the time were banned from high speed pursuit. When air suspension was introduced this was corrected by allowing the car to squat down above 50 MPH greatly reducing the tendency to roll. Fitting coils removes this safety feature. The construction and use, type approval certificate for the P38 does not cover coil springs, therefore any P38 on coil springs is technically illegal to use on British roads. But having said that there are possibly thousands of modified cars on the roads that are technically in the same boat, but nobody seems to care. If the European regulations currently being considered come fully into force in this country havoc will ensue. Worse case scenario is that ANY vehicle fitted with a non standard or non factory approved part or that has a modification NOT listed on it's original manufactured spec it will not pass the MOT. This already happens in some European countries.
 
wammers said:
Early Range Rovers (Classics) had an affinity with rolling over going around corners at speed and if swerved at speed. So much so that all police force traffic Range rovers at the time were banned from high speed pursuit. When air suspension was introduced this was corrected by allowing the car to squat down above 50 MPH greatly reducing the tendency to roll. Fitting coils removes this safety feature. The construction and use, type approval certificate for the P38 does not cover coil springs, therefore any P38 on coil springs is technically illegal to use on British roads. But having said that there are possibly thousands of modified cars on the roads that are technically in the same boat, but nobody seems to care. If the European regulations currently being considered come fully into force in this country havoc will ensue. Worse case scenario is that ANY vehicle fitted with a non standard or non factory approved part or that has a modification NOT listed on it's original manufactured spec it will not pass the MOT. This already happens in some European countries.
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Spain & France for starters:eek:
 
They wouldnt back date this tho I assume? Ie only would apply to cars built post legislation?
As above be careful with mods, you can get stung if you dont declare.
 
ronsealdeath said:
They wouldnt back date this tho I assume? Ie only would apply to cars built post legislation?
As above be careful with mods, you can get stung if you dont declare.
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The propsed rules say any un-homologated mod to any vehicle will be illegal. Certainly you cannot easily even register a car here or in Spain that is modded, there are ways round it but it's not easy.
 
It is coming in some form. How retrospective it will be we do not yet know. I hope everyone is aware that it has been illegal to fit a replacement catalytic converter without the European kite mark to any vehicle made in or after 2004 since that date. Stamped ones cost twice as much as non stamped ones. So you can see where this is going i hope.
 
Datatek said:
Spain & France for starters:eek:
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And here in Portugal too.
If you have fitted tyres/wheels that are not present in our equivalent to the V5 it will fail our MOT. Same goes for engine upgrades, which are a forbidden.

Basically, around here, if you have modified anything from what is stated in the MOT (seat numbers, open/closed hood, engine size and/or power, tyres) it will automatically fail.
 
Don't forget the issue of towing too. I have no idea what the towing capacity or behaviour would be like on springs, but I'm guessing that removing the self levelling feature of the EAS would cause interesting behaviour and certainly make what is currently a great towing vehicle into a mediocre one at best.
 
If the European MOT rules are introduced there will be problems with a wide range of cars/vehicle not to mention puttings custom cap shops etc out of business, and compensation claims-HMG will not do it.
 
TSC said:
If the European MOT rules are introduced there will be problems with a wide range of cars/vehicle not to mention puttings custom cap shops etc out of business, and compensation claims-HMG will not do it.
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You really think that? Dream on! It affects such a tiny proportion of the electorate that they won't give a flying whatever.
 
Datatek said:
+1 they will hope lots of old cars will get scrapped to be replaced by newer ones:rolleyes:
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I maybe being cynical, but i strongly suspect that the manufactures have a lot of say in this. Protecting their massive profit spares at over inflated prices business.
 
Datatek said:
As long as you inform the insurers and get confirmation in writing that they accept the mod that will not be a problem, the rough ride, instability at speed and possibly the new MOT regs will.
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apart from been adjustable height the air isnt that good quite basic on p38,and it will be a great shame once all the new rules eventually rule out all modifications:(
 
The EU reached a compromise in December 13 which effectively means that any changes are governed by directive as opposed to regulation, in short the UK MOT stays as is as far as modified vehicles are concerned, under a directive member states can chose to adopt a system that suits them, this is not the case if a regulation was put in place, this battle has been going on in Brussels since 2012 at least, pressure from UK Motoring Organisations was significant, I work in a regulated industry ( not the motor trade) and we have an office in Brussels, as the owner of a couple of modified cars and a P38 on springs ( at present) I have watched this debate with interest and asked a colleague in Brussels to keep an eye on the situation, for now and I expect for several years nothing will change, in the future who knows but I told it's off the table at present.
 
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