E36 engine swap insurance details

Associate
Joined
14 Oct 2019
Posts
23
Hi all, first time poster, newer car enthusiast (About a year now).

I have been driving an E46 318ci for coming up a year now as my second car, has been a lovely car to own but looking to get myself a 6 cyl e36 come next year. My issue being the best example I've found near me is a 318is m50b25 engine swap (majority I find are engine swapped). Looking over insurance if I were to just buy a 325, my insurance costs around 700/800 (pretty standard), but being an engine swap from a 318, prices rocketed up to 6k because it's considering (I assumed anyway) a non standard engine swap. Is there any way around this ? Was considering getting on the phone to my insurance company, seeing if some explanation would help but I'm not sure, any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you.
 

GeX

GeX

Soldato
Joined
17 Dec 2002
Posts
6,850
Location
Manchester
Try more specialised insurance companies, Adrian Flux were good when I used to swap engines. Mainstream companies tend to just quote high as they don't want to insure you
 
Associate
OP
Joined
14 Oct 2019
Posts
23
Try more specialised insurance companies, Adrian Flux were good when I used to swap engines. Mainstream companies tend to just quote high as they don't want to insure you
Aye I'll have to look into it, just a bit of a pain as I'm trying to build up my no claims so would be mean either waiting till may or trying to get it on the same insurer I'm currently with. Appreciate the reply.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2006
Posts
23,304
Try more specialised insurance companies, Adrian Flux were good when I used to swap engines. Mainstream companies tend to just quote high as they don't want to insure you

And usually dont have a clue what you are saying to them :\

But yep a specialist insurer is the way to go. The only problem is they are picky with who they cover. Which is how they keep costs down.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2002
Posts
2,738
Location
South UK
Thinking, would it be possible to get the car registered as a 325, I wouldn't have to declare it as a swap ?

With Greenlight I declare mods but ONLY as a percentage of original horsepower. With my Mk5 Edition 30 I had a remap which added ~ 50-60HP, so I declared that I had a mod that upped the power by 20% so you may be able to do it that way. I would declare the engine swap but as a 15% increase in power for example - give them a ring and ask, they are very mod friendly.
 
Associate
Joined
22 Sep 2011
Posts
1,857
Location
Staffordshire Somewhere
Sky insure my engine swap, be prepared to pay a bit more however with any engine swap. Declare every mod imo, it's not worth rising it.

Greenlight don’t insure BMWs though!

Just seen that lots of modified insurers refuse to insure BMW's :eek: Greenlight refused to quote me on my car as apparently I live in a high risk area (I live in quiet countryside).
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2006
Posts
23,304
Sky insure my engine swap, be prepared to pay a bit more however with any engine swap. Declare every mod imo, it's not worth rising it.



Just seen that lots of modified insurers refuse to insure BMW's :eek: Greenlight refused to quote me on my car as apparently I live in a high risk area (I live in quiet countryside).

Because BMW claims statistics monster everything else. So it's a saving by just refusing them all. I guess they attract a certain crowd :D

They might make an exception for classic ones though. Since they are less likely to be sent arse first in to a lamp post by some rudeboy.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
19 Oct 2002
Posts
29,509
Location
Surrey
I'd be inclined to ask on an owners forum or club. There will certainly be specialist insurers who will quote for significantly less,
 
Associate
OP
Joined
14 Oct 2019
Posts
23
I'd be inclined to ask on an owners forum or club. There will certainly be specialist insurers who will quote for significantly less,
Thank you for the advice, probably my next step. If I can't get a more acceptable quote I may wait and just seek out a stock 325/328 e36 as a last resort.
 
Back
Top Bottom