Tesco Box insurance modifications

Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2006
Posts
23,382
He, didn't say he wanted to straight pipe it, he said he wanted to remove the back box. A 4 cylinder turbo diesel will be very much road legal with the backbox removed. The turbo, cats and middle box will mean it is still fairly quiet. In fact a straight piped turbo diesel will still be quiet enough to pass an MOT.

My E30 is as loud as hell with no middle box and just a backbox, it still passes an MOT.

It should fail, but most places probably don't care. A bit like dodgy number plates or removing a cat (if your car has multiple cats) should be, but rarely is :p
 
Commissario
Joined
16 Oct 2002
Posts
2,818
Location
In the radio shack
I once drove a diesel Cavalier without a back box from Poole to Clacton. It sounded like a very badly tuned tractor and had about as much power as one of those blue disabled three wheelers. It was a good job the car had a decent radio as it drowned out the noise. Man, it was loud. I can understand a spotty teenager may have thought it was a good sound but it really wasn't.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Apr 2013
Posts
12,411
Location
La France
I once drove a diesel Cavalier without a back box from Poole to Clacton. It sounded like a very badly tuned tractor and had about as much power as one of those blue disabled three wheelers. It was a good job the car had a decent radio as it drowned out the noise. Man, it was loud. I can understand a spotty teenager may have thought it was a good sound but it really wasn't.

Those old diesel were horrible even when they weren’t knackered. I had an N plate Escort 1.8 TD estate inflicted upon briefly me as a company car in the 1990s. The engine sounded like a pair of T-34s mating, but it didn’t have turbo lag. It had plain regular lag where any throttle input was greeted by nothing much happening apart from the engine noise reaching Battle of Kursk levels.
 
Commissario
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
41,908
Location
Herts
I once drove a diesel Cavalier without a back box from Poole to Clacton. It sounded like a very badly tuned tractor and had about as much power as one of those blue disabled three wheelers. It was a good job the car had a decent radio as it drowned out the noise. Man, it was loud. I can understand a spotty teenager may have thought it was a good sound but it really wasn't.
But did it get you ‘knee deep in clunge’?
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2006
Posts
23,382
Those old diesel were horrible even when they weren’t knackered. I had an N plate Escort 1.8 TD estate inflicted upon briefly me as a company car in the 1990s. The engine sounded like a pair of T-34s mating, but it didn’t have turbo lag. It had plain regular lag where any throttle input was greeted by nothing much happening apart from the engine noise reaching Battle of Kursk levels.

But they would run fine on cooking oil straight out of the bottle, when it was still dirt cheap :D

I knew a guy who used to carry a boot full of it rather than visit petrol stations lol. I think they started taxing it at some point though as it's no cheaper per/ltr now :/
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2006
Posts
23,382
I dont think you know too much about MOT rules :p

MOT rules = get friendly with the mechanic and you can do whatever you like.

But if you stick rigidly to the rules. Removing anything which reduces emissions should be a fail, even if the readings are ok. My car has 2 cats, removing one should be a fail but you'd have to find a super anal tester to care.
 
Last edited:
Caporegime
Joined
25 Nov 2004
Posts
25,830
Location
On the road....
Literally took insurance out yesterday and haven’t received any paperwork about my insurance and I still haven’t passed my test YET



I mean I could, but I think that it’s illegal to do that? Or would definitely fail an MOT



Yeah I am a new drive, like I said I don’t actually have my lisence yet. But thankfully I think I am a gifted driver so caught on very quick. But yeah I’m not going to get mods straight away. Just thinking about it and wondering if anyone else has before looking properly for parts etc
Fixed that for you.

Don’t go deciding your gifted just yet, you know nothing yet about driving and all your lessons really teach you is how to pass a test and a pretty mediocre one at that.

Your lessons only start once you pass, then you may find if you are gifted or not.

Forget mods, just enjoy your car as & when you pass, once you’ve had your inevitable first ding/prang/write off is the time to evaluate your driving prowess or lack of.

(The vast majority of us have been there, myself included)

Get a bit of experience and NCB behind you then think about putting wings and drainpipes on your car. ;)
 

Jez

Jez

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
33,073
I had 3 formal lessons and passed 3 months after my 17th, but i would probably consider myself a fairly **** driver :p God knows what it would take to genuinely be a gifted one.
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Mar 2008
Posts
10,078
Location
Stoke area
Firstly, go join the "mk6 golf owners club UK" on Facebook.

Secondly, on a 1.6tdi, do not waste money modifying it. It's not fast or cool, it'll never be fast or cool. It's a car for new drivers or OAP's.

I see it's your first car, you may consider yourself a gifted driver but, and I'm being honest here, like every other new driver you are not gifted. High chance you'll have an accident in the first year and the money spent on the mods will be a waste. You'll get no performance benefit from mods on that car and all you're going to do is up your insurance stupid amounts. Also, you'll want to upgrade to a better car within a year or two, in which case, modifying that car will slow that from happening as you're spending and not saving, you're also going to really hurt the resale value of it.

Spend the first year learning to drive, because you don't really learn until after you've passed our test. Save your money and look at getting something a little better with more power. Your main aim as a new driver:

1) Don't crash
2) Build no claims
3) Save for something better

1.9tdi if you want to stay diesel, I know they can get between 200-300bhp once modified, or join the gti club like myself. Build up your no claims and learn to be a safe driver, you can be fast and safe but it takes experience.

One thing I would say is, if you're serious about cars, get yourself on a local mechanic night class or training course, start getting some tools in and look at learning to work on your own car, brakes, services etc. It'll save you a fortune down the line and will help when it comes to buying cars in the future. :)

Where are you located? Find a local car club and hang out with like-minded people, you'll learn a lot.
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Mar 2008
Posts
10,078
Location
Stoke area
This, I've had the odd mot without even taking the car off the driveway.

Yeah, I'm matey with my local garage, decatting the mk5 gti and 3" downpipe, instant MOT failure but they have already said they'll get it through. Only condition is that if I ever get stopped, i've done the mod since the last MOT :D
 
Back
Top Bottom