You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
One of our kids has passed his test and got a 12 year old VW Golf 1.4s, need to start shopping around for insurance quotes. Bog standard car apart from 1 issue I spotted, it's on coilover suspension and has been lowered by 40mm so I know that will need to be declared or change it back to standard shocks. We know it'll be expensive at his age, will it make any difference with us parents on it or not (not as main drivers, and I can drive it anyway off my insurance), any companies to use, any top tips etc before trying the price comparison websites? Cheers
Use the websites, then adjust the criteria and find out?
Of course, the time to get quotes was [i]before[/i] buying a car. I imagine a 'lowered' Golf for a 17-year old will be in the realms of "do you have any organs you're not using" levels of premium.
Suspension changes definitely need notifying and insurers don't like it (alters handling etc).
Speaking as an ex-motor insurance underwriter it may cause a no quote for a 17 yo or at least add 25-30% to an already very expensive premium.
Sorry to be a pessimist...
pretty obvious to get quotes first...but 17 year old who doesn't listen and thinks a Golf is cool compared to a 1.0 Nissan etc etc. I guess we were all young and stupid once
He earns his own money so up to him, just getting quotes now, £1750 pa best so far, urghh
Modified car takes it out of Admiral multi-car territory (they don't seem to like anything non-standard on a car). Maybe try direct-line for their multi-car policy.
Presumably black boxes are involved? Has he done Pass Plus as well?
My bosses daughter had black box fitted - it saved hundreds up front.
1750 doesn't seem too bad considering lowering and his age etc. To be fair a 1.0 micra would be faster than a 1.4 golf though, spesh if its a mk4
[i]£1750 pa best so far, urghh [/i]
Pretty much area dependent, especially with a normal(ish) car.
My 17 y/o will be £1100 for a base Fiesta, whereas my eldest is paying £1250 for his 3rd year (and paid +£2000 at 17). One is urban West Yorkshire, the other rural Borders - guess which is which 😉
Get a tracker / black box. My younger brother had one and saved a lot with it.
Another trick is to buy the full premium in one go on an interest free credit card; destroy the card but ensure you pay the fee : divided by 12 months. This way he gets it at cheaper rate ( as I believe you still pay more for spreading it over 10 months ) but can pay it back monthly. Worked for me for my first year of motoring when I was younger.
Now I, fortunate that my insurance is only £180!
Adrian Flux was quite good when I was younger. Only engine performance mods increased the premium, lowered for looks didn't affect it.
I'd take £1750 for a lowered golf at 17! Really unless you change car or get a box (not advised, if he's like any other teenage boy who's just passed his test it will end up costing more in fines!) you won't get it cheaper.
3 years ago I paid 2.2k for a 1.2 Corsa C, though to be fair a corsa is about as boy racer as you can get. This was also back before it was ruled that gender couldn't affect the premium so even a micra ended up being about £1.4k, I guess I was on a well paid apprenticeship and knew no different but it was a hard pill to swallow.
It also gets a lot better after a year no claims! My second year with the corsa was £700, and the 3rd year on a 1.6 focus £600.