SOLVED - Just got an insurance cancellation due to 'gray market' car...

[Farbin Kaiber]

Yeah, lucky me, the federalization doo-dad behind the euro bumper took all the impact, I just had to pop a new hood, bumper center and upper valance/grill/kidney bar in. I have it apart ATM because I'm doing the motoronic 1.3 conversion in my spare time.

Here it is when I pulled everything off.

[kronus]

complete with gansta-reclined seats, nice :p

[Farbin Kaiber]

^ I just washed it, and was leaned back thuggish like to get the rear windows.

[JasonC]

I tried to get collector insurance on my 1962 Scout from State Farm (whom i have several cars and house with) and they said to drive it up to my agent to take pictures. They walked outside and actually laughed at my truck. So apparently your vehicle also has to be "nice" as well.

Lol.


Great news on your success, Farbio.

All of my classics been nice that I've insured with them. But also here in PA for antique tags the car has to look like it came off the show room floor pretty much...

[Jb325is]

Insuring my '90 m5 was pretty weird through State Farm.. I got it done just like you did, picture, proof that it was legally imported, etc but the substitute vin pulls up as a 1990 m3 since the m5 didn't exist here in '90 and thats what it says on my insurance card. If someone hits my car hard enough and the adjuster is dumb enough I might make money on a car for once ;)

[lukeADE335i]

all they care about is the value of the car

all e30's look relatively the same so the insurance agent would have to look at the vin tags and such.

When I crashed my e30 last year, both the police & the insurer didn't notice that it had an M30 in it. All good - insurance paid up, everything was fixed, no awkward questions asked.

Registration says 6 cylinders, car has 6 cylinders - none the wiser ;)

[ThatOneEuroE30]

When my friend got his 2015 sti put on insurance he just called gave them info and it was insured they haven't even seen the car as far as I know.

[Farbin Kaiber]

^A 2015 Subaru STI is nowhere near the same insurance concern as a gray market imported and federalized car from 1983. Just sayin'.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

O I know I was just sayin how careless insurance companies can be until they find shit out.

[phreshkid]

Same here, currently full coverage through AAA standard car policy. I think I put the agreed value at $20k.

Will go after classic car policy in September, when a major infraction falls off my record.

[dude8383]

I wanted to add some of my experiences in this thread since we're talking about insuring them.

I want to insure both my 318iS and my 325iC as classics but so far every agency I've tried has declined to cover me.

I've tried American Collectors... they stated that these could only be insured as

vehicles... used for collector purposes only (car shows, car meets, parades…etc.)

However, they also said:

Per our conversation, these vehicles are very marginal for our program. Please provide documentation to support why the 1992 BMW 325iC and 1991 bmw 318iS are collector vehicles (provide details such as limited production (5,000 or less), anniversary edition, rare options & include any awards these cars may have won).

I'm trying to figure out how I can provide production numbers for both cars. The 318iS is relatively rare but I don't know what the stateside numbers are.

For the 92 325iC (specifically the build date) they made about 1700 and who knows how many of those were appearance package cars like mine...


Now, I also tried calling up Heacock Classic... and they straight up said no. Your car is too young and not exclusive enough for our club ;)


I spoke with Hagerty today and they also gave me the shaft.

I'm going to try JCTaylor but they're kind of more manual as in... no online quotes... everything is done by mail! That is kind of my last hope here unless you guys have any other recommendations.

ANPAC doesn't seem to accept the online form, guess I need to call them as well.


That's about it for now!

[audiquattrot]

I've tried American Collectors... they stated that these could only be insured as



However, they also said:



I'm trying to figure out how I can provide production numbers for both cars. The 318iS is relatively rare but I don't know what the stateside numbers are.

For the 92 325iC (specifically the build date) they made about 1700 and who knows how many of those were appearance package cars like mine...

I think the 91 & 92 years may seem new to them? Mine is a 1990, so I'm not sure why it would make a difference but it may. Possibly since mine is an iX, they didn't question anything? I would try to link them to ebay auctions showing how much they are going for & also let them know that it is an E30, not an E36, which 92's normally are. American Collectors seemed to be the only insurer who would take me....and I did let them know that the car was only going to be used for shows, meets etc. I wonder if you play around w/ the "agreed values" of both cars, if they would make it less of a hassle for you. I changed the agreed value twice before signing the papers with them.

[Wschnitz]

Someone needs to tell me this though, why is state farm so bad, father insured our 1984 325e so it can be driven around for parts and fixes and what not for a month. Just liability, under just him, and they wanted like $230 a month, meanwhile a 2013 GTI Wolfsburg insured as full coverage with him, my mom, and me and sister as drivers is less then $150? Wat.

They also charge us an arm and a leg for my 1989 BMW 325is for full coverage, and wont do agree'd value even though its driven less then 3-5k a year.

[justin_l_]

Go to a trophy shop, have some cheap trophys made up for best euro, best of show, etc and enjoy :-)

I wanted to add some of my experiences in this thread since we're talking about insuring them.

I want to insure both my 318iS and my 325iC as classics but so far every agency I've tried has declined to cover me.

I've tried American Collectors... they stated that these could only be insured as



However, they also said:



I'm trying to figure out how I can provide production numbers for both cars. The 318iS is relatively rare but I don't know what the stateside numbers are.

For the 92 325iC (specifically the build date) they made about 1700 and who knows how many of those were appearance package cars like mine...


Now, I also tried calling up Heacock Classic... and they straight up said no. Your car is too young and not exclusive enough for our club ;)


I spoke with Hagerty today and they also gave me the shaft.

I'm going to try JCTaylor but they're kind of more manual as in... no online quotes... everything is done by mail! That is kind of my last hope here unless you guys have any other recommendations.

ANPAC doesn't seem to accept the online form, guess I need to call them as well.


That's about it for now!

[TurboJake]

I'm trying to figure out how I can provide production numbers for both cars. The 318iS is relatively rare but I don't know what the stateside numbers are.

Not rare... At all

For the 92 325iC (specifically the build date) they made about 1700 and who knows how many of those were appearance package cars like mine...

Still not rare. Still regular production vehicle that from 87-92 were pretty much all the same. Even if plastic bumper and/or optioned, not rare at all even including all the dead and gone examples. Still thousands to be had for both the iC and iS. Rare here vs rare everywhere else are two very different things. And then there's insurance rare. Which is <25 or so.

I suggest Amica though. They might help.

Someone needs to tell me this though, why is state farm so bad, father insured our 1984 325e so it can be driven around for parts and fixes and what not for a month. Just liability, under just him, and they wanted like $230 a month, meanwhile a 2013 GTI Wolfsburg insured as full coverage with him, my mom, and me and sister as drivers is less then $150? Wat.

They also charge us an arm and a leg for my 1989 BMW 325is for full coverage, and wont do agree'd value even though its driven less then 3-5k a year.

I paid $42 a month at state farm. Now I pay $32 a month through progressive. Same car, still progressive, will cost $65 a month after monday. Because switching to Michigan from Wisconsin.
*shrug*