from what i heard, with a good insurance company, if you tell them that you have a SR, and the swap is done properly then you will pay just a bitmore amonth and they will insure you,
another thing i heard was letting the rep come and inspect your car, then if hes dumb he will wright down on his book that your car is ok (he just said your car is ok with the SR) then if you get in an accadent you are safe, and they can bitch alll they want becuase they have already approved your car with a SR (you might want to change your valve cover to black) i would post on some Honda forums, there are 1000s of b16 civics out there and they have the same problem as us…
I actually have spoken to someone about this topic. This is what i was told. Most of the insurance company have zero tolerance policy on customers with modified cars. If an accident happens, then the person’s insurance company may reject the claim when they find some car modifications upon the inspection. There are a few companies who have not made these rules. State Farm insurace is one of them (they are my insrance company btw). I have spoken to my agent and asked her what happens if I want to modify my car. The answer that i got was quite simple - “keep all your receips, and if anything happens, present them to us and you will be covered” This seems very ideal, but it’s not going to last much longer. Statefarm is also in the process of implementing a zero tolerance policy, but they are going differently about this. People with modified cars will not be cancelled from the insurance, but will be placed in a new “modified cars” premium, which does make ur insurance higher, but in case of an accident you’re covered.
I could see you being burned by State Farm on this Pavel. I’m not sure that they know that “modifications” mean $30,000 into a $3000 car. They probably think you added a $200 stereo and some $500 rims.
Mods can mean anything! You don’t have to own a sports car or something like it to do mods to your car. It should really be made clear as to what EXACTLY is legal and what is not.
One scenario being:
You have a 240. Stock engine but some cosmetical modifications and suspension alterations. (Bumper, spoiler, rims, shocks, springs, etc.)
You don’t tell your insurance about it, get into an accident, what now? Do they accept it as a stock 240, or a modified 240 that was falsely reported to the insurance?
Second scenario:
You have a clunker 1988 Buick Park Avenue. The trimming is falling off so you duck taped some plastic to the exterior. You put some gold rims on it coz your old ones are rusted and your friend gives you the gold ones free… why not, you’re low on cash. Your engine runs a little hot so you modify the hood and create an opening for air in hopes to cool it down a bit. Weld on a sheet of metal on the back for downforce on highway speeds (don’t ask).
Surely this car is considered “modified” by the insurance company, right?!? If the insurance company had a zero tolerance for modified cars (hint hint), does this one fall into the category?
Honestly… how many people have done some kind of mod to their car? Whether it’s a $5 part or a $5000 part, it’s still a modification, and just because it’s a 240 and not a Buick, it shouldn’t have to be looked at differently. If insurance says you can’t have mods or else no coverage, take a look around and see how many cars out there are “illegaly” insured.
Any car that has different safety equipment for Canada (ie. auto seatbelts) is not allowed to be imported. However, this law was not always in effect. I know this because my car is from Washington State.
I’m just guessing here…
I think the Escorts are allowed in since they also had some type of Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) in Canada. Auto seatbelts and Airbags are types of SRS’s.
Now, as far as I know, S13’s never came with the inflatable pillows, therefore no type of SRS and different safety standards for Canada (no SRS on the S13) and US (auto seatbelt SRS on the S13). Also, I don’t know if the S14 had auto seatbelts, but they are allowed into Canada.