TOP TIPS for VIRGINS

[albafreedom]

Hi all (This is quite long but entertaining)
I've been really busy over the last 4 months so I thought I'd let you in on how my Surf is doing since imported through Algy's autos.
Anyway, got the car okay, drove from Bristol to Ayr my old address........ TOP TIP no.1 Don't drive long distances with the overdrive button in...very heavy on diesel.
Everything okay moved near Elgin, but almost came off the road exiting a roundabout (wet conditions) so decided to do something about the MUD / SNOW tyres fitted that came with the car. 350 quid for 4 x Bridgestone H/T.
TOP TIP No.2 Check what tyres are on if importing.
Great, no problems 5 days later my wife gives birth,,,coming home from hospital myself (03.30 am), happy as could be (very wet conditions) exit the same roundabout doing less than 30mph, back end goes, over other side, onto verge, and creams into very large fence post luckily not missing it and landing down the 8 feet drop the other side.
had to get recovery guy to pull my arse end out so I could reverse out to stop said fence post from s****ing along the whole nearside. discover the brand new nearside front tyre is badly wholed.. manage to get out and drive to a side road closeby. friendly breakdown guy fits spare tyre and bends back part of the bumper from obstructing tyre. He tells me this is notorious here for people coming off the roundabout..happens all the time.
I manage to drive home (4 miles away) feeling like S..T.
So next day phone Norwich Union they say no worries and garage guys come and lift the car. (1640) quid damage. Bang goes my no claims (would have had 3 years the following week)
TOP TIP No.3 protect your no claims ...discovered that it does cost very much
Anway bear with me.
Got my courtesy car. but my policy runs out 5 days later, had my insurance renewal notice, it would have been 520 (with said 3 years no claims) okay how much now 1114...after picking myself up of the floor, they say they can't do any better so I get hire car firm insurance for the remainder of my time ashore (I work at sea).
Having tried several companies.....I will be insured with Adrian flux best by far at 643. Get home next week.
So ladies and gentlemen there you go.
FINAL TOP TIP take it really easy going round sharp bends etc in wet conditions.
On the bright side I didn't get hurt, have two beautiful boys, the wife is in good health.
Hope you enjoyed my tale of woe but for the virgins like me you may have learned something too..

Best wishes
Simon
PS I have 4 very lovely Bridgestone Mud / Snow tyres for sale hardly a mark on them almost full tread for sale if you are interested.

[DaveD]

When I wrote off a Cavalier in Wales they said that too.......Happens all the time there mate..............erm......

[TonyN]

:abridged:
Its not a car, drive slower.
:/abridged:

[Rob_88]

I crashed my cavialer at a roundabout in Gloucester about 12 years ago, and when I started looking for the bits of bumper and stuff I found parts from at least three different cars that had crashed there.

Insuring no claims isn't as nice as it sounds.
1. It's only inured for that insurer, so you can't shop around.
2. It's insuring the disount, not the premium.
This means that if your premium was £1000 with a 40% discount you pay £600, after a crash you keep your 40% discount but the initial premium goes up to £1600 so you end up paying 1600-50% = £800.
If you then shop around and find it for £700 somewhere without your no claims then you have wasted the money insuring your no claims.

[andycook]

Nasty..

which roundabout in Elgin?

I had a sideways moment in rain there a few months back - and with a trailer on back,
it was the roundabout on A96, between Dr Grays and Tesco, the one near that monument and end of high street. and I wasnt going very fast, just dipped the accelerator at the wrong moment!,
scary enough without a trailer on the back!

[paulh]

I

Insuring no claims isn't as nice as it sounds.
1. It's only inured for that insurer, so you can't shop around.
2. It's insuring the disount, not the premium.
This means that if your premium was £1000 with a 40% discount you pay £600, after a crash you keep your 40% discount but the initial premium goes up to £1600 so you end up paying 1600-50% = £800.
If you then shop around and find it for £700 somewhere without your no claims then you have wasted the money insuring your no claims.

No claims discount can be transferred to ANY insurer I have 60% ncd and have transferred it for many years.

[M35A2]

Have you tried LIFESURE? They do a life time protected no claims. And they are pretty cheap. Cost me £333 fully comp. And you don't have to have an alarm fitted on this policy.

[paulh]

Have you tried LIFESURE? They do a life time protected no claims. And they are pretty cheap. Cost me £333 fully comp. And you don't have to have an alarm fitted on this policy.

How come I'm with Lifesure and I had to spend £350 on a cat1 alarm.
I KNOW YOU READ THIS LIFESURE PLEASE ENROL AND EXPLAIN.

[albafreedom]

Nasty..

which roundabout in Elgin?

I had a sideways moment in rain there a few months back - and with a trailer on back,
it was the roundabout on A96, between Dr Grays and Tesco, the one near that monument and end of high street. and I wasnt going very fast, just dipped the accelerator at the wrong moment!,
scary enough without a trailer on the back!

Andy
it was the A96 Lhanbryde roundabout (first one heading from Elgin).

Tried Lifesure again over a grand

Cheers

[Lifesure]

How come I'm with Lifesure and I had to spend £350 on a cat1 alarm.
I KNOW YOU READ THIS LIFESURE PLEASE ENROL AND EXPLAIN.

Hi Paul, Gary from Lifesure here. Since you insured your Surf with us a year ago the insurance companies we have import schemes with have relaxed their security terms somewhat. Not before time in my view.

[Rob_88]

No claims discount can be transferred to ANY insurer I have 60% ncd and have transferred it for many years.

True.
But you can not transfer an insured no claims discount!
(Unless they have changes the rules in the last few years.)

New insurer will ask if you have had an accident that you claimed for in last 5 years. You say yes, they say you can't have a no claims then. You try and explain about it being an insured no claims, they laugh at you.

If someone can prove me wrong about this I'd like to know.

[Simon.O.]

On the bright side I didn't get hurt, have two beautiful boys, the wife is in good health.

I am asuming that is two boys AT ONCE !!!
woohoo, top skills to mum for that one.
Gettin the Surf a little sideways at times can be fun but really I would rather have the tires that I currently have than the previous ones that had about as much traction as silcone grease on a wet window.
Big ups to you and Mum !!

[dave95979]

i had a quote from tescos for 315 quid but when i phoned them to get the premium they cheket all my details but they had quoted me for 5 years no clames instead of 3 they said the primeum will change but it din't so 2 years no claims ment nothing !!! i am glad it din't change though

[Darren]

It seems as though no claims discount doesn't count for much anymore, last time I looked for insurance I added my girlfriend to the policy and it went up as soon as I mentioned she was involved in an accident 2 years ago even though she was blameless. It seems when they ask if you been involved in an accident in the last 3/5 years it doesn't matter whose fault or how much no claims you've got your premium will go up.

Insuring no claims discount has always seemed to me to be a stupid thing for insurers to offer. I thought the whole system was based on those who crash more paying more, if you insure no claims the money has to come from somewhere, it just means everyone's premium goes up not just the people who've had the accidents.

Personnaly if I have an accident I would always try to settle it amicably without using insurance because I think everyone loses when they get involved. Sure if the bill's thousands then maybe you can't but if its hundreds you will end up paying the same or more back in premiums over the next 5 years and you have to wait ages for them to mess around with the paperwork which then means more claims for hire cars, lawyers etc which means even higher premiums for everyone.

[sumo]

Hi Paul, Gary from Lifesure here. Since you insured your Surf with us a year ago the insurance companies we have import schemes with have relaxed their security terms somewhat. Not before time in my view.

I been with you guys for 4 years and I got NO complaints...
Welcome aboard.