Offered A 309 Glx; But, Insurance!

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

I serviced a ladies boiler today and she has this in the garage. ~70k from new, 2 owners (her aunt and then her).

 

 

She has basically said I can have it as she's got a new car now. I'd like it as a runaround while the 205 is being worked on.

 

BUT, insurance quotes on it are ridiculous! The cheapest I got from the comparison websites is ~£500!!!! I pay £220 for the 1.9 GTI with Performance Direct, and they quoted me £480 on this and couldn't explain why!

 

Any ideas why it's double the price of my GTI to insure?

[welshpug 1,678]

try a specialist insurer.

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

Any suggestions?

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Brentacre in Swansea?

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

Have given them a try. And ideas why this 309 would be so high though? I was insuring a BMW 330CI for less than what i'm getting quoted on this!

[barneys66 125 1 Cars]

Rarity probably.

 

Try RH Classics too..

[GLPoomobile 958]

There was a very similar topic to this in recent months. Rule number 1, comparison sites are there for a reason - convenience - and if you want the best deal you have to put in the leg work, not spend 5 minutes filling in fields and hitting a button. You need to get on the phone to brokers, specialist and classic car insurers etc (I'm sure Dan@AdrianFlux will be along shortly to do the sales spiel).

 

Why so expensive? It's a rare car. 309s are thin on the ground now and the model designation will make it even rarer. Of course we know that GLX probably makes piss all difference, but to the uninitiated/software program all they are going to see is a model that probably rates in single digits on UK roads now and they will think parts availability must be similar to that of Unicorn jizz. Premium is then f***-you-up-the-ass pro-rated accordingly. That's my take on it anyway.

 

Anyway, you're getting a free car, what more do you want, a handjob with it?

Edited November 1, 2016 by GLPoomobile

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

haha Yes there is logic in that if I get a free car I shouldn't complain too much about £400 to insure it. Really I only want it because it will look cool next to my white GTI and it'll make a nice runaround.

 

Is it worth it?

[nomis 12]

Try a classic car insurer like Footman James, they do my gti for a good price and it's in a London postcode that means our normal family car insurance is astronomical.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Mod's as daft as it sounds can help, std car's of that age can be funny, just say it's had some engine work or Alloy wheels etc

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

i had a similar problem recently with a Gentry 205 and I also find that the diesel 205 can also be higher than a GTI at the best of times. I always found Tesco insurance good to get you out of a jam but it's not specialist so don't crash ha!

On a side note, that's a lovely 309.

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

It is lovely. In fairly decent condition besides a bit of corrosion on the arches.

 

Sadly it looks like I will have to turn down the offer though. Cheapest insurance quote I got was £390, which is double my quotes for pretty much any performance car out there! (been hankering after a Porsche 944 3.0 and got quoted £112 for the year!).

[calvinhorse 870]

More pics of the car please!! Is it a 3 door?

[GLPoomobile 958]

Out of curiosity I just tried an online quote with Direct Line (I use them for my daily driver and never had any issues with the online system). System wouldn't quote me! Didn't even say to call them up, just "computer says no". The only reason can be the model of car because I've never NOT had a quote using their site.

 

Interesting.

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX 1]

Hi,

Please feel free to give us a try for insurance if you like. If you wanted to PM me some contact details I'd be happy to arrange for one of my quotes team to give you a call back.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

Funnily enough the cheapest quote i've got now is about £360 and that's with Flux Direct which I assume is you.

 

I think my plan is now to take the car anyway. I have a very large garden/driveway so no problems with space to keep it. Then i'll think about what to do with it! Going back there Tuesday so will post some pics later in the week!

Edited November 6, 2016 by Bobbafett

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX 1]

Funnily enough the cheapest quote i've got now is about £360 and that's with Flux Direct which I assume is you.

 

I think my plan is now to take the car anyway. I have a very large garden/driveway so no problems with space to keep it. Then i'll think about what to do with it! Going back there Tuesday so will post some pics later in the week!

 

Hi,

Flux Direct is not run directly by Adrian Flux (it is run by a partner company under license), and does not use the same ratings. Because of the wider range of schemes, as well as the cheaper rates we have access to, you will almost always get a cheaper quote by ringing Adrian Flux, although there may be the odd occasion when the reverse applies. If you wanted to PM me I'd be happy to arrange a quotation for you.

Kind Regards

Dan

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

I'm picking this up today.

 

I have been thinking about what to do with it and I think the best idea is to put a Xu9 or Mi16 in it for a bit more fun. I also happen to have a 1.9 BE3 box lying around. How much effort would this be; I'm guessing it's fairly straightforward.

[steve@cornwall 100]

What engine is in it at present?

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

A 1.3 unit.

[steve@cornwall 100]

So won't have fuel pump in tank or fuel return piping for fuel injection. Could run carb (s) quite simply is imagine without having to swap fuel system.

[welshpug 1,678]

mountings will be wrong for an XU engine iirc.

 

tbh I'd just clean it and leave it 100% standard.

[steve@cornwall 100]

On a g plate would surely be 1360 tu unit with the right mounting, surely?

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

Nah it is the 1.3 Simca unit but it is a PH2 with the BE3 box.

 

So engine swaps are out?

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

Well I've got her home. Decent condition but a few issues; namely binding brakes (handbrake I believe) and the clutch is on the way out. Luckily I am chanhing the clutch in my GTI while the box is off so i'll probably transfer the still decent clutch into the 309.

 

She goes surprisingly well for a 1.3 with binding brakes! Pretty perky on the throttle.

 

I might be pretty dense here but if the 309 is on essentially the same body as the 205; why can't I change the subframe and suspension, and then drop in a Xu9/Mi16?? The top and box mounts look to be in the same place?