how_supra Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 What is it with certain companies who refuse to have anything to do with Imports? I just don't get it? Surely they are blocking out at least 20% of the market? For example I just rang up my break down cover place who have just told me that they won't cover my imported vehicle? Why?? Anyways end of rant.........back to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martynb Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Brittania did mine with no problems - I even stressed that it was an import. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
how_supra Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 Brittania did mine with no problems - I even stressed that it was an import. That just makes "More than" look even more silly. If one company can, why can't the others. oh well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian R Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Its hard to understand the logic when cars are produced for the UK market such as the Supra. But in your case with a FTO I suppose they have a valid reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 it's something to do with protecting the UK market - think i heard that somewhere.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
how_supra Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 it's something to do with protecting the UK market - think i heard that somewhere.... Protecting it from what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 from cheaper trade from abroad, probably going back to when UK car's were deemed more expensive, not sure if they still are. i know that in 2000, my dad saved £8k by gettin his car from Belgium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
how_supra Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 Its hard to understand the logic when cars are produced for the UK market such as the Supra. But in your case with a FTO I suppose they have a valid reason I kind of see that logic, however, not every Mitsubishi's is an import, and parts are easily available, including universal fit components etc. Plus if it breaks down at the side of the road, it can still be towed regardless of whether its been imported or not. Its racism towards cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
how_supra Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 from cheaper trade from abroad, probably going back to when UK car's were deemed more expensive, not sure if they still are. i know that in 2000, my dad saved £8k by gettin his car from Belgium Really? That is crazy as well. Lets imagine everyone decided to import a car, because the UK prices are so high, then all of these companies would be doing themselves out of business surely? I'm not really that bothered, I just think it's a strange way to run a business, coupled with Lloyds TSB who wouldn't insure me on an Import unless I cancelled my current policy and started again. I think Random is a great way to describe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 The spare parts are the problem. Let's say you have a Nissan CrazyKid Street Functional K-Kar that's unique to Japan. You import it over here, pay your insurance and a few months later you smash the thing up. Now InsureYouForLess under their policy have to provide you with a hire car and now have to get the spare parts. Since the CrazyKid is a bit rare even in Japan it takes 3 weeks to find the parts, another 3 months for them to get shipped over, and because JoeCarFixerWeDoWorkForInsuranceCompanies Ltd have never seen the CrazyKid before it takes them another month to fix the darn thing. The total cost of providing the hire car, sourcing the spare parts, shipping the spare parts and the long fixing time means InsureYourForLess have had to cough up an enormous amount of dosh and only have your £500 premium in return. At the time they agreed to insure you there was no way they could predict how much hassle it would be to repair the CrazyKid after a smash. They could assign someone to look into it all and work it out but that's just more overheads. So instead they just say 'No imports' and save themselves the hassle, the money if you have a smash, and it keeps the premiums down for all the Ford Focus drivers on their books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
how_supra Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 The spare parts are the problem. Let's say you have a Nissan CrazyKid Street Functional K-Kar that's unique to Japan. You import it over here, pay your insurance and a few months later you smash the thing up. Now InsureYouForLess under their policy have to provide you with a hire car and now have to get the spare parts. Since the CrazyKid is a bit rare even in Japan it takes 3 weeks to find the parts, another 3 months for them to get shipped over, and because JoeCarFixerWeDoWorkForInsuranceCompanies Ltd have never seen the CrazyKid before it takes them another month to fix the darn thing. The total cost of providing the hire car, sourcing the spare parts, shipping the spare parts and the long fixing time means InsureYourForLess have had to cough up an enormous amount of dosh and only have your £500 premium in return. At the time they agreed to insure you there was no way they could predict how much hassle it would be to repair the CrazyKid after a smash. They could assign someone to look into it all and work it out but that's just more overheads. So instead they just say 'No imports' and save themselves the hassle, the money if you have a smash, and it keeps the premiums down for all the Ford Focus drivers on their books. But that doesn't apply to break down cover does it? Because if I pay a company to cover my car, so should it break down, I can get towed back to my house, it doesn't matter whether my car is a CrazyKid car or a Ford Fiesta, because I am paying to have my car towed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 depends what ridiculous bodykit your CrazyKid has Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Er... yes. I have just read your first post. So we're not talking about insurance companies we're talking about breakdown companies. I have wasted 5 mins of my life typing that out I will now provide a much shorter answer to your question - why are you telling them what car you have? The AA haven't a clue what kind of car I have. Remember too that the AA cover the person, not the car - if I'm a passenger in a car they'll still tow me even if the driver/owner isn't a member. Bearing that in mind, I could be in any kind of car. Why did they need this info? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terribleturner Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 WTF is a CrazyKid Yeah as Dave says, why do they need the info of the car?? Isn't it the RAC who cover the car and not the person?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Er... yes. I have just read your first post. So we're not talking about insurance companies we're talking about breakdown companies. I have wasted 5 mins of my life typing that out i made the same mistake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Do you know, I put at the end of my post (All the car and company names in this post are made up) but took it out at the last minute because I thought no one would think the CrazyKid was real! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terribleturner Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Hey i watch cartoons for a living so my mind works in a very simple way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
how_supra Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 Er... yes. I have just read your first post. So we're not talking about insurance companies we're talking about breakdown companies. I have wasted 5 mins of my life typing that out I will now provide a much shorter answer to your question - why are you telling them what car you have? The AA haven't a clue what kind of car I have. Remember too that the AA cover the person, not the car - if I'm a passenger in a car they'll still tow me even if the driver/owner isn't a member. Bearing that in mind, I could be in any kind of car. Why did they need this info? Well yes, as do the RAC (who I am now with). However, More Than, whom I am no longer with, offer break down assistance on your car, not the person. I guess that says it all really. With respect to insurance, can you explain why Lloyds would not insure me on an import, unless I cancelled my existing policy and started it again - I mean WTF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Well, I'm not an insurance man (no, really I'm not), but the same thing happened to me when I changed insurance companies. In order for my no claims discount to be transferred over I had to cancel the old policy before they would set up the new one. Is there anything else you/we need to sort out?! You've moaned about breakdown cover and it's not until the end of page 2 that we find out you've cancelled the cover anyway! Grrrrr. Now for this insurance thing just cancel the old policy and take out the new one for gawd sake! Blimey, kids these days, dunno when they're born, etc, etc, I remember when all this was fields, etc, etc, we had half a lump of coal for lunch, etc, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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