"No" experience - powerful car!

Bobo2606

Hello everyone!
I moved to Ireland from Croatia 1 year ago. I am 26yrs old.
I have full EU license for 8 years, but I didn't own a car on my name, never had insurance policy.
I bought Audi A4 1.8t quattro 2004 190hp.
Problem is I can't get insurance (tryed 7-8 companies) since I don't have any driving experience in Ireland.
What should I do now? How can I get insurance, no matter the cost!?

jimmy blevins

Try some insurance brokers.

Stheno

Get an Irish licence?

Sue Pa Key Pa

You need to get 3 written declinatures from insurance companies and go to the Declined Cases Committee in the Irish Insurane Federation. They will make one of them quote you, but the figure won't be pretty

http://www.insuranceireland.eu/consumer-information/general-non-life-insurance/motor

Bobo2606

Stheno wrote: »

Get an Irish licence?

That would help?

Panrich

It might be the age of the car that's a bigger issue than the bhp which is not excessive.

Skatedude

Panrich wrote: »

It might be the age of the car that's a bigger issue than the bhp which is not excessive.

Not really old enough yet, but considered a high performance car. If you do get a quote, expect it to be in the thousands I'm afraid .

Special Circumstances

Skatedude wrote: »

Not really old enough yet

Old enough for FBD to dismiss it outright.
Many others definitely loading 10 years plus.
It's certainly a major factor in the current market.

kona

Skatedude wrote: »

Not really old enough yet, but considered a high performance car. If you do get a quote, expect it to be in the thousands I'm afraid .

Im always amazed at what's considered high performance. 190 Quattro I'd consider adequate. Anything less would be underpowered.

We're in a era with 300bhp hatchbacks.

Special Circumstances

kona wrote: »

Im always amazed at what's considered high performance. 190 Quattro I'd consider adequate. Anything less would be underpowered.

We're in a era with 300bhp hatchbacks.

It's pretty much the standard power now of a 320d that can be robbed as fast as you'd hotwire an early 90's jap import.

I'd say the beemer owners are getting hammered on the insurance.


No? That's a completely unexpected anomaly in the logical world of insurance :pac:

coylemj

Panrich wrote: »

It might be the age of the car that's a bigger issue than the bhp which is not excessive.

kona wrote: »

Im always amazed at what's considered high performance. 190 Quattro I'd consider adequate. Anything less would be underpowered.

The '190' refers to ps, the German measure of power which is equivalent to 187 bhp. 0-60 mph in under 8 seconds, top speed 147 mph (according to Parkers). Don't know what you two guys are driving but that's a pretty decent performer by any man's measure - not surprised he can't get a quote.

kona

coylemj wrote: »

The '190' refers to ps, the German measure of power which is equivalent to 187 bhp. 0-60 mph in under 8 seconds, top speed 147 mph (according to Parkers). Don't know what you two guys are driving but that's a pretty decent performer by any man's measure - not surprised he can't get a quote.

8 seconds in quite normal these days. Ford were making 300bhp hatchbacks nearly 8 years ago.

New focus is 350 and the golf R is similar.

Wouldnot consider the 190 a performance car. I'd consider it a car. Insurance companies should too. Although these cars are the next gen of skanger mobiles so that could be a issue with insurance.

The rs4 or s4 are the "performance" in the a4 range.

cruizer101

According to wikipedia the newest for focus engine power ranges from 84 to 247bhp, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_(third_generation).
Just because they made a 300bhp hatchbacks nearly 8 years ago doesn't mean that is the standard power.

I will agree that irish insurance companies do tend to think of a lot of cars as overpowered when they are not, its part of the irish mindset, look at old motor tax model as well. But 190bhp is still more powerful than the average irish car.

readytosnap

Brokers is the way to go but for future reference (yourself and others) try getting the quote before you buy the car!

kona

cruizer101 wrote: »

According to wikipedia the newest for focus engine power ranges from 84 to 247bhp, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_(third_generation).
Just because they made a 300bhp hatchbacks nearly 8 years ago doesn't mean that is the standard power.

I will agree that irish insurance companies do tend to think of a lot of cars as overpowered when they are not, its part of the irish mindset, look at old motor tax model as well. But 190bhp is still more powerful than the average irish car.

The focus RS is 350bhp. And is standard.

Mk2 rs is 305bhp.

Your wiki is incorrect.

The average Irish car excuse my ignorance is the cheapest lowest spec that you can get.

Plenty of BMW floating around and golf gti are very common. Many of these models are 170-250bhp.

readytosnap

my car has 75hp :o

The Bishop Basher

Each to their own and all that but 190 bhp is not a "powerful car".

The fact that we're even having this discussion shows how out of whack we are in this country with regard to motors..

Henry Ford III

190bhp is way above average I reckon.

The Bishop Basher

It probably is above average for the Irish market.

That doesn't make it a powerful car though.

Special Circumstances

Days of the 1.4 75-90bhp being the bread and butter of the range is long gone like.
75% of new car sales diesel, the average family car has been bumped up to where rep saloons used to be, and rep saloons have been bumped up themselves.
Average new hatchback diesel must be 110 now, average new segment above that must be 160ish surely if all the x20d are 180 odd?

Sure, 190 was way above the 75bhp/130bhp that prevailed at the time, but the insurers obviously want us to buy new cars like these x20d, so 180ish can't be that evil any more, can it?

kona

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Days of the 1.4 75-90bhp being the bread and butter of the range is long gone like.
75% of new car sales diesel, the average family car has been bumped up to where rep saloons used to be, and rep saloons have been bumped up themselves.
Average new hatchback diesel must be 110 now, average new segment above that must be 160ish surely if all the x20d are 180 odd?

Sure, 190 was way above the 75bhp/130bhp that prevailed at the time, but the insurers obviously want us to buy new cars like these x20d, so 180ish can't be that evil any more, can it?

Nail on the head. Insurers are taking the piss. I reckon the op is not getting insured due to the reputation of the car and the licence.

It's the same predicament as ten years ago with lads with no ncb mad to insure typeR and skylines.

Henry Ford III

My car is nominally 182bhp (or 197 on overboost) and is quite rapid.

0-60mph in under 7 seconds.

draiochtanois

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The Bishop Basher

draiochtanois wrote: »

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Just in case you're wondering op..

As pathetic as this sounds..

Insurers in Ireland will consider you to be a liability in anything more "powerful" the a 1.2 Micra and even on that they'll screw you..

Gobethewall

I owned an A4 1.8T 190 2004, acceleration was not one its best points. It was a nice car but if you purchased it to beat people away from lights you would be very disappointed

kona

Henry Ford III wrote: »

My car is nominally 182bhp (or 197 on overboost) and is quite rapid.

0-60mph in under 7 seconds.

Fiesta st?

Bobo2606

This is almost my dream car (closest to the rs4 I can get) so selling it is not an option.
I will get Irish licence, and I'm prepared to pay 2000-2500e for insurance.
I'll try brokers and every possible option, but I'm not selling this car!
I could get some 1.4l 75hp car, but where's the fun in that?
I'm not considering cars just as transportation, this is my new hobby, if you get me.

kona

Bobo2606 wrote: »

This is almost my dream car (closest to the rs4 I can get) so selling it is not an option.
I will get Irish licence, and I'm prepared to pay 2000-2500e for insurance.
I'll try brokers and every possible option, but I'm not selling this car!
I could get some 1.4l 75hp car, but where's the fun in that?
I'm not considering cars just as transportation, this is my new hobby, if you get me.

Good for you don't let them spoil it on you. Keep trying and getting quotes. Get a full Irish license and you may get a decent quote.

The Bishop Basher

Bobo2606 wrote: »

This is almost my dream car (closest to the rs4 I can get) so selling it is not an option.
I will get Irish licence, and I'm prepared to pay 2000-2500e for insurance.
I'll try brokers and every possible option, but I'm not selling this car!
I could get some 1.4l 75hp car, but where's the fun in that?
I'm not considering cars just as transportation, this is my new hobby, if you get me.

Well then go get your licence, get 3 written refusals from 3 separate companies and then approach the declined cases committee who will work on your behalf and see what they come back with..

Best of luck with it. I hope you get sorted..

Bobo2606

Thx guys! I'll keep you updated!

cplwhisper

Power-to-weight ratio is part of grading for insurance

Special Circumstances

cplwhisper wrote: »

Power-to-weight ratio is part of grading for insurance

"Citroën C5 hdi is high performance" shtyle like?

coylemj

cplwhisper wrote: »

Power-to-weight ratio is part of grading for insurance

This isn't a pocket rocket we're talking about, it's a 4-door saloon with a decent boot so not sure what's your point.

Special Circumstances

coylemj wrote: »

This isn't a pocket rocket we're talking about, it's a 4-door saloon with a decent boot so not sure what's your point.

It's a little known piece of trivia that the ariel atom was one man's last ditch attempt to beat a local A4 round the local industrial estate.

Kilough

Hi,

I'm a slightly similar position to the OP, would love to know how he got on?

I'm moving home in a few weeks with my 2010 320d MSPORT (184BHP). I'm 30 and have 7 years NCD, did my test in Ireland, changed my license to a UK one while I've been over here. Could change my license back to an Irish one if it helped but was hoping to keep my UK one for a while in the hope of avoiding points that may come my way!

Anyways, cheapest I can get is 1k. Seems excessive, had been paying half that before I left (albeit driving a 80HP hatch). Any suggestions for cheap insurers or reliable brokers?

BTW, I also firmly think the Irish car market is 'under-powered'. This car is very average over in UK power-wise. Higher powered cars like an M3 model, Range Rover SVR or Merc AMG spec models are common enough to see around the place. We're just brainwashed into poverty spec and poverty power in Ireland because of Government taxation policies and insurance company premiums. Will be interesting to see how they try and screw us when higher power ultra-low emission PHEV cars become the norm!

draiochtanois

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