Yes it's probably been asked a million times. Don't go postal. Can I (legally) swap a VQ35 in my car and still get paid by the insurance company if I total it in an accident?

I heard they don't pay ANYTHING if you have a swap. I understand that they won't pay extra for the 950$ the engine cost me, but I heard they don't pay the car, or the damage done, it's all on your bill.

Well I just called them today. They say I can replace my engine with the same (3.0L), but newer with less mileage if I want to, if it has the same horsepower (190), but if it has more, I can't. They said for example if you put an SI engine into your normal civic, it needs to be insured as an SI.

Using that logic, they'd need to insure my car as a 2002 Maxima, since the 3.5L didn't show up intil 2002, and those are worth 15,000$ instead of 4,000$! What a f*cking bunch of morons!

Of course, these guys don't know the difference between what the 3.0L and a 3.5L upper ends look like. I could take the "V6 3.5L" cover off the VQ35. Then, I could, technically, take the VIN plate from the old 3.0 and put it on the 3.5L and call it a day. That's what they look for, right, the engine I.D. number?

 

i have no clue man. i dotn thin kthat insurance company will notice the difference anyway if you have the 3.5 cover off the engine.

 

The insurance won't replace it since the car is insured as what the VIN says, since the VIN has all the info such as what year, what color, body, Sub Model, I.E GXE or SE and engine. So your dilemma putting a 3.5 on a 96 Maxima, you're only insured for the value of the 96 Maxima. not what's under the hood. Just much as if you were modding your car, such as putting aftermarket spoiler or rims, etc...there is some insurace that have "additional" coverage that you would have to pay to insured those items. Bottom line, just your basic insurance is just for what the car at face value.

 

I'm not worried about that. I'm worried that they won't give me ANYTHING at all because I have an engine swap.

 

just don't tell them. when you total a car they don't go and look at your engine very closely if at all.and if they give you **** say you bought it like that and when you went for your insurance inspection(they have them in my state) it should have been picked up and your very angry. also explain how they should then refund all the payments you have made to them on the insurance if they arn't going to cover it because it's been in there since you insured it.

i doubt you'd run into any problems anyways.

 

I would consider this a don't ask, don't tell matter. they didn't ask you if it was the stock engine when you signed up for your policy, so you didn't tell them.

IF you get in a wreck and they say anything about it, you tell them your old engine blew up and you replaced it with one out of a newer model because of the low mileage.
leave it at that. don't explain anything else, because it's not their business.

 

amen to that!

 

Actually your engine would be covered. Anything permanently attached to the vehicle will be covered. Least thats how State Farm and Progressive work. Think of it like this. If you upgrade your stereo and it gets stolen do they give you the money for a stock one or the aftermarket one? I just went through this because of a break-in and attempted theft. They replaced all of my after market audio because it was permanently attached to the car. Now if it was a radar detector, again speaking from personal experience, it will not be covered. Radar detectors are not permanently attached.