Mazda RX-8 Insurance - Vehicle Details

MetzgerMeister

Right so for the laugh I'm looking up what it *might* cost me for my insurance renewal in December. I know it's very early to be doing this and it could go up or down by then. This doesn't matter.

What matters is, since I've had the car (2.5 years) every insurance companies site has it in their system as either a 190 COUPE 2616cc or 230 COUPE 2616cc. Here's the choices I have from 123.ie right now:

143bhp COUPE 1800cc 2 door
190 COUPE 2616 4 door
230 COUPE 2616 4 door
COUPE 189 1300cc 2 door
COUPE 190 2600cc 2 door
COUPE 228 bhp 1300 2 door

First of all there's no such thing as a 143bhp rx-8 unless it's the hydrogen model which isn't an option in the fuel type list.

Secondly, I have never seen an option of 1300cc/1800cc/2600cc on any insurance site for this car before and yes, I tried them all!

Is someone having a laugh or have they actually finally copped onto themselves about this car's engine????

CoDy1

It'll be based on the BHP i'd say, they used to class it as a 2.6cc even though it was a 1.3cc.

Its a funny one alright.

These are the options I have on my system:

(190) COUPE 2616cc 2003
(230) COUPE 2616cc 2003
(AUTO) COUPE 2616cc 2003-2008
40TH ANNIVERSARY COUPE 2616cc 2007
COMFORT 2616cc 2003
EVOLVE COUPE 2616cc 2006-2006
EXCLUSIVE 2616cc 2003
KURO COUPE 2616cc 2007-2008

I can't figure out how they can equate 1300cc to 2616cc for insurance purposes though regardless of power output.

MetzgerMeister

Either can I! I had one clown try to tell me that because it has 2 rotors it has 2 engines and each engine is 1300 :eek: I tried telling him the truth - 2 rotors - 654cc each - 1300cc but he was having none of it.

I wish they would cop on!!!

Vertakill

It obviously can't be considered the same as, eg. a 1.3litre Yaris, and where the guy on the phone was technically wrong, he was on the right track.

The fact they don't consider it a 1.3 is because you can't use the same method to measure a piston engine to a rotary engine.

Since this country's insurance/tax are geared toward piston engine displacement (and obv risk factor), the rotary engine is a bit of a gray area.

If you DO want to measure them both based on the displacement of 1 revolution, you get 0.654x2 (1.3)... but that's not really accurate.
Imo, it's seems like a marketing ploy by Mazda to make it seem like some sort of monster engine that's able to eek out crazy BHP for it's capacity.

Here's a snippet:

For comparison purposes between a Wankel Rotary engine and a piston engine, displacement (and thus power output) can more accurately be compared on a displacement per revolution (of the eccentric shaft) basis. This dictates that a two rotor Wankel displacing 654cc per face will have a displacement of 1.3 liters per every rotation of the eccentric shaft(only two total faces, one face per rotor going through a full power stroke) and 2.6 liters after two revolutions (four total faces, two faces per rotor going through a full power stroke). This is directly comparable to a 2.6 liter piston engine with an even number of cylinders in a conventional firing order which will also displace 1.3 liters through its power stroke after one revolution of the crankshaft, and 2.6 liters through its power strokes after two revolutions of the crankshaft. Measuring a Wankel rotary engine in this way more accurately explains its specific output numbers, as the volume of its air fuel mixture put through a power stroke per revolution is directly responsible for torque and thus horsepower produced.

unkel

People seem to think insurance is based on engine size. Wrong! Insurance is based on risk (or call it what you want, statistics or dreamed up by actuaries)

An RX-8 is not "insured as a 2.6". It is insured based on estimates of risk. I'll give you a practical example. I was quoted a helluva lot less on a same year same value same mileage BMW 735 V8 240BHP compared to a BMW 523 6 pot 170BHP car

MetzgerMeister

Thanks for the replies lads. My main point here is that they are now offering choices other than 2616cc. I want to know why! There is a remarkable difference between the quote for 228 bhp 1300cc and 230 bhp 2616cc - €1212 vs €1670 respectively.

thirtythirty

einheisserschre wrote: »

Right so for the laugh I'm looking up what it *might* cost me for my insurance renewal in December. I know it's very early to be doing this and it could go up or down by then. This doesn't matter.

What matters is, since I've had the car (2.5 years) every insurance companies site has it in their system as either a 190 COUPE 2616cc or 230 COUPE 2616cc. Here's the choices I have from 123.ie right now:

143bhp COUPE 1800cc 2 door
190 COUPE 2616 4 door
230 COUPE 2616 4 door
COUPE 189 1300cc 2 door
COUPE 190 2600cc 2 door
COUPE 228 bhp 1300 2 door

First of all there's no such thing as a 143bhp rx-8 unless it's the hydrogen model which isn't an option in the fuel type list.

Secondly, I have never seen an option of 1300cc/1800cc/2600cc on any insurance site for this car before and yes, I tried them all!

Is someone having a laugh or have they actually finally copped onto themselves about this car's engine????

I would like to think that this is entirely due to me! I had a 2 month-long battle with Aviva's underwriters and top-tier insurance spokesmen last year arguing the ridiculousness of the current rating. I also sent them scans of the engine specification etc.

I'd say 123's databases and metrics are based on some of the larger firms...so...I'm pretty sure it was all down to me


edit - also, i'd check out over25.ie , they gave me the cheapest insurance on it @ €919 (or €989, can't remember)

muckwarrior

unkel wrote: »

People seem to think insurance is based on engine size. Wrong! Insurance is based on risk (or call it what you want, statistics or dreamed up by actuaries)

Well then why not just list the actual capacity of the engine if it doesn't make any difference?

Atomic Pineapple

muckwarrior wrote: »

Well then why not just list the actual capacity of the engine if it doesn't make any difference?

I'd assume because you'll have someone (Actually probably a lot of someone's) who doesn't have a clue come along and complain about his/her 1.3 Rx8 being so expensive to insure compared to other 1.3 piston engines

MetzgerMeister

spottyelephant wrote: »

I would like to think that this is entirely due to me! I had a 2 month-long battle with Aviva's underwriters and top-tier insurance spokesmen last year arguing the ridiculousness of the current rating. I also sent them scans of the engine specification etc.

I'd say 123's databases and metrics are based on some of the larger firms...so...I'm pretty sure it was all down to me


edit - also, i'd check out over25.ie , they gave me the cheapest insurance on it @ €919 (or €989, can't remember)

Thank you spotty! Can't go to over25.ie as I'm only 24. I'll do that on the 18th of December though! My current insurance is €1550 with Setanta through First Ireland. I don't think it's too bad considering my renewal was €2250 which went up from €1946 the year before!