Mods for racetrack threaten insurance

Eric Lai

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Q: How do insurance companies handle people who run their cars on the race track?

I'd previously asked about modifying my suspension but was warned they would drop my coverage even for that. I've had no tickets or accidents.

What implications would there be if they found out that I track the car three to eight times during the summer season?

Everyone agrees that racing should be on the track rather than the streets, but there seems to be little information out there for people who want to enjoy this hobby safely and legally.

A: James Geuzebroek, media relations manager with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, advises that most underwriters in the regular market will not insure vehicles with major modifications – especially those designed to improve track performance.

Your existing automobile insurance policy also will not provide coverage while the vehicle is being used on the track.

Coverage can be obtained for regular, on-road use of modified or track-driven vehicles through the Facility Association, states Geuzebroek.

Eric Lai adds:

To guard against liability, insurers seem to presume that all vehicles modified for extreme-performance driving will be used for such – be it on-track or by endangering everyone on public roadways – rather than being just for show. As such, these autos are placed in the high-risk category and owners must seek insurance through the Facility Association, which is known as the insurer of last resort for convicted drunk drivers and others that regular underwriters do not wish to represent.

Owners of unmodified vehicles may also find themselves in the same dilemma if a driver on their policy is convicted of dangerous/impaired driving or a so-called "street racing" offence, or has multiple at-fault collisions currently on record.

Q: If a lube shop uses bottled oil for an oil change, rather than bulk oil pumped from a tank, won't I get shortchanged?

Bulk oil is measured at the nozzle head gauge, so I'll get a full 5 litres, if that's what my car requires. But with bottled oil, a fair amount stays in the bottles, so won't they need to add a bit more to top up?

Since most shops charge extra for more than 5 litres on an oil change, won't I be paying a surcharge each time?

A: As you mention, bulk oil, if available in a suitable grade for your auto, is a better way to go. It's the identical product the refiner puts into its bottles, but without the packaging waste or residual oil loss. It's also typically cheaper as most outlets charge a premium for bottled oil because of the added handling costs involved.

To find out roughly how much oil remains in the bottles after use, I conducted an informal test. Two dozen "empty" oil bottles donated by a local garage were inverted for one-half hour each and the collected oil measured.

On average, the yield per bottle was about 3 per cent, or 30 ml per litre.

I stress that the results of this one unscientific trial are informal and no industry-wide inferences should be made. Among other things, marginally more oil would have been collected if the collection time was longer, and a baseline verification of the factory fill and initial dump volume (into the vehicles) couldn't be determined from the empty bottles alone. Also, the amount of time each bottle was inverted during the crankcase fill will obviously vary with the techinician involved.

As for paying extra for top-ups, I'm told that most dipsticks aren't precise enough to detect such a minor shortfall, if any. As well, most smaller passenger cars won't require a full 5 litres.

It's important to note that, depending on brand, bottled oil is sold in 1-litre or 1-quart (946 ml) multiples. If you opt for a quart-size package, five bottles would give you a starting maximum of 5 quarts (4.73 L) on an oil change, rather than 5 L of a brand sold in litres.

Reputable shops can advise beforehand as to how much oil your car requires and if any surcharges may apply.

Email your non-mechanical questions

to Eric Lai at wheels@thestar.ca.

Please include year, make, model and

kilometres of autos cited, plus your name, address and telephone number.

Letters may be edited.

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