Black box? Really?

[shed driver]

I'm doing the annual classic insurance lottery and I've noted several quotes requiring telematics to be fitted and active. They are usually more expensive (£450 vs £96 in this instance) so I'm obviously not going to go ahead with it. I do wonder if it would be a laugh if someone actually did this and explained that 1970's cars tend not to have OBD2 ports and in many cases the battery is disconnected for long periods.

If pushed, would the insurer withdraw their offer? Or would they try to directly wire a black box into the main loom?

SD.

[ncjones]

It is odd for them coming up on classic policies, maybe a way of monitoring mileage?

My daughter is on her second 'black box' policy, understandable as only passed her test 18m ago, and neither require a traditional black box. One was an app on her phone and the current one provided a small battery powered gps tracker to be stuck inside the windscreen.

[eldar]

shed driver said:

I'm doing the annual classic insurance lottery and I've noted several quotes requiring telematics to be fitted and active. They are usually more expensive (£450 vs £96 in this instance) so I'm obviously not going to go ahead with it. I do wonder if it would be a laugh if someone actually did this and explained that 1970's cars tend not to have OBD2 ports and in many cases the battery is disconnected for long periods.

If pushed, would the insurer withdraw their offer? Or would they try to directly wire a black box into the main loom?

SD.

I'm guessing you're not in the black box target age range. They are normally unable to start 1970's cars as a choke is unknown territory

[Yertis]

eldar said:

shed driver said:

I'm doing the annual classic insurance lottery and I've noted several quotes requiring telematics to be fitted and active. They are usually more expensive (£450 vs £96 in this instance) so I'm obviously not going to go ahead with it. I do wonder if it would be a laugh if someone actually did this and explained that 1970's cars tend not to have OBD2 ports and in many cases the battery is disconnected for long periods.

If pushed, would the insurer withdraw their offer? Or would they try to directly wire a black box into the main loom?

SD.

I'm guessing you're not in the black box target age range. They are normally unable to start 1970's cars as a choke is unknown territory

It's worse than that – the manual gearbox and clutch are becoming similarly arcane to our younger offspring.

Also the ability to successfully arrive anywhere without the guidance of SatNav.

[Drabbesttunic]

Yertis said:

eldar said:

shed driver said:

I'm doing the annual classic insurance lottery and I've noted several quotes requiring telematics to be fitted and active. They are usually more expensive (£450 vs £96 in this instance) so I'm obviously not going to go ahead with it. I do wonder if it would be a laugh if someone actually did this and explained that 1970's cars tend not to have OBD2 ports and in many cases the battery is disconnected for long periods.

If pushed, would the insurer withdraw their offer? Or would they try to directly wire a black box into the main loom?

SD.

I'm guessing you're not in the black box target age range. They are normally unable to start 1970's cars as a choke is unknown territory

It's worse than that – the manual gearbox and clutch are becoming similarly arcane to our younger offspring.

Also the ability to successfully arrive anywhere without the guidance of SatNav.

Black boxes aren't hard wired in so no need for obd port, my kids are learning age and none of their friends or them for that matter want to learn in an auto.

[//j17]

eldar said:

I'm guessing you're not in the black box target age range. They are normally unable to start 1970's cars as a choke is unknown territory

Not without being told, no - but then it's not some knowledge we were born with either, but rather something we had to be told.

I can remember breaking down on my first ever cold-start drive in my own car. My dad had told me to use the choke to get it started as it was cold - then walked off. Choke out, engine started, and off I set - only to break down...because there had been no mention of "But you only need it out for a minute or 2" or anything like that so I'd just left it fully out.

[RicksAlfas]

Yertis said:

It's worse than that – the manual gearbox and clutch are becoming similarly arcane to our younger offspring.

Also the ability to successfully arrive anywhere without the guidance of SatNav.

Imagine what the youngsters would think of someone expecting a telematics insurance policy requiring a giant box hardwiring into the car's loom!

[Turbobanana]

I have both sides of this conversation happening right now.

Offspring 1 - 17 years old, taking driving lessons in a manual car because he is interested in the old stuff and would like a classic of his own one day. I fully support the extra time and effort in getting him familiar with a manual gearbox & clutch.

Offspring 2 - 13 years old, couldn't care less about cars although he loves my Lancia Fulvia, will probably only learn to drive if forced to and most likely in an auto because by the time he needs a car most will be milk floats anyway.

It should be said that although Offspring 1 also loves the Fulvia, he is completely baffled by all the millennial anti theft devices (choke, no PAS, keep fit windows and doors you have to lock individually).

How times change, eh?

[aeropilot]

//j17 said:

I can remember breaking down on my first ever cold-start drive in my own car. My dad had told me to use the choke to get it started as it was cold - then walked off. Choke out, engine started, and off I set - only to break down...because there had been no mention of "But you only need it out for a minute or 2" or anything like that so I'd just left it fully out.

40+ years ago, my mate's wife always had problems with the running of the Mini they bought after she passed her test, and he could never figure out why, as she was always complaining about it, and he could never figure out why, as it was fine when he drove it. It was only after several weeks, that he eventually got her to drive it with him in the car that he worked out what the problem is, when she pulled the choke out to hang her handbag on it before starting......
I can still vividly recall him telling us the story in the pub, and the steam coming out of his ears with the expletive ridden description of his missus......