INSURANCE

[Squatrogers]

We have an Austin Minor van and I am having great difficulty in getting insurance onit as everyone says it is a Morris please can someone help me in trying to clear up this confusion - it has an Austin badge on it and it says Austin onit's log book, but , it looks exactly like a Morris. Also I am trying to get this vehicle insured for my 17 year old son - without any joy up to now any help would be GREATLY appreciated
Thank you

[bmcecosse]

Welcome to the forum. - it is an Austin badged Morris - there's no getting round that. The ONLY way for 17 year olds seems to be through the MMOC young members scheme - contact the Club for details. Your son will of course need to be a member!

[mike.perry]

It was called badge engineering. When Austin stopped making the A35 van they needed a small LCV so they stuck on a crinckly grill and a few badges and called it an Austin.
The most badge engineered car was probably the BMC 1100/1300 which was available as an Austin, Morris, MG. Wolseley, Riley or Vanden Plas

[rayofleamington]

It was called badge engineering.

It's still called that and still happens today.

There are a good handful of specialist classic car insurance firms that know what they are doing. These shouldn't be confused by a Minor commercial having an Austin ID.
However for younger drivers, the MMOC club insurance scheme is EXTREMELY competitively priced (thanks to hard work by the club).

For the Minor commercial - Austin dealerships wanted to sell them due to lack of anything else nearly as good, but their dealer rules said they weren't allowed to sell vehicles with non-Austin ID's.
This hasn't really changed all around the world up to the present day. Very few new-car dealers are allowed to sell multi-marque. European law has allowed some changes since ~2009 but the impact on new car dealerships has been minimal so far. There's been more impact on breaking the tie-in for main dealer servicing and vehicle warranty - now it has to be an 'approved-dealer' service not just main dealer.

[ASL642]

Squatrogers you have a PM

[Squatrogers]

Thank you so much for all the information provided by everyone

Sorry to be a pain, but, how does my son join the club - is it via this site or do I need a contact name and number, if so, where can I find this information.

Thank you

[ASL642]

Scroll up to top lefthand side under Membership. Yes you can join online - totally secure.

[morris van]

I had the same trouble last year when I bought my Austin Minor van.Before I got the Austin I had an A35 van insured with RH and they had not heard of an Austin Minor van let alone a Morris Minor van so I tried Peter Best which my MG is insured with and would not insure it as I use it a couple of times a week to go to work,so I got in touch with the club and gave me details of Footman James and they insured it.

[Squatrogers]

Thank you so much to everyone for their advise - we are now sorted - with Footman James. We now have one VERY happy chappie