Hey all! Thanks in advance! I need to send something to my insurance company to prove that my car has daytime running lights. Apparently my VIN # doesn't come up as a car with daytime running lights for some strange reason. They have asked me to fax the window sticker but my window sticker doesn't mention daytime running lights. I have looked at the various brochures and can't find it listed in anything that is "official." Mini.com also does not mention them as a "safety feature" on their web page. The official comparison chart doesn't mention them either. Any suggestions or locations to check???

 

have you tried the owner's manual?

 

Don't have my owners manual with me, but I remember reading about the daytime running lights in it. Maybe your insurance Co. will accept a copy of that.

 

Yeah, I thought about the owner's manual but that doesn't include my VIN# and isn't really official. The problem is on MINI's side I think. Maybe with my VIN#? They list daytime running lights as an option and not as standard on their web page. See here...http://www.miniusa.com/#/learn/FACTS...uipment_List-s

I will try sending the owner's manual but I guess i will also have to fax the cover of the owner's manual etc.... It doesn't flat out say that they are "standard" but it does say that in "position 0 they are off/daytime running..." Make sense? I guess I could have my dealer call if all else fails but that is kinda silly...

 

try that, and if that doesn't work just have one of their people go to your home and see for themselves

 

 

DRL are optional. You can turn them on or off yourself via the OBC. I would turn them on and drive over to your agent so they can verify this in person.

 

Yeah, I understand that but it's the "optional" part being used in "two ways" (OBC optional Vs. a standard/optional feature) that messes things up I am thinking or like I said, my VIN is just not listing it.

The manual is clear about all this on pages 68 and 69....IF they accept it. They want me to fax proof.

I would drive to my agent but I am not sure how to find the little gecko's address??? Btw, do people really still have insurance agents??? I just do everything on line. Guess that's part of the problem here no? In NYC going into an actual auto insurance office is an experience to be missed. Most of them are just down right scary places.

 

They'll have an agent or an adjuster or appraiser that can contact you and I'd bet they've got a form to certify it too. In order to get the job done with this business eventually there will be a boots on the ground person.

 

I suppose that depends on the insurance carrier you have, but I'd think even an internet based insurer would have to have local representatives in the even of a claim. I've given my agent a ride in the Mini, but then I've had my agent longer than internet.

 

I still have an agent. Local too. Having an internet agent is bogus IMO and lacks the personal contact and services I want when I have a claim.....and had no issues relative to DRL's or Alarm System.

But my folks changed to an internet auto insurance company to save a few bucks. One claim later being a victim of a hit & run in FL they were "told" to go find another company......seems to be SOP for many of those companies these days.

 

I'm a little unclear as to what difference it makes if a MINI has DRL, as you can just turn them off???? Now if a state has a law you must have them, then to be legal you have no choice.

Mark

 

What kind of cheeseball offshore insurance company is putting you through this wringer?? This is the silliest thing I've ever heard. So far today, anyways.

 

I agree. The little Gecko better known as Geico. Until now I have had a very good time with Geico, even with claims. Quick and painless until this silliness.

My insurance rates go down with DRL's but honestly at this point I have spent more time on this than it is worth. But like I said, I think it is just my specific VIN# not showing DRL's on my car for some reason.

 

I'd be interested in knowing if any of us has a VIN that would identify DRL's or not. Since the DRL's can be turned off/on in the OBC by all of us (at least 2nd GEN's that I know of), would the VIN indicate it? It's kind of like having a VIN identify the presence or lack of headlights or turn signals isn't it? Since headlights and DRL's are/can be controlled by the operator, I'd be surprised that an insurance company would offer any discount for them. I've checked a couple of VIN decoders and can't find a character in the VIN that would even apply to DRL's so maybe the gecko is having some fun at the OP's expense?

 

Yeah I hear ya. Seems strange to me. Maybe I got the one person who has no clue at Geico. It has happened to me before with Sprint, Time Warner, and many other large companies with hundreds of reps on the phone who vary drastically in quality.

Geico has an online info sheet for my car and the "DRL" box in my account was checked "no" for my car. The rep on the phone said that the info was obtained through my vin number since they don't see the car. All they get to ID the car is the vin basically.

 

I'm an agent, so I hope people still continue wanting and paying for local agents and offices. We pride ourselves in personal customer/agent relationships.





edit: oh, btw, that was my 500th post...

 

when i moved from Canada to the US i needed a letter from BMW Canada stating that my mini passed all emmissions standards.. maybe you can try the same thing? Call BMW and ask them for a letter that includes your VIN.

phil.

 

Is it the insurance company requiring this for a better rate? Your state may not require it.

 

Geico??? (slaps forehead)

Geico has been famous in the past for funding radar/laser speed detection equipment for the local cops. Now they funnel insane amounts of cash into marketing. Obviously it's been very successful, but do you want your premiums going towards so much marketing? I sure don't.

Don't buy their "low rate" claims. Allstate has finally begun a series of ads debunking them, touting Allstate rates far below Geico's.

I've been with State Farm for 25 years. I called my agent recently to tell him I'd installed a home alarm system, so that I'd receive the appropriate discount. Didn't even have to provide any proof - they took me at my word, and said if the home office needed something, they'd let me know. Never did, and the discount has now been applied. Quite the opposite of the OP's horrible experience with Cavemen and a Gecko.

 

Sounds like it's that whole safety feature incentive thing, just like you can usually get a slightly lower rate with an alarm system installed from the factory.

 

Get the dealer to write a note that the DRLs are activated and send that to them.

 

Any discount you would get for having DRL would have to be tiny. Ask what the rate difference before spending any more time on this.

As others have said, the DRL function can be turned on and off by the user. This is not too different than headlights. If you turn it off half way through the month, do they get to take back half of the discount for that month?

 

Or worse... If there's an accident and the report says you didn't have DRL's on and it was an issue in the accident "I didn't see the tiny little car hurtling through space at me so I pulled out and it hit me", would the insurance refuse to pay?

 

It has been a long time since I looked at my owners manual. I know you can turn on the option of DRL, but it is not a true DRL. If I can recall having that option on leaves all the lights on all the time. So in other words it is the same as just turning you lights on. On Chevys they have the head lights on with less voltage, but with no other lights. The mini runs the headlights at full power along with the tail lights and parking lights.