500 2 seater fiat 500 with dog cage

[jamesdeanuk]

Hi all this is my 1st post so hopefully I get the photos to work
My wife and me both have fiat 500s but love to go camping and have 2 dogs
so we needed more boot space .So I built this

 

[mark65]

nice piece of work if you can do without the rear seats.molly our border terrier normally sits on the front seat next to memaybe for your next car you should get a 500l.good colour choice btw

 

[306maxi]

I may have said this before, but a dog should never really sit on the front seat, even if harnessed and buckled.

 

[mark65]

I may have said this before, but a dog should never really sit on the front seat, even if harnessed and buckled.

i know but she is safely attached and well behaved also my back windows are tinted so dont want to take the chance of sharp claws scratching the film

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Looks good. jamesdeanuk what were the insurance implications of this modification and removing the rear seats? Were your insurance co happy with this, or did they apply any loading to your policy out of interest

 

[jamesdeanuk]

Did not tell them as its only removing my rear seats and putting a cage in .
Just the same as folding your seats down and putting a dog cage in.

 

[306maxi]

Removing seats is something you have to tell them about as you are basically turning it into a van.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Did not tell them as its only removing my rear seats and putting a cage in .
Just the same as folding your seats down and putting a dog cage in.

No it isn't removing the seats is a modification in your case, they're not designed to come out like an MPV for example.

Might be worth checking this https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/326629-flat-floor-instead-rear-seat-van-mode.html / https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/326629-flat-floor-instead-rear-seat-van-mode.html?p=3263185 and contact your insurer so you don't have any issues later on

 

[jamesdeanuk]

best tell them or sell the car and get a something with a bigger boot

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

best tell them or sell the car and get a something with a bigger boot

If you're with a ecent reputable insurer then I think you might be ok, its the cheaper budget insurance co's and brokers which I think might start to cause issues. Fingers crossed it isn't going to be an issue for you

 

[jamesdeanuk]

Just taken it all out and put seats back in ,Just not worth the risk

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

True, although a quick phone call and you may have been ok?

 

[doggydoctor]

I have done the same to an old 206 I had. Never even crossed my mind to contact my insurance to inform them. It has been inspected by someone from the insurance company twice to see if it was worth repairing after two accidents (both not my fault) and never was anything mentioned about the fact the rear seats were taken out and replaced with a piece of mdf.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I have done the same to an old 206 I had. Never even crossed my mind to contact my insurance to inform them. It has been inspected by someone from the insurance company twice to see if it was worth repairing after two accidents (both not my fault) and never was anything mentioned about the fact the rear seats were taken out and replaced with a piece of mdf.

Loss adjusters / accessors are often contractors, so unless they were specifically looking out of trying to pay then its unlikely they would have mentioned it.