On the bright side - at least you didn't take that nap in the car.

 

Yeah, it was too cold outside, lol, -22C.

Too late for the insurance side. I put a claim in yesterday, the ball is already rolling. I figure, if I go after the manufacturer, I will probably wait 2-3 months before they even write back, let alone settle, then I have to fight with them, etc.
With my insurance company, they come out to appraise the car, and estimate the damage, then cut me a cheque. It's reasonably quick, and painless. I will definately notify the heater manufacturer as well. This should never have happened.

The problem is, this car was my baby. I was having such a time deciding to part with it. And I was always hoping it wouldn't sell. Now this happens, it freakin sucks

 

Hi Bret 944,
I regard to the rear emblem:
that emblem was on the car (White 944) when I recently purchaed it.... as a FYI....NON of my rides eat rice crispies !!

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=696440

Darcy

 

Talk about check your grounds

If there really is a product problem the people who make it WILL want to know. They may figure out that your wiring is what caused the problem, they may find something else. Either way, *if* (and I say that because generally the fault does lie with the consumer) there is a product problem they would rather buy your car, than face the possibility of someone dying when their house catches on fire.

There is a bright side, you will probably get more for the car than you would have selling it.
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Do I hear a vulture in the background??

 

Sucks dude, but at least you still have the turbo.

One porsche is better than no porsche.

Maybe the n/a got jealous that it wasn't the only one anymore?

 

Well, I did mention while driving it that it would now become the winter beater, perhaps it would rather commit suicide?....

Matt H, the heater was installed as per their instructions. The fault does _not_ lie with the consumer in this case. I'm not sure how to take that statement of yours.

If when I contact the product manufacturer, they admit it is their product that caused the fire, you guys will hear about it for sure, as well as the local news. They do a lot of product recall stories and such, I'm sure they would like to hear about this.

Bret 944, one of the PO's put the emblem on. We would rather not destroy the paint removing it.
No engine swap, but it's got more pep than my N/A does.

Thanks, all of you guys for your condolences.
I went out and coaxed (or rather forced) my subaru into running today, took about 2 hours, a full can of ether, and a lot of cursing. Eventually we just started pouring gas down the carb until it would stay running, and we poured some gas line antifreeze in the tank, and eventually it freed up.

It would just keep stumbling, and dying, starved for gas. Looks like a fuel line half-froze or something, some gas was getting through, but not enough to even let the car start.

Although, at one point it kept almost catching, and it was turning over so fast the tach actually registered, it was turning at over 500rpm, it sounded like a sewing machine, lol.

 

Hey Zero, Sorry to hear about this. Earlier this year I went to plug in my oil pan heater and it answered me with a shower of sparks and a cloud of smoke. Fortunately nothing caught fire. Although mine let me know right away that it didn't like having american parts on it.

And it is friggin cold up here! The biggest problem I've had starting the car is the battery, it keeps freezing up. Once it's got charge, even at -30°C it still manages to start every time.

Justin

 

OH MY GOD.....!!! I FEEL FOR YOU MAN.....!!!

DAmian

 

Take it for what it is worth. About 90% of product liability cases (number varies) are due to incorrect use or install. Manufacturers still pay out a great deal of time because it is easier than trying to convince a public/media (who like the sensationalism of the story, more than the facts) that the product is at fault.

I did not say YOU installed it incorrectly and I did not say it was your fault. I said, dont be shocked if they find it is your fault.

FWIW, if you are 100% sure that the heater caused it and you are 100% sure that the fault does not lie with the install then you probably should sue them for whatever the insurance doesnt cover or turn over the information to the insurance and let them sue them. I dont believe in frivolous lawsuits but there is a possibility that your car could have been in your garage when it caugt fire, could have burned the house down and killed you. THAT is a reasonable law suit (provided of course, that the heater caused it).
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Dead on. Well, except for the fact that number is probably closer to 99.99999%.

 

It varies by product type quite considerably. I have seen numbers as high as 98% and some as low as 90%, I figured I would go real low.
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I am absolutely confident that the heater was installed correctly.
I am an electrician by trade, and in an electrical sense, everything was perfect. I am a backyard mechanic, although I like to think I have reasonable skills, and IMO, the heater was installed correctly in a mechanical sense as well.
The heater should have been able to run in open air for hundreds of hours with no issues at all. It has a thermostat in it that is supposed to shut it off if it overheats, so it should never have topped 50 degrees celsius.

I am hoping to get a chance to go over to NAPA and find out who manufactured the heater, and then write them a nice letter with pictures. We'll see what happens, but I will keep you guys posted.

I find with oil pan heaters, some of them can get as hot as 110C, at this temperature, eventually the heat will transfer to the cord, and melt the insulation, this causes the majority of oil pan heater issues. Now, that said, I still have one on my car, but I don't use it when the weather is above -20C. I figure at those temperatures, it could get warm enough to damage the insulation on the wires. (I read mine, and the insulation is rated for 75C)

Thanks for the support, I just wish my damn subaru would start, so I'm no longer car-less.

 

Oh man, that sucks. I'm sorry.
Can you buy the car back from insurance company?
I might buy the whole car from you if the price is right, let me know.

 

Might I ask where you are located? The car (obviously) is not driveable, but it does roll, but still, local pickup would be best, as shipping costs on this car would be horrendous.

I plan to buy the car back if it's under $2000, so there's probably an 80% chance that I will buy it back.

What were you thinking (price-wise) of for the whole car?

The adjuster will be out to look at it later in the week. Hopefully I'll get some good news.
I'm still trying to get my scooby to run. It's going to be -33C tonight, if I don't get it running in an hour or so, it's not going for a few days. I can't plug it in where it's presently located, and the carb is completely frozen up. The jets and such are frozen shut (although the lines aren't frozen). I really wish it was fuel injected. I am hoping spraying some starting fluid down the carb, and forcing it to run for a while, it might heat up enough to unfreeze the carb. It will probably take 2 or 3 cans. I would pour gas down the carb, but I want enough control to stop the flow immediately if it backfires (it did twice yesterday)...