Ouch

I had a fuse box fire the other year and luckily i was able to put it out in time without any major damage.

I would have the rest of the car checked out again by the shop to determine if it is worth it to replace the harness, there may have been another expensive electrical component or sensor that may have beed fried.

Is there any chance that insurance may cover it, electrical fire?

John

 

We had a car burn up at the mechanic the other day and the mechanics insurance covered it. I am sure they won't cooperate and having a claim against their insurance, but you might be able to get a better hourly rate out of them if you bring it up.

 

What a nightmare for you. Whereabouts is the aftermarket alarm, and how did it get water in it? What evidence is there that the main harness is fried?

It might be worthwhile having a local expert take an independent look, just to get a third perspective on the extent and seriousness of the damage?

Good luck anyway. Hopefully in a few months you will look back on the problem knowing that it all worked out well in the end.

 

I would have to contact the seller to determine if any lemon law applies
maybe you've owned it longer than thirty days but Jesus,that sucks
The early C2 Carreras do have some history of poor electronics and wiring
updates...but a complete meltdown and fire,thats suspicious to say the least!

 

Independently, unless he is following this thread, my current husband called at 8 this morning and said, "listen we don't really have that kind of money laying around right now. There is no guarantee that she'll be 100% even then and I don't know what sort of deal the mechanic might cut us, but I do know that car means a ton to you so if you want, why don't we tow the car home, we'll take her apart together and we'll Rennlist and CL for help along the way and it will be a project, its not perfect but not sure you'll be happy if you sold her either" I think he was floored last night when I told him I already contacted LA Dismantler about selling her. I genuinely don't know what I am going to do. I have the vision of a long term pile of parts sitting in my driveway eternally haunting me as neighbors complain, a bill with no clear end in sight or being a quitter but a quitter without a smoking car. Each has some appeal each has its "ugh" factor.

As a woman I see everything everything everything so I think "rewiring the car" and I immediately panic at being well beyond my comfort zone and not even having a clue as to what I am doing. Men are single tasking problem solvers so my husband sees it as a problem to solve and methodically and calmly tries to tackle it, the issue is when the other projects take hold I have a bucket of parts haunting my drive.

The alarm I know of was an add on that was connected to the ACU. Both exist under the steering wheel and I cannot fathom how they would have gotten wet. The tail doesn't always close but that would not explain water anywhere near the steering column. The fire started at the fuse box, as far as I could see, that was where the smoke was coming from so water in the box vs other issues, it really is a toss up.

Ideally the gods of 911's would hand me a youngen wanting a part time gig rewiring her alas that might be too much even for the German gods. All I know is that I need to commit to a path soon!

 

Banana let me ask you how much is it just for the parts for the wires? If you tackle on yoru own you have to take a lot of the car apart (which you would have to do if you parted out) So if you can't get her working again you spent the money on the wiring which you could sell again anyway. If you have the time and your husband is willing to help you I say go for it. Your more man then me from some of your old posts (plane repairs in the cold).

I would not sell to a dismantler and I would part out myself setup an ebay account and lots of people will buy on here certain things.

 

Here's a thought: contact your local chapter of PCA; surely they have a web forum. See if you can get interested and experienced (also: free) help/advice/guidance from them. If you were in the Northern Virginia area, I know that several folks would be there for you. Worth a try.

 

UPDATE. I would have never even considered this but as I was telling the story to a non-Porsche friend (I mean seriously how often does a car catch on fire driving into a mechanic?!) someone with us had an idea that I didn't even consider. Because it was an electrical fire it is covered under comprehensive insurance at some companies, and after a few calls mine is one of them. Moreover since its a claim not based on poor driving it also doesn't effect my rate. Now if I rewired the car and it had an electrical fire let me tell you the guilt I would feel passing this onto insurance but I didn't, smile and thank god. I bought it from a dealer, it passed PPI, the only "major work" I did was changing out a DME for a new one from the factory (and we all know how easy that is) so if it was a falsified salvage or negligence on the part of my stereo installer I feel better having insurance handle all the issues, wow and they are more equipped to decide fraud and follow up on it than I am. So I have options: leave it where it is at the Porsche mechanic that I googled, tow it for free to the insurance certified locale (read non-Porsche mechanic) or pay the $300 look her over for damage fee myself, pay for the tow myself and have a highly recommended shop handle the repair. Out of guilt and cost I am pondering leaving her at the current Porsche place but the lure of a better place ... I dunno. I DO know that having insurance cover the electrical means I am far less despondent when the trans still won't work and that bill looks way smaller to me after thsi headache, ohhh yeah! I also learned today that had the mechanic not pulled the battery when he had that I would have lost the interior and had a complete gut job on my hands as well so where I was at the time is the difference between a totaled car and one that lives to drive another day.

Wellcraft, thanks, errr...I think, the difference is an expert with 50+ years experience was with me as we did the annual on the plane as opposed to my rewiring a car with 2 Bentley books, the Internet, and good intentions. We ALL know where the good intentions lead. I put together my first AR-15 a few weeks back (that's a rifle for those peace lovers out there and there is nothing wrong with loving peace so hugs to you, and nay sayers like airplane boy in a prior post, I built both the upper and the lower) and this morning as I said "hey babe I think the FIUYA car is a bit out of my league in rewiring" he said "well you put together from scratch the rifle so this is just a few more hours" a long silence followed and I finally said, "the AR took 2 hours, YouTube, AR-15.com detailed diagrams and a shop with a special wrench to help me, what possibly makes you think a job that takes a professional 20+ hours would be done by me any day before my 80th birthday (I am 36)?" Just to place this in context, achem.

Thank you all for your well wishes and words. I feel enormous weight lifted from my shoulders and chest. I have some decisions to make shortly but all are where does she get repaired rather than do I repair her at all? I still have a ton of work and I am still in shock at seeing her on fire in front of my eyes, wow.

 

Banana,
Your enthusiasm, your 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps' attitude and your willingness to get in there and try to save this car is humbling. You were meant to get this car and this car is lucky to have you. I feel like going out in the garage and hugging mine because of you. Even with all the little annoyances I've had, you've had it much worse and I will think about you the next time my car reminds me she has a personality.

 

You can do it. The plugs only really fit each other, and fit one way. It's really just a big puzzle.
(and a Yoga class, with all the contortions you'll get into under the dash etc.)

 

banana that is great news. Hopefully everything works out in the end and you use a shop that you feel comfortable with. I will say your insurance company probably has a limit they will spend on it so make sure you find that out and not get a shock in the end of teh day. Wierd how that starting issue started after that fire.

 

I've got lip impressions on my fenders and roof now...

 

Excellent about the insurance. I would talk to the local P-car enthusiasts in your area, and get recommendations for the best shop to have the work done at.

A complete harness installation will require somebody that has good experience with this, and requires removal of a large part of the interior. Unless it's done right a lot of clips and parts can be broken, and when put back on result in rattles and the like.

Best of luck, Sounds like you've got a good supportive hubby there. Keep him for a while longer!

 

I would take it to the best shop that you can find. This is a project that anyone could only hope to never have to do again.

 

Any updates?