Headlights STOLEN
 

Rant time for me, So i wake up this morning, feeling tired. Walk to my car at 545am that i had to park 1 block away from my apt cause the street was full of parked cars on my block. Drive to work and dont notice anything out of the ordinary UNTIL i pull into the underground parking garage at work and notice that i do not see my headlights against the walls or floor. I think to myself "GREAT! damn headlight switch is fried" so i park in a space and start to turn the headlight switch on and off rapidly to see if i can get the lamps on at all, and it didnt work....

So i get out and im already thinking about what terms i should use in my search for headlight switch replacement on 986forum.com but then i notice something... my sidemarker is missing and the wire and bulb are dangling :confused: then i walk to the front of the car and notice both of my headlights are stolen !and! the edge of the hood, front bumper and fender are scratched!

That is the moment i realized my headlight were stolen today... WTF!!!!! why would someone one yellow egg yolk headlights! :confused: venting... venting... venting...

I called my insurance claims department to notify them, I have full coverage Progressive Insurance with $250 deductible, does anyone know what i am to expect from the Porgressive as far as repair and or compensation?

CJ, that sucks!

Your replacements are here:

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code =98663113104and&Category_Code=986lights

Check Sunset for pri$ing too.

Litronis Kits are about $2,495. Clear sets are about $1,395.

Clears:

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code =98663113114AND98663113214&Category_Code=986lights

What in the @#$@#$ is the world coming too? Seems like it would take more time to get them out then they would be of value to steal and try to resell. How did they get your hood open, was the car unlocked too? Unless the scratches were from prying the hood open. Man, don't know how you guys park everything on the street like that all of the time... Well, at least you can upgrade your lights now.

all the best.

Damn - sorry to hear that CJ. Make sure your insurance also pays for getting those scratches removed, not just for replacing the lights. In fact, if you want to save some $$, have them pay for the parts + install, then do it yourself. That should ease your "deductible" pain.

Dude CJ if you want some amber halogens for a good price let me know.

Don't pay $2.5k for Litronics! I paid $350/shipped for my driver side Litronic the other day. All the Porsche dismantlers said they would let me have a passenger side for $500 when they get a set in. Just wait it out if you can and you'll save yourself a ton of money.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PORSCHE-996-911-99-01-LITRONICS-XENON-HEADLIGHT_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33710QQihZ019 QQitemZ290171532033QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

If you build a set of clear halogens
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Porsche-996-C2-driver-sd-headlight-used-off-2000-Cabri_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33710QQihZ003QQit emZ130169277001QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

bmussatti: thanks for the links, i wont know what i can afford till i talk to the claims adjuster and find out what they think i should get for the lights.


meerzee: yeah street parking sucks because anyone can just bump your car or steal something and they probably wont get caught. I think they pryed the headlights out, the plastic on passenger headlight track is got a broken peice of plastic in it. Hood was never opened


bigb: yeah, im expectin them to repaint those area that were damaged cause theres no way they were there before cause i mean... the paint it relatively NEW!

blinkwatt: Yeah, im looking around ebay for lits incase i can afford them with the insurance, The dealer next to me "Pacific Porsche" says a set of new Ambers are 1745, so i hope to get something close to that from Progressive. Oh yeah i seen those headlamps on ebay minutes before you posted them lol thanks!

Progressive Insurance
 

CJ,
Make sure that Progressive sends your car to a good shop for the paint work to get the scratch fixed. I had Progressive insurance until I got hail damage last year. They had a list of approved shops I could send the car to, most of them I had never heard of. They would not let me go to a shop of my choice, no option of paying the difference for choosing my own shop. The shop I picked is owned by a Porsche driver and PCA member so I thought I would be in good shape. These guys were horrible, missed hail damage and had other things go wrong that I won't go into.

The remedy Progressive had was to send the car back to the same shop to fix, after 3 trips back and forth to fix the fixes I had enough, took the car to a stealership bodyshop and paid out of pocket, dropped Progressive and got premium insurance through Fireman's.

Laws in Cally might be different for insurance, just another thing to think of.

OK guys, where do you "think" the lights on eBay come from? And for those low-low prices. The light-fairy?

Some of them come form an incident like CJ just experienced.

It is a vicious circle, and some purchases on eBay just keep it turning.

CJ, sorry to hear what happened to your car. I also park my car on the streets and have been thinking about installing 2 way viper alarm in case something like this happens to me. If you want to buy a set of used headlights(Amber). I am selling mine.

Sorry to hear about your loss. That is a financial and logistical burden. I would suggest you follow the advice previously posted and take advantage of the situation to upgrade - that way something positive can come of it.

Damn CJ I'm sorry to hear about that. Your poor Boxster. :(

I hope the ins. co. doesn't hassle you at all.

CJ, I agree 100% that someone probably pried the lights out with a screw driver rather than popping the hood. There's only one metal piece that holds them in, so all they would have to do is pry hard enough with a screw driver to break either the mount or the light.

Before you settle with the insurance company make sure you have the car checked out carefully by a professional. I don't know how they could pry out the lights without bending some sheetmetal. I know you see scratches, but the metal also may not be straight. As you mentioned, the headlight mount may be broken too (which may require removing the fender to replace). What about the wiring harness, did they cut that?

Again, I'd check everything out carefully so that you make sure you're not shorted on what repairs are required.

Also, you said they stole the yellow egg yolk lights. I could have sworn you hard clear halogens in there though.... right? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge :cool:

Kirk

I think everything in this post except for the insurance fraud is good advice. ;)

I would be verrrrry leary about replacing those headlights with Litronics or anything that is going to cost you more $$$.
1- the dude that stole your lights didn't just stumble upon your car. He noticed your car parked outside and made an appointment to visit your car at 4am when everyone was sleeping. I'm betting he used a van to block the view of passing cars.
2-this person is probably roaming the area and he will be back to pump that well again. Or he will tell one of his Porsche-familiar parts theives about his score.

You need to move out to a different area or find garaged parking.

This is why I never leave my car with the top down when I'm running errands.
These guys know how to get in and out quick. I'd say you are lucky they weren't Litronics that required disconnecting wires, these idiots have known to do big $$$ damage to the electrics.

llol yeah, i dont think i would need to lie about what i had cause the stock ambers at the dealer are $1745 a set and that is more than enough for new ebay litronics :)

That's brilliant, CJ, you are going to buy lights on eBay, that may have been stolen from another Porsche car owner.

Dude, I'd say get a quote for the regular set from your dealer, and get the insurance to pay you for it, then get a set of Litronics! win/win!

THE CIRCLE OF LIIIIIIIIIFFFFFEEEEEE ;)

I'm surprised the alarm did not go off? :confused:

It might have but the car is parked around the block so i wouldnt have heard

No affiliation, just came across this ad:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/pts/464611201.html

CJ,

So sorry to hear about your headlights. That sucks !

I agree with the others. Perfect opportunity to upgrade to the clears ;)

Nick

Sorry to hear about your car, but looks like you are on track for replacement.

"Man, don't know how you guys park everything on the street like that all of the time... "

I normally keep my car in our garage, but I am having to work out of town this semester and have to park my car on the city street. Every morning when I go out to the car, I am pleased and somewhat suprised to see it in one piece.....


Ed

:cheers:

UPDATE: Bodyshop picked up the boxster and enterprise picked me up and sent me on my way with a Chrysler 300c after i told them to call me as soon as they get a ford mustang.

I went to the body shop, they said there painting process will leave the hood bumper and fenders in 300% better condition than the rest of there body cause of there painting process and 200degree oven they use to cure the paint and activate some crap in it. So they will have the painter sand and polish the rest of the car to help match it up as far as the consistancy of the shine.

I told them ill cash out the check from my insurance and buy a updated bumper and have them paint that instead and they said thats fine so i have to wait for my claims adjuster to visit the shop tomorrow so they can compair there estimates and they will haggle with them to get more money from the adjuster and argue the point of dimished value and quality level paint job that is expected for a car like a porsche. Nice guys down there.

Ill let you know what the total for the check is once i find out from the adjuster and bodyshop.

I know the feeling
 

Man I am sorry to hear, about the loss. I once had a convertable jeep I had to replace the radio almost yearly. untill I moved and sold it

[If you build a set of clear halogens
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Porsche-996-C2-driver-sd-headlight-used-off-2000-Cabri_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33710QQihZ003QQit emZ130169277001QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW[/QUOTE]

You've got to wonder about someone from Miami who is as illiterate as this person, and can't spell defect or scratch, selling Porsche parts! It might be a good buy, but it may have come from the same supplier who now has CJ's old headlights.

I'd like to thank everyone who gave me advice and helped me locate headlights and offered to let me barrow there spares until I had bought my own! I want you to know that I really appreiciate it. Your all a great bunch of guys :) .

Now, I'd like to show you why I drove all the way to Palm Springs during 6pm freeway traffic yesterday from Torrance with $1300 in hand. I bought myself a set of Litronics with the Self-leveling control box and wireharness!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Very nice, i cant wait to do the same, post pix when your done installing

Your car will look 100x nicer

:cheers:

sweet man,the photoshop i did for you is coming alive :D

I sure will! I should have the Box back from the bodyshop the weekend from there projections, Im also working on getting a 2003+ boxster bumper, just need to wait and see if my present bumper is "Repairable" cause progressive wants to check before buying a new one.

Sure is lol. Im sorta glad they were stolen now that I have gotten the litronics lol. although I felt like I was raped when first noticed the caverness space where my headlights use to be. Guess its worth it.

Awesome CJ - can't wait to see them on. It would also be great if you could document the install process - I am specifically interested in the install of the auto-leveling part (the lights by themselves are easy, afaik). Don't forget to post pics once you are done :)

Sure, Ill document the install process for the Self Leveling Unit. What Ill do is install without first and drive it to see what the litronics do without and then install it and document what i see the litronics do afterwards. That way we atleast know what the hell that thing does exactly.

and whatever you do, dont park in that spot where they got stolen

What?? You gonna upgrade the bumper but not go the 996/GT3/aerokit I way?!?!
A waste in my opinion unless you change to one of the above. Heck even those techart ebay bumpers are sweet.

I disagree. There is a signifigant difference in the style of the bumper from 1997 to 2003 or 04. I like how the grills are integrated into the bumper and not an attachment of black grills that snap on behind it. The intakes are alittle sharper around the edges which gives it a slightly more agressive and updated look compaired to the stock 1997 bumper.

The 996/GT3/aerokit are all nice but its embarrasing to show up to a p-car meet with a boxster with a 996/GT3/aerokit I front end when there are real 996's GT3's GT3RS's and CGT's. I'd feel like a poser lol. So im sticking with a boxster bumper.

Lol good point, i acutally like the look of the 03+ bumper

So.... i can see your point from a preference basis. But from a poser preference.... its the same, if not worse. At least the GT3 bumper was a factory option, the 03+ bumper was only for...03+ boxsters. So when you do show up to these meets they will be like "oh nice 03 boxsttt......you have a plastic rear window and different side intakes... huh?" Have the aerokit is not poser in my opinion, just a factory option. So I dont quite see your point on that issue.

yea, well obviously the 03 one looks better than 9, but i wouldn't 'upgrade' to that either.

i like the techart looking one that bisimoto has on his silver box.