Something you need to think about. if you keep the car, will they total it and then you buy it back from them? That is the way that it is usally done, that means you will have a car with a salvage title and 8700$ to repair it. You will never be able to sell it for a great amount. If you are going to keep it and if you can find someone to fix it for 8700 then ok. Otherwise let them total it. Strip it of every aftermarket item that you put on it and sell that seperately. Go buy yourself a new box or use the 11-12K for a good down payment on a lease turn in.

I have gone the total and buy back option with a car before. Usally if they tell you that the car will take 8700 or more to fix, it most likely will and you will spend every penny and more to make it back to pre fire standard. then you have a car that burned up, and salvage title. more or less worthless.

just my .02$.
James

better yet, use the 12K for a down payment on a 2002-2003 911 turbo coupe. You can pick them up for 50K all day long.

Step 1. Take the 11k and total the Boxster.

Step 2. Take your wife to a really nice dinner.

Step 3. Take the remaining 10.5k and put a down payment a used "S" model Boxster. She will understand.

HELLO...??? NO-BRAINER HERE!!!

You got to enjoy the car for for X amount of months and get to walk away with more $$ than you paid??

Wherein lies the quandary??

:cheers:

Take the money. Shop around. Audi TT,M Coupe....or shall I dare say.....C5 or C5z06.

$50K for a 2002-2003 996TT would be overpaying.

All this (bad) advice of taking parts off the car and replacing with cheap aftermarket parts is call insurance FRAUD. Come on, you guys know better. :(

I'd like to add my two bits about the source of the fire based on your report...

My guess is that the oil filler tube was cracked and dripped enough oil on a hot exhaust to ignite it. I had my oil filler tube replaced three years ago just before the tail of the dragon trip, and it's quite noticeable after a oil change if it's cracked because so much oil is being poured into the motor and across the cracked area just inside the motor compartment.

Anyone reading this thread should have this checked out and replaced. It's an overpriced black plastic flex-tube that's about two and a half feet long that goes from the oil filler cap in the trunk to the motor (or oil reservoir, or wherever).

No ********************, makes me want to surround my car with bic lighters.

Many insurance companies will let you take your aftermarket parts off and replace them with the stock parts.

The PPI on my car uncovered this defect. The tech who performed the inspection said it was a common problem caused by rubbing on a hose clamp from another component. The tech who repaired mine said he repositioned the clamp to prevent a recurrence.

Agreed... it's not like they're actually paying you anything extra for aftermarket parts. I'd strip anything extra off to sell separately and let them total out the car. Like others said, you don't really want a car with a salvage title unless you're going to keep it forever.

BTW, I totaled a Mitsubishi Eclipse and a Vulcan 800 motorcycle and stripped aftermarket parts off of both while replacing them with stock. I didn't have a problem. I think the insurance company would have to very specifically list out what is coming with the car that is totaled, otherwise it would be assumed that all parts are OEM stock!

Kirk