On a morning in mid-November 2019, my wife and I went into the garage, about to head to work. We were met with a tragic sight. Our 2000 Boxster was covered in deck stain. A gallon can of stain had fallen off a high shelf and burst open, showering the whole car with stain. It was everywhere. The hood, fender, door and the convertible top were obvious, but there were even small droplets on the door and window of the opposite side.
The paint/stain was already dry, so there was no way that a quick car wash would have any effect. So we just left it as is and called the insurance company, to see if something like this was covered. I sent photos of all the damage and filed the claim. They instructed me to get repair estimates. I chose Eveland Brothers to do the work, because of their reputation with Porsche.
I submitted the repair estimate to the insurance company. It included labor to remove the stain from the painted surfaces (with paint thinner or acetone) and replacement of the convertible top. The removal of the stain was going to ruin the finish, so they would need to sand and polish the whole car. They didn’t think it would need to be repainted. The insurance company said that the cost of repairs would be high enough to be considered a TOTAL LOSS.
I was told that I’d be able to keep the vehicle, following being designated a total loss, but it would need to be retitled as a SALVAGE. Almost immediately, I started getting phone calls from a salvage yard, eager to schedule a time for them to pick up my Boxster. I made several urgent calls to the insurance company and after a few says the junkyard quit calling.
To my surprise, the claim payment for my “total loss” was more than the repair estimates, so I had Eveland repair a few blemishes from previous damages and had some upholstery work. Then I had to wait, while my Boxster sat in my garage, covered in stain. I waited for their schedule to open up, then I waited for all their prep work and finally for the repairs to start. As much as it hurt to see the car covered in stain, I think it was worse seeing it taken apart behind the repair shop.
Finally, on a sunny day in late March, my Boxster was ready to be picked up. It was a beautiful day and the car looked great. The repairs had taken about 6 weeks, but I wasn’t able to drive the Boxster for 4 months. I don’t drive it much in the winter, so I was glad it hadn’t happened in the summer. We are very pleased with the way this all worked out, but wouldn’t want anyone else to have to endure this kind of potential tragedy.
Charley Crutchfield
2000 Porsche Boxster (986)
125,000 miles
charley.crutchfield@gmail.com
816-807-7092
