Late-model doesn't need to mean hard to maintain or expensive - I've got a '97 4Runner with over 240,000 on it and all it's ever needed beyond oil/timing belts/brakes/one clutch (all normal maintenance for any vehicle at all) is a starter and a sway bar (and that was my fault off-roading). It's a tank and is still going strong.

Fire coming from the middle of the car sounds like it could very much be cat-related... too early to say, but I think you or your insurance might be doing a bit of battle with the shop that redid the cats.