Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Head to squarespace.com/richrebuilds to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RICHREBUILDS
I bought a $50,000 electric BMW i3 for just $500 because the dealer said it wasn’t worth fixing.
The problem? A repair BMW claimed would take 13 hours and cost more than the car was worth.
Instead of dropping the drivetrain like the service manual says, I tried something else.
With a tight deadline, a risky shortcut, and a second “dead” BMW i3 as a backup plan, I had one goal:
Get both cars running, driving, and throwing zero warning lights, or lose a $5,000 bet.
This video takes you through:
Why BMW wrote this car off
The one sensor buried in the worst possible place
How a “parts car” turned out to be very alive
And why sometimes the fastest fix is the one you’re not supposed to do
No restorations.
No magic scan tools.
Just logic, pressure, and one very questionable drill decision.”
For sponsorship inquiries contact us here - sponsorships@richrebuilds.com
For other EV issues/questions - info@electrifiedgarage.com
My E-mail: richrebuilds@gmail.com
Instagram: instagram.com/richiebkidd
Mailbox:
Rich Rebuilds
P.O. Box 1041
Salem, MA 01970
Head to squarespace.com/richrebuilds to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RICHREBUILDS
I bought a $50,000 electric BMW i3 for just $500 because the dealer said it wasn’t worth fixing.
The problem? A repair BMW claimed would take 13 hours and cost more than the car was worth.
Instead of dropping the drivetrain like the service manual says, I tried something else.
With a tight deadline, a risky shortcut, and a second “dead” BMW i3 as a backup plan, I had one goal:
Get both cars running, driving, and throwing zero warning lights, or lose a $5,000 bet.
This video takes you through:
Why BMW wrote this car off
The one sensor buried in the worst possible place
How a “parts car” turned out to be very alive
And why sometimes the fastest fix is the one you’re not supposed to do
No restorations.
No magic scan tools.
Just logic, pressure, and one very questionable drill decision.”
For sponsorship inquiries contact us here - sponsorships@richrebuilds.com
For other EV issues/questions - info@electrifiedgarage.com
My E-mail: richrebuilds@gmail.com
Instagram: instagram.com/richiebkidd
Mailbox:
Rich Rebuilds
P.O. Box 1041
Salem, MA 01970
