In a video posted about five months ago, Rich Rebuilds set out to prove an $800 Audi could still serve as a daily driver. His friends put its time on the road at about 15 minutes. Then they needed a trailer to get it home.
Rich had bought an Audi A8 L with a twin-turbo V8 and just under 200,000 miles. His friend Joey doubted it would reach that mark, so they made a bet. Rich would owe a dollar for each mile it fell short, while Joey would pay for each mile it ran beyond the goal.
Rich said he bought the car from a Massachusetts state trooper who told him nothing was wrong with it. He also pointed to its valid inspection sticker as he made his case for the cheap Audi.
At first, the Audi ran and drove, giving him a chance to test his bargain. Once it stopped, though, the group had to work out whether a wiring fault or engine trouble had ended the trip.
A Short Trip
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Rich described pulling into a parking lot when the car began shutting down. It went into neutral, coasted to a stop, and would not go back into drive.
With help on hand, he tried to get it running again. They checked the battery and connected a jump pack, but the Audi still would not start; Rich heard only a clunk.
Then someone noticed smoke under the hood. The group called out that the car was on fire and turned to the battery, with a strong smell of burning wires in the air.
After pushing the Audi out of the way, they went to fetch a trailer. The plan to keep driving had given way to getting it back to the shop.
Look Underneath
Once the car was on a lift, the group found severe rust in the subframe that supported the engine. They could break pieces away by hand and questioned how much metal was still holding everything up.
Rich had already started spending money on the project. “I just bought wheels for this thing, too,” he said as they inspected the damage.
Closer checks also led them to a melted starter and a heat-damaged wire. They suspected a short and wanted to check the main power cable before calling a new starter the fix.
Work then moved to the engine, where they pulled spark plugs, some coated in oil, and checked the turbos. The group reported scratches inside the cylinders and damage to a turbo. In his closing rundown, Rich also named a timing-chain failure.
Time to Pay
Rich conceded the challenge and put his debt to Joey at $596. Before handing over the money, he tried another way to settle it: “How about store credit?”
Joey rejected that offer. Rich counted out $600 in cash and told him the extra money was a tip.