One of the things that make YouTube channels grow is authenticity. People like us that do not try to hide when they fail. On the contrary: they use these fails to teach people not to fail in the same fashion. That is what the latest Rich Rebuilds YouTube channel video is about: a flop. It tells us about the conclusion of the Tesla Model X Rich Benoit took a while to conclude. Now we know the reason: it was totally not worth it, as Benoit himself tells us.
Gallery: Tesla Model X Project By Rich Rebuilds Is Finished: It Broke Him
When Benoit rebuilt Delores, his Tesla Model S, he spent just $6,500 to have it – without including his labor. He bought two Model S units for $30,000, put one Model S together, and sold the parts he did not need to recover the investment. The Model X would follow the same path, right? Not exactly, as Benoit tells us here.
First of all, because he spent more than he should on buying it. While there were salvaged Model X cars for about $20,000, he spent $30,000 on his. As he puts it, he fell in love with the car, and he shouldn’t have.
With it delivered, he discovered the car had been flooded in a much worse way than his Model S. It had many vital components ruined, such as the rear motor, the battery pack, and the BCM. That was when Benoit realized he should have escaped this project, but he decided to carry it on. We bet that he saw an excellent opportunity to show how badly this could go. Mission accomplished.
Months after buying the Model X, the car was ready for $58,000, a price that could give him a used EV with a clean record. In other words, it did not pay off. That is why he teaches with his example that not all salvaged Tesla projects will be a bargain.
If you do not follow Benoit’s teachings, you may end up spending more than if you searched for a good used car. You have to choose wisely, do a lot of research about the car’s history, and work on it yourself. If you plan to hire someone to do the job, give it up and buy it used.
That said, this Model X was authentically a failure, but an educational one. We are glad Benoit was not afraid to admit it and turned this lemon into one of his best videos to date. We applaud his honesty and wish more people were not afraid to recognize they make mistakes, especially if the goal is to avoid others to follow the same path.