My BMW i8 Suffered MASSIVE Damage On The 1,600 Mile Trip HOME

The BMW i8 is the Prius of the supercar world... if you consider it a supercar. It has a carbon fiber chassis, doors that go up, insane good looks, but all of that is coupled with a hybrid system powered by a 3 cylinder range extender. Whether you think it's a supercar or not, I bought this one from ‪@RichRebuilds‬ because I've wanted one since I drove it 3 years ago!
MERCH: shopWatchJRGo.com
Shop Motul: motul.com
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Common Questions:
What motorcycle do I ride? A few. Ducati 1198, Honda Goldwing, Honda Grom, Honda Ruckus
What do I do for a living? Make KZbin videos.
Can you wheelie? No, I suck.
Are you fast? Sort of. I suck mostly though.
Where can I keep up with you off the bike?
Instagram: WatchJRGo
Facebook: WatchJRGo (or JRGo, FB hates my branding)
Do you go to school? College, for 2 classes.
Why do you ride so dangerously? What do mean? I was doing 25.
Do you go to the track? Of course, hopefully there will be videos in the future.
Do you play video games? No, but I might stream N64 Goldeneye at some point. Twitch: WatchJRGo
Are you afraid the police will watch your videos and arrest you? Something something evidence something something warrants and due process of law
#BMW #BMWi8 #CheapCar

[@WatchJRGo]

I love all you insanely rich dudes in the comments saying a windshield that costs 8% of of what I paid for the whole car isn’t massive damage… it’s nearly enough for me to have it totaled 😂😂😂

[@JoshuaBrown-is8fb]

Just imagine if you got caught up in that F4 tornado in Keokuk county IA yesterday.

[@WatchJRGo]

@@WhiteG60 nice! Glass riders are awesome, I don’t have one though, gotta pay it or call it an accident 😳

[@Shauma_llama]

The inside of that car looks so futuristic, so cool. 😀 Who's the "we"?

[@grabsme]

Yeah $3600 for a windshield is Insane. At least it's not a murcielago windshield though. That's like 5800 lol

[@adamk9652]

Try finding a windshield for a Subaru SVX. Supposidly they have different color windshields (bronze or blue/Green) that share the same part number. The bronze one is harder to find than the blue/green one so it's basically unobtanium to get a new bronze front windshield.

[@lcheaton1130]

The stress of driving a car (on a long distance ride home) with unknown potential mechanical issues is huge. Every bump, shake, squeak sends you into fits of despair. Good for you John-Ross for pulling it off solo. Bummer about the windshield too. $2k ouch.

[@Robsav-yx6vi]

So true Chris . That’s how l am .

[@izno73]

When younger, that´s how we travelled... :D sketchy cars and bikes taken to roadtrips with a few bucks and a denim jacket.

[@lcheaton1130]

@@izno73 riight! Now it is 600 mile AAA cards, cell service 99.9% of everywhere, and bottomless internet access to coast to coast auto shippers. Aging isn't all bad I guess.

[@leonarddaneman810]

Samcrac's i8 episodes are worth the watch. What he had to do to diagnose the coolant and head gasket issue was off the charts.

[@barondugger]

The best part of Samcrac's i8 adventure was people telling him he couldn't mill the head because it would throw off the valve timing... and figuring out that a Mini Cooper headgasket would work.

[@Bicketybam68]

I know people don't like it but to me the i8 is a nice looking ride. You walking up to it at 18:57 just looks fantastic.

[@AndyZ325is]

You know JR works hard on all this good content and people knock his cars and him in the comments. Kindness rules. Keep up the good work JR and thanks for the cool adventures with cars!

[@robtheslob3940]

Agree .... although he gets paid whether good or bad ... but honestly people do you want to see a guy fix Honda Accords all day ? Keep up the bad choices !!

[@VidTubeWatch]

Yes he does, and it shows. He takes pride in his work, and I've never seen a video on his channel that I did not like.

[@vaibhavdlv]

@@VidTubeWatch I think since JR's videos are a bit shorter and kind of have a mini-project sort of vibe to them, it makes one feel like there's not a lot of work. But the amount of background work he has to do for getting each repair to work is insane. I cleaned up my bike's secondary ignition input. It was probably not cleaned in last 3-4 years. It took me couple of hours to remove the plastics out of the way, undo the hoses and then thoroughly clean up the filter and the container and then put it all together. Now the bike does purr a little and feels almost like new. That makes me compare my efforts to JR's for each small fix and appreciate everything he's doing.

[@murry001]

I can't believe Rich threw that rock at your windshield :D

[@Robsav-yx6vi]

Lol😂

[@tmoz1228]

I was thinking just stop at walmart and fix it and then you did! Ive had good luck with that kit and hasnt failed yet!! First saw it on your channel!

[@WatchJRGo]

I had to... There's no world where I'm paying for a $2,100 piece of glass, even aftermarket I'm sure it's crazy expensive 😳

[@Cartier_specialist]

I was thinking O'Reillys but yeah. I guess they don't stock that item.

[@SugarChateau]

That was my thought. The quicker you fix it, the less the chance of it running! Glad you stopped.

[@icepop54367]

Yes I am Ohioan i71 they actually had a huge project on a few years ago it never was that nice, and now it’s very nice. They did an incredible job. Super smooth no more potholes and road crowning in the center of the road, now they need to do more of Cleveland streets and parts of 480 are horrible but they are making progress

[@robertwhall]

Yes, definitely improved. 480 is awful. The Valley View bridge project has been going on for years

[@morstyrannis1951]

There should be an inductive charging pad somewhere in the car. Put the key there and it will remain charged. I just replaced the battery in my “flex key”. Based on the date on the battery, it lasted six years.

[@EstorilE36M345]

Reminds me of my 2,000 mile drive back from LA to Chicago in my 212k mile 1998 M3. Also flawless after filling up one tire with air. And also no working cigarette lighter because of a dead fuse. Fixed at home.

[@dogefromthefuture]

22:17 - The check engine light is set not to come on until the warranty is up

[@P.Galore]

Dear JRGO: BMW's come with tool kits. Tool kits have screw drivers! Your comprehensive auto insurance should pay 100% of the windshield replacement. Congrats on a good choice of cars.

[@kraignadjkovic5494]

The cop was probably trailing you because he thought the car looked fast. Then, whilst he was behind you he googled it and the inter webs said it’s slow, so he peeled off.

[@punkrockford]

As someone who works on generators for a living, I can tell you that generac generators are the worst in the industry.

[@WatchJRGo]

I see you're a Cat guy 😛

[@bearing_aficionado]

So what are some of the best ones and why?

[@rhiantaylor3446]

For someone who works on generators for a living, I would have thought Generac were the best, if they give you lots of repair business ha ha !

[@richardgadoury8452]

Mike, I'm looking at a 56KVA for a remote site, diesel. What are your initial thoughts...

[@punkrockford]

@@richardgadoury8452 never buy a generac. Do you want diesel or natural gas. I would recommend a Kohler Generator above all else.

[@rwdplz1]

Lost the windshield in my then 1 year old Subaru STI the same way, good call on fixing it immediately, my ding turned into a 2 foot crack overnight.

[@Cartier_specialist]

Never turn the defroster on if you have a chip in your windshield. I did that one time and I heard this shrieking sound and it was the windshield cracking all the way across.

[@100PercentJake]

Should have bought a first gen Honda Insight instead, obvs.

[@pmkstudios]

virtually the same car!

[@KeithZim]

The American Interstate system is a massive game of "Russian Roulette" . If your car does not get damage by flying debris you risk getting ran over by methed out commercial truck drivers. And half of everything on the highway is equipped with a tire better suited for rough terrain that will grab every rock big enough to break a wind shield and hurl it directly at your head....

[@mexicanspec]

Taco Bell on the highway. You are a brave man.

[@pkt1213]

I have fixed/saved several windshields with the rainX kit after your video. On the highway between the down Iive in and the city where I work, is a quarry, landfill, and some other industrial stuff. It destroys windshields.

[@sithhill]

This reminded me of my road trip last year, east coast to the west coast in my 2007 3 series with 143k miles. No lights, the only issue came from a botch drive shaft repair job just before the trip. BMWs will last you if you take the proper care of them. But yeah, the thought of any shake could be a problem is something I'll never forget.

[@slickmouse]

In America there's no point in having 3 lane motorways as you only use the middle and fast lane.

[@nicholasvinen]

I thought the third lane was for overtaking the slow vehicles in the fast and middle lanes. That's what I use it for anyway 😂

[@DasArab]

In the UK pretty much all insurance policies come with windscreen cover that does not effect your premiums. Is that not a thing in the US ?

[@ForeverDownByLaw]

It's a thing here too. My insurance covers windshields without affecting premiums. Methinks JR maybe has a bare bones policy.

[@WatchJRGo]

It can be and some companies include if. My collector car policy does not though 🍻

[@DasArab]

@@WatchJRGo Ah thanks for explaining that 👍

[@Heffelz8]

Dude, I made the trip from NH to MO twice while in college. I think the halfway point was Youngstown Ohio. It’s a long drive. Pennsylvania is really nice with the rolling hills.

[@smarternu]

41+ MPG in my Ford C-Max, and it uses regular fuel. I love the thing. When I smash the go pedal I get pixies and gas so it can be quick. Great car.

[@ssmitty8374]

That car is has sexy lines and looks super sleek. The interior looks like a cockpit like it wraps around you. I've not driven many luxury cars like this but BMW has always been my favorite. I would gladly drive 1600 miles for you if needed for a small fee of course but i'm sure it would still be much cheaper than shipping! 😄 Great video and nice job as always!

[@BSGSV]

I keep thinking about how much money and pain youtubers could save if they avoided Land Rovers, Maseratis and BMW i8s.

[@RysterARCEE]

Yes, but then they wouldn't have content and we would have less entertainment 😁

[@BSGSV]

@@RysterARCEE Haha, yes, true!

[@billstuart8481]

But there would be no content fpo us to enjoy... Sounds boring.

[@SteveBassen]

That mileage will get even better once those blizzacks are off it

[@larrybe2900]

They won't last long either. They are designed softer for the cold.

[@SteveBassen]

@@larrybe2900 yep hit 50 degrees and treadlife goes down the tubes

[@itsnotme07]

I agree with shipping cars if you can....but I also like driving. Always love me some Salem, MA time! 10 miles from where I grew up and I spent a year living there back in the mid 80's. No I'm not OLD! Haha. Course my "long road trip" car currently is a 2015 Lexus RX350...and it did almost that same drive summer of 2021, but was Maine to Dallas. No doubt I enjoyed the drive comfort wise more. But that i8 is very cool! Look forward to seeing what comes next!

[@williamwade7059]

The reason the zipper merge never works is because one lane moves twice as fast as the other so the merge pont jams up. Q. The space in front of a truck and a car IS HIS BRAKING ZONE so pulling in front of him IS A BAD IDEA.

[@jochenstacker7448]

The dump truck driver should have to pay for the windshield, it was his fault for not securing his load!

[@DoctaM3]

Congrats--love this car so much. I am keeping mine.

[@albertcoburn5674]

You sure are enamored with high priced junk, Audis, BMWs, you are not scared of anything. We can live vicariously through you.

[@SRMWorkshop]

I took a rock to the windshield the other day and got a 2ft crack. That rain-x got the crack stopped from spreading and sure made it look a lot better. I still need to replace it though.

[@DavidWeinberg-cm9xd]

At least the glass crack is just below the hood line, so a repair would be possible, hopefully? Good luck with your new ride?

[@michaelbrennan7148]

Thank you for posting. Get some rest 😴 Glad you made it safe.

[@kevinbarry71]

Are you kidding? A modern Toyota Camry, not the hybrid version, can get better than 40 miles per gallon on the highway. The hybrid version does considerably better

[@jkiley4466]

Do feel slightly tricked by click-bait-y title. What was the massive damage? The rain-x kit seemed to take care of it.

[@WatchJRGo]

The fact that I can fix it doesn’t offset the $2,100 broken part… just a poor guy fixing super expensive things as fast as possible 🍻

[@AgtWashingtub]

20:58 Preach on JR! People refuse to do the thing the right way and just zipper merge to cause less congestion, and instead just do it wrong and rage that someone zipped and got ahead of them.

[@aeroman5239]

The real issue with zipper merging is it is not taught during any driver training/driver's ed, at least in the US.

[@derek17005]

JR, file the glass claim on your comprehensive insurance coverage. I work in the industry (in Oklahoma) and your rates won't go up for comp claims as long as it's not theft. Even those don't always result in increased rates. Plus, most insurance companies waive deductibles for comprehensive glass claims when using their glass network of providers.

[@neilbarratt1523]

Kudos for the pitch for the zipper merge, if people would do this properly traffic would be so much faster.

[@slickmouse]

24 hours is a long day....couldn't get any longer

[@nickallain]

I averaged 34.5 mpg in a BMW 840i recently. My mind was blown by that, especially since that car is a boat. Good on you for taking it 1600mi. I recently did a 6000mi trip (Nevada to Massachusetts and back) in a 2002 BMW 325xi 5 speed with 165k miles. Amazingly, the check engine light didn't come back on until the last leg of the last day when I was back in Nevada. That said, it's a money pit ;)

[@EYVOAuto]

Literally just thinking when is WatchJRGO gonna post? Been waiting to see how this trip is going

[@WatchJRGo]

Back on schedule 💯

[@EYVOAuto]

@@WatchJRGo Glad you made it back. Congrats on the great purchase 🎉

[@marviator7370]

Look at the giant hills, says the Kansas boy. lol

[@AndyZ325is]

JR should have stopped outside of greater Cleveland and sold those Blizzaks. He could have recouped his fuel costs at least.

[@MrPotteeMouf]

And then what? Drive on the rims you dope?

[@65GasBoy]

@ 21:18 the reason those that merge early are stopped is because of the people wait till the last minute to merge, thus slowing or stopping both lanes.

[@AutoAuctionRebuilds]

Good video man. Love that car!

[@paulsolovyovsky1702]

The Geo Metro in the background will get better gas mileage..and it's also a 3 cyl engine

[@WatchJRGo]

My Geo metro is full electric 🍻

[@clayarnold2136]

I found this video really useful learning about the RainX window repair kit. I travel a lot and pick up at least one rock per year and can never get home fast enough to get it fixed before it cracks. I also had to pay for a rental car window last year because of a rock. This is really a game changer for me. I also like the I8, great looking car but I saw some of the nightmares that Rich had with it. I am sure it will be great for content! Thanks again!

[@avioncamper]

JR glad you got back with no major issues. the windshield crack was a bummer. Wondering, most insurance co's will pay for replacement minus the deducible for a new windshield. Hope you had ins. on it for this trip.

[@WatchJRGo]

I do, but I'm sure it doesn't have a glass rider 🍻

[@Z32andCG6]

You bought a BMW and immediately had BMW issues. At least you got the full ownership experience.

[@craigtiano3455]

When I hit a bird at 70+mph, it crazed half of the windshield. You couldn't see through it at all. The other half looked like a spider web. I was able to sneak the car home, 20 miles, without encountering police. The auto glass place sent a mobile unit out the next day. My insurance covered everything except a $50 co-pay. Had the damage been less than what would fit under a 25 cent piece, they would have covered the cost of the auto glass company doing the rain-x kit with no copay. I wouldn't sweat the cost of the BMW windshield unless you don't have insurance that covers glass. I'm surprised that the BMW didn't have a screwdriver in its tool kit to unscrew that lower wind splitter.

[@1ohmwrecker]

I promise you, most the roads in Ohio suck lol. And having 245/30zr20 tires on my Mercedes, I went thru 3 of them just this past summer season lol.

[@jimmccormick6091]

JR- I-71 in Ohio. It either leads INTO the state capital, or leads OUT OF the state capital.... that is why it is always so well maintained.... Thanks for sharing your epic journey!

[@CondoreComputing]

I love the i8 and think it looks great, but I feel like anything under 40mpg is pretty ehh for a plug in hybrid, I end up squeezing 32 out of my v6 avalon and 55 to 73 out of my new hybrid carolla with its tiny battery. Actually amazed at the mileage you can squeeze out of that thing. I know it's a different class of car, id just hope for 45mpg highway minimum for that kind of hybrid system.

[@baconmcbacon62]

I've done Boston to Dallas many times and it's a long drive but very pretty. Tennessee feels like it never ends, though, and so does NY depending on the way you go. These cars sound so good! Last time I did that drive, I also got my windshield smoked in Pennsylvania on a brand new BMW windshield as well. It hit under the wiper and then spiderwebbed out before I could even see it.

[@conrad463]

Not going to lie, my jaw dropped when I saw the huge crack going across the windshield. That was until I realized I was looking at my glass cell phone screen protector crack. (I was looking for a crack in your windshield and I found one. Just not the right one.)

[@truenorth179]

I watched samcrac struggle with an I8 and I wouldn't touch one ever. Get ready for a six thousand dollar head gasket that nobody knows how to do.

[@jetski54]

Great road trip! Thanks for taking us along! If I had any money I’d put the i8 on my wish list

[@bikeman1x11]

i get 33-34 mpg highway in my 98 integra -and its 100% reliable

[@rjcam]

JR- add comprehensive coverage on your insurance which should include glass, and just claim glass damage 2 months after so it doesnt raise any flags. comprehensive damage claims dont raise your quote !!!

[@Falskdk]

Road trips are always something special. I drove 2200 km from Barcelona to Denmark in a 98 Audi A8 4.2 in one go. 21 hours later i had been stopped by the French police, lost a blinker light, spent 100s of euros on fuel, and consumed a very unhealthy amount of caffeine and sugar. But you got to love the german autobahn...

[@USA__WILL]

How does an electric car still have coolant issues. The cooling division in BMW has been half assing their work since the early 2000s

[@WatchJRGo]

It’s actually the engine coolant, this is a hybrid 🍻

[@fomocopowersgarage7103]

So, do you know you're back in Kansas when you see grass fires along the highway? Holy crap, that was crazy to see,lol.

[@fomocopowersgarage7103]

Oh, and the day after I got back, a tornado touched down about a mile from my house, go figure.

[@WatchJRGo]

I saw quite a few grass fires on the way back into town… burning the fields off 🍻

[@houstonhotdog5273]

Wonder if key has Bluetooth charging and car has docking port for it 🤔 ???? 🌭

[@antwonrichardson9324]

Great video and great detail,thanks my guy👍🏽💯

[@edge4006]

that taco bell is going to give you da shitzz

[@mutantryeff]

BMW: Bring My Wallet

[@tkskagen]

As for the Windsheild damage... This is why I recommend that every motorist should have (install & use) a Hi Fidelity Dash Cam to record incidents and accidents!

[@vadim7590]

It's almost impossible to win these cases even with video evidence. Most will consider it a road debris. That's why there's insurance with no deductible for glass.

[@Hacker4life]

That's a beautiful car!👍

[@trapjohnson]

Triple Electric Ending backdrop: nice.

[@pnwvibes_]

When in Salem Massachusetts always look out for witch's

[@Cartier_specialist]

The legend lives on.

[@BeastlyGarage]

Funny thing is he is absolutely right about merging lanes. Most people do it incorrectly and even think it's rude to run the lane out until it merges. People actually will try to block you from using the whole lane

[@wrenchesinmotion3282]

We don't have the mentality to zipper merge. People out here with the "I'm better than them, I'm not going to let them in", and the "I'll force my way in, and make everyone stomp on their brakes" people kill all sensible merging events. I drove from Norfolk VA to Joplin MO, that was 24 hours straight in my 95 Cavalier Z24. When I got there, he gave me a beer and coffee. What a guy.

[@dave3657]

32 MPG Wow! 😂 I had a 1992 Buick Road-master that had a few minor mods and a tune on it. It had a 350 and auto. I was getting a consistent 30 MPG on the highway with the AC on.

[@Tarkov.]

At this point, I'm kinda surprised you haven't picked up a UV flashlight to help with the windshield kits.

[@ReconD31MEU]

i8’s are actually the ultimate driving machine. Rich, himself is a good person, but Is cursed possibly when it comes to i8’s, get some SAGE. Good luck getting that windshield repaired. It’s quite expensive unless your deductible is low. Unfortunately, no one will be accountable enough to say they did it. Mine was 1 week after purchase with only 180 miles on it. A little smaller. And about 4 weeks later another one happened. So in reference to Michelin tires 4s pilot sport( I think that’s what they are called) they are incredibly expensive and wear quite quickly. It should be very quiet In the cabin of your car. There were some recall issues depending on the year where a vibration was heard in the cabin. In the end enjoy the car it’s not a real fast car but aesthetically looks really good. They can be money pits but like a Range Rover but the i8’s can wear on you. Tell Rich to do an engine swap, all electric or put a big liter in it. His big brain can figure it out, plus he doesn’t just refer to himself as RichRebuilds for nothing.

[@oregonziggy2391]

I don’t miss replacing windshields in the winter time in New England lol I’m originally from there and couldn’t even say how many windshields I replaced from rock chips from highway driving.

[@plantedinpr886]

lol, You made a boring drive interesting. Good Luck with the BMW. 🙂

[@1mlb704]

When I was in 7th grade, we went to the Salem Witch Museum and it was by far the most boring field trip I ever went on. The Lowell Textile Museum I went to the year prior was like going to an amusement park compared to the Witch Museum. So ever since that experience I've never liked Salem MA lol

[@perryturpin766]

Super car windshield’s cost big money!!! Keep up the awesome content, I8 Looks good

[@oldcarnutzs2886]

The next time your cigarette lighter dies, stop at Harbor freight and get the one that clips on the battery you can wrap it through your hood in your door.

[@jasonwaltke8105]

So cool you stayed in Columbus! That's where I live! Would have been cool to meet you!

[@Legoman585]

I was thinking there's no way your going to keep going without fixing the crack in the window. Sure enough a couple of seconds later you were stopped at Walmart fixing the window.

[@Julian-do7bv]

He waited way longer then I would have

[@keasbeydave]

Wow it's crazy how many videos I've seen of this i8 with Rich Rebuilds already. Now let's see what you do with it.

[@frankm8533]

Taco bell on a road trip ur a brave person i know better then to do that 😂

[@ncc74656m]

I was rolling through PA one time in a Corolla and definitely cooking it, I was upset so I was doing probably 85 down a back woods highway nobody else out there, and it was just after dusk, and I missed a trooper ahead of me. I see his lights come on before I even noticed him, and sure enough he's out and rolling, and JUST after he starts rolling, some deity sends me one of those early 2000s hot hatch Civic Type Rs somehow doing 90, he blows by me, and the trooper goes screaming after him. I can't say for certain what happened, but I'm sure that trooper saw me first and decided the boy racer was more important.

[@messageme2005]

Pittsburgh pa here. My car also hates Pennsylvania roads. End up playing dodge the pothole every day.

[@glennthomas7435]

Vivek Ramaswamy for President, Young, brilliant mind, with a conservative platform that is outstanding. "With a name like that he has to be good" .

[@bazzatheking3155]

When you opened that blind I thought you were in North Korea!!😂😂😂😂

[@christos881]

What was the massive damage, the windshield?

[@squeakers27]

Title: MASSIVE DAMAGE, video: literally nothing apart from the crappy eBay spitter and a stone chip 🤷🏻

[@larrybe2900]

2 grand for a complex windshield is not small because you are replacing it on a ten year old car.

[@gregdiamond6023]

Best of luck JR. Should’ve brought à trailer. Always trailer aa BMW back home. Where are you going to keep this nugget? Your neighbors have to love you bringing another hooptie home.

[@PlugInRides]

JR is always surprised when he's actually wearing his own merch.

[@organiccold]

Nice road trip. Shame about the windscreen... John i bought a UV torch 🔦 for curing the resin quicker

[@TonyLasagna]

First stradman with the lambo, now JR! Tough call on the cost - do you have full glass coverage? Same thing happened to my super duty - dump truck and rocks. Full glass coverage got me the $800 OEM glass covered for $0.

[@henrymatthews9365]

Leave it up to a Kansas man to travel across the country and bring tornados with him lol.

[@cliffordaugustus9646]

Nothing cooler than looking out your hotel window an being excited to see a generator. We're not in Kansas anymore.

[@_-KOEN-_]

If the i8 was full self driving JR would probably have replaced his volt for this…

[@pops55650]

Don’t you just hate trucks that don’t properly cover their loads?

[@nicholasvinen]

Or the ones that cut you off trying to overtake another truck when they can't and spray your car with stones kicked up from their wheels in the process. Ask me how I know about that...

[@pops55650]

Yeah I’ve had that happen to, expect he was coming directly at me in my lane while passing another car

[@Khmtravelvlog]

I drive a Truck yeah the wind wears us out after a long day as well seat starts out comfortable in the morning by the afternoon you feel sore and need a break.