BMW, Cars

Florida man buys a non-running BMW for $1,300 then brings it back from the dead with three wires

Published on Nov 01, 2025 at 6:14 PM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson

Last updated on Oct 30, 2025 at 4:22 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain

A BMW 550i was sitting on the edge of a Florida auction lot, labeled ‘in-op’ and priced to disappear.

Most cars in that section were destined for parts.

But this one looked different, with clean paint, matching tires, and no obvious damage.

So when it went up for $1,300, this Florida man took a risk.

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He found something that suggested the BMW could be saved

YouTuber Sam found the twin-turbo V8 BMW 550i at a central Florida auction house in the junk section.

The place for no-title trade-ins and lost causes. 

It was surrounded by wrecks, but seemed too clean to belong there. 

So even though the dealer believed it wouldn’t run, he placed a $1,300 bid and won it outright. 

A Florida man bought an in-op BMW 550i for $1,300 and brought it roaring back to life by reconnecting just three wires and replacing one fuse
Samcrac
A Florida man bought an in-op BMW 550i for $1,300 and brought it roaring back to life by reconnecting just three wires and replacing one fuse
Samcrac

At pickup, the BMW cranked but wouldn’t start.

A good sign that the engine wasn’t locked up. 

So once back home, he swapped in a charged battery and powered up the electronics. 

And everything came to life… except the engine. 

A Florida man bought an in-op BMW 550i for $1,300 and brought it roaring back to life by reconnecting just three wires and replacing one fuse
Samcrac
A Florida man bought an in-op BMW 550i for $1,300 and brought it roaring back to life by reconnecting just three wires and replacing one fuse
Samcrac

The auction had written it off as dead, and for now, that seemed accurate. 

But Sam decided to dig deeper anyway.

Brought back from the dead with three wires

Inside the engine bay, he finally spotted it – one thick ignition cable that had snapped open, exposing three smaller wires inside. 

Those wires powered an entire side of the engine.

Without them, the car couldn’t fire a single spark. 

He rejoined each one using small heat-shrink connectors to rebuild the circuit.

A Florida man bought an in-op BMW 550i for $1,300 and brought it roaring back to life by reconnecting just three wires and replacing one fuse
Samcrac
A Florida man bought an in-op BMW 550i for $1,300 and brought it roaring back to life by reconnecting just three wires and replacing one fuse
Samcrac

With the wiring repaired, he kept tracing power forward and uncovered a hidden fuse box under the windshield trim. 

One of the 30-amp fuses had blown. 

He replaced it, hit the start button, and the BMW roared back to life. 

For the first time, it was running on its own again.

A Florida man bought an in-op BMW 550i for $1,300 and brought it roaring back to life by reconnecting just three wires and replacing one fuse
Samcrac
A Florida man bought an in-op BMW 550i for $1,300 and brought it roaring back to life by reconnecting just three wires and replacing one fuse
Samcrac

Turns out, the car was never dead, just disconnected. 

Three wire joins and one fuse were enough to bring it back.

A $1,300 ‘in-op’ turned out to be a working twin-turbo V8.

Sometimes all a car needs is someone who won’t give up on it.

To find out more, subscribe to Samcrac on YouTube.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie

Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.