The things one can find on a site like Craigslist never ceases to amaze me. A few days ago, I stumbled into a listing on the Nashville Craigslist of a seller trying to unload a badly burned BMW i8 for a whopping $13,000. The post has since been taken down, presumably because someone’s already bought it. Then again, the seller might not have wanted the attention he was receiving from news outlets.

In any case, the i8->ke4622 in question is the same one in these photos and it’s pretty crispy. According to the seller, a short circuit in the headlights started the fire. The majority of the car’s front and mid sections are basically beyond repair. Fortunately, everything from the behind the doors is supposedly still in working condition, including the carbon fiber tub, the turbocharged engine, and the transmission. That’s probably why the i8 was priced at that amount, giving prospective buyers the opportunity to salvage these working parts and sell them separately.

At least that’s what I thought when I first saw the ad. Now that it’s been pulled down, it seems somebody has taken up the seller on his offer.

Continue reading for the full story.

Why it matters

As amusing as the story may be, it's pretty concerning to hear someone had a short-circuit that lead to the i8 burning to the ground. If this was an isolated incident, then chalk it up to straight tough luck. But if this ends up becoming a recurring problem for a lot of i8s, then BMW->ke178 might have a problem on its hands.

Remember, the i8 has already been recalled once back in December 2014 over a potential fire hazard resulting from a loose bolt that was improperly welded during manufacturing. BMW saw enough reason to issue the recall because the inadequate weld of the bolt to the fuel tank could have caused a fuel leak, which, in the presence of an ignition source, could have led to the car catching fire.

BMW i8

Read more about the BMW i8 here.