Guy Buys Abandoned Pimp My Ride Minivan for $850, Fixes It in Two Days

It was an era of excess for television, where big cable networks like MTV could afford to finance crazy builds. But as the years passed and Pimp My Ride's popularity decreased, people began to hate that they were tricked with fake mods, fake setup and more.

Now a new generation is discovering the joy of watching Xzibit making fun of ratty old hand-me-downs, and one fellow took things further by buying a vehicle that was once featured on the show. YouTuber Tavarish found a heavily customized minivan in an advanced state of disrepair and bought it for just $850.

Reddit threads and media reports have revealed that all the pimping was purely cosmetic stuff to amuse television viewers. These cars were often brought over with some serious mechanical issues that were never resolved. Many owners sold them off immediately or had non-runners after all the added features crippled their engines.

The vehicle, in case you weren't able to tell, is a 1999 Dodge Caravan. But that's not what the show was supposed to work with. A young woman handed over the keys to a beaten-up 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager. But it was in such bad condition that Galpin, the auto shop featured in Pimp My Ride, switched it for this van, which was in better condition.

Being on TV meant the purple, tribal Dodge had some value, so it exchanged owners several times before ended up parked and gathering dust. It's now a health hazard, a fire hazard and... an eyesore.

Needless to say, it needs all kinds of work, from the fiberglass body to engine parts and lots of elbow grease. But did the restorers manage to do all that in just two days? We have trouble believing it.