Car Trek 11: 3 Cheap Sports Cars Bought for the Price of a Cancelled Flight

The Cancelled Flight Challenge

• ✈️ The premise of Car Trek 11 begins with a cancelled flight, leading to a new challenge: find a sporty convertible for the price of the airline's maximum compensation, $1,550.
• 🚗 The goal is to travel to Galveston, Texas, using these budget sports cars, a journey that tests their reliability and the participants' ingenuity.

Budget Sports Car Acquisitions

• 🇩🇪 Ed and Tyler each acquire German sports cars: Ed gets a Mercedes-Benz SLK 65 AMG V12 Biturbo for $900, while Tyler opts for an Audi TT Quattro for $1,500.
• 🇯🇵 Freddy, however, bends the rules significantly by purchasing a 1990 Toyota Supra Turbo for $5,000, justifying it by the airline's compensation rules for lost luggage.
• 🛠️ Initial inspections reveal issues: Ed's Mercedes has a non-functional convertible top and interior degradation, Tyler's Audi has numerous error lights and a potential transmission issue, and Freddy's Supra has a suspected fuel delivery problem.

On-Farm Obstacle Course

• 🚜 Before heading to the Car Wizard, the participants test their cars on an impromptu obstacle course on a farm, featuring tight turns, cornfields, and ponds.
• 💨 Tyler's Lamborghini, used for a demonstration lap, highlights the contrast between hypercars and the budget vehicles.
• 🏁 The Audi, Supra, and Mercedes navigate the course, showcasing their varying levels of performance and durability, with Tyler's Audi setting the fastest time.

Car Wizard's Inspection and Verdict

• 🧙‍♂️ The Car Wizard inspects each vehicle, identifying significant issues: Tyler's Mercedes needs a $6,000-$7,000 repair for the convertible top and transmission, Ed's Audi requires $8,000-$9,000 for various problems including transmission and climate control, and Freddy's Supra is estimated at $10,000-$15,000 due to potential timing belt failure and engine knock.
• 🎲 For the 700-mile trip to Galveston, Tyler's Mercedes is a 50/50 shot, Ed's Audi is expected to make it despite its issues, and Freddy's Supra is deemed highly unlikely to complete the journey due to potential timing belt failure.
• 🚗 Ironically, the Wizard reveals that the actual $1,500 car provided by AutoTempest for Freddy is a 2005 PT Cruiser, deemed reliable for the trip.

The Road Trip and Unexpected Breakdowns

• 🛣️ Despite the grim predictions, the group sets off, with Tyler's Mercedes quickly developing transmission problems, rendering it stuck in first gear.
• 🔧 The challenge shifts to modifying each other's cars to improve reliability and enjoyment, leading to creative and questionable