Rich Benoit
American YouTuber
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard Benoit is an American car enthusiast known for his YouTube car vlog co-founded by Rich Benoit & Carl Hewitt, where he and members of his crew rebuild Tesla cars, create electric vehicles, and rebuild custom cars, called Rich Rebuilds.[2] Benoit has been an outspoken critic for the Right to Repair on Teslas, and has spoken of Tesla's refusal to grant car service or parts to him for the purpose of repairing his used Model S.[3][4][5] Benoit currently has an automobile repair shop called the "Electrified Garage" in New Hampshire,[6] in addition to one in Ocala, Florida.[7]
Biography
Benoit developed an interest in repairing objects at seven years old. His father was an electrical engineer who brought back fake Rolexes from work trips for him to work on. His interest later grew to include household items and his mother's Geo Metro. He later rebuilt a Honda CBR600RR motorcycle and a Chrysler 300C SRT8.[8]
Before Youtube, Rich Benoit worked in IT in Boston's Financial District.[3] In 2014, he sold the Chrysler and purchased a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Shortly after, his friend showed him his newly purchased Tesla Model S, which sparked Benoit's interest in the vehicles.[8][9] Unable to afford one on his salary, Benoit found a flood damaged Model S for $14,000, which he named "Delores". When attempting to purchase parts from Tesla, he was told no, so he found a second car with front end damage to use for parts. Due to space restrictions, the second car was kept at a tow yard an hour away.[3][9] Benoit uploaded his first video to YouTube documenting the repair in 2016.[10][4]
In late 2018, Benoit partnered with Chris Salvo to open a repair shop. Chris Salvo founded EV Tuning, an online electric vehicle (EV) parts store. In 2019, the began construction on Electrified Garage, located in Seabrook, New Hampshire.[4] Another shop opened in Ocala, Florida in 2020.[7]
Benoit published his book, Going Fast and Fixing Things in June, 2024.[11]
Right to repair
Benoit has advocated for the right to repair vehicles following his experience in attempting to purchase parts for his rebuilds.[12][13] Benoit has stated he found Tesla's policy to not allow unlicensed owners to purchase parts counter to the company's goals of sustainability, according to Vice.[14] Benoit and others have fought against large vehicle manufacturers in order to expand right to repair laws, resulting in Massachusetts citizens voting to expand in November 2020 by an overwhelming margin.[14] In a 2024 article by InsideHook, Benoit took credit for Tesla's change in policies regarding parts sales and repair, saying "Tesla allows pretty much everything now."[12] Benoit started a Facebook group dedicated to people who want to buy or sell Tesla parts. As of 2024, the group had over 33,000 members.[12]
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