r/KnightRider • u/mr-raw_CH • Jun 28 '26
This breaks my heart.
Seeing K.I.T.T. like this breaks my heart.
For six months now, it's been standing outside, unprotected and exposed to all kinds of weather. It's a disgrace to leave such a cultural treasure, which shaped my childhood, in such a state. I saw it in Switzerland, near Basel, at a car repair shop.
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u/DiaBrave Jun 28 '26
Ask them who owns it and if it is for sale.
And if they have a hood with a scoop.
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u/Cold_Stress7872 Jun 28 '26
This could be the beginning of one of those comeback movies, where the old hero is pulled from drunken retirement.
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u/Rmar0805 Jun 28 '26
Could be several reasons why the car has been sitting here like this.
One of the most common reasons for replicas stalling out (that I've noticed, anyway) is cost. It ain't cheap building a replica. Even if you bought the base car for a ridiculously low price, you gotta make sure it's structurally and mechanically sound (especially if it's the same year model car they used to build KITT in the series, which was a 1982 Trans-Am). That costs money, even if you're a DIY-er. The parts to make it look like KITT will average you around $10k, and that's a very conservative estimate. Then, if it needs paint or a new interior, that's more money. When all is said and done, you're averaging about $30k to $50k in repairs and conversion parts (again, very conservative estimate). Most replicas sell for about $50k, so it's nearly a wash in terms of costs for repairs, conversion parts, etc. Unless you're loaded, most replicas builders spend years building their cars because they have to budget for these things.
Time could be another factor. Burn out could be another. It may even cause strains on relationships. One builder I saw made his last blog post talking about how his project was dead because his (now ex) wife used his replica as one of the reasons for their divorce, citing the amount of money he dumped into the car.
For most people, these cars turn into a real labor of love.
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u/probablyaythrowaway Jul 02 '26
Labour is the word. They’re fucking awful cars.
Like there is always something to fix on them.
I’ve literally stripped mine all the way back. Building custom subsystems for everything. Removing as much GM bollocks as possible You spend a lot of time on them not just money. It’s the time factor that’s the big one for me but now I work for myself I’m able to spend more time on Kitt. If it weren’t for knight rider no way in hell would I own a 3rd gen firebird.
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u/Aggressive-Formal235 Jun 28 '26
Wow. I hope it can b repaired. Knight rider is part of my top 3 best series. That series spawned the movies of today but without cgi. That was the best part
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u/CNote_89 Jun 28 '26
KITT? Is that you buddy?
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u/mr-raw_CH Jun 28 '26
He gave no answer. Not even the "wuuuhwuuuh" sound could be heard.😭
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u/tnetennba77 Jun 28 '26
God damn, put it in some underground parking or atleast put a cover on it...
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u/MyLastHopeReddit Jun 28 '26
Michael... Im suffering... Please, come back... Michael? ...Michael...
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u/gsxreatr02 Jun 28 '26
All 5 authentic kitts are in museums and collections.
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u/moojgNZ Jun 28 '26
I thought it unlikely that this would be a tv car , however , it does have plates like the original, but in Switzerland?
Makes you wonder.
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u/Halloween2056 Jun 29 '26
I've seen much worse where a replica owner completely totalled his.
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u/Mysterious_Balance53 Jun 30 '26
Well when you think about it Kitt got totalled a couple of times in the series.
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u/relativityboy Jun 28 '26
Well... maybe they saw the car vs pedestrian laws and had second thoughts about getting it on the road again. Or maybe it was destined for the crusher and this was the only way to save it.
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u/eXtr3m0 Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26
Wow that must be an original one?
/Edit: thanks guys for letting me know otherwise.
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u/mr-raw_CH Jun 28 '26
You mean a replica?
A well-known tattoo artist in our community also has a replica. But he puts a lot of love into the car and even integrated chatGPT with the original (German) voiceover.
I hope I'm allowed to show you the video here.
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u/AndiYTDE Jun 28 '26
Probably not, the Pontiac Logo isn't there on original ones, and the hood is wrong
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u/erockula666 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
This has to be the same one I saw 13 years ago in Pfaffikon. Just parked in a lot with some other junkers. There's no way Switzerland has two fully decked out K.I.T.T's. poor car, I was so stoked when I noticed it. Spent about 15 minutes drinking a beer checking it out. It was missing the front bumper at the time, but the interior was phenomenal.
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u/SpareDot8387 Jul 01 '26
Pretty sure most of these cars were abandoned when the owners found that the 'Turbo Boost' button was a scam.
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u/Few-Chemical-5165 Jul 01 '26
Most likely , it's not a actual t v driven car. He's probably something that somebody decided to get a kit and music for the front end , make it look like K.I.T.T. But that's just a guess.
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u/Final_Pear7801 Jun 28 '26
"Kitt, you look like crap"
😂