# Origin of 5,000 = I'm leaving?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 2, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381 "2001-09-02T04:02:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381/1 "2001-09-02T04:02:24Z")

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How did the number 5,000 come about to mean “I’m leaving” or “I’m outta here”? I’ve heard it at least as far back as the mid-late 80’s and, while I use it sometimes (mostly half-jokingly in the company of friends) I’ve never really known exactly how it came about or what it really means. Ok, I’m 5,000.

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**Author:** ![Astroglide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6de8d8/32.png) [@Astroglide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroglide)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381/2 "2001-09-02T04:30:07Z")

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I believe the original was “I’m Audi 5000”, after the car. Later shortned to just “5000”.

Peace out G money.

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**Author:** ![1kBR\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/dc4da7/32.png) [@1kBR\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1kBR_Kid)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381/3 "2001-09-02T04:44:08Z")

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I heard that in an interview with Flava Flave. “I’m outta here” became “I’m Audi”, which became “Audi 5000”, blah blah blah.

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**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381/4 "2001-09-02T05:27:11Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Astroglide \*  
> \*\*I believe the original was “I’m Audi 5000”, after the car. Later shortned to just “5000”.
> 
> Peace out G money. \*\*

I kind of suspected that but I wasn’t even sure if there was an Audi “5000” model. Thanks for confirming.

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**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381/5 "2001-09-02T16:37:17Z")

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I don’t know if this is relevant or not, but as a former Audi guy, I always thought there was another dimension to the phrase.

The 5000 was the unfortunate victim of a famous 60 Minutes expose which (incorrectly) alleged that the vehicle was prone to “sudden accelleration.”

Therefore, “Audi 5000” always meant to me, “I’m out of here, quickly and unexpectedly.”

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**Author:** ![NightRabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@NightRabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NightRabbit)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381/6 "2001-09-02T22:22:16Z")

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I heard the story last year in the dorms as this one rapper person (Couldn’t tell you who… rap is not my thing) got an audi 5000 and was very proud of it, and whenever he left he’d be all “audi 5000, baby”… I don’t know how true this is, though.

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**Author:** ![bafaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bafaa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bafaa)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381/7 "2001-09-03T00:23:05Z")

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I went to highschool in the late 80’s and I don’t think I have never heard that expression.

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**Author:** ![Monkeypants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Monkeypants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkeypants)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-5-000-im-leaving/79381/8 "2001-09-03T01:32:07Z")

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[http://www.rapdict.org/terms/0](http://www.rapdict.org/terms/0)  
Skip down to 5000.  
Note: browse around a little. The etymologies are fascinating.