In The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon needed to repair his damaged hyperdrive. We saw him win a hyperdrive generator from the unscrupulous Watto. But why didn’t he look elsewhere for parts of a new hyperdrive instead? We have both in-universe and movie explanations for this question.
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In-Universe Explanations
After Qui-Gon’s ship had to land on Tatooine, he ended up buying a T-14 hyperdrive generator. He at first sought to buy parts for his J-type 327 Nubian starship to repair his hyperdrive. In the scene, we encounter Watto and Anakin and learn from the former that he is the only one who could have the replacement parts or the hyperdrive.
Since parts or a replacement drive are rare commodities on this Outer Rim planet, Qui-Gon was forced to buy a new one from Watto, or win it at the Boonta Eve Classic podrace. At least, that is one in-universe explanation for why Qui-Gon didn’t look elsewhere. Watto was not to be trusted for his word, but it seems likely given the location of Tatooine.
Yet, another reason conveyed in the scene is that Qui-Gon’s Republic credits were “no good out here” in the Outer Rim. Qui-Gon was thus also pressed for lack of resources because of his galactic location. We could add relatedly that his Jedi mind tricks were no good either on Watto–credits would not be fine with him.
Still another reason is that Qui-Gon was that “the force brought him to Watto to find the chosen one.” Qui-Gon thought that this was the path he must follow. He trusted in the Force, even while he distrusted Watto.
This last reason aligns with Qui-Gon’s background. We are familiar with Qui-Gon as a dedicated student of the Living Force. He stressed this here-and-now perspective in his teachings to Obi-Wan. He had to practice what he preached.
Movie Reasons
The above Reddit board also provides interesting comments about out-of-universe reasons why Qui-Gon didn’t look elsewhere for the hyperdrive or parts. As one post suggests, did we “REALLY want a scene of Qui-Gon wandering around looking for an engine” before he ended up coming back to get it from Watto? In the movie, it was much more interesting to watch podracing instead.
A response jokingly adds to this explanation that we could have seen “a montage of Qui-Gon getting rejections from various stores while an upbeat song plays.” Of course, including such a scene would have distracted from the plot and gone against Lucas’s vision.
We may know that Lucas is a fan of racing. Growing up in Modesto, California, he even hoped to become a professional racecar driver and then brought “his love for speed and for racing” into his movies. American Graffiti reflects that strong interest, as does the podracing in Phantom Menace.
Audiences also mostly liked the podracing elements. Although fan opinions are divided, podracing provided action and excitement, whereas spending more time on the search for a hyperdrive certainly would not have, but instead produced boredom.
As one post above indicates, some fans saw “the entire sequence on Tatooine” as not fitting well with the movie, a “mini-movie-within-a-movie” of sorts. Including more on screen about Qui-Gon looking for a hyperdrive would have only added to this diversion away from the main plot.
The hyperdrive plot in Phantom served to bring Qui-Gon and Anakin together. It was a device that didn’t need to be lingered on.
Qui-Gon and the Hyperdrive
In-universe, Qui-Gon didn’t look elsewhere for the T-14 hyperdrive from practical concerns like scarcity of parts or this item. Yet, he also felt that he needed to follow the way of the Living Force and not look anywhere else. As an element of the movie, a prolonged search for a hyperdrive wouldn’t have made much sense, unless we veered into outright comedy with Phantom. Podracing won out over Qui-Gon’s quest for a hyperdrive.