Wheeler Dealers is a British television series produced by Attaboy TV for the Discovery Channel, fronted by car enthusiast Mike Brewer and mechanic Edd China. (In the United States the series is seen on Discovery's Velocity Channel HD.) The premise of the show is that Brewer and China are on a mission to save old and repairable enthusiast vehicles, by repairing or otherwise improving an example of a particular make and model to a budget, then selling it to a new owner.
The show was created by Daniel Allum and Michael Wood, the founding directors of Attaboy TV, both long-time car enthusiasts.
There have so far been 13 series of the programme and three different theme tunes have been used; the current one being Balaclava by The Wideboys. The previous theme was from V-The Production Library by Music 4. Series 1 originally aired in 2003. The second half of Series 6 was aired in Autumn of 2009 on Discovery Real Time. Series 5 was renamed to Wheeler Dealers: On the Road; in this series Mike and Edd expanded their car search by heading out into Europe hoping to find classic cars to buy and restore. Beginning with part 2 of Series 8, Mike further expanded their horizon by touring the United States. In Series 12, Mike and Edd set up a new workshop in Huntington Beach, California. This decision was made so that they could deliver more episodes of the show and meant they were able to restore and sell the cars on the spot, instead of having them shipped back to the UK. Series 12 also introduced the brand new workshop back in the UK.
In April 2013, a spin-off series titled Wheeler Dealers Trading Up was launched. This series was produced by X2 Productions Ltd and has Mike travelling around the world to buy and sell, but not repair or restore, used cars in different countries on a set budget. He begins with $3000 and trades his way through the series up to a Porsche 911. It was recommissioned by Discovery Channel International for a second series where Mike ends up buying a Ferrari. This series does not feature Edd China.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
Format
Each project spans a pair of 30-minute episodes, in which Mike buys a vehicle, turns it over to Edd for repairs, then sells it on. For the first series, the budget was £1000, for Series 2, £2000, and for Series 3, £3000. Budgets in subsequent series have varied, depending on the target vehicle. For example, a £10,000 budget was set on buying and restoring a Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 in Series 6. For series 11 (2014), the budget is listed on the show's Discovery UK website as "up to £20,000".
The presentation for each project usually follows a similar TV format. Through series 6, the project was presented in two 30-minute episodes. Starting with series 7, the format was changed to a single 1-hour episode.
Summary
The show was created with a DIYer in mind. The costs, and thus any profit or loss for a given project, are assessed without consideration of the labour costs of mechanic Edd China (the assumption is that a well-equipped and able enthusiast could complete all work himself) but if repairs require professional help, like body resprays, complicated electronics, or windscreen replacements, they are added to the final cost.
Sometimes, painting is done by hand using a spray-can in their workshop instead of going to a professional painting workshop. This is usually reserved for vehicles where only a portion of the vehicle needs painting, or where the part being painted has little effect on the overall appearance. When Edd and/or Mike consider that the appearance of the paint will make a notable difference to the sale value, professional painting is undertaken. When the respray is carried out by others, it is usual for Edd to do the majority if not all of the preparation work prior to painting.
Also addressed on each vehicle are its service history, bodywork defects (e.g. rust, dents), worn-out interiors and accessories. Vehicles that have either been inactive for long periods of time or purchased from outside the UK are restored and modified to pass the country's strict MOT tests.
Part one
- Mike starts with a budget to buy and then fix up a vehicle.
- Mike gives a brief history of the merits of the chosen model of vehicle.
- Mike locates, test drives, negotiates for and buys the vehicle (usually sealed with a handshake and Mike triumphantly expressing to camera that he's just bought a <name of vehicle>).
- (Starting from series 5, prospective cars Mike wanted to buy, but needed too much work, were shown. This also took place in Series 1, Episode 7)
- Mike turns the vehicle over to Edd, and together they assess its needs, often with Edd criticizing Mike's choice of vehicle as being too dilapidated and needing too much work.
- (Series 1-4 featured a camera trick that had "multiple clones" of Edd surveying the vehicle. This was dropped from series 5 onwards.)
- Edd begins work, providing assessments of the work and its challenges.
- Mike stops by Edd's shop for an overview of progress, and expenditures are reviewed. Often, Mike ridicules Edd on his work if he has overspent on replacement parts or repairs, the car looks unchanged or has been disassembled or prepared for a respray.
Part two
- A quick review of the first episode (for series where each project is split into two episodes)
- Mike (often) goes on a field trip to procure some required parts.
- Mike interviews an owner of a similar vehicle in top condition, then drives and comments on the car.
- (This feature was dropped from series 5 onwards.)
- Edd finishes the work on the project vehicle which is subsequently shown on a revolving turntable.
- Mike returns to the workshop and discusses the finished vehicle with Edd.
- There is a final tally of expenditures.
- Mike drives the completed car, assessing improvements.
- (Starting from series 5, Mike and Edd test drive the finished vehicle together and discuss its resale value.)
- Mike sells the vehicle to a new owner (after the inevitable haggling). The deal is sealed when Mike says "Hold out your hand, you've just bought a <name of vehicle>!" and shakes the new buyer's hand.
- Mike summarises what the final selling price and profit is (or in rare instances what the loss is) and usually states that they have saved another vehicle to be enjoyed by the new owner.
- (Starting from series 5, prospective buyers that failed to buy the car are shown.)
Huntington Beach Dodge Dealer Video
Cast
Mike Brewer uses his skills as a former car trader to scout and buy used cars to be restored and sold for profit. He's also responsible for procuring replacement parts and sometimes specialists to refurbish expensive parts.
Edd China is the show's mechanic, who does much of the restoration and mechanical/servicing work, and gives viewers tips on how to sort out and solve various car problems, as well as estimate how much a garage would charge for such repairs.
Paul Brackley, the series' technical advisor, makes sporadic appearances to assist Edd in carrying heavy parts or equipment in the garage, when Edd needs additional assistance (such as when Edd is bleeding brake/clutch fluid or checking an exhaust while a vehicle is running), and helping Mike tow non-running or non-MOT-compliant vehicles to the shop.
Guest appearances on other shows
While buying more American cars for the show, Mike Brewer drops in on Chip Foose during the 2 June 2013 episode of Overhaulin', where Chip shows Mike the 1972 Lotus Europa he is customizing.
Air dates
Wheeler Dealers
For Series 1 to 6 each car was covered in two half an hour episodes (including ad breaks). From Series 7 onwards each car was covered in a single one-hour episode.
Trading Up
Sweden Special
On 2 April 2012, the Swedish version of the Discovery Channel aired a special episode called Wheeler Dealers Sverige Special (Wheeler Dealers Sweden Special). In this episode, the Swedish presenters bought a Ford Mustang for 55,000 SEK. After having to refurbish the brake calipers, swap the engine and giving the car a new paint job, they were able to sell it for 135,000 SEK, giving them a total profit of 28,000 SEK. It is unclear whether Discovery Channel are planning on making this into a full series or just this episode.
U.S. Top 5 Specials
Discovery U.S.'s Velocity channel commissioned a series of one-hour Wheeler Dealers: Top 5 Specials hosted by Mike Brewer, featuring the top five vehicles of each genre Mike and Edd have worked on during the first nine years of the show. The specials began airing 5 June 2013, on the way to a Top 5 Viewer's Choice finale on 3 July 2013. These episodes have been shown in the UK on the Discovery Channel at the end of season 11.1 and started on 5 May 2014.
Episodes
As of 18 May 2015, 151 episodes have been shown, covering 110 different vehicles, with two recap episodes.
Trading Up
2013
In this series made by X2 Productions Ltd, Mike Brewer navigates his way through the culture and idiosyncrasies of the international used car trade, traveling to different countries. Starting with a budget of US$3,000, he attempts to transform his first purchase into a succession of real deals working his way up to his goal: a US$30,000 luxury sports car. Episodes 1-3 and 5-6 directly connect with each other, with the final car of the former episode being sold in the latter episode. In the United States, airings on Velocity began on 10 July 2013. However this show does not factor in airfares, food or lodgings.
Series 2 (2014)
Other vehicles
Mike has used a variety of vehicles on Wheeler Dealers to travel to see prospective vehicles and/or tow them if they are not in running order or street legal.
Mike has used a Mitsubishi Shogun to travel around England since series 9 (2012). Vehicles used prior to series 9 include a dark turquoise Nissan Primera Estate, a blue Subaru Legacy Estate, a red Honda Accord Tourer, a black SsangYong Rexton II, a dark blue SsangYong Kyron, a black Land Rover Discovery 4, a blue Nissan X-Trail and a light blue Ford Kuga. For Series 8a, he used a black X-Trail. For Series 12b, he use a white Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to transport the Messerschmitt KR200 back to the workshop.
When Mike travelled to France in series 5 to purchase the Citroën DS, he rented a French-registered black Opel Zafira; he rented a newer version of the Zafira when he returned to France to buy the Renault Alpine A310 in series 9a. Mike used a French-registered silver Toyota Corolla Verso when he returned to buy the Citroen 2CV in series 11a. When he returned to France in series 12b, he rented a French-registered grey Audi Q3 to purchase the Citroen HY Van.
When Mike travelled to the U.S. for series 8b, he rented American-registered silver Ford Expedition ELs, except for the last episode where he used a black Chevrolet Tahoe. When Mike returned to the U.S. in series 9b to purchase the Willys MB and Ford Mustang Fastback, he rented a grey Expedition EL. When he purchased the Chevrolet Corvette C2 Sting Ray and Cadillac Coupe de Ville in the U.S. in series 10b, he rented a grey Chevrolet Suburban. For series 11 in the U.S., he rented a silver Suburban, a dark red Cadillac SRX, a white Mazda CX-9 and a black Nissan Armada. For series 12 he rented a black Chevrolet Suburban, silver GMC Yukon, silver Chevrolet Captiva and silver Chevrolet Suburban.
For series 9a, when Mike travelled to Italy to purchase the Fiat Dino, he rented an Italian-registered silver Ford Kuga, Series 12b Mike rented an Italian-registered white Mercedes-Benz M-Class to purchase the Noble M12.
For series 10b, when Mike travelled to Poland to purchase a Lamborghini Urraco P250S, he rented a Polish-registered grey Land Rover Discovery 3; when he returned to Poland to buy the FSM Syrena 105L, he rented a black Discovery 3.
When Mike travelled to the Netherlands to purchase the BMW Z1 for series 11b, he used his friend's British-registered orange Ford Transit.
When Mike went to Germany to get new tyres for the Fiat Panda 4x4, he rented a German-registered cream Kia Sportage.
Trading Up
For Trading Up, Mike rode a white Toyota Fortuner owned by a used car dealer in India. In Dubai, Mike's contact drove him around in a white Ferrari F430. In Texas, Mike rode a grey Chevrolet Corvette C2. Taxicabs featured in the series include a yellow Hindustan Ambassador Grand and a green and yellow Bajaj RE in India, a black LTC TX4 in the UK, a black Toyota Crown Comfort in Japan, a yellow and red Volkswagen Sedan Type 1 in Mexico, a white Ford Falcon in Australia, a white Chevrolet Onix Sedan in Brazil, a yellow Dodge Charger in Texas, and a yellow Fiat 600 Multipla in Italy. For Hire Cars, he rented a Black Mitsubishi Shogun in the UK, a black Chrysler Grand Voyager in Brazil, a dark red GMC Yukon in Texas, a grey Land Rover Discovery 3 in Poland, and a white Fiat 500 in Italy. In Poland when Mike is taking the Fiat 126p to get vinyl wrapped, he borrows a grey Opel Movano, to carry the car to the vinyl wrapping shop.
For Wheeler Dealers: Top 5 U.S. specials, Mike stands in Edd's shop, in front of a red Chevrolet Corvette C2.
Intro/segment vehicles
The opening sequences and filler segments from series 1 to 9 feature the cars that were worked on throughout their corresponding seasons:
- Series 1: All the vehicles done so far
- Series 2 and 3: MGB GT
- Series 4: Porsche 911 2.7S Targa
- Series 5: Mercedes-Benz R107 280SL
- Series 6: Ferrari Dino 308 GT4
- Series 7: Lotus Elan S3
- Series 8a: Jaguar E-Type Series 3
- Series 8b: Dodge Charger
- Series 9a: Fiat Dino
- Series 9b: Gardner Douglas Cobra
Series 10 did away with using cars on the opening and commercial break sequences, instead using a title card with the series logo and the colour(s) of the episode's car on the background. The filler segments, however, use the following cars:
- Series 10a: Aston Martin DB7
- Series 10b: Lamborghini Urraco P250S
Starting with series 11, Wheeler Dealers no longer uses cars on the filler segments.
Wheeler Dealers: Trading Up Car Experts
Series 1 - Chak from India, Tony from UK, Michael from Sweden, Atsushi from Japan, Carlos from Mexico, Bill from USA and Abu from Dubai.
Series 2 - Richard from Australia, Colin and Andy from UK, Mauricio from Brazil, Antonio from Texas, USA, Mirek from Poland and Dario from Italy.
Channels
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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