Wheeler Dealers
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Wheeler Dealers | |
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![]() Series 4 title card | |
Presented by | Mike Brewer Edd China |
Theme music composer | The Wideboys |
Opening theme | Balaclava |
Country of origin | ![]() |
No. of series | 10 |
No. of episodes | 107 (as of May 1, 2012) |
Production | |
Production company | Attaboy TV |
Original release | |
Network | Discovery Channel |
Release | 2003 – present |
Wheeler Dealers is a British television series produced by Attaboy TV for the Discovery Channel, fronted by Mike Brewer and mechanic Edd China with assistance from technical advisor Paul Brackley. The premise of the show is that Brewer and China are on a mission to save 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.
There have so far been ten series of the programme and three different theme tunes have been used; the current one being Balaclava by The Wideboys. 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 searching of cars by heading out into Europe hoping to find classic cars to buy and restore.
In the United Kingdom, the programme is shown on Discovery Channel and is regularly repeated on Discovery Real Time, Discovery Turbo and Discovery Shed. In the US, the programme is shown on Velocity. In Germany, the programme is shown on DMAX.
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.
In Series 7, the format was changed from 2 x 30 minutes episodes to a single 1 hour episode.
Each project car is completed over two episodes, the project presentation usually following a format similar to this:
First episode
- Mike and Edd start 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, negotiates for and buys the 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.
- (Series 1-4 featured a camera trick that had "multiple clones" of Edd surveying the vehicle. This was dropped from series 5.)
- 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.
Second episode
- A quick review of the first episode.
- 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 section was dropped from series 5.)
- Edd finishes the work on the project vehicle.
- Mike returns to the workshop and discusses the finished vehicle with Edd.
- 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. There is a final tally of expenditures and any "profit" or "loss".
- (Starting from series 5, prospective buyers that failed to buy the car are shown.)
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 cost of mechanic Edd China's time (assuming that a well-equipped and able enthusiast could complete all work himself) but if repairs require professional help, like body resprays or windscreen replacements, they are added to the final cost.
Nevertheless, the show is sufficiently in-depth to provide good overviews and insights to buying and improving older enthusiast vehicles.
Sometimes painting is done by hand using a spray-can in their workshop instead of going to 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 re-spray is done 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 are purchased from outside the UK are restored and modified to pass the country's strict MOT tests.
Cars
Below is the list of cars featured on the series.
Series 1 (2003)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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1/2 | Porsche 924 | £1,000 | £700 | £1,010 | £1,500 | + £490 | Replaced gear knob, door and wing mirrors, pulled and filled dent in rear quarter panel, repainted wheels, applied new decals, replaced handbrake lever, adjusted exhaust, engine service. | |
3/4 | Saab 900 Turbo | £1,000 | £600 | £1,035 | £1,200 | + £165 | Replaced interior (including carpets and door cards), front brake discs and pads, electric window motor and exhaust back box. | |
5/6 | Volkswagen Golf Mk1 GTI | £1,000 | £650 | £1,165 | £1,550 | + £385 | Fitted new gear linkage kit, a new brake master cylinder, decals, dials and rev counter, painted GTI trims and fitted a refurbished set of Pirelli alloys. | Restored to original GTI specification. |
7/8 | Austin Mini Mk1 | £1,000 | £300 | £1,100 | £1,300 | + £200 | A-frame replaced and body welded. Door filled and whole body prepared for a full respray. New bumpers, HT leads, coil & boot lid. Repainted engine. | Flagged as totally original though it did have a sunroof. |
9/10 | Mercedes-Benz W123 230E | £1,000 | £400 | £977 | £1,500 | + £523 | Replaced steering box and windscreen. Replaced and repainted right wing, new fuse for sunroof motor. | Replacement right wing was painted free of charge. |
11/12 | Ford Capri Laser 1.6 | £1,000 | £400 | £945 | £700 | - £245 | Replaced and repainted & wings, replaced front suspension bushes, exhaust gasket, front bumper and fog lights. | Sold at a loss - blamed on lackluster finish of repainted wings. (First loss in the series). |
Totals | £6,000 | £3,050 | £6,232 | £7,750 | £1,518 | The 2003 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.63 USD | The total profit this season, about $2,474 USD. |
Series 2 (2004/5)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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1/2 | Toyota MR2 MKI | £2,000 | £500 | £1,278 | £1,900 | + £622 | Replaced ignition barrel and boot lock, alternator, front wing, alloy wheels and windscreen, polished body work. | First Japanese vehicle in the series. |
3/4 | Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 | £2,000 | £1,000 | £1,653 | £2,200 | + £547 | Replaced gear linkage, exhaust, body trim, cam belt, water pump, petrol cap and parcel shelf. Sorted the rear suspension height, junked the after-market steering wheel and fitted a CD player. | |
5/6 | Suzuki SJ410 | £2,000 | £250 | £1,270 | £500 | - £770 | Repainted vehicle from white to black, modified suspension and oversized wheels for 8" extra ride height. Replaced busted engine. Fitted roll cage kit. | Converted to mini monster truck. Failed MOT test due to rust holes. (Second loss in the series). |
7/8 | BMW E30 325i Touring | £2,000 | £950 | £1,792.50 | £1,900 | + £107.50 | Painted new bonnet. New exhaust, performance air filter, clutch slave cylinder, fog lights and power steering fluid. Cosmetics: bumper capings, gear-shift gator, badge, and wheel hub caps. | First car bought at an auction instead of a private seller. Lowest profit in the series. A tear in the drivers seat was not repaired, and used to negotiate the seller price down. |
9/10 | MG B GT | £2,000 | £1,000 | £2,600 | £2,850 | + £250 | Numerous rust areas treated before full body respray. Seats recovered with stylish black refurb kit. Wheels refurbed. | |
11/12 | Predator Beach Buggy | £2,000 | £200 | £3,700 | £3,900 | + £200 | Stripped car to bare chassis and installed beach buggy kit. | Original plan was to purchase and restore a Volkswagen Beetle. Purchased Beetle, which was derelict beyond restoration, was custom converted to mark the 40th anniversary of the Beach Buggy. |
Totals | £12,000 | £3,900 | £12,293.50 | £13,250 | £956.50 | The 2005 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.81 USD | The total profit this season, about $1,731 USD. |
Series 3 (2006)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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1/2 | Volkswagen Transporter T3 | £3,000 | £1,100 | £3,825 | £1,500 | - £2,325 | Fixed sliding door, lowered suspension, fitted window, rock and roll bed, installed camper van appliances, full-body vinyl wrap, and fitted new exhaust & wheel hubs. | Original plan was to purchase and restore a Type 2. T3 works van converted to mini mobile home. First use of a full-body vinyl wrap instead of a respray. Bought by Edd, largest loss in the series (Third loss in the series).
First diesel engine in the series. |
3/4 | Lancia Delta Integrale 8v | £3,000 | £2,300 | £3,087 | £3,800 | + £713 | Front brake disks, front suspension bushes & track rods, battery & alternator, radiator and grill changed, and mini service. Pedal covers, wing mirrors, carpets & gearstick renewed. Red paint deep polished. | Rare right-hand drive conversion. |
5/6 | Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth | £3,000 | £2,700 | £3,585 | £3,500 | - £85 | Replaced cassette player head unit with CD player. Hydraulic suspension replaced. | (Fourth loss in the series). |
7/8 | Range Rover Series I | £3,000 | £1,600 | £2,035 | £2,000 | - £35 | Replaced boot, rear door and roof lining changed, automatic transmission fluid replaced. | Originally planned for LPG conversion, but canceled due to MOT failure and conversion costs. Last vehicle sold at a loss in the series. (Fifth loss in the series). |
9/10 | Mazda MX-5 NA | £3,000 | £1,600 | £2,715 | £3,600 | + £885 | Replaced convertible hood and interior, repaired and repainted corroded A-pillar. | |
11/12 | Porsche 928 | £3,000 | £1,600 | £4,950 | £6,000 | + £1,050 | Replaced headlight switch, resprayed and repaired dents on driver's side and rear wing, changed alloy wheels to the original style. | |
Totals | £18,000 | £10,900 | £20,197 | £20,400 | £203 | The 2006 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.84 USD | The total profit this season, about $373 USD. |
Series 4 (2007)[1]
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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1/2 | Porsche 911 2.7S Targa | £6,000 | £5,000 | £7,040 | £8,450 | + £1,410 | Replaced U.S. spec bumper extensions with Europe-spec ones. Gearbox replaced with reconditioned unit. | U.S. spec car imported from California. |
3/4 | Jeep CJ7 | £4,000 | £1,100 | £3,772 | £3,900 | + £128 | Clutch reservoirs and slave cylinder replaced, new seats and roof, 2 new tyres, new suspension | First American vehicle in the series. |
5/6 | Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce | £4,000 | £2,200 | £3,125 | £4,500 | + £1,375 | Filled dents in nose, front end respray, replaced manifold couplings, UK spec headlights, patched rust holes in driver's side footwell. | Revisited in 2010. Has new carbs but bodywork is starting to go at rear wheelarches. |
7/8 | BMW E24 635CSi | £4,000 | £2,000 | £3,060 | £3,700 | + £640 | Replaced alloy wheels and cloth interior. | A second 635CSi (which failed an MOT test) was purchased for £350 for its leather interior and original alloy wheels. |
9/10 | Chevrolet Corvette C4 | £4,000 | £2,100 | £3,021 | £3,800 | + £779 | Replaced door panel fabric, new instrument panel. | |
11/12 | Lexus LS400 | £4,000 | £1,300 | £3,108 | £3,300 | + £192 | HID lights fitted, suspension arm bushes replaced, stereo LCD fixed, bumper repainted | |
Totals | £26,000 | £13,700 | £23,126 | £27,650 | £4,525 | The 2007 currency conversion averaged £1 to $2.00 USD | The total profit this season, about $9,048 USD. |
Series 5: On the Road (2008)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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1/2 | Mercedes-Benz R107 280SL | £5,000 | €6,900 (£5,400) | £6,920 | £7,900 | + £980 | Replaced front brake disks, full exhaust, hood, aftermarket wheels and steering wheel for originals, and repaired rust patch on front. | Purchased in Germany. |
3/4 | Lotus Esprit S3 | £5,000 | £3,600 | £4,385 | £6,200 | + £1,815 | Replaced complete interior, cambelt, exhaust manifold, Lotus shock absorbers. Fixed leaky sunroof and had engine service. | Tested at the Lotus test track. Sold for export to Gibraltar. |
5/6 | Fiat 500 | £5,000 | €2,900 (£2,300) | £5,700 | £6,500 | + £800 | Full respray with stripes front to back, replacement 650cc engine & gearbox, Right hand drive headlights. | Purchased in Italy. It broke down halfway back to the UK and needed towing back. |
7/8 | Land Rover Series III Stage One V8 | £5,000 | £1,000 | £2,230 | £2,750 | + £520 | Converted to run on LPG or petrol. Repainted some parts black and added some black metal trim. Roll bar and some lights fitted. | Tested at Land Rover's off-road circuit. Final sale on-screen was £3,000, but the buyer backed out at the last minute, according to Mike's ending narration. |
9/10 | Citroën DS | £5,000 | €4,800 (£3,800) | £5,185 | £7,000 | + £1,815 | Right-hand-drive headlights, replaced wing mirror, seat covers, clock, and suspension reservoir | Purchased in France. |
11/12 | Bentley Mulsanne Turbo | £5,000 | £3,250 | £6,200 | £8,000 | + £1,800 | Full respray and colour change, replaced headlamps and grill. Leather-painted the seats. | Original plan was to purchase and restore a Rolls-Royce. |
Totals | £30,000 | £19,350 | £30,620 | £38,350 | £7,730 | The 2008 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.85 USD | The total profit this season, about $14,300 USD. |
Series 6 (First part - Spring 2009)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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1/2 | Triumph Spitfire 1500 | £5,000 | £2,400 | £3,432 | £4,600 | + £1,168 | Cylinder head had new guides and hardened valves fitted, rear shock absorbers replaced, brightwork re-chromed, and dif replaced. Oil and filter changed. | Will now run on unleaded fuel |
3/4 | Porsche 944 Turbo | £5,000 | £2,800 | £5,660 | £6,650 | + £990 | Engine computer retuned, roll cage added, disk brakes uprated, wheels painted | Converted to track-ready vehicle. Mike particularly hated the colour Edd chose for the wheels[2] |
5/6 | Audi Quattro | £5,000 | £3,800 | £4,568 | £5,450 | + £882 | Interior replaced, clutch reservoir renewed, bumpers repainted, rear wheel bearings replaced | Signed off with "Auf Wiedersehen" |
7/8 | Volkswagen Beetle | £5,000 | £1,600 | £4,809 | £6,600 | + £1,791 | Front luggage floor welded, engine replaced, body resprayed. | Originally planned on Series 2 (which became the Predator Beach Buggy project). |
9/10 | Jaguar XJS | £5,000 | £1,000 | £1,691 | £2,450 | + £759 | Replaced transmission spring, steering gaiter, bonnet, gearbox oil filter, and headlining. Repainted bonnet scuttle, grill, and repaired centre console veneer. | |
Totals | £25,000 | £11,600 | £20,160 | £25,750 | £5,590 | The Spring 2009 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.49 USD | The total profit this period, about $8,329 USD. |
Series 6 (Second part - Autumn 2009)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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11/12 | Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 | £10,000 | £8,750 | £11,880 | £13,000 | + £1,120 | Body dents pulled out and panel fibre-glassed, replaced exhaust manifold, a full respray, and wheels refurbished. | First project to go over £10,000. |
13/14 | Mini City 1000 | £5,000 | £700 | £2,290 | £2,600 | + £310 | New alloys, engine chromes, full body vinyl wrap, black interior inc race seats, replaced radius swing arm, dashboard/speedometer kit and choke cable. | Customized for auction at a Mini 50th anniversary gathering in Longbridge. Second car in series to use a full-body vinyl wrap. |
15/16 | TVR S2 | £5,000 | £2,550 | £3,040 | £4,250 | + £1,210 | Replaced brake servo, track-rod ends (and did wheel alignment), re-cored radiator, electrics checked, re-trimmed front seats. | |
17/18 | Land Rover Discovery TDI | £5,000 | £1,500 | £2,731 | £3,000 | + £269 | Added roof rack, rear door ladder, snorkel, under tray protection and diff guards, light guards and front bumper spotlights. Replaced power steering box. | Converted to expedition off-roader. |
19/20 | BMW M3 E36 Convertible | £5,000 | £4,500 | £5,580 | £5,950 | + £370 | Replaced gearbox and interior, refurbished the alloy wheels and replaced the alarm unit. | |
Totals | £30,000 | £18,000 | £25,521 | £28,800 | £3,279 | The Autumn 2009 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.63 USD | The total profit this period, about $5,344 USD. |
Series 7 (First part - Spring 2010)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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1 | Jensen Interceptor III | £5,000 | £5,000 | £5,430 | £6,500 | + £1,070 | Cut out rust and replace steel in passenger foot well, replace brake master cylinder, replace steering rack, clean and feed leather interior. | |
2 | Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth | £5,000 | £4,100 | £5,920 | £6,200 | + £280 | Gearbox rebuilt, clutch replaced, interior renewed, valve stem oil seals & guides replaced, alloy wheels upgraded, front bumper repainted. | |
3 | Volkswagen Type 2 T2 | £5,000 | £2,500 | £8,465 | £9,450 | + £985 | Full body orange respray, 1641cc engine rebuild & exhaust. New tailgate, driver door, leather seats, wheels, door cards and carpet. | Originally planned on Series 3 (which became the T3 Transporter project). Was the biggest renovation cost of the series so far. |
4 | BMW 840Ci | £5,000 | £3,500 | £5,040 | £5,750 | + £710 | Repair body damage to drivers door and professional respray, replace fan and re-gas air conditioning, replace trans-cooler, fit new windscreen, refurbish alloy wheels | |
5 | Triumph Stag | £5,000 | £3,400 | £4,529 | £5,500 | + £971 | Replace cam cover gasket, replace radiator with improved unit, replace differential gasket, replace hood and frame, replace front bumper and polish brightwork. | |
Totals | £25,000 | £18,500 | £29,384 | £33,400 | £4,016 | The Spring 2010 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.52 USD | The total profit this period, about $6,104 USD. |
Series 7 (Second part - Autumn 2010)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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6 | Bond Bug | £5,000 | £2,500 | £3,261 | £5,550 | + £2,289 | Gearbox and canopy, brake shoes and dif half shaft oil seals replaced. | The only three-wheeled car featured in the series. Restored for the Bond Bug 40th anniversary gathering, featuring designer Tom Karen. |
7 | Volvo P1800 | £5,000 | £5,000 | £5,795 | £8,350 | + £2,555 | Replaced fuel gauge, fuel tank and sender. Cylinder head valves updated with hardended units and replaced front shocks and springs. Twin carbs were rebuilt. | Mike owned one, and this was the type of car driven by Simon Templar in the 1960s television series The Saint. |
8 | Land Rover Defender | £5,000 | £3,000 | £5,677 | £6,000 | + £323 | Fitted hi-lift camshaft, alloy wheels, steering wheel and seat bottoms, grill, bumper and decal, doors, windows into the back and a full respray. | Farm vehicle turned into a Chelsea tractor. |
9 | Subaru Impreza WRX | £5,000 | £3,250 | £5,255 | £5,400 | + £145 | Performance air filter and exhaust added, ECU remapped, clutch, brakes, calipers and alloy wheels uprated, bonnet stripes added | First Japanese car featured since Series 4. 243 bhp finished machine tested on Rockingham Raceway. |
10 | Lotus Elan S4 | £5,000 | £8,500 | £11,685 | £16,700 | + £5,015 | Exhaust renewed in stainless steel, ball joints renewed, custom CV joint assemblies fitted, wheels refurbished and red/white respray done. | Tested at Gurston Down Hill Climb. |
Totals | £25,000 | £22,250 | £31,673 | £42,000 | £10,327 | The Autumn 2010 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.56 USD | The total profit this period, about $16,110 USD. |
Series 8 (First Part - Spring 2011)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
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1 | Jaguar E-Type Series 3 | £15,000 | £13,250 | £16,090 | £18,500 | + £2,410 | Replaced bonnet underpanel, complete exhaust, repaired oil leak from dif seal, wheels refurbished, sills & bonnet repainted, door card and carpets renewed and seats re-upholstered. | Most expensive project in the series up to that point (later surpassed by the US series). |
2 | Mini Moke | £7,000 | £5,800 | £7,080 | £7,200 | + £120 | Radiator and cooling fan uprated. Suspension modded for a conical spring type. Frame rust fixed. White hood and interior fitted. | Australian built car. 1275cc Metro engine. |
3 | Range Rover P38 | £3,000 | £2,100.36 | £3,042 | £3,500 | + £458 | Changed satnav control unit, air suspension pump, front anti-roll bar bushes, side headlight, added front and rear lettering, tinted windows. | It broke down on the way back due to a busted air suspension pump and needed towing back. |
4 | Austin-Healey "Frogeye" Sprite | £5,000 | £4,500 | £7,475 | £8,600 | + £1,125 | Front drum brakes swapped for disks. Brightwork professionally polished, engine & gearbox removed for a full new colour respray. New seatcover kit fitted. New alloy wheels fitted. | The oldest car to be featured in the series featuring a 1275cc uprated engine. |
5 | Saab 9-3 Turbo Convertible | £3,000 | £2,400 | £3,350 | £3,750 | + £400 | Replaced turbocharger, ignition coil pack and spark plugs, a headlight lens, ignition key barrel, aerial, gearstick knob, badge, pulled out some dents and fitted a steering rack brace kit. | Newest car featured in the series so far. |
Totals | £33,000 | £28,050.36 | £37,037 | £41,550 | £4,513 | The Spring 2011 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.61 USD | The total profit this period, about $7,265 USD. |
Series 8: USA (Second Part - Autumn 2011)
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dodge Charger | £15,000 | $23,000 £14,000 |
£18,160 | £20,000 | + £1,840 | Front wheel bearings replaced, new gear linkage installed to sort poor gear select problem, faulty power steering pump replaced, modified rear spring hangers replaced with stock ones, faulty headlamp motor replaced so signature headlamps open and close properly, signature horn from The Dukes of Hazzard installed.[3] | Restoration price includes £1,840 shipping, £777 import tax, £1000 travel expenses. |
2 | Delorean DMC-12 | £10,000 | $15,000 £9,650 |
£14,715 | £20,500 | + £5,785 | Dents in stainless steel panels removed, rear louver panel fixed with fiberglass and repainted, flywheel/crankshaft oil seal replaced, interior revamped with new seat covers, new gear shift gaiter, new carpets and new instrument binnacle, faulty window motors replaced, left rear light lens replaced and wheels re-furbished.[4] | Restoration price includes £2,500 import tax & shipping, £1000 travel expenses. Highest profit in the series. |
3 | Chevrolet 3100 | £10,000 | $8,650 £5,400 |
£10,993 | £13,600 | + £2,607 | Engine upgraded from single to twin carburetors, engine bay re-sprayed, flatbed floor wood replaced, soundproofing installed inside the cab to reduce engine noise and vibrations, painted grill replaced with chrome one and new wheels fitted. | Restoration price includes £1,950 shipping, £300 import tax and £1000 travel expenses. First pickup truck in the series. |
4 | Volkswagen Karmann Ghia | £10,000 | $10,000 £6,000 |
£10,450 | £11,500 | + £1,050 | Gearbox re-furbished, engine removed and engine bay cleaned including fitting of new soundproof firewall lining panels, hole in the trunk left from auxiliary heater welded over with new metal, black exterior sills stripped and re-sprayed to match the color of the car, interior re-furbished with new dash panels, new carpets and new door cards, exterior cosmetics such as front badge and chrome door trim fitted.[5] | Restoration price includes £2,050 import tax & shipping and £1000 travel expenses. |
5 | Chevrolet Bel Air 210 | £10,000 | $6,700 £4,000 |
£13,504 | £16,000 | + £2,496 | New carburetor and air filter; full respray (yellow with white roof); new bumpers, grill and chrome trim; new wheels; new horn ring and interior pieces; original vinyl seats and carpet cleaned. | Restoration price includes £2,155 import tax & shipping and £1000 travel expenses. Carburetor caught fire in Florida. |
Totals | £50,000 $80,000 |
£40,000 $63,500 |
£67,822 $107,500 |
£81,600 $130,000 |
£13,778 $22,000 |
The Autumn 2011 currency conversion averaged £1 to $1.54 USD | The total profit this period was £13,778 or $22,000. |
Series 9 (Spring 2012)
Series 9 will feature a 1970 Fiat Dino, 1992 Morgan +4, 2000 BMW M5, 1977 Renault Alpine A310, 1974 Porsche 914,[6] 1993 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and a Jaguar XK8. Series started airing on March 20, 2012.
Episode No. | Vehicle | Budget | Purchase Price | Final Cost After Restoration | Final Selling Price | Profit/Loss | Work Completed | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fiat Dino Coupe 2400 | £15,000 | €15,000 £12,500 |
£14,480 | £15,500 | + £1,020 | Distributor rebuilt: distributor cap contacts cleaned, new rotor arm bearing and centrifugal bob weights installed, track control arm bushing replaced, dents and scratches in the bodywork repaired and painted, Cromodora alloy wheels and chrome center hubcaps refurbished, original orange interior carpets replaced with specially made black carpets, center dash board and center console retrimmed with black vinyl.[7] | |
2 | Morgan +4 | £15,000 | £13,000 | £14,600 | £21,000 | + £6,400 | New chassis fitted, new plywood floor panels fitted, rear suspension uprated with new Panhard rod, 4 leaf springs instead of 6 to soften the ride, tramp bars or traction bars and new shock absorbers, front suspension uprated with new brakes, hubs, shock absorbers, springs, and kingpins.[8] | Biggest profit made on any car, to date |
3 | BMW M5 | £5,000 | £4,000 | £5,770 | £6,500 | + £730 | New front suspension strut mounts fitted, worn alternator bearings replaced instead of buying whole new part. "Angel eyes" headlights and taillights from 2001 model year fitted,[9] auto-dimming rearview mirror and passenger's side-view mirror replaced, bonnet repaired and resprayed, missing sound damping under the bonnet refitted, new air filters fitted and alloy wheels refurbished and painted in gunmetal metallic paint. | |
4 | Renault Alpine A310 | €15,000 | €14,000 £12,000 |
£13,500 | £13,500 | +£0 | New water pump installed to solve overheating problems, worn rear wheel bearings changed, new air filter installed, Holley carburetor and customized intake manifold upgrade installed to increase the engine's power, non working high beams repaired, wheel centercaps repainted.[10] | Vehicle sold to the only bidder of unknown identity as not willing to appear on TV. Broke even. |
5 | Porsche 914 | |||||||
6 | Mercedes-Benz G-Class | |||||||
7 | Jaguar XK8 | £6,000 | Throttle body changed to fix "Limp Home Mode" problem, engine and exhaust system decarbonised to reduce emissions, new springs and shocks installed to lower the car, new bigger brakes installed, both back exhaust mufflers replaced with aftermarket ones, front grill replaced. | |||||
Totals | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | The Spring 2012 currency conversion averaged £1 to $x.xx USD | The total profit this period, about $xx,xxx USD. |
Other vehicles
Mike has used a number of vehicles to travel to the sites of the prospective vehicles and/or tow them if they are not in running order. For the series 7 he has returned to using black Nissan X-Trail. For the USA series 8 Mike rented silver Ford Expedition EL to go and see the cars except for the last episode where he used black Chevrolet Tahoe. For the series 9 When Mike traveled to Italy to Purchase the Fiat Dino, he used a Italian-registered silver Ford Kuga, which he rented whilst in Italy. For the remaining episodes of the series 9 Mike used grey Mitsubishi Shogun. Vehicles used by Mike in previous series include dark turquoise Nissan Primera Estate, blue Subaru Legacy Estate, red Honda Accord Tourer, black SsangYong Rexton II, dark blue SsangYong Kyron, black Land Rover Discovery 4, blue Nissan X-Trail and a light blue Ford Kuga. When Mike traveled to France to purchase the Citroën DS, he used a French-registered black Opel Zafira, which he rented whilst in France. Mike also used a newer version of Opel Zafira when he traveled to France to buy the Renault Alpine A310.
Intro vehicles
The opening sequences feature the cars that were worked on throughout their corresponding seasons.
Series 1: All the vehicles done so far
Series 2: MGB GT
Series 3: Porsche 911 2.7S Targa
Series 4: Mercedes-Benz R107 280SL
Series 5: Ferrari Dino 308 GT4
Series 6: Lotus Elan S4
Series 7: Jaguar E-Type Series 3
Series 8: Dodge Charger
Series 9: Fiat Dino
Other format
On April 2nd, 2012 Swedish Discovery Channel aired a special episode called Wheeler Dealers Sverige ("Wheeler Dealers Sweden"). In this episode they 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.
References
- ^ "Wheeler Dealers Series 4 [DVD] [NTSC]: Amazon.co.uk: Film & TV". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
- ^ Brewer, Mike. "MIKE BREWER AND EDD CHINA Q&A".
- ^ "Black 1970 Dodge Charger for sale".
- ^ "1982 DeLorean for sale".
- ^ "1969 Karmann Ghia Convertible for sale".
- ^ "Porsche 914 SOLD (1971)".
- ^ "Fiat Dino Coupe 2400 For Sale (1970)".
- ^ "Morgan + 4 British Racing Green For Sale (1992)".
- ^ "BMW Angel Eyes: The Complete Guide".
- ^ "Renault Alpine A310 For Sale (1977)".