Wheeler Dealers

For the 1963 film, see The Wheeler Dealers.

Wheeler Dealers
Series 4 title card
Presented by	Mike Brewer Edd China
Theme music composer	The Wideboys
Opening theme	Balaclava
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	9
No. of episodes	100 (as of November 1, 2011)
Production company(s)	Attaboy TV
Broadcast
Original channel	Discovery Channel
Original run	2003 – present
External links
Website

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 nine series of the programme. 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.

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.)
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 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
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 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).

Series 2 (2005)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
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.	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.

Series 3 (2006)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
7/8	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.
9/10	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.
3/4	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).
11/12	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).
1/2	Mazda MX-5 NA	£3,000	£1,600	£2,715	£3,600	+ £885	Replaced convertible hood and interior, repaired and repainted corroded A-pillar.
5/6	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.

Series 4 (2007)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
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

Series 5: On the Road (2008)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
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.

Series 6 (First part - Spring 2009)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
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^[1]
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.

Series 6 (Second part - Autumn 2009)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
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.

Series 7 (First part - Spring 2010)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
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 T2 panel van	£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.

Series 7 (Second part - Autumn 2010)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
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.

Series 8 (Spring 2011)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
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 bust 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.

Series 9: USA (Autumn 2011)

Episode No.	Vehicle	Budget	Purchase Price	Final Cost After Restoration	Final Selling Price	Profit/Loss	Work Completed	Notes
1	Dodge Charger	Unknown	$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.^[2]	Restoration price includes £1,840 shipping, £777 import tax, £1000 travel expenses.
2	Delorean DMC-12	Unknown	$15,500 £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.^[3]	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.^[4]	Restoration price includes £2,050 import tax & shipping and £1000 travel expenses.
5	Chevrolet Bel Air 210	$15,000	$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.

Series 10 (Spring 2012)

Series 10 will feature 15 cars and will reportedly include 1974 Porsche 914, 1993 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Renault Alpine A310, 2000 BMW M5, 1970 Fiat Dino and a 1992 Morgan +4.

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 8 he has returned to using black Nissan X-Trail. For the USA series 9 Mike rented silver Ford Expedition EL to go and see the cars except for the last episode where he used black Chevrolet Tahoe. 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, black 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.

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 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 S4

Series 8: Jaguar E-Type Series 3

Series 9: Dodge Charger