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MG TD TF 1500 - Wheeler Dealers so far

Well, it looks like Ed China was right. The repair and restoration parts of the show have been diminished. After three shows it is obvious that garage time has been shortened and dumbed down. When Ed was working on a car and there was a commercial break the show returned to Ed and continued with his segment. Now after every break we get a voice over of Mike telling us what we have already seen. The repair work is run through very quickly and not in any depth at all. The dialogue between Mike and Ant is much longer than before with Ed. I'm sure it's because talk is cheaper to produce and film than garage time. I'm disappointed in the show so far and might give it up if it continues in this manner.

Tim
TD26711
Tim Burchfield

Pretty much in agreement. Watched last nights episode where they changed the clutch in a Saab in the driveway before they bought it. Really?

Way too much fake enthusiasm from Ant and I find him difficult to understand as well. They had some alloy wheels diamond finished on a Toyota but showed nothing of the process. Even something they try and show steps on are a fail as demonstrated when they removed a cylinder head and failed to show or mention draining the coolant as part of the process.

The show went down hill big time last year with California move and in it's present form is dismal at best.

I will continue to record the shows as they have shown a Healey in the previews that would interest me as to how they butcher that job, but other than that I have little interest in it now.
L E D LaVerne

The odd, and unethical, thing about the Saab deal was that Mike made an offer and the guy accepted. Then Mike says he wants the clutch inspected first. In my opinion if you make an offer and it's accepted you are obligated to buy at that point.

Tim
Tim Burchfield

Pure script..... and bad at that..Claim is that he wants to make sure the gear box is ok. Any car guy worth his salt could have driven the car without the clutch to make that assessment. Further claimed that the gear box is ok after removing the engine . Really??? How the hell would you know? The only interesting part was the new windscreen. The rest was a waste of video tape.
L E D LaVerne

Years ago (5or10?) there were great shows, the english guy rebuilding a Triumph bike another on Indian motor cycles. All low low budget and were fun to watch. Velocity channel has added a bunch of entertainment that leaves me disappointed. Of course Edd China was the best. Couldn't he hook up and do low budget stuff with out Mike?
Peter Dahlquist

I kinda liked the sheet metal repair below the windscreen. Props to Ant, he's got skills. And I liked the trip to have a new screen cut - something I've only seen on Overhauling, same glass guy.

When in the desert, they'll drink the sand. Well, the show could be better but is far from sand.
MAndrus

I find it's still better than stupid sitcoms with faked laughter every few seconds. They are cars at least!
Ed
efh Haskell

We have another show over here called - Shed and Buried. Its mostly about finding motorcycles and associated ephemera, occasionally cars, in sheds and restoring them for sale (not the sheds!). Sometimes the sheds and the bikes are both completely decrepit, and sometimes not. Some restoration work in the show, but usually rather cursory.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I agree with everyone- you can't replace Edd and I enjoyed the now minimized techie parts a lot. But as Ed H says, it is still better than much of the other stuff on these days. George
George Butz

I second most of the sentiments expressed here. I think the scripts this year are (a) dumbed down; and (b) meant to establish Mike as the star and Ant as the lovable sidekick. I thought the first episode wasted five minutes explaining how a turbocharger worked...duh! Last night Ant was made to explain the importance of a centering dowel when installing a clutch.

Too much time spent recycling stock footage each episode of Mike buying, driving and whooping. Pretty useless. Suddenly the project car appears totally complete and ready to go.

My big question for the Saab show is this: who would spend the money to hire a third party to suss out and buy a restored 96 and then NOT have it shipped cross country...the buyer specifically said he was going to drive to back to NY.

I am impressed with Ant. He does seem to be very skilled, although he is not allowed to shine. Certainly miss Edd, the show has a very different vibe.

I do have the sense that Wheeler Dealers has "jumped the shark". The choice of cars is pretty inconsistent and, so far this season, pretty lame. I guess I am looking forward to the AH 3000 they show in ads before I make a final goodbye to the series.
Charles Duffy

Edd does have his own Youtube channel if you need an Edd fix. He answers viewers questions and hints at his own new show.
efh Haskell

I am please to hear the comments. In the UK Wheeler Dealers is shown on the Discovery Chanel and it is only available on pay to view cable television. The package we had was showing so much rubbish and repeats I have cancelled my subscription and now only have cheapo freeview. This has saved me £20 per month. I still have Quest and am watching Fantomworks. Unlike many of the car and bike restoration shows (sorry guys but mainly the ones from the States) the mechanics are friendly and respectful to each other, are really highly skilled and there are no nonsensical time scales.

Jan T
J Targosz

Agreed with all of the above.

So far if my counting is correct we have had 4 episodes with fairly uncompelling content in 3 of them.

The Mustang Mach I episode with the most interesting car had more time of Mike and then the two of them riding in the car than of the shop time.

I like Ant but as do others I feel he doesn't get nearly enough time. From where I sit Mike's schtick is past stale.

I'll hold on to see the TR4 and the Austin Healey 3000 that appear in the teasers. The upcoming Dodge van and Ford Ranchero leave me feeling like, "Meh."

It's not a matter of losing Edd and that Ant can't fill his shoes, it's that the direction it has taken to where the mechanic is tossed into the role of sidekick that doesn't work. Edd saw it coming and got out in time.

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Still watch, but have to agree. More how to do it and less fluff would be great. Not interested in the deal. A few minutes on buying the car would be great.
Bruce Cunha

I agree with Ed, not as good as before but better than the other crap that's on. Absolutely not doubt Ant knows how to turn wrenches and sort out problems but doesn't get the time to show his stuff.
Bill
TD24570
Bill Brown

Just watched the latest episode, the one with the Austin Healey 3000.

They started off with a nice car that Mike somehow stole for $ 40,000. Overall a nice job, but I did gag when Ant decided to pull the SU's for three sidedraft Webers.

Despite that he did come out with a beautiful looking car that fetched $ 71,000 at auction.

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Yeah...The Healey show was pretty good. The Exhaust Manifold was nice work. I believe Mike bought it for $35K....with his Deal'n.

Mike
TF-8257
M Brand

I think they have one more episode this year and it will be the last for me. They show little of what they actually do. The exhaust fab was nice but the red with the green Christmas motif along with the triple Webbers on an unmodified engine made me gag. Again they mislead what they really put in the car... unlisted were clearly new tires and I'm pretty sure the wheels shown when he bought it are not the same as when finished. For me the show has run it's course.
L E D LaVerne

I'm not a "purist". I can just sit and enjoy an hour devoted to grease and speed! I agree the seats should have been tan leather, not red, but...

Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Ed
efh Haskell

My Thanksgiving wish...keep Mike and Ant away from any T-Types in the coming year.

The red interior was atrocious and no reason to replace the big SUs with Webers, other than to make the Big Healy more "blingy" and harder to keep in tune. And, I agree with Laverne, they did replace painted wires with chrome wires.

A tan leather interior and polished, tuned SUs would have made this a $90k car.

Having been the owner of a 100-6, I think the Healy sounds great, as is. The idea of fabricating headers was probably just something to fill time and for Ant to show off his skills. Interesting that he never used a measuring device...all by eyeball!

According to the setup, the car had been in storage for ten years...no mention of brakes, gas tank, fluids, etc. If previous owner did all that, then Mike should be arrested for Grand Larceny.
Charles Duffy

I would have liked to see how they balanced the Webbers.
and adjusted the valve lash.

hated the red interior.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Something like this would have been a better choice.

L E D LaVerne

Or this... and there was nothing about the work that went into the awful red they put in it. And as said above... nothing at all about making a 10 year barn sitter road worthy. Surely for the price sold a lot more work went into the car both in dollars and man hours they they fessed up to.
Purist has nothing to do with it for me Ed. Pretty much the lack of documenting the path that it took to get from point A to point B and damn little of any actual grease work involved.

L E D LaVerne

This thread was discussed between 26/10/2017 and 23/11/2017

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