Wheeler Dealers (2019)

[LastOne]

WD returns with a new series on Monday 7th January, starting off with the Mercury Capri 2.8, (a Mercury-badged version of the European model); channel 125 on Sky.

I'll watch it because I have for decades and because Ant Anstead's enthusiasm is a welcome change from the excessive moodiness that Edd China started to display when the show moved to the US.

But, two things spoil it for me. Firstly, although the show always listed a Technical Consultant in the closing credits (usually Paul Brackley) - someone to source the reference technical material and order the parts beforehand, now there are THREE mechanics listed in the credits, none of them Ant Anstead. So what do these three mechanics actually do? Most likely they do all the repair work that isn't literally shown on screen. So, when Ant replaces the shock absorber and spring on one of the front corners and then says "Now I just have to do the other three corners", more likely he does none of that, leaving it to the three mechanics. When he decides he's going to whip out the engine just to replace the timing belt, we see him start to drain the radiator, and then it cuts to the engine sitting on the floor of the workshop - someone else having done all the work. Why? So that Ant keeps his time on set limited to the footage shown on screen, thus compressing the filming of 6, 7 or 8 shows into as little time possible, and he then jumps on a plane back to the UK to be reunited with his wife and kids, and to keep an eye on his business. When he stepped into Edd's shoes at short notice after Edd quit in a strop, I wondered whether that meant he would uproot his family and take them to America with him. No, he just negotiated a deal that keeps him in California for much less time than Brewer, or China did.

My other gripe is the choice of cars. Yes, they do lots of American models to appeal to that market. I don't like it, but I get why they do that. No, the problem is (1) when they do crap neither Brits or Americans like, such as the Ford Ranchero and try and fool us that it's a classic car. It was a piece of garbage, and they admitted as much in the end of series roundup show, but in the episode itself they pretended otherwise. Don't treat us like fools please. We're at least as smart as you are, Brewer. (2) If you're doing a car no one in Britain has ever heard of, admit it and explain that it's a classic only in the US. Don't try and pretend UK viewers will remember and love a car we know nothing about. Example: BMW Mini "MC40". WTF? Some special edition that BMW North America dreamt up to boost flagging sales, never sold outside the US and never heard of here in the country where Minis are made. Another example, Datsun 510. Who? What? Where? I'm old enough to, just about, remember Datsuns such as the 120Y, but 510? Is that the number of the bus that goes from Brighton to Hove? Admit it's a car two thirds if your viewers will know nothing about, don't just think we'll say Oh yea must be classic yea.

So, I'll still watch it, but have more excitement for the upcoming second season of Flippin Bangers.

[Big Dave]

Just finished watching the latest episodes - thanks Kodi

Loads of people still refusing to watch it (allegedly) because Edd's left. Bunch of Saddo's.

Personally, I prefer Ant to Edd. Granted both have their levels of expertise, but Edd claims to have left because the technical content was going to be reduced by the new owners Velocity. I don't think it has, and Ant has put a different angle on the technical content.

[NickT]

WD returns with a new series on Monday 7th January, starting off with the Mercury Capri 2.8, (a Mercury-badged version of the European model); channel 125 on Sky.

I'll watch it because I have for decades and because Ant Anstead's enthusiasm is a welcome change from the excessive moodiness that Edd China started to display when the show moved to the US.

But, two things spoil it for me. Firstly, although the show always listed a Technical Consultant in the closing credits (usually Paul Brackley) - someone to source the reference technical material and order the parts beforehand, now there are THREE mechanics listed in the credits, none of them Ant Anstead. So what do these three mechanics actually do? Most likely they do all the repair work that isn't literally shown on screen. So, when Ant replaces the shock absorber and spring on one of the front corners and then says "Now I just have to do the other three corners", more likely he does none of that, leaving it to the three mechanics. When he decides he's going to whip out the engine just to replace the timing belt, we see him start to drain the radiator, and then it cuts to the engine sitting on the floor of the workshop - someone else having done all the work. Why? So that Ant keeps his time on set limited to the footage shown on screen, thus compressing the filming of 6, 7 or 8 shows into as little time possible, and he then jumps on a plane back to the UK to be reunited with his wife and kids, and to keep an eye on his business. When he stepped into Edd's shoes at short notice after Edd quit in a strop, I wondered whether that meant he would uproot his family and take them to America with him. No, he just negotiated a deal that keeps him in California for much less time than Brewer, or China did.

My other gripe is the choice of cars. Yes, they do lots of American models to appeal to that market. I don't like it, but I get why they do that. No, the problem is (1) when they do crap neither Brits or Americans like, such as the Ford Ranchero and try and fool us that it's a classic car. It was a piece of garbage, and they admitted as much in the end of series roundup show, but in the episode itself they pretended otherwise. Don't treat us like fools please. We're at least as smart as you are, Brewer. (2) If you're doing a car no one in Britain has ever heard of, admit it and explain that it's a classic only in the US. Don't try and pretend UK viewers will remember and love a car we know nothing about. Example: BMW Mini "MC40". WTF? Some special edition that BMW North America dreamt up to boost flagging sales, never sold outside the US and never heard of here in the country where Minis are made. Another example, Datsun 510. Who? What? Where? I'm old enough to, just about, remember Datsuns such as the 120Y, but 510? Is that the number of the bus that goes from Brighton to Hove? Admit it's a car two thirds if your viewers will know nothing about, don't just think we'll say Oh yea must be classic yea.

So, I'll still watch it, but have more excitement for the upcoming second season of Flippin Bangers.

I love watching "flipping bangers", it's raw like when wheeler dealers first started out.

[LastOne]

I love watching "flipping bangers", it's raw like when wheeler dealers first started out.

Agreed. And if only the production company can stop Gus grinning and giggling like an idiot when he goes go buy a car and talking UP the price, it would be spot on.

[LastOne]

When he stepped into Edd's shoes at short notice after Edd quit in a strop, I wondered whether that meant he would uproot his family and take them to America with him. No, he just negotiated a deal that keeps him in California for much less time than Brewer, or China did.

I was closer to the truth than I realised:

Screenshot_20190107-113829_Samsung Internet.jpg

[RBH]

Well.....I don't care who presents it
I watch it.......it's a lot more entertaining than most of the p15h that's on TV.

[Anthony1664]

They did a canny job on that US spec Capri the home made bumpers came out pretty good

[puppet]

I’ve no issue with the change from Ed to Ant, but having watched the first episode of this new series (Capri) I thought it was pretty poor. Yes, it was nifty the way he made his own bumpers, but other than that it just seemed to be lacking somehow. Perhaps it’s just the format that’s getting old, but personally I thought it was short on any real technical detail. Guess they can’t cater for everybody though.

[Persia-chris]

I think it’s filmed for the US market more now which is why it isn’t very often they mention the great British pound and it’s all in dollars. Hence why they are all “classic” American cars.
It just so happens it’s shown on British tv and from what I’ve gathered not until the series has finished in the states.

Now i I like the program and have since the first episode and although nothing is done/shown in depth, it’s programmes and forums like this combined that have made me fix my own car(s).

As for the Ant v Edd discussion, I like them both in there own little special way. I feel Edd (especially in the early years) explained more of what was going on, yet Ant, although less detailed makes what he says clearer for my little mind lol

[Big Dave]

It just so happens it’s shown on British tv and from what I’ve gathered not until the series has finished in the states.

Correct. The current series was first broadcast in the States back in Oct 2018. I think it still gets a UK broadcast as that was where it was originally made for, before Velocity bought the show from Attaboy TV.

Great having Kodi installed on my Amazon Firestick. Have already watched all the current episodes, with the added bonus of all the adverts being removed too.

The last episode is an "unseen" one, where some stuff ended up on the cutting room floor, goofs, gaffs and c0ck ups, etc. And also extra content where there wasn't enough room for it in the relevant episodes.