Wheeler dealers

This August, Discovery Real Time hits vehicle velocity with a brand new fourth series of the immensely popular turbo show, Wheeler Dealers. Expert car trader Mike Brewer and renowned motor specialist Edd China will be working together to keep six impressive cars, including a Porsche 911 Targa and Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce, from the crusher. With just £4000 to spend on each vehicle and only a week to complete the renovation work, it’s a tough challenge for Mike and Edd to transform these tired motors into dream machines.

Carrying out the essential work in three stages, Mike will source a vehicle in need of repair through the internet, a specialised club, small ad or car auction. Sharing practical advice as he goes, Mike will lead viewers through the minefield of second-hand car buying and pass on tips and tricks of the trade for choosing the right motor. Master mechanic Edd will then use his expertise to look over the engine and bodywork and assess the work ahead of them, ensuring each project is achievable and falls within budget.

With the priorities established Mike, Edd and the crew will get down to restoring, revamping and in some cases, remodelling the vehicle to make it roadworthy again and return it to its former prestige condition. Whilst the work is being carried out, Edd will not only offer practical guidelines and advice on the techniques he is using, but will also ensure that the repair equipment is easily available and will give an accurate assessment of costs involved. Each of the cars will receive at least four major repair jobs as well as a multitude of smaller tidy-ups, and problems will cover all elements of key rebuilding, such as electrical, structural, mechanical and cosmetic.

Over the 12 new episodes, the six classic cars in line for an impressive mechanical makeover are; a Porsche 911 Targa (1976) 2700CC, which Mike buys for £5000, a Jeep CJ7 (1984) 4300CC, which is purchased for a mere £1500 and a £2200 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce 2000 (1972) 1962CC. The third and fourth in line to get the all over is a BMW 635csi (1985), bought for £2000 and American super-car, Corvette C4 (1984) 5700CC purchased for £2100. Completing the portfolio of vehicles is a Lexus LS400 (1993) 4000CC which Mike finds and buys for £1300.

Each of the cars is given the full Wheeler Dealer touch and between them they’ll sport upgraded exhausts, suspension overhauls, replacement digital dashboard, improved air-conditioning, re-sprays and new replacement sterling wheel and carpets, to name but a few.

The ultimate stage will see the newly renovated vehicles cleaned up, put through their MOTs and then put on the market to be sold on – hopefully at a profit! Again, Mike will offer the essential info needed to sell a second-hand car successfully.

So, whether you are a car enthusiast and want to tackle some major renovation work yourself, or are simply a keen novice interested to learn more about keeping your own vehicle maintained, tune into the brand new series of Wheeler Dealers this August.