Superdupahorn In the early series of wheeler dealers Mike would go and buy a rough round the edges classic or other car. Give Edd a strict budget and then would usually make a profit. Edd would show us what he does, like how to tackle jobs like ime welding, electrics, even sometimes a bit of panel beating.As the Americans started creeping in, the show lost its Character, rather than fixing and saving what's there. Now its a show similar to all other American car shows where they rip the soul out of the car and replace everything with modern components.Ant isn't too bad, but there is no emphasis on the fixing of the car, this mustang episode, there was no showing of him removing all of the interior to send it off and then refitting it. There was very little detail on the fixing of the engine. Just 15 minutes of watching Mike polish a bonnet. That could have been cut way down.

basscadet75 I admit that I came late to this show, having only discovered it around the 12th season or so. I watched every episode I could voraciously once I did find it, though, going all the way back to the first season. Mike and Edd's no-nonsense way of buying and then fixing up cheap old cars as cheaply as possible was a refreshing change from the flashy American car "restoration" shows I was used to.If you can watch those earlier episodes, I highly recommend them. It's almost charming how in the early seasons, some cars don't get much more than an oil change and a polish! That's a whole show! But it gives the show an air of something a DIYer can tackle - it's all about showing you what to look for in buying a used car, and how to fix minor problems.And it was basically like that up until season 12, when the show was moved to California and production changed hands to Velocity. Then it started inching closer to an American-style restoration show, where no expense is spared in taking a neglected but undeniably classic car and making it "better than new", even to the point of adding modern features that would never have been available originally. Still, at first they did still feature oddball cars like the AMC Pacer, in one of the weirdest-ever episodes of trying to transform an ugly duckling into a swan (and failing).In season 14, Edd left, leaving the mechanic position to Ant Antstead. He is not the problem - I actually like him despite replacing the beloved Edd. He obviously knows what he's talking about and, while I think he sounds a little too happy to be on TV sometimes, he's fun and interesting to watch. He was a good choice as Edd's replacement.The problem is the show has now gone fully over into just being another cookie-cutter American restoration show. There is very little detail in the workshop bits, which is why Edd says he left. They now gloss over very important parts of the restoration - at the end they'll say "we also replaced the exhaust system, removed all the rust and gave it a full paint job"... wait, what?! Show it! Show it from start to finish! Why do you think we're watching?! It's no longer a DIY help show at all. It's just "look at what we did to this car!"There are little things too that diminish the character of the show. Mike doesn't hunt for vehicles anymore (in the early seasons, he'd sometimes even have to see two or three before finding one he liked!); he's just already out traveling to pick one up that's obviously already been scouted. Sometimes he even seems surprised at what he finds when he he sees what his producers picked out for him. There's no budget to speak of anymore for either buying cars or fixing them up - they just spend whatever they need to for an impressive restoration/upgrade, though they do give the spend amounts at the end of the episode. And buyers always seem lined up in advance - they don't seem to have any problem selling cars on anymore. It all feels like it's totally for show at this point, not real at all.It's still watchable because of the personalities of the hosts, but it is not what it was.

michelvega I'm not a typical car buff but I love cars for their beauty and engineering. I've seen most American car shows but have been seriously derisive of how heavy they are scripted. Specious arguments, people getting mad, dropping off the job, bitching about anything. What a bunch of buggers. Wheeler Dealers has none of that nonsense. Looking at Edd, I'm amazed by his good nature and talent. I can almost see myself getting my hands greasy restoring an old clinker of a once great sports car. I know it won't ever happen, but all the same, the wizard makes every repair fascinating to watch. Mike is cheerful and his dealings let us often forget that he has a whole crew of cameraman, sound assistant, and most likely a tow truck or two following him. As negotiations for the used car goes on, it's funny enough to think of the crowd around them.

jlcrelly I am not a petrol head, but I love watching this show. It is great to see old classics and not so classic cars being given a second lease of life. Mike and Ed work very well together, and un-like other car shows, especially those from the USA, they do not engage in exaggerated emotions and tantrums. The most emotion you will see is Ed getting a pat on the back from Mike. In most instances, the vesicles are restored to factory condition, with an occasional upgrade of suspension and brakes etc, with very few cars being turned into hot rods or pimped rides. If you have watched the show since the beginning, it is interesting to see how Ed and Mike have become more confident in front of the camera. The budget has also increased significantly, as has Mikes waist line.The show also showcase artisans based on industrial estates that continue with some of the trades and skills that have all but died in the UK. Yes, it is true that if you take in Ed's time as a quality mechanic, the resale price of the car would result in a loss, but that is not what this show is really about - I imagine Ed gets a good salary off the Discovery channel.