Car show Wheeler Dealer

[Gene M.]

I just found out Ed China the wrench on the TV show Wheeler Dealer is not going to be on it any longer. Seems the new owners of the show are cutting cost to make it and Ed will have no part in that. Too bad it was one of the real type shows that didn't get hung up in schedule and BS.

Too bad as always all good things come to an end.

[Bill M.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

He was the show. I cant believe how much he new about every car he worked on. From vettes to volkswagon"s. I also heard that the producers wanted him to behave like Richard Rollins or one of the other loud mouth do nothing show hosts and he refused.

[Edward B.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

A misguided attempt by Velocity to convert the show to the brainless pap accepted (and sometimes idolized) by the American viewer. At the time of the break up there were rumors that Edd China might be back with his own show, but have heard nothing on this in recent months,

[Richard G.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

Their a few of the Velocity's channel programs I like but most seem to be just there to sell products of some type.
However Richard Rollins drinking Tequila through his nose is a classic no one should miss! LOL.
I find YouTube a much better venue. However with the recent changes implemented by Google YouTube has turned into something close to TV with way too many commercials. My favorite is the NCRS.org forum. Real stuff real people.
Rick

[Russ T.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

I've pretty much given up on the Velocity Channel except for an occasional episode of "Fantomworks."

I'm really not interested in watching pro atheletes bring their new mega-buck Lambos and Ferraris in to be customized.
I'm happy for them, but it's not something that I can relate to.

I used to like Sam Memmolo's show "Shade Tree Mechanic," because you could actually learn a little something
practical about fixing cars. Sadly, most of those shows have degenerated into nothing but 30 minute "infomercials"
or puff publicity pieces.

I watched a show called "Gears" once, because they claimed that they were going to demonstrate swapping a big block
into a '68 Nova. According to the clock by my TV, they devoted 5 minutes to that task and the rest of the show was
infomercials and commercials! What a joke.

Edd China was definitely worth watching, and I even enjoy watching that old codger named "Roger" on
Chasing Classic Cars. He has a good sense of humor and seems to know older foreign cars pretty well.

[Mark E.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

I've given up on cable TV car shows. They devolved into silly reality shows focused on the antics of emotionally immature people. No effort to actually teach anything. Since the producers adjust show format to drive ratings, does this mean this is what most viewers want? Weird.

I'm also frustrated with auction coverage. Real information about the car is rarely shared, like how many miles, condition, originality, number of owners... you know the stuff that determines value. It would be much better if they fired the "expert" talking heads and just flashed real information at the bottom of the screen.

For my car TV fix, I comb the myriad of YouTube programs. I can search for just about any "how-to" subject, and find a selection of videos. Real guys fixing real cars with real issues. Now that's reality TV.

[Gene M.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

I've given up on cable TV car shows. ..................

I'm also frustrated with auction coverage. ...........................

For my car TV fix, I comb the myriad of YouTube programs. I can search for just about any "how-to" subject, and find a selection of videos. Real guys fixing real cars with real issues. Now that's reality TV.

Good point on the you tubes, I find them very good when I'm seeking info on something. And yes the TV auction coverage SUCKS. I record them and zip past the crap and ads. It takes about 4 hours down to 35 minutes. It is real sickening all the newer used cars they allow in the auction. Nothing different than the local dealer auctions getting rid or the junk that don't sell.

[Frank D.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

No doubt some freshly minted MBA junior exec decided to 'punch up' Wheeler Dealer to get more advertising revenue. Edd China has a youtube video discussing his departure in a very classy way. Basically, it cost too much to film all the technical details of Edd's more in-depth repairs (really?) and they wanted the stars to huckster more products for sponsors. The show is going to devolve into just another 'chewing gum for the eyes' Velocity channel, conveyor belt BS show.

I like FantomWorks mostly because I went to college right down the street at Old Dominion University and I have toured the facility and talked with Dan. The show has its detractors but on balance its a cut above the others. (The stupid 3-2-1 brake tests are faux drama IMO). If nothing else he has brought some industry to what used to be a VERY seedy part of Norfolk -- you didn't walk around there after dark years ago.

Anything is better than another show with some clown with a baseball cap down over his ears, all tattooed up, with a smirk on his face sucking up to some celebrity....

[Bill M.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

Anyone seen the commercials for the NEW and IMPROVED Wheeler Dealer. The mechanic is already behaving like a moron! I guess i'll watch the first show and that will be another car show down the drain. even the Chip Foose show has that idiot with the baseball cap ruining every frame.

[Frank D.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

Anyone seen the commercials for the NEW and IMPROVED Wheeler Dealer. The mechanic is already behaving like a moron! I guess i'll watch the first show and that will be another car show down the drain. even the Chip Foose show has that idiot with the baseball cap ruining every frame.

I did and I agree. Why some marketing genius has to "mess with success" I don't know...

[Roy S.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

I suspect all of these shows prefer to cater to those that do not know anything about cars, those of us who might be educated about this stuff are not who they are searching for. I think Wayne Carini's show and possibly some of Phantom works although I get tired of Dan telling us how stupid and uninformed the owners are. Ed was a rare individual in my world, seemed to be very knowledgeable and willing to tackle about anything.

[Terry M.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

I suspect all of these shows prefer to cater to those that do not know anything about cars, those of us who might be educated about this stuff are not who they are searching for. I think Wayne Carini's show and possibly some of Phantom works although I get tired of Dan telling us how stupid and uninformed the owners are. Ed was a rare individual in my world, seemed to be very knowledgeable and willing to tackle about anything.

I think you have nailed it Roy. Those of us with field knowledge and experience are not their target audience. My co-workers are enamored with some of these shows that are just thinly disguised commercials or product endoprsements. The much greater uninitiated masses are the consistency of most of these programs. These programs would not survive off of the few of us who frequent this board.

While I liked Edd China, and he clearly has a lot of mechanical skill, I suspect the old producers of the show allowed him the time to research the cars they were bringing to him. I don't mean this in any way to demean his ability. He was able to distill some complex issues into great learning situations -- and THAT is a far rarer skill than being a good wrench. It is one thing to know what to do. It is quite another to be able to communicate that to a wide range of people. Edd did that superbly, regardless how much help he had behind the scenes.

[Larry G.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

Edd China was the only reason I watched "Wheeler Dealer's".

[Michael F.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

all these shows geared toward 18-35 age and it seems many don't want the details or are not interested, networks all about the $$$$$$ in advertising, sign of the times

[David B.]

Re: Car show Wheeler Dealer

I also liked Edd, and I agree he made the show. The shows of this genre that I tend to like though are the ones that were apparently operating businesses before the TV crews came around--Fantom Works, Bitchin' Rides, Graveyard Carz, Chasing Classic Cars, off the top of my head. That's not to say I like all the personalities on those shows, but they're mostly free of the fake deadlines and contrived situations. I think those shows mostly conform to the projects that are happening, and not the other way around.

Wheeler Dealers is a show that was made for TV, though. There's really no business apart from the show. So, I think a lot more of what they do is on the production crew to set up. While I don't care the the changes, I suspect that's where the cost pressure was coming from.