Mike Brewer’s The Wheeler Dealer Know How!

Thanks

Getting round to writing a book has taken me ages, but I hope that what you read between these pages will inspire you to start thinking about just how much fun and how important classic cars really can be.

None of this would have been possible without the help of the following:

Thanks to my amazing writer and a man who worked tirelessly to bring this book to you, Chris Randall. Thanks also to his beautiful wife, Becky, for lending me Chris and for behaving like my second wife! Food and tea always on tap. Brilliant!

Thanks to all the photographers who have given me images to use throughout the book especially Steve Fowler (Auto Express) and all of the car manufacturers’ PRs who have put up with my begging.

Thanks to Edd China and the team at Wheeler Dealers who let me indulge my passion of doing up old motors. Thanks to the team at Discovery Channel for also letting me indulge my passion of doing up old motors!

But the biggest thanks of all go to my amazing wife and daughter. They watch me walk out of the house and disappear for weeks on end while I make the shows, but are always there to welcome me back.Michelle, I wouldn’t work without you. And Chloe, keep doing what you’re doing – Daddy’s very proud. I love you both forever.

Mike Brewer

This is where things get exciting! You’ve got cash burning a hole in your pocket and you’re ready to bag yourself a cracking used motor.

So where is the place to look, and what should you do when you get there? As a wheeler dealer I’ve bought hundreds of cars so I’m about to tell you everything you need to know. And remember, it doesn’t matter whether you’re buying a classic or something a bit newer, the rules are the same. Let’s start at the most exciting place of all, the auction.

Buying at auction

Let me tell you, I love buying cars at auction. There’s a real buzz! All those shiny motors just waiting to be snapped-up and bids flying around all over the place, but it’s easy to get carried away and end up coming a cropper ... I know – I’ve done it loads of times myself! So where should you start? With plenty of homework, that’s where.

Make sure you know exactly what car you want to buy and set yourself a budget (this is where talking to the owner’s club beforehand can make all the difference) – I can’t tell you how important it is to get to the auction with a solid plan in your head. One of the things with buying classic cars is that values can vary a lot depending on the age, rarity and condition of a particular model, and it is only too easy to end-up paying over the odds for one of the less desirable examples. Get on the internet and find out how auctions work – there’s lots of advice out there, and better still, find an auction that specialises in the sort of car you want. And don’t forget the price suggested in the catalogue isn’t the one you’ll pay. There are other costs like a buyer’s premium and tax which all add-up, and can easily take you over your budget.

Remember as well that classic car auctions can have all sorts of cars up for sale, from immaculate rare models worth mega-bucks, to barn finds that could take years to restore, and everything in between. Another important thing to remember is this – lots of people buy a classic car with the intention of restoring it, then get bored or run out of cash, or do a few bodged repairs and hope to make a bit of money. And the auction hall is the perfect place to get rid of these cars. That’s why it is so important to follow my advice as the last thing you want is to get stuck with someone else’s wreck!

So, you’ve arrived at the auction and the adrenaline is kicking in, but the best piece of advice I can give you is to take your time. Get there nice and early, find yourself a nice quiet corner, grab yourself a cuppa, and spend a bit of time going through the catalogue to narrow down your search. Once you’ve found a car you’re interested in, go and find it in the car park and spend as much time as you can having a good old look around. Remember, this is the only chance you’ll get to examine the car of your dreams so make the most of it. Give the bodywork a good going over – you want a car that’s nice and straight so check all the panels, and get the trusty torch out and have a good poke around to make sure there are no horrors underneath.

And now is the time to do a few crafty wheeler dealer checks to give you a bit more peace of mind. Here they are:

bullet Take a good look at the number plates to see if there are any dealer stickers. If they are different front and back, ask yourself why. Just a replacement number plate or a bit of new bodywork after an accident? This won’t always apply to classic cars but it is still a good check no matter what car you’re buying.

bullet Look for a dealer name in the back window and on the tax-disc holder, as well as the number plates. These are all good clues to the car’s history. Again, a classic car might not have these, but a caring owner will often preserve these sorts of bits for originality, so you might learn a bit more about the car.

bullet And a big tip this, check all the glass to see if a registration or chassis number has been etched in. It’s a simple thing but if a number is missing or different, perhaps there is something dodgy in the car’s past.

bullet Have a look at the mileage. This is often on a service sticker somewhere and might be guaranteed, but don’t worry if not. There are a few things you can do to see if it’s genuine, starting with the inside. You might not get a lot of time, so get a good look at the seats, steering wheel and gearlever. Another good trick is to pull out the seatbelts (if fitted!) – if they are a bit slow to reel back in, this could mean the car has had plenty of use and maybe a bit of a hard life. You might think mileage isn’t so important on cars like the ones in this book, and it’s true that some will have been pampered and covered just a few miles every year. However, there are plenty out there that have been to the moon and back judging by the numbers on the odometer, so it really does pay to know what to look for.

I said to take your time, and this is where that can really pay off. Don’t be in a rush to get into the auction hall – hang around the car you’re interested in for as long as possible. Not only will this give you a chance to see who else is interested, but you can wait for the guy who drives them into the hall. This is a great chance to hear the motor running, so have a good listen to the engine and look for any smoke from the exhaust. If the engine sounds like a bag of nails you’ll know to keep the money in your pocket! Also, try to grab a word with the driver, ask him what it feels like to drive. Basically, do everything you can to find out as much as you can about the car. In the old days, there were a few unscrupulous traders around who would whip off a sparkplug lead when no one was watching so the car would run roughly – other punters would be put off and the dodgy dealer would pick up a bargain. Things have changed a bit now thank goodness – you had to be on the ball in my day – but follow my advice and you won’t get caught out.

The car looks spot-on and you’re ready to do some bidding. Now this part can be a bit intimidating, but relax! Look at how people are bidding so you can see how it all happens, and don’t be shy. When it comes to your motor’s turn in the ring, be positive and show other people that you really want it – it can put other bidders off when they see how keen you are.

When you’ve bought a car some auctions will give you an hour or so to return it if you find any major faults, so use this time wisely. Give the car a really good check over and test drive and, if you think there is a serious problem, or the car isn’t as described, don’t be afraid to take it back. This is really important with older cars so a bit of expert advice can really pay-off.

And my last bit of advice? If you’re not sure about buying at an auction, take along a knowledgeable mate or member of the family to help you out.

Also, don’t forget the specialist classic car auctions – the sort you find advertised in classic car mags and at car shows and events – as you’ll find loads of superb classics for sale just like the ones in this book! The thing to remember here is that they work a bit differently to the auctions I’ve already described. Firstly, you usually need to buy a catalogue in advance before you can do any bidding, so make sure you know the sort of car you want will be there before splashing out on the cost of the catalogue (the lots can usually be viewed online). Secondly, the cars are often on static display at the venue so you won’t get the chance to see them driven into the ring like the auctions I’ve spent so many years at. But don’t worry as you’ll still get plenty of time to have a good look over the car you’re after, and you can always ask the staff for help with checking that major things are working.

So, whichever sort of auction you attend, there is plenty of opportunity to grab yourself a fantastic classic motor.

Wheeler Dealer Top Tips

bullet Know what you want to buy and how much you want to pay

bullet Do your homework!

bullet Take your time – don’t rush into buying

bullet Check the car as thoroughly as you can

bullet Be positive when bidding

bullet Take a knowledgeable friend

Buying from a dealer

You’ve decided the auction hall isn’t for you, and want to head for the dealer. As a wheeler dealer I spent years on the forecourts of south London, flogging everything from rusty Rovers to beautiful Rollers, so I really have seen it all. Let me tell you what you need to do to bag yourself the perfect deal.

The first port of call is normally a trawl through the classifieds but, if like me, you enjoy poring over the small ads, things aren’t always quite as they seem ... When you get on the phone, tell the seller you’re ringing about the car for sale – if they say which one? they are probably a trader pretending to be a private seller. It’s an easy trick and means you know exactly who you’re dealing with.

But you’ve found a dealer and it looks like he’s got the perfect motor for you. What’s next? Well, get straight on the internet and find out everything you can about that car – make notes about the prices, the engines, the specifications, all the optional extras, everything you can find. That way, you’ll have all that information in your armoury when it comes to inspecting the car, and let me tell you dealers hate it when you know more than they do! Trust me, a few hours of homework will be well worth it and you’ll feel much more relaxed and