Tv Car Shows

[Hoovie]

This is a little thread for my RAV4 friends (in other words, Mr Mods, DO NOT MOVE PLEASE!)

What is your favourite TV show about cars?

The ones on 'regular' TV channels would be Top Gear and Fifth Gear, and I have to say I find both pretty tedious with an obsession on squealing tyres and presenters trying to be idiots (and succeeding most times)

Everyone will have heard of Pimp my Ride, of course, and that can be fun but all the builds are over the top with screens everywhere and cosmetic makeovers over substance (bit like Changing Rooms for cars :D )

As far as UK Program's go, I do like Wheeler Dealers, and there is a similar (but more extreme in terms of what they do) US program called "Overhauling" which is a good watch.

However, my favourite program is probably one many will not have seen or even heard of, and that is "Counting Cars" on the sky History Channel, featuring Danny Count of Count's Kustoms in LA.

You don't get to see HOW they make the changes and updates, just the before and afters, but the cars they start with are so cool (I love the 60's and 70's American motors), and there is usually a nice backstory alongside the build.

So ... Tell us your own favourite :)

[bigend]

Of the american shows I like Overhauling mainly because most of the other US ones are always bawling and shouting at each other.

Keith

[silly sausage]

I agree that Top Gear has become a bit tedious, the odd episode is good, such as the India special and the finale of the last season featuring British built vehicles. I don't watch the U.S car shows. I find Vikki Butler-Henderson pleasing to the eye, I'm not bothered what gear she's in, fifth or otherwise….

[Cyker]

One I've been watching recently is I Want That Car; Not very flashy but nonetheless quite insightful.

Some of the choices they make are quite suspect tho'

[GreyRacer]

I like to watch the South African program rpmtv. They really do show proper new car appraisals. Same cars we have in the UK and on the proper side of the road as well. Got hooked on it when I was on the African sat for two years.

[dave.m]

Yep Counts Kustoms is good as is Fast And Loud. Chip Foose/ overhaulin is also good,

but has been repeated so often that I can't be rrrs'd with it now. Top Gear stopped being

a serious car show years ago, purely an entertainment show now which really irritates me

due to the utter waste and damage they do. Also think Clarkson has become such an

irritating prat, maybe that's because I am old enough to remember its roots as a serious

show called Wheelbase.

[dwilson]

One I've been watching recently is I Want That Car; Not very flashy but nonetheless quite insightful.

Some of the choices they make are quite suspect tho'

Yep, I have been watching that one!

[Hoovie]

Not heard of "I want that car" - when & what channel?

One show that had a short run a few years ago and was quite interesting was "Used Car Roadshow" with Penny Mallory (rally driver and Papa/Nicole in the Renault advert) and Jason Dawes (did the first year on the revamped Top Gear with Clarkson, but got replaced with Hammond and/or May)

[jolly-friar]

I watched top gear ( coz of my older brother ) when it was Chris Goffey / William Woollard / Sue Baker / Frank Page etc and remember the Austin Metro being tested... not a fan of the new one..

Been watching "Classic Car Club" with Penny Mallory recently, more for entertainment value really.. :D

[dwilson]

Not heard of "I want that car" - when & what channel?

One show that had a short run a few years ago and was quite interesting was "Used Car Roadshow" with Penny Mallory (rally driver and Papa/Nicole in the Renault advert) and Jason Dawes (did the first year on the revamped Top Gear with Clarkson, but got replaced with Hammond and/or Mayi

I T V 4 Wednesday 9pm and repeated other times

[Hoovie]

Not heard of "I want that car" - when & what channel?

One show that had a short run a few years ago and was quite interesting was "Used Car Roadshow" with Penny Mallory (rally driver and Papa/Nicole in the Renault advert) and Jason Dawes (did the first year on the revamped Top Gear with Clarkson, but got replaced with Hammond and/or Mayi

I T V 4 Wednesday 9pm and repeated other times

Thanks :). Had a look and will record it on Sunday morning to try out :)

[DjRav]

Controversial - I love Top Gear.

Plenty of haters out there but I see it for what it is. It's just a laugh.

Correct- not a serious car show I agree. But their specials I can watch again and again.

Dave

[Davrav]

Controversial - I love Top Gear.

Plenty of haters out there but I see it for what it is. It's just a laugh.

Correct- not a serious car show I agree. But their specials I can watch again and again.

Dave

Yeah, they have a lot of fun and visit exotic places with little or no responsibility at licence payers expense and on a very favourable contract........................

[Hoovie]

Controversial - I love Top Gear.

Plenty of haters out there but I see it for what it is. It's just a laugh.

Correct- not a serious car show I agree. But their specials I can watch again and again.

Dave

Yeah, they have a lot of fun and visit exotic places with little or no responsibility at licence payers expense and on a very favourable contract........................

Well, apparently, Top Gear does actually generate positive income for the BBC Trust with series sales (don't think the BBC is allowed to make money itself? Very complicated), but the other points you make, DavRav, I concur with.

[dwilson]

I saw Clarkson and May recording in Richmond last year and Jeremy had plenty of time for chatting and having photos taken with the public. James was busy driving slowly around - but he was more impressive at parking than JC. I think they get a bad press.

[jolly-friar]

Has anyone else noticed on the new TG that they always put some pretty girls behind the presenters ?

Or maybe, is it just a female thing to see that ?

( silly question I suppose..... lol... )

[Davrav]

Has anyone else noticed on the new TG that they always put some pretty girls behind the presenters ?

Or maybe, is it just a female thing to see that ?

( silly question I suppose..... lol... )

Been doing that for some time Liz................

[ALake]

I like top gear, it's more of an entertainment show than an outright motoring show. Sunday night light entertainment that is loosely car related, a bit like being in the pub with your mates.

And as an ardent hater of the license fee, I'm happy that top gear more than pays its own way as it's sold around the globe!

[Davrav]

I like top gear, it's more of an entertainment show than an outright motoring show. Sunday night light entertainment that is loosely car related, a bit like being in the pub with your mates.

And as an ardent hater of the license fee, I'm happy that top gear more than pays its own way as it's sold around the globe!

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jul/16/jeremy-clarkson-top-gear-bbc-worldwide

Who put up the stake money?

[Tech01]

There hasn't really been any kind of serious and genuinely informative motoring programme on UK tv for a very long time. It seems odd that this gap exists. Apart from new models (for testing), there are so many issues that could be explored - traffic conditions, accident prevention, technology advances, electric vehicles (almost total silence on this from the media), insurance (and lack of), road design (and cycling) - let alone styling, history, landmarks . . . The list is almost endless.

But maybe many folk are just more interested in whether their four wheels comes equipped with an MP3 or USB socket, and which model of satnav is included. The shelves of Halfords give a pretty good indication of what the public seem to want from their cars.

I guess that a combination of technical excellence, build quality, economy and performance just don't come very high on many personal lists. I know we're all different, and lots of folk just look at their car as another 'consumer durable', along with their fridge and washing machine.

Interesting, though, when many friends of ours get driven about in our almost twenty-year-old 2.5 Citroen XM, which is a car, for some of them, they never really knew existed, they are stunned by its comfort, speed, space and 35-40mpg economy, and bought almost new for little more than a Mondeo.

Hey ho.

Chris

[Rattymr2]

Not heard of "I want that car" - when & what channel?

One show that had a short run a few years ago and was quite interesting was "Used Car Roadshow" with Penny Mallory (rally driver and Papa/Nicole in the Renault advert)

Did she play Papa cos nicole was young and fit.

I like chasing classic cars and wheeler dealers though wd format is getting a bit tired now. Good that they did the trading up shows but how much is believable.

Would like to see a new car is born with Mark Evans.Quite eentertaining but need to be hour long shows.

[graunch]

Top gear is now just too scripted, I just record and play the interesting bits (about 5 mins worth), I do enjoy "wheeler dealers" and have a great deal of respect for Ed China, he certainly is a very knowledgeable chap, also loved" a car is born" but mark has obviously decided the animals pay better than the cars.

[anchorman]

Poor old Ed spends 100s of hours under one of these basket cases and Mike Brewer goes out and agrees a 30p mark up on the costs less time. Ed doesn't eat again!

I can only watch a maximum of 90 seconds of Top Gear these days although one of my favourite books is "I know you got soul".

I love watching old TV series like On the buses or The professionals, Minder etc for the street scenes - even old Ealing comedies.

Mega factorys is quite good on National Geographic (we should organise a trip to the Toyota factory at Burnaston).

Counts Customs is good although I'm amzed he hasn't been tasared or pepper sprayed if those stopping in the street stunts haven't been staged.

[Hoovie]

Count kustoms .... One of the last ones I saw - when he stopped a woman who was driving what looked to me like a Kublewagen - the driver responded with "I've got Mace" which made them step back a couple of feet :)

steptoe is a a good program for old street scene spotting ( and both that, the sweeney and On The Buses are good when it comes to Middle Aged men imaging they are irresistible to busty 20-something year olds :) )

The "free labour" aspect of WD is a bit odd when it comes to mike saying they "made £500 profit" on some car, ignoring that it was in the shop for 2 weeks or whatever

[Big Kev]

See me......? See if ah was a moderator....? detailing Section......moved.......never to be seen again....