Wheeler Dealers follows two car enthusiasts, Mike Brewer and Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley, as they navigate the world of buying and selling used cars for profit.
Mike does the research and finds a suitable vehicle while Elvis works hard on fixing any mechanical issues.
Once the car is in tip-top condition, Mike harnesses his skill as a used car trader to turn a profit.
With almost 250 cars sold and 3 different mechanics, audiences often wonder: which car resulted in the biggest profit for Wheeler Dealers? And do the boys get to keep the profit? Let’s find out.
Which Wheeler Dealers car made the most profit?
The 1965 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark III BJ8 Convertible from Series 14, Episode 8 was the biggest profit for Wheeler Dealers. It sold at auction for a profit of +$26,465. It remains the most profitable car to have ever been sold on the show.
The episode followed Mike Brewer and Ant Anstead as they acquired and fixed up the highly desirable Austin-Healey 3000.
Ant’s repairs included replacing the valve cover cork gasket, installing a new exhaust system, re-trimming the interior, installing a re-cored and repainted radiator and refurbishment of the dark walnut veneer dashboard.
The car was then detailed and prepared for sale at the Barret-Jackson auction house in Las Vegas.
After an incredibly tense bidding process, Mike and Ant were delighted to hear that the car had sold for a whopping $71,000.
Mike and his mechanics are no strangers to a bit of profit. Here are the five most profitable cars to have been sold on Wheeler Dealers to date:
| Vehicle Sold | Series/Episode | Profit Made |
| 1. 1965 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark III BJ8 Convertible | Season 14, Episode 8 | +$26,465 |
| 2. 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray C2 | Season 10, Episode 9 | +£20,220 |
| 3. 1972 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Series II | Season 14, Episode 14 | +$18,895 |
| 4. 1963 Land Rover Series I | Season 17, Episode 5 | +£9,690 |
| 5. 1995 Ford Escort RS Cosworth | Season 14, Episode 1 | +£9,500 |
Do Wheeler Dealers keep the profit?
It is unlikely that Mike Brewer and his mechanic personally keep the profits made on the show.
Whilst there has never been a definitive answer from the production team, it is highly likely that the profit is reinvested into the show to make it better.
This allows them to purchase higher-value cars that will appeal to broader audiences.
The Wheeler Dealers presenters are signed to the show via contract. They are paid according to the number of episodes they appear on.
It is unknown if they get bonuses or commissions in accordance with the profit achieved on the cars.
Back in the early days of Wheeler Dealers, profits were small. In Series 1, Mike and Edd China averaged £253.08 in profit across the six cars sold.
In the real world, a business could not survive on such slim profit margins.
As the show has increased in scale, profit margins have generally increased. But how else does Wheeler Dealers make money to keep the show on-air?
How does the show make money for Discovery?
Wheeler Dealers is a popular series that airs on the main Discovery Channel and Discovery+. It also airs on other Discovery Network channels like Quest in the UK.
The main way that Wheeler Dealers generates revenue for the Discovery Channel is through advertising.
A typical one-hour episode of Wheeler Dealers will usually feature four commercial breaks.
Wheeler Dealers is also available on Discovery+. Discovery+ is Discovery Channel’s on-demand video platform.
It allows audiences to catch up on content they have missed with a monthly subscription.
Audience subscriptions also generate revenue for Wheeler Dealers and the Discovery Channel.
Also, product placements are regularly used in the show to generate extra revenue.
Tools and car parts manufacturers can pay to have their products and branding featured in the show.
They also have the option of giving away parts for free in exchange for gaining some publicity.
At the end of the day, whatever happens on the show, Wheeler Dealers is in the entertainment business.
It must generate revenue for Discovery Channel so that it can stay on-air.
It does this by maintaining solid audience numbers for advertisements and through product placements.
Final thoughts
It’s a great feeling watching the Wheeler Dealers make a profit on a vehicle that they poured serious effort into.
Whether it’s Edd, Ant or Elvis behind the tools, we can all relate to that feeling of hard work paying off.
Which was your favourite Wheeler Dealers car sale? Let us know below!
I wish ant was coming back to England so he could sought out the mrs bearing on my 2007 targa 911 like he did a the show.
Very Best Regards Bill Leech.
I love the show, but can only see from 2015 0nwards, don’t know how to find the others.
I personally think mike sell some of the cars far to cheap or bends to the people with deep pockets too easily. ie the fiat Dino asked $17K and was offered $15K and took $15.5K, they are worth $50k upwards to $100K and more in the USA
Hi Ken,
We do have an article covering the various ways you can watch Wheeler Dealers: https://casualcarguide.com/where-to-watch-wheeler-dealers/#:~:text=Where%20to%20watch%20Wheeler%20Dealers%20in%20the%20US
If you’re in the US, you should be able to go right back to season 1 with a Discovery Plus or Motor Trend subscription.
Cheers for commenting!
Neil
Latest series has a sound issue.
One can’t hear Elvis or Mike talking due to loud music when they are speaking.
The is also less mechanical information when working on the cars.
With you on this, Jack! The sound levels of the music interfere with comprehension.