What's up with all these car shows, nearly two dozen of them, they are all the same and follow very similar scripted "drama". They all use the same tired formula.... 1) buy a cheap beater..... 2) install a LS crate motor..... 3) mount 22's with 6 piston Wilwood's….. 4) lower the car into the weeds..... 5) sell for massive profit (but only after the obligatory "no start" cliff hanger). What a joke!

It would be nice to see realistic and authentic builds on some of these shows, and scrap the made for television BS.

 

I stopped watching car shows since F&L was exposed. The deals were made way before the filming started and deadlines were really nonexistent. On top of that, the main guys were complete *********s the the original owners and the new buyers. If I was paying over $10k for anything, it better be 100% rust free and run like a top. But that's just me. The cars just fill air time. These shops make most of their money off of the overpriced merchandise. Seriously, no real mechanic or car guy (or girl) will spent over $30 for a cotton tshirt. I prefer spend 30 minutes organizing my toolbox once a week than waste it watching any of that crap. Just my two cents.

 

Yea, the "dead line" ! Man that is soooo played. Like the world will end, give me a break.

 

I don't really watch them for the same reasons but will have it on as back ground noise when surfing the WWW.
Being an ex body man I do like to see some of the mods they do to see the skills they have.
Other wise not rushing to turn them on.
Dave - - - -

 

Yeah, I actually enjoy Gas Monkey and Fired Up - and especially the show Aaron Kaufman had - I hope it comes back. No BS on his show. I just hate it though when they get hold of a nice clean unmolested car and then proceed to mod it all to hell. I take those shows for what they are, which is entertainment. If you're trying to learn to wrench from these shows, you'll likely end up a dummy...

I think their whole "DEADLINE!" routine is just to stress the viewer. I guess that started with American Chopper? Some stupid hollywooder needed to infuse stress into normally unstressful shows about cars. Maybe it was to introduce us to the whole post 911 Bush/Obama era where many folks were running around like chickens with their heads cut off, in order to stay afloat.

The Sunday morning shows on spike, or whatever used to be TNN, are a little better for learning, but can never show you everything you'll need to know.

I love Jay Leno's show too, but prefer the youtube episodes. He has a youtube vid on a mid '60s Continental convertible that was over an hour long! Unfortunately they pruned it down to fifty some minutes, but that's still somewhat epic. No BS on either version of his show. Jay isn't a car guy, he's Car God!

But I'm not as much into Counting Cars and Chasing cars, which seem to be more about the people on the show.

And some of the car shows seem like the hosts are trying too hard to be characters, or fit some meaningless demographic.

The best shows ever, in my opinion, would have to be Shadetree Mechanic. Sam and Dave were no BS, as long as they weren't hawking too many products. My Classic Car is pretty good, probably Leno's show, (certainly the youtube version). Another couple of no BS shows I really miss were on ESPN2 twenty years ago. Wednesday evenings they would have the Mother's Car Show, often with Don Garlits hosting, and then follow with Inside Drag Racing, which was a great show. They might still be on there in some form or another, but I don't have much faith in espn...

Any show which is serious about the hobby, and devoid of manufactured BS is usually OK in my book.

But youtube blows cable out of the water if you're looking to watch programming about cars.

 

These shows are becoming ridiculous. Getting sick and tired of watching these guys take an all original rust free classic ,fill it full of computers, fuel injection, rack & pinion steering, coil over suspension, lowering kits, and 20" rims with rubber band tires. Then they tell us it will "drive like a modern car." If you want a modern car, buy a modern car. Old guys like old cars because they drive like old cars .As Dennis Gage says;" honor the timeless classics."(cars and us).

 

My thoughts also on those shows. I'm not into the stupid antics of F & L, GM and Fired Up. Counting Cars, cars all seem to look the same to me- Black/purple with flame or horns. Chasing, those cars usually don't interest me. Watched a couple episodes of Iron Resurrection this past weekend. Same thing - LS motors in everything. The one I do watch and DVR is Phantom Works. Seems the most down to earth with a variety of vehicles.

 

IMO, Fantomworks is the best of these reality shows, because it shows actual work being performed. Plus, the show works on myriad types of vehicles besides the usual Ford's & Chevy's.

I also watch Chasing Classic Cars, because the star (Wayne Carini) finds some unusual and rare vehicles.

Wayne found a super rare Minerva convertible sedan w/a custom body, the former owner who had died also collected Packard's.

I also like Wheeler/Dealers, Jay Leno's Garage, Motor Week (also shown on PBS without commercials).

 

Was going to make mention of this. Some great channels on YT for car stuff that cuts out all the fabricated drama and nonsense. Although I do enjoy Roadkill and Roadkill Garage, Dirt Every Day, Engine Masters and Hot Rod Garage quite a lot, they don't really fall into the "reality tv" trap. Top Gear was fun in it's day, haven't really tried The Grand Tour yet.

 

I gave them all up when I dumped cable. YouTube is great, Jay Leno's show is great. I was bummed when Dirt Every Day and the others quit YouTube about a year ago.....but that also tells me they were all about money vs. quality tv, so f'um.

 

My favorite show was Top Gear. But TruckU, Chasing Classic Cars, has some good info also. I really wish top gear wasn't revamped its a shadow of its former awesome self. haven't watched The Grand Tour but have heard good things

 

Truck U is pretty cool, watched some GMG til it got old and when I did, it was mostly because Aaron Kaufman was the real star, but lately I've been hooked on Garage Squad. I think Heather Storm is pretty hot and I like their formula for helping people fix up their languishing projects. It seems pretty legit but I guess they only focus on the area surrounding Chicago. Still cool to watch tho. Now If I could only convince them the ride to Seattle is worth it....hahahaha

 

Velocity is a channel produced by Discovery Channel.

My fav shows are Truck Tech, Detroit Muscle, Bitchin Rides, Garage Squad, Wheeler Dealer, and Iron Resurrection.

Don't like Junkyard Empire.

 

My favorite is Roadkill. However, I haven't seen it since it went to motor trend channel.
stubby bob is the best https://youtu.be/Rbbq4Vapp1Q

 

there going the way modern society is going. you take an old body with newer technologies and in every single way is improved. the only thing my 70's ford does better than my Silverado is the windows roll up faster because they're not power. I get twice the power, twice the millage, and zero driveability problems with my newer vehicle. my wife can drive it to work when wanted. the old 70's tech that is now 40+ years old I barely trust the 40+ miles to work by myself/