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MotorTranscript
00:00This time, we're on a mission to get Kate her dream mini countryman.
00:06A dream car for me would be a BMW Mini.
00:11From the toughest starting point ever.
00:14It was 400 quid.
00:15Do you like a night out in a casino?
00:17Yeah, it is a bit of a gamble.
00:18It is a gamble.
00:19So we're taking on trades we'd never usually touch.
00:22What have you paid for it?
00:23Can we change the subject, talk about something else?
00:25Come on, don't.
00:26Will the gambles pay off?
00:27Ah, yes!
00:29Or will they all end in disaster?
00:32The reason it's on the trailer is it's an MOT failure.
00:35Mate.
00:37Oh, yes!
00:40We've all got a dream car.
00:42For most, it remains out of reach.
00:45I've always said to myself when I was younger that when I get older, I'll buy one.
00:48But unfortunately, it's just been a dream.
00:50So I'm taking on the ultimate trading challenge.
00:53Whoa, now we're going!
00:55To make motoring dreams come true.
00:56I know you can do it, mate.
00:58I believe in you.
00:59I'm not Harry Potter.
01:00Here's how.
01:01I meet car lovers who hand over their daily drive.
01:04Where's the petrol flat?
01:05Oh, I think that flew off down the M1 on the way, yeah.
01:07And whatever savings they can spare.
01:09About £500.
01:10£500.
01:11For a series of trades.
01:12This is a monumental gamble.
01:15And money-making deals.
01:16I'll offer you £3,000.
01:18Hold out your hand.
01:19I'll trade up.
01:19Yeah, lovely.
01:20Until I've got enough money to buy the car they've always wanted.
01:23I can't express how happy I am.
01:26Stop crying.
01:27I'll draw on years of experience and share my tricks of the trade.
01:32If the weather's like this, I wouldn't get that roof working.
01:34We can sell this for more than double what I paid for it.
01:37Helping me in the workshop is ex-Formula 1 mechanic Elvis.
01:41It's such an inconvenient place to have to work this.
01:44It won't go forwards.
01:45It only goes backwards.
01:47You just wasted £2,300 of our money.
01:49The pressure is on.
01:51Oh, that's crazy.
01:52To deliver that dream car.
01:55I'm shaking.
01:55It's amazing.
01:56Look at this.
02:05Stand by the canals.
02:06I'm in Dudley, the West Midlands, here to meet a young lady called Kate.
02:09She's a single mother who likes to help disadvantaged families in her spare time.
02:14So she's a rather impressive lady.
02:16Now, she's asked our help to get her dream car.
02:19And she'd like a BMW Mini.
02:21So I'm off to go and meet her to see if me and Elvis can help her out.
02:24Kate certainly has her hands full, with three kids to look after and a career as a dental nurse.
02:31On top of that, she runs a community group, providing clothes to families in need.
02:36So I'd love to get her that dream Mini.
02:38Are you Kate?
02:39I am, yes.
02:40Kate, how are you?
02:41I'm great, thank you.
02:42Very nice to see you.
02:43And you, nice to meet you.
02:44This is nice, isn't it, in here?
02:45Is this one of your little favourite hangouts?
02:47It is.
02:47It's my favourite.
02:48I love it here.
02:49What makes it so special?
02:50Well, I set up a not-for-profit organisation.
02:52So what happens is, members of the public will come, and they'll drop off clothes for children between the ages 2 and 12.
02:59Oh, so this is a drop-off point for the clothes?
03:01I love it!
03:02And it just, it's just flourished.
03:04I've been able to clothe about 600 children.
03:07No way, seriously?
03:08Yeah, yeah.
03:09Well, you've done that.
03:10I'm almost gushing now, sitting here.
03:12Well, people need help, don't they?
03:14But, I mean, you've got a family.
03:15How many kids have you got?
03:16I'm a single parent with three children.
03:18So what would a dream car mean to you, then?
03:21A dream car, for me, would be a BMW Mini.
03:27Hold on, let's think about this, because you've got three kids.
03:29So they are small cars.
03:31Now, have you not seen the Countryman?
03:32Oh, you want the big one, the Countryman?
03:34Yes.
03:35I adore all Minis.
03:36It was the very first car I ever owned, after all.
03:39And the BMW Mini Countryman is no exception.
03:43Launched in 2010, it combines the brand's iconic styling with the space a family needs.
03:50It's packed with clever features, and has a cavernous 450 litres of boot space.
03:5620 more than a Nissan Qashqai.
03:58So it's perfect for Kate, as she ferries about bags of clothing for the family she helps out.
04:04I'm going to ask you an obvious question here.
04:06You're a single mum with three kids, and you do a lot of work on the side for helping other people.
04:10And I was going to say, why haven't you just gone and got one yourself?
04:13But I gather money just keeps getting dwindled, and it gets further and further away.
04:18Yeah, yeah.
04:19I own my own home, and I only work part-time, so it's...
04:24Yeah, I get it. I get it.
04:26My kids come first.
04:27Well, that's pulled on my heartstrings a little bit more, hasn't it?
04:32Kate's an amazing lady, and I really want to help her get her dream mini.
04:36Let's just hope the car she's got for me to start trading with is a belter.
04:40Right, so I can already see a BMW mini on the horizon.
04:43It might be nice and simple when you tell me and reveal what car you've got tucked away in the car park.
04:49Mm.
04:50Yes.
04:50Yeah, so, um, there isn't a car that I can trade.
04:56I bet, uh, sorry? I beg your pardon? That don't make any sense.
04:59How am I going to get you your dream car? Where do I start?
05:01You're Magic Mike, aren't you?
05:02Nobody wants to see these clothes coming off, let me tell you.
05:07Nobody. There's not one person. Nobody will eat ever again.
05:10I've got £500.
05:12You've got £500?
05:13Work your magic.
05:14OK, so £500 to a BMW Mini Countryman. That's a tall order. Um, OK. Well, listen, you work really hard, and you really do give back to the community. So for that reason alone, I'm going to say the words, and it's words that my mate Elvis might regret me saying, but I'm going to say the words.
05:35Next time you see me, Kate, I'll be with your dream car.
05:39Well, Kate is an incredible lady who does fantastic work, and that's maybe even more determined to get her a dream BMW Mini. The only problem we've got is I've literally got no trading car, nothing to get going with other than £500. Now, a BMW Mini, a good one, what's that going to be, £5,000? This ain't going to be easy, is it?
06:03I just hope Elvis is ready for a challenge, not to mention a bit of bad news.
06:09Hello, mate.
06:09Hello, mate. How are you?
06:10I'm all right, thanks very much.
06:12Yeah, how'd you get on with Kate?
06:13That lovely lady, really nice. Honestly, Elvis, my heart was bursting when she tells me about a non-profit, and she desperately wants our help. She wants her dream car.
06:23Can't bear it any longer. Tell me what it is.
06:25She wants a BMW Mini Countryman.
06:27Oh, perfect. Well, good idea. Great choice.
06:29Oh, well, the good news is she's saved quite hard, and she's given us £500.
06:33Oh, that's great. Yeah, that's a good starting point. Great. And what's the car?
06:37She's just given us the £500. There is no car.
06:41She hasn't got a car to hand over?
06:42No, so we've just got £500.
06:44Wow. That is a giant leap, isn't it?
06:47I may have bitten off more than I can chew on this one.
06:50I can't do anything with no car, and what are you going to do with £500? You can't buy much for that.
06:55Sadly, Elvis makes a very good point.
06:59The problem is, there's not much I can buy for £500.
07:03I can buy a pushbike or a computer games console, or I can buy an M.O.T. failure that needs work.
07:11And that's where I am. It's beggars, can't be choosers, if you like.
07:15Fingers crossed, I can find one.
07:17While Mike's out looking for one of the cheapest cars he's ever bought, I've had a brainwave.
07:24We need every penny we can get, and on the floor of the workshop, there's something I step over every day that could deliver us a tidy profit.
07:31And I've had this old American road crossing light sat at the back for ages.
07:35Right now, though, it doesn't work, so if I can bring it back to life, I might just get a few quid out of it.
07:40Right, I'm going to come back and replace that later on.
07:47But first of all, I want to make sure I can get the electrics working inside.
07:50These classic New York street signs were phased out in the early 2000s, and that's only made them more collectible.
07:59They can sell for up to a grand in design outlets, but this one needs a proper refurb before I can hope to get anything close to that.
08:07OK, now I'm going to completely replace the electrics, just so I know that it's safe and up to modern standards.
08:13So I've got some new bulb holders with energy-efficient bulbs in there.
08:17They're going to sit inside, somewhere like that.
08:19The new bulbs and wiring only cost me eight quid and should bring the light back to its former glory.
08:34And there it is, working back to life again. I love it. It's such a cool piece, this, isn't it?
08:38But actually, now that I've got the electrics all replaced and working, I'm actually going to strip it all apart again
08:43so that I can get this thing fixed up and repainted and looking like new again.
08:48I'm also going to make myself a new one of these aluminium surrounds.
08:51Kate's Dream Mini Countryman is going to cost five grand plus, so I need to get trade in, even with £500.
08:59As, yes, you can actually buy a car with that kind of money, a Mazda 3, to be precise.
09:05There's just one little problem.
09:07The reason why it's only advertised for £400 is it's an M.O.T. failure.
09:14What it's failed on looks like it's going to be more labour-intensive than costs, which is rear suspension.
09:21And if we can get that fixed, a car like that, potentially, could be worth up to a grand.
09:25So hopefully, we can put a deal together.
09:28Picking up an M.O.T. failure can be a smart way to make a few quid.
09:32But without a proper test drive, the risks are high, so I've got to ask all the right questions.
09:37Are you Turgay?
09:38Yes, I am.
09:39Turgay, nice to meet you, Mike.
09:40Pleasure is mine, mate.
09:41Good to talk to you on the phone.
09:43So, this is the one, is it?
09:45Yeah, it looks all right, doesn't it?
09:46It's nice and straight.
09:47The reason I'm here is because it's cheap.
09:49Yep.
09:49And it failed an M.O.T., so it failed on a few things, didn't it?
09:52A few things.
09:52I think the back, there was some suspension.
09:55Yes, where's the springs?
09:56And one of the front lights.
09:57Lens intensity, I believe.
09:58Lens intensity on the lights.
10:00Okay, well, they should be quite easy to fix, which begs the question, why are you selling it?
10:06Well, we're actually going back home, back to Australia.
10:08I thought I recognised a bit of an accent there.
10:12Yeah, we just can't stand the weather anymore, mate.
10:14We're ready to get rid of it.
10:14Really easy, man.
10:16What's up with you?
10:16This is beautiful.
10:18Right, so the car's got to go.
10:19You've got to get rid of everything.
10:20We'd like to keep it if we're still around, but we just need to get rid of it now.
10:24Perfect for me.
10:25Would your neighbour mind if I went up and down the driveway?
10:27No, she's just your phone.
10:28Right.
10:31Well, it starts, Turgay.
10:32That's good.
10:33That is good.
10:34The electric windows work, then.
10:36Yeah.
10:37Which is excellent.
10:40Can feel the clutch.
10:42Yeah, it's got a good biting point.
10:43Engine feels quite free and peppy, quite revvy.
10:48And the brakes work.
10:49Judging by the jobs that need doing, it's nothing that Elvis would be bothered about.
10:53I think he could do it quite easily.
10:55And this car has definitely got a profit in it.
10:58So, let's see if I put a deal together with Turgay.
11:02Do you know what?
11:03I'm not worried about the MOT failure bits because I can repair those.
11:06And you want 400 quid for it?
11:08Yeah, that's all.
11:08Done.
11:09Simple as that.
11:09I'll have it.
11:10You got it.
11:12I think I was in the right place at the right time to go and buy this car.
11:16The only problem I got is now I need to get it back to the workshop and put it in front
11:21of Elvis and let him know that I bought an MOT failure and see if he's on board.
11:26What could go wrong?
11:27How you doing?
11:40Another car on a trailer.
11:41Oh, don't say it like that.
11:42What's the story here then?
11:44Okay.
11:44Well, you know, I like to find a bargain and the reason that it's on a trailer is it's an
11:48MOT failure.
11:49Oh, mate.
11:50But it was 400 quid.
11:52Do you like a night out in a casino?
11:54Yeah, it is a bit of a gamble.
11:55It is a gamble.
11:56That's the problem with MOT failure.
11:57You just don't know.
11:58Those things that it fails on could literally be the tip of the iceberg.
12:01They're the most dangerous things that stop it being roadworthy.
12:03It's a Mazda 3.
12:04Come on, let's get it off.
12:05Get it in the workshop.
12:06Turn that frown into a smile.
12:09Next, I've got to make more sounds than ever.
12:12You don't buy it for 1,500 pounds.
12:14I've got somebody else who will.
12:15And our quest heads for uncharted waters.
12:18It does need a bit of tidying up.
12:20Does it float?
12:30We're trying to trade our way from just 500 pounds to a 5 grand mini countryman for Kate,
12:35who spends her spare time helping needy families.
12:38There isn't a car that I can trade.
12:41A bit, uh, sorry?
12:42The good news is I've been working on a street sign that I found at the back of our workshop.
12:47Mate, come and have a look.
12:49I've got a little surprise to show you in here.
12:50Oh, I love surprises.
12:52Come on in.
12:52You're going to love this.
12:53What is it?
12:54Oh, wow.
12:55That's brilliant.
12:56It looks amazing.
12:57Is this for me?
12:58Is this a gift?
12:59No, it's not a gift.
13:00I mean, it's for us, isn't it?
13:01I mean, we need to make some money out of it.
13:02What have you done to it?
13:03I've rewired the whole thing.
13:04I've repaired the box, repainted it, made a new cowl for the top.
13:08I mean, it looks great, doesn't it?
13:09There's a fair few hundred quid profit in that, mate.
13:11Good one, mate.
13:12I like that.
13:13Yeah.
13:13See, you do surprise me.
13:14Well, I thought you'd like the profit more than the actual light.
13:17Walk.
13:17Don't walk.
13:18Walk.
13:19Don't walk.
13:19Walk.
13:20Don't walk.
13:22So, while Mike tries to sell the sign, I'm busy with the Mazda.
13:26I've checked it over and fortunately found nothing else wrong beyond the MOT fails that are posted on the DVLA website.
13:32I've sorted one fail, the headlights.
13:35Now for another, the broken rear suspension springs.
13:38I've cleaned up the front headlights.
13:39I have done the coil spring on the rear suspension on the other side, just leaving me with the broken coil spring to do on this side.
13:47I'm just taking the bolt out of this lower arm.
13:49And once the bolt's out, the lower arm should swing out of the way, allowing me to take the old spring out, the broken one, replace it with a new one, and then the whole thing should go back together as a reversal of that process.
14:04If you're tackling a job like this, it's important to have both the weight of the car and the suspension arm well supported.
14:10Okay, so with the bolt now removed, it should just be this transmission jack that's holding the lower arm up inside the upright.
14:18And if I take the pressure off that, it should start to drop.
14:22However, there's years of rust in there.
14:25So, get the trusty lever bar.
14:29There we go.
14:29With the arm loose, I should be able to lower it and retrieve the broken coil spring.
14:39And there it is.
14:41And that is definitely broken.
14:43There should be a broken bit in here somewhere.
14:45There it is.
14:47And that is why it failed an MOT.
14:49And that is the solution.
14:56The new coil spring is only 25 quid, so it won't take much out of our profits.
15:03Bolt hole should just about line up.
15:06There we go.
15:07A quick tighten and that suspension is as good as new.
15:11MOT failures scare people.
15:14But all this has taken is a bit of elbow grease.
15:16The actual parts that I've needed probably total £75.
15:20So, I've done my bit.
15:21I just need Mike to get it sold.
15:23Mate, good news.
15:25The Mazda is done.
15:26What do you reckon we get for it?
15:27Fantastic.
15:28Well, do you know the market for cheap, reliable little runabouts at the moment is immensely strong.
15:33I reckon we could probably get £1,500 for it.
15:35Do you?
15:35That is good profit.
15:37What's this?
15:37My birthday present?
15:38No, you might recognise this.
15:40Oh, yeah.
15:41Have you sold it?
15:42Sold it.
15:42Yeah, the walk, don't walk sign, is no more.
15:45I've sold it online to a guy.
15:47Guess how much I got for it.
15:49Go on.
15:49Ready?
15:50£900.
15:51What?
15:52£900.
15:53Yeah, a nice bit of memorabilia for somebody, isn't it?
15:54Well, it is.
15:55That's amazing.
15:56I'm getting it parceled up, down the post office, and gone.
15:59That is good news.
16:00What a mate.
16:00With £40 spent on fresh electrics and a new surround, we sold the sign for £900.
16:06That puts the dream car fund at £960.
16:10Steel miles off the £5,000 we need for a decent countryman.
16:14So, we really need to shift the Mazda 3.
16:17I advertised it out there online.
16:19The phone's been ringing.
16:20This guy behind me, Paul, has been out for a drive.
16:22He's got a smile on his face.
16:24Let's put a deal together.
16:25Say hi then, Paul.
16:27Oh, it's good, isn't it?
16:28It's tidy, Mike.
16:28So, why do you want a little Mazda 3?
16:30Do you need something cheap, reliable and practical at the end of the day?
16:33Well, you've just described this car, haven't you?
16:34These little cars are bulletproof, these little Mazda 3s.
16:37We've just done some work on it.
16:39Put it through a fresh MOT, so you've got 12 months of peace of mind, if you like.
16:42Good.
16:43Well, I'll put it out there for £1,500.
16:45So, where do you want to be?
16:48£14.
16:48Do you know, nine times out of ten, I'll take that.
16:51It's a very nice offer, so thank you.
16:53But, in this case, you don't buy it for £1,500.
16:57I've got somebody else who will, so what do you say?
16:59It's a fair price, Mike.
17:01Top man.
17:01Well done.
17:02Got a nice little car.
17:04I took a massive risk buying a MOT failure Mazda 3, but at the end of the day, it's a risk
17:09that paid off.
17:10We managed to triple our money.
17:12Triple it.
17:13That's incredible.
17:14The work on a Mazda costs £100.
17:17That's a welcome profit of a grand, giving us £2,316 in the Dreamcar fund.
17:23Not bad, but still a long way off.
17:25The £5,000 or so we need.
17:26So, I'm making a radical move for my next trade.
17:29Normally on Dreamcar, I buy a car and I sell a car, but these ain't normal times.
17:35I've just gone and bought an MOT failure, and now I've gone and done something even more
17:39drastic.
17:40Yes, I've just gone and bought a jet ski.
17:43You heard me.
17:44A jet ski.
17:45This would be my first ever one.
17:47But I reckon I know what people want, and right now, people want staycations.
17:52They want to stay on these shores.
17:54They want to enjoy themselves in Great Britain, and what better way to do it than on the back
17:58of a jet ski.
17:59So, I've seen this one online, and I've snapped it up at just £1,000.
18:04Hopefully, it's got a profit in it.
18:05Okay, nice.
18:14What do you mean?
18:15First impressions are that that could be a whole load of fun.
18:17Well, it will be a whole lot of fun.
18:20It's a proper jet ski.
18:22It's a Sea-Doo.
18:23It's a two-stroke, so it really has got a revvy engine.
18:26Nice, yeah.
18:27Does it float?
18:28It does float.
18:29It doesn't sink.
18:29It does need a bit of attention.
18:30You know, the gel coat could do with tidying up.
18:33Not too sure about the graphics on it.
18:35It does look like the 1990s are calling, and they want it back.
18:39But, yeah, I mean, it's a little bit of fun for us.
18:42What have you paid for it?
18:44Can we change the subject, talk about something else?
18:46Come on.
18:48What have you paid for it?
18:49Well, I just had a moment, and when I bought this, I paid £1,000.
18:57Okay.
18:57I feel that when it's tidied up, we're going to get £2,500 for it.
19:03I mean, I don't really know if you're right or wrong, if I'm really honest.
19:06It sounds like an awful lot of money for something that is, I mean, let's be kind and say very 90s styled.
19:12But, you know, what's under there?
19:14It's pretty good, isn't it?
19:14That's a proper good two-stroke engine.
19:16So, you know, get this thing running and working properly.
19:19I mean, let's give it a tidy up and see what we can get for it.
19:21Come on, Ed.
19:22Let's get it in the workshop.
19:27Tell you what, I hope Mike knows what he's doing here.
19:29It's a bit left field, isn't it?
19:31But he seems to think it's going to sell.
19:33I just hope he's right.
19:34Either way, it's definitely going to need some updating, which means I don't get cracking.
19:40Whilst it's in pretty good condition and certainly isn't going to sink, it does have some impact damage on the side down here.
19:46And to fix that, I'm going to grind away the top layer, do a fiberglass repair, and then replace the gel coat on top.
19:53And it should look like new again.
19:59Fiberglass is fairly simple to repair, and you can get a kit with everything you need in it for a tenner in any hardware store.
20:05I'm layering strips of glass fiber matting, then binding them with resin to fix the damaged bodywork.
20:15So, the fiberglass repair is curing.
20:18That's going to take a bit of time, and while that happens, I'm turning my attention to mixing up the gel coat, which will be the top surface that goes over this in the end.
20:26By rubbing back a section of the existing gel coat, which has faded over the years, I can reveal the original color I need to match.
20:35Now, the key to making this repair invisible is by getting a near-perfect color match, and I'm going to do that by starting with a white base coat, and then gradually adding in different pigments to try and make it as close to the original color of the jet ski as possible.
20:52I think that just needs toning down with perhaps a tiny little bit of yellow pigment.
21:05Still needs just a tiny bit more.
21:11It's painstaking work, but hopefully it'll be worth it.
21:14This jet ski needs to look the business if we want to get serious money for it.
21:18I'm really pleased with the way it looks now.
21:20It's as close, I think, as we're going to get to a match.
21:23The fibreglass repair is now cured nicely, so I just need to sand that back.
21:31There we go.
21:34Before applying the perfectly color-matched gel coat.
21:42OK, so that's the first layer of gel coat on, and I'm really pleased.
21:46The color match looks really, really good.
21:47Very happy with that.
21:48I'm going to let that dry, then I've got to go over it two more times.
21:51It looks good, but I won't know how the jet ski runs until I can get it out onto some open water.
21:58Next, Elvis faces a high-pressure repair.
22:02You've just got to be really careful not to go too much.
22:05And I need to take some big risks.
22:08What we don't need is any nasty surprises.
22:10We're trying to trade our way to a dream mini countryman for mum of three, Kate, who helps needy families in her spare time.
22:25Have you not seen the countryman?
22:27Oh, so you want the BMW...
22:28Right, so you want the big one, the countryman?
22:29Yes.
22:30Our latest trade is a jet ski, and Elvis has messaged with a location for an update.
22:35This is it, then.
22:36This is where the drop pin is.
22:39Is that him?
22:41Is that Elvis?
22:42That is Elvis.
22:43Look at him.
22:44Oh, that is fantastic.
22:46Yeah!
22:46That's that Sea-Doo.
22:49Oh, that looks brilliant.
22:52How come he gets all the fun?
22:54Wow, it's got a good turn of speed, hasn't it?
23:01Mate, that looks absolutely brilliant.
23:04Oh, my goodness.
23:05Boom!
23:06That is so much fun.
23:08Mate, you've absolutely nailed it.
23:10So what have you done to it, then?
23:11Well, I repaired the gel coat.
23:12It's had a big, nasty crack down here.
23:14So it kind of looks like a day when it came out of the factory.
23:16And it runs beautifully, doesn't it?
23:18Oh, my goodness.
23:18This is so fast.
23:19Wow.
23:20It's got to be two and a half grand of anyone's money, innit?
23:22It feels like that when you're out there.
23:24All right, well, listen, go and have another go,
23:25because if I get some pictures and some video,
23:27that way I can get it advertised and get it sold.
23:29Look at you.
23:30You're my hero.
23:37Elvis has pulled it out of the bag.
23:38And with it looking as good and going as good as it does,
23:42the jet ski will sell all day long come a summer
23:44for 2,500 quid, which will give us a tidal profit of nearly 1,500 pounds.
23:48We've already had some decent offers,
23:50but I'm confident we'll get more when the sun's shining.
23:54So we'll stump up the cash until we can get this sold.
23:57Elvis spent 50 pounds on sorting the jet ski,
24:00so the sale will put our dream car fund at 3,810 pounds.
24:05Not bad when we started at just 500 quid,
24:08but still not enough for a decent mini countryman.
24:11Thankfully, I've just had a red-hot tip from a trusted contact.
24:14Always a good starting point.
24:16I've had a nod from a local mechanic,
24:18and he says that he's got a car that he just wants to get rid of and sell.
24:22And guess what?
24:23It's a fast-forward.
24:25Yeah, he's got a Fiesta ST.
24:27So I said I'll pop over and have a look at it.
24:29The owner's looking for a quick sale,
24:32often a way to bag a bargain.
24:33This is the place that I can already see.
24:39The little car.
24:40How nice is that?
24:41With gold wheels as well.
24:43Wicked.
24:44How are we doing all right?
24:45I'm all right. How are you?
24:46Yeah, not too bad, thank you.
24:47Right, little Fiesta.
24:48That looks all right, doesn't it?
24:49Yeah, it's fantastic.
24:51It's not mine.
24:52It's one of the lads that works here.
24:53What can you tell me about the car, then?
24:55It's recently MOT'd.
24:56Paintwork-wise, he hasn't really done much to it.
24:59Yeah, there's a couple of things in there.
25:00There's one in the wing.
25:01You know, they're the parking dinks, et cetera.
25:03Wheels look good, though.
25:04I love the gold bits of red.
25:05Yeah, it looks great.
25:06Really works.
25:08Wow.
25:09Four-lever interior.
25:11Yeah, quite a rare option on these ones.
25:13Can I just quickly spin it round the block?
25:15Make sure it starts off the nose.
25:16Lovely.
25:25Yes!
25:27Who doesn't love a mud hole?
25:29These are cracking little cars, these little Fiestas.
25:33I'm so happy that I will for this little car.
25:37Got nearly 150 brake horsepower on top, a two-litre engine up front, and this little weenie body.
25:43Put your foot down, and it just goes, this car.
25:48It's got electric windows.
25:49Yeah, they work.
25:50Everything seems to be working.
25:52Just that ding in the front wing.
25:53I know that with a few little fixes, we can probably get three grand for it, because the market for these is going up.
26:02If I can go back and get it for around the mid-twos, I'll be perfectly, perfectly happy.
26:08Fingers crossed, Chris can cut a deal on behalf of the owner, who wants £2,500.
26:13How'd you get on?
26:15Yeah, cracking little car, isn't it?
26:16Yeah.
26:17Proper little hot hatch, that is.
26:19Really, really enjoyed it.
26:20Keen on the car.
26:21I mean, it's got the little dinks to fix on it, and a bit of a tidy up.
26:25So what did he say price-wise to you?
26:27I believe he said he wanted two and a half for it, but he did say, if you're going to take it, you can have it for two, three.
26:31I'll hit your hands.
26:32Tell him he's got a deal.
26:34Yeah, nice one.
26:37Oh, I'm so happy.
26:39£2,300, that's a bit of a surprise, really.
26:41I know we can turn this car around really quickly and make a few hundred pound profit instantly.
26:54The next day, with the Fiesta back in the garage, I'm ready to get cracking on the dent repairs.
26:58Mike's done really well to get this brilliant little Ford Fiesta ST at such a good price,
27:04and if we can fix this little dent, there should be a good profit in it.
27:07Now, to help me do that, I've brought in my mate Rob, who's a dent repair specialist.
27:11Here you go, Rob.
27:12Hi, Elvis.
27:12So I've cleaned it up.
27:13We've protected the nice alloy and the tyre.
27:16What's the next part of the process?
27:17We're going to glue it now, and then once we've done that, we can get behind it, manipulate the steel,
27:22and return it back to its original form, and it'll be brand new.
27:24And there's no paint work to do afterwards?
27:26No paint work.
27:27Oh, it's just going to be the dent remover, wouldn't it? It'd be perfect.
27:29Love it.
27:30All right, mate, let's go on with it.
27:32A smart repair like this, avoiding paint work costs, can easily save you upwards of a hundred quid,
27:38but you've got to be careful.
27:40Once warmed, we're gluing a patch to the bodywork,
27:43and hopefully we can pull out the dent with a slide hammer.
27:47Slowly, but precisely, pull it, and it will then reduce the circumference of the dent.
27:52Okay.
27:54Oh, look at that.
27:57Blimey.
27:58And then that's taken the bulk of the dent out.
28:00So now, we've just got these little last bits to get out.
28:10Working from behind the panel with a bar, you can take care of the smaller bumps by hand.
28:15You've just got to be really careful not to go too much, haven't you?
28:18It's lots of little movement.
28:19There's a temptation to really give it some.
28:22There is, there is, there is, definitely.
28:24The problem is, then, you put the high spots in and create itself more work and you stretch the steel.
28:31A quick tap with a specialist blending hammer takes the stress out of the manipulated steel.
28:37All steel stretches.
28:39You have to reduce it and shrink it back to its original form.
28:43You've got to be patient, haven't you?
28:44It's a very patient process.
28:45And it's done, without the expense of filling and painting, leaving us more cash for Kate's dream car.
28:57What's amazing is, I mean, literally, the paintwork is perfect.
29:00It hasn't touched it, it hasn't damaged it.
29:02And everything's perfect.
29:03And that has now meant that this car has definitely got profit in it and we'll get it sold.
29:07Nice one, man.
29:08It's a pleasure.
29:09You're welcome.
29:09Welcome.
29:09With that bodywork in mint condition, the Fiesta is ready to market to the many fastball enthusiasts out there.
29:25And two days later, I've got some good news.
29:28I advertised our little Fiesta ST out there online and it didn't take long for me to get a bite on the car.
29:36The chap behind me, he's called Mike, he's come all the way from Stratford.
29:39To come and look at the car, he's taking it for a test drive.
29:41In fact, he's already shaking my hand.
29:43He doesn't want any fuss.
29:44He just wants to get in the car and drive it away.
29:47And he's given me three grand for it.
29:48Now, I'm really pleased with that because that means now I can really start to think about what I'm going to do for Kate and her mini countrymen.
29:55With three grand coming in and only 60 quid spent on the dent repair, we made 640 pounds profit on the Fiesta.
30:03That means we're up to 4,450 quid in the kitty.
30:07However, I've still got to find up to a grand from somewhere.
30:10Oh, Elvis, I really do appreciate that.
30:13And we deserve a cup of tea because this has been one proper hard slog, hasn't it?
30:18It's not often we start this process without any car to begin with, is it?
30:22Starting off with just 500 pounds in the hope that we're going to get a mini countryman.
30:25We ain't quite there yet, so I reckon we're a grand short.
30:28However, I've got my eyes on a motorbike that's for sale.
30:33Oh, yeah, that's different.
30:34It's a Honda CB1000R, so it's a good one.
30:36Yeah, nice.
30:37And it looks like it's been well kept, just been put in storage.
30:40It's due its insurance and it's due a service, so he's decided to cut his losses and just get rid of it.
30:45He wants four grand for it.
30:47All right, and if we get the service done, what sort of profit is there in?
30:49I reckon I could sell it for five grand quite easily.
30:51Yeah?
30:52So it could be a grand in it, which would give us enough money for us to go and get Kate's countryman.
30:57Yeah, mate, go and have a look at it.
30:58I will do. I'll finish my tea first.
30:59Yeah, all right.
31:00Well, I'm really hoping this bike is the business because we've come a long way with just 500 pounds of no trading car.
31:07What we don't need is any nasty surprises, especially when we're this close to Kate's dream car.
31:13The bike's coming from a private seller, so I just need to do a quick test drive to seal the deal.
31:18I love a motorbike, and I'm really pleased I landed on this four grand bargain Honda because it's a cracking bike.
31:29It's got great service history, low mileage, carbon fiber rim, my guard, sports exhaust, nice bike.
31:35I reckon we could be looking at a potential thousand pound profit, but to get there, I need to keep the service history up to date, and it's missed that final stamp.
31:44So if Elvis can give it one little service, I reckon we can get this sold.
31:54Next, Elvis has his work cut out on the bike.
31:57I've got good and bad news, to be honest.
31:59Good news and bad news?
32:00And can I bag Kate her dream car?
32:03So you said you wanted how much?
32:045,400.
32:05We're trying to trade our way to a mini countryman for Kate.
32:17Next time you see me, Kate, I'll be with your dream car.
32:23Our latest trade is this Honda motorbike.
32:26It's been sat in storage all winter and needs servicing.
32:29Hopefully, there are no major problems, but if there are, Mike might have to do another flip.
32:33This thing hasn't turned a wheel for months, so the value to us is taking this from somebody who no longer wants it and placing it with somebody who does.
32:44And all I need to do to turn that around is give it a good clean-up and a full service.
32:48With a bike that's been out of action like this, it's crucial to check the tyres and brakes are in good nick.
32:54To make life easier for the service, you can pick up a kit for £70 containing the filters, oil and chain lube that you need.
33:02And look, for £70, giving this thing a full service and then a clean-up, it feels like there's definitely profit in this.
33:08I'm fitting a new oil filter and taking care of one of the most important jobs on a bike, filling it with the correct fluids.
33:22Now, motorcycle engine oil is different to car engine oil, and if you use the wrong one in a bike, you will destroy your clutch.
33:30I've measured the oil that came out, and I've put just shy of the same amount back in.
33:35I'm just going to let that filter down through the engine, and then you check the level on a little sight window at the bottom of the crankcase.
33:43Mate, that's looking good. How are you getting on with it?
33:47Really good, actually. Do us a favour while you're there. Just stand it up straight so I can check this oil level.
33:52There we go. Yeah, I've got good and bad news.
33:54Good news is it's now fully serviced. It's in great condition. Just needs a bit of a clean-up, and it's good to go.
33:59Well, that's great. Now, give me the bad news.
34:01I've fallen in love with it. I don't want to let it go.
34:04Such a great bike. Well, I advertised it out there at five grand. I've already got somebody that wants it.
34:10I'll get them down there straight away and get it sold.
34:12And I need to get it sold because I've just found this perfect for Kate. It's a mini countryman.
34:18Everything she wanted, you know, the big boot space, full service history, 12 years old, but absolutely looks mint.
34:24It looks great. The colour's great. I think you should get a deposit on that.
34:26It's good, isn't it? Yeah, nice.
34:29A couple of days later, and a potential buyer is in the workshop.
34:33He's called Guy. He's been out for a drive around the car park. He loves the way it drives.
34:38But does he want to buy it? Because I need to sell it.
34:41And I need five grand for it if I'm ever going to get Kate's mini. So wish me luck.
34:46So then, Guy, you looking for just a bit of summer fun or a daily commuter bike for you?
34:51It's going to be daily use.
34:52Do you have any other bikes?
34:53Yeah, this is going to replace the GSX-R.
34:55And what do you think of it? Like it? Nice.
34:58I didn't realise when I advertised it out there that the market was so buoyant I could become a bike dealer.
35:05I'm asking £5,000. What do you think?
35:07I'll give you five.
35:08Don't you want to give me five and a half?
35:10We said five, I'll do five, yeah.
35:11The bike costs £70 to service. So we're up to £5,380 in the kitty. Just £20 shy of the asking price for the Mini Countryman I've found. And I'm happy to cover that from my own wallet. So I'm off to look at the Mini that I'm hoping could be Kate's dream car.
35:31I'm very excited about going to see this car because it looks like it's everything we need it to be. So fingers crossed.
35:41There's the car.
35:44Clearly a 4x4 family.
35:48Hello. Are you Emily?
35:49Yes. Hello.
35:50Emily, how are you?
35:51Nice to meet you.
35:52Very nice to meet you too.
35:54Surrounded by Land Rovers everywhere.
35:56Yes.
35:56And this little German BMW.
35:58Yeah, I tried to be sensible.
36:00Did you?
36:00Yeah.
36:00OK.
36:01I did have a 4x4 before, but I thought more practical with the children and just getting from A to B.
36:07I suppose this is great for little kids though, isn't it?
36:09Yeah, it is. Especially with the four doors, it's easier to get them in an hour.
36:12Yeah, lovely.
36:13Looks absolutely mint at the front. It's got privacy glass, which is nice.
36:19Looks lovely inside.
36:20Six-speed gearbox.
36:22Everything works, radio and all that stuff.
36:23Yeah, yeah.
36:24Air conditioning.
36:24Yeah.
36:25OK. Looks good in there. It's got the roof rails as well. Oh, and twin roofs.
36:28Let's have a look down the back.
36:31I love the way they open these boots with that little button. I can see why you had it for
36:35the kids, because it's practical.
36:36Yeah, quite decent sized boot.
36:38Right, well, I like it. I suppose the only thing left for me to do is to get it out there
36:42and take it for a test drive. Is that all right for you?
36:44Yeah, of course you can.
36:45Thank you very much.
36:45It looks great, but I also need this car to drive well.
36:54Right, here we go. Mini Countryman. It's the practical version of Mini, being that it's
36:59five doors. You can get a buggy in the back, 60-40 split on the rear seats. They're highly
37:04practical. They drive really well, these cars. They've got a decent service history. No warning
37:08signs up on the dashboard. All the electrics seem to be working. And it's good. I like it.
37:14So, is this the dream car for Kate? The more I drive this, I think it is. I think we could
37:26have landed on the car she really deserves. And she does deserve it. She started us off
37:31with just £500 and no car for me to start trading with. And I gather that £500 was hard
37:38for her to find. It's on for £5,400. I reckon it's a fair price, so there's no need for
37:47any haggling.
37:48How was it? Wonderful. Yeah, what a cracking little car. It's lovely. Yeah, it is. Yeah.
37:54So, you said you wanted how much? £5,400. Well, if you're still willing to take that,
37:59I'd love to have it, because that's all the money I've got. Yeah. You are? Yeah. Wonderful.
38:03Thank you. I think I've just bought a dream car. Thank you.
38:05What a deal. With my £20 thrown in, we bought Kate her dream car. And with no work to do,
38:15I can't wait to show Elvis.
38:21Have I nailed it or what? That looks great, doesn't it? Isn't that fantastic?
38:26Oh, she's going to love it. Wait until you drive it. You'll love it. Kate is going to be
38:29beside herself. Right, let's go and get it delivered. Come on then. What do you think?
38:38Well, it's a lovely car. I always think it's a stretch calling these things a mini, because
38:42they're not mini, are they? They're huge. They've got massive capacity. No, they're a maxi.
38:48It's perfect for Kate, because, you know, when I met her, she tells me about a non-profit,
38:52and she's a single parent. My heart busted. I was like, oh, this lady does so much for
38:57other people. She needs something done for her. I mean, this is literally going to change
39:01her life, isn't it? Not only can she fit, you know, the family in here and whatever she
39:05needs to take around for work or whatever, but actually the driving experience is really
39:09solid. It feels safe. It feels like it's going to be reliable. Plus, this is a car that's
39:14cheap to insure, cheap to put fuel in. Exactly. This is a really good little car for a family
39:19like that. They're going to absolutely love this. Yeah, it feels perfect for her.
39:23We're going to surprise Kate at a very important place, the British Motor Museum at Gaydon.
39:33It's home to all manner of minis, so I'm hoping to hide hers amongst them.
39:40Nailed it. Looks good, doesn't it? It looks great. Right, let's go meet Kate.
39:44She thinks she's here with her mum and kids to talk about what speck of countrymen she wants,
39:49and has no idea she's about to get her dream car.
39:54Kooey! Hiya!
39:57Kate, how are you? You're all right? It's great to see you.
39:59And you too. This is Elvis. I haven't met him yet.
40:01Finally, we get to meet these kids. How are you? You enjoying yourself, looking around the cars?
40:06Great place.
40:07Kate, you like them? So, how's it been? How's your non-profit going?
40:10Great. It's going really good. Really busy. Just, we're helping families and that's brilliant.
40:14I'm glad you're working hard on it, because we have been working double hard to go from nothing, remember,
40:21no car, from nothing, to try and get you the car that you want.
40:25We need to go through some options about what we are trying to get for you.
40:29OK.
40:29So, do you want to go for a walk?
40:31Yeah.
40:31Yeah, come on, let's show you around.
40:35This little bit here is lovely, because there's lots of minis here.
40:38It takes me back.
40:40It's the shape, isn't it? It's the shape and the style.
40:42This was, like, one of the first 850 minis ever to roll off the production line.
40:46Then there's these. This is the kind of car you're after, isn't it?
40:49Oh, yeah, definitely.
40:50So, this is the R60 Mini Countryman. So, what do you like about these, then?
40:54Look at it. Like, they're just beautiful cars.
40:55It was designed originally by Frank Stephenson, and he's designed Ferraris and Maseratis.
41:01He's a very clever man.
41:02If you read the last liner there, it says,
41:05Countryman offered larger and more flexible options for owners who want that iconic mini.
41:09I mean, that's you, right? You want more?
41:11Yeah, definitely, yeah.
41:11But that one that can fit the whole family.
41:14What's the last bit, see?
41:18It also happens to be...
41:22This is mine!
41:24This is your drinker.
41:27Take the keys, it's yours.
41:28I'm so sorry.
41:29Happy?
41:31Thank you!
41:33Oh, my God.
41:36It's an absolute pleasure.
41:37Thank you so much.
41:38Oh, it's fantastic, mate.
41:40Is it everything you wanted?
41:41Five doors, got the big black wheels on it, it's got the black top, it's got every conceivable
41:45extra inside.
41:46Privacy glass, enough space for this lot.
41:48You can literally all get in it.
41:50Oh, really?
41:51It's not a joke.
41:52This is really your dream car.
41:54Didn't expect that, did you?
41:56I've got no words.
41:57From £500 to that.
42:00I can't talk, I'm so sorry.
42:02You can get the kids around, you can do it safely.
42:05I love the colour.
42:05The colour's amazing, isn't it?
42:07I can as well.
42:08Yeah.
42:08Even the top, oh, thank you.
42:11For Kate, this car is going to transform her life.
42:14She can now carry the kids around to school or football practice, whatever it is, and she
42:19can do it comfortably and safely in an iconic little mini.
42:23And me and Elvis, we're really proud of the work we've put into this one, and I know she's
42:27got a cracking car and she deserves it.
42:29You're an amazing lady.
42:32You do a lot for your community and for the people around you, and we couldn't be prouder
42:37to hand this over to you.
42:39Thank you so, so much.
42:40It's a pleasure.
42:41I talk so much, but at the moment, I just can't.
42:44I'm sorry.
42:46You're very welcome.
42:47You're very welcome.
42:48This is your dream car.
42:50Well done.
42:52I'm just so grateful to Mike and Elvis.
42:54Can't wait to go off and drive it away.
42:57It's a dream come true.
42:59Enjoy the car.
43:00Yeah, have fun, guys.
43:02Have fun.
43:03Nailed it.
43:04Nailed it.
43:04Doesn't that just go show?
43:05Never give up, no matter what the challenge, eh?
43:08£500 to a countryman.
43:09Brilliant.
43:10It's unbelievable.
43:11Hi, Mike and Elvis.
43:13I just wanted to say I'm so, so excited about my car.
43:18I can't stop driving around in it, and it's such an amazing dream come true for me and
43:24the family, and it's just really made a difference to me and the kids' lives.
43:29Thank you so, so much.
43:31Take care.
43:32Bye, thanks.
43:33Bye, thanks.
43:34Bye, thanks.