A Lot More Rubbish

Last week I pointed out that I don't like Repair Lot.

This week I watched episode 3.

I think I've figured out a big reason why I don't like it and also why it shouldn't have an audience.

I know very little about vehicle mechanicals - but it feels that the audience they are aiming this show at knows completely bugger all about vehicle mechanicals.  The two mechanics sound like they both think that the other one is an idiot - it isn't quite "The black bit on the outside of the round thing is a tyre." - but it's not far off.

People who struggle with knowing what a tyre is won't be watching a show about cars.

Episode 3 should have appealed more though - they didn't have the stupid automobilia bit and the two cars they featured were relatively interesting.

One if them, a 1991 Mini, was owned by someone who "takes pictures of it in front of famous locations and then publishes them"

What!?

That must have a smaller audience than Repair Lot.

And has he never heard of Photoshop?  Here's something I cobbled together in 3 minutes using Paint...

...without the help of Dean Westmoreland - look him up if you want to get the relevance to this story.

The main issue with the Mini was that its suspension had been set up by a moron.

And, both the cars they worked on had no external work done on them so when they were unveiled and the owners had to say how wonderful they looked - THEY BOTH LOOKED EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHEN THEY WENT IN.

I've taken it off series-link.

This Needs Fixing

 I really like The Repair Shop.

So a car-based version should be ideal viewing for me.

Dominic Chinea could present it.  For those of you  who aren't familiar with him or the show, he's the bloke at the front with the beard who does the metalworky stuff for them.

And he also restores vehicles.

However, somebody else has had this idea - it must be someone not connected with The Repair Shop because it's called "Repair Lot" not "The Repair Lot"

And it doesn't work.

According to The Telegrah & Argus, a Bradford-centred publication?, the show is hosted by Abigayle Andre.  She's a Tik-Tok star apparently.

It isn't.

The actual host is somebody else I've also never heard of - Charlotte Vowden.

The format of this show is exactly the same as that of The Repair Shop in that:

• They get someone into their workshop with something of sentimental value that needs fixing.
• They have a chat about what needs fixing.
• They fix it.
• They get the owner back in and unveil it to them - literally.
• They show lots of short clips of the outside of the building and the local wildlife and rain.

A simple format that doesn't work with cars.  It is not possible to really engage or empathise with someone who has a Peugeot 306 with a leak, a semi-working door mirror and a dodgy rear light cluster.

The "experts" are fine.  You've got a bodywork specialist, an interiors specialist (with a scary sleeve tattoo thing going on) and two mechanics.

The first mechanic is called Hannah Gordon but she isn't the actress who I always think of in one of two ways:

• The one who isn't Susan Hampshire
• The one who killed Victor Meldrew

The other mechanic is Derek Drinkwater who, if my memory serves me correctly, considerably helped Elvis when they did the Bedford Dormobile on Wheeler Dealers.

But that isn't many experts so to try and match the Repair Shop who have experts in metalwork, horology, soft toys, ceramics, upholstery, jewellery, electronics, woodwork, leatherwork, cycles, musical instruments, millinery, bookbinding, paintings, cobbling and I'm sure I've missed out a few more, Repair Lot have an automotive memorabilia bit which is where the aforementioned Abigayle fits in to it - pointless.

So, do I like it?

Not a lot.