Wheeler Dealers TR7

[N7GTX]

Latest series - Series 16 episode 2 for those who haven't seen it - was about Mike buying a TR7 and then an hour of Ant hating it. I can't remember Mike or Edd or Ant being so critical of a car on the show before. Even at the end where they go for a drive in the finished car, Ant refused to go so it was left to Mike to do it on his own.

I think I've watched every episode from day 1 but the Brewer/Antstead marriage has done nothing for me. Its so false and contrived - the credits at the end tell you who really did do all the work (often 4 named mechanics) - I stopped watching. Having 'rescued' a TR7 a few years back I found the criticism and hate totally unnecessary.

[garagewidow]

Is it still in the USA?

I find a lot of those US car makeover customising shows are more like a soap of the characters as opposed to an informative program about auto engineering.

WD's i feel jumped the shark after they went there and the other guy left(names gone out me head now)

[N7GTX]

This series (16) is the last in America. Back in the UK for the next one without Antstead who is staying there. The previous mechanic was Edd China (the tall man).

[//j17]

I can't work out if:
a) They were playing it for laughs and a diary conflict/Covid rules meant they couldn't both be in the car for the test drive.
b) Ant. really hates TR7s (that all he had to do was replace the wiring loom on FFS).

If it's a) it back-fires a bit because he just came across as being a complete tool.
If it's b) then he IS a complete tool.

[Magnum 475]

I think a lot of people hate(d) the TR7. It's a bit like the Porsche 718 series. A sports car that had a nice smooth 6 cylinder engine is 'updated' with a 4. It puts buyers off as they see the new model as being a backward step. The styling of the 7 was also a bit 'marmite'. The interior was certainly a step back from the TR6 for most people.

I can't work out why Triumph didn't drop the Sprint engine in the TR7 as standard - that would have nicely addressed the reduction in power from the TR6 and resulted in much better performance, although wouldn't have addressed the styling and interior.

I only drove a 7 once, and having driven plenty of TR6s, GT6s, etc and I found it quite lacking - lots of plastic inside and a distinct lack of power compared to a TR6.

[//j17]

The TR7 was a car of it's time. On the interior styling front wood was seen as outdated and old fasioned/plastic as the future - and on that front very few cars have wood on the inside (and even fewer look good with it). On the outside wedge shapes were spot on...at the time it was designed, the problem was rather than being a long term trend they turned out to be a bit of a flash in the pan. And under the floor it was also what was requested at the time. The request wasn't for a hairy-chested, a-road bashing sports car like the TR6 that went before it, it was for a boulevard cruser that would sell well in the US.

With respect to WD they have had MANY hateful cars on that show over the years but it's always been about the car and there being a buyer for (almost) every car. Until this it's never been about the presenter's views or preferences for make/model/style/etc.

One other thing to remember with the TR7 - Triumph only managed to shift 96,850 TR6s over 8 years, but managed to shift 112,368 TR7s over just 6. Very much a car everyone wanted when it was new...but amost nobody wanted by the time it was second hand!