One of the craziest things about the show Car Masters: Rust To Riches is how easily some decisions are made. A 40-grand investment is made with a brief, kind of funny conversation on the garage floor. Then, people are dismissed and given their marching orders. Is it really possible to run a successful business in that manner?
Updated August 2021: Car Masters: Rust To Riches is one of the most popular car-related reality shows right now, but like all reality shows, certain parts are 100% scripted. We've updated this article to help give you a better understanding of what's real and what's fake on the show.
Well, it turns out Gotham Garage does it well enough to have opened a second garage. The crew has been split into two, with the idea being that the additional space will ensure that they won't be getting in each other's way, waiting on tools and such.
Ultimately, the goal is to double the work but with the same number of employees. Most likely, certain work can only be performed at a specific location. In some situations, it makes sense for the crew to rotate from location to location-based upon their skill sets.
However, all of this could very well be a moot point, depending on whether the entire show is made up.
Is it at all possible to have a garage that features the hot girl, the caveman guy, the smart guy, the cool guy, and the ringleader, all assembled in a nice package that just happens to be a perfect fit for a 'reality' TV show? It does seem somewhat unlikely, then again, stranger things than that have happened.
What's Fake
The goal for Gotham Garage is to make money by trading up or selling customized cars, but how much of the documentary is just as fabricated as some of the custom car parts they make?
The uncertainty of how to resolve an issue combined with a fast-approaching deadline can certainly be a daunting task, yet this seems to be an almost daily occurrence on the show Car Masters: Rust To Riches.
Yes, the crew surely knows what they are doing, but if you take the episode where the Gotham Garage Crew customizes a 73 Pinto and turn it into an electric dragster, it's somewhat questionable. On the other hand, maybe mechanic Tony Quinones is smart enough to read through a huge document, join two electric engines and make it all fit in the Pinto in record time?!
There's also the fact that actor Shawn Pilot just happens to land on the crew of Car Masters: Rust To Riches. Did Mark Towle receive Shawn's resume and think this guy has great negotiation skills?
On the other hand, if a potential employee comes with a certain notoriety, it certainly cannot hurt from an advertising perspective. Maybe the real question is whether it's better to have a cast that will draw a big audience or a crew of top-notch mechanics that will be better for the actual business?
And of course, there is the lovely model/mechanic that is just about every guy's fantasy. Maybe all the stars did fall into perfect alignment. With a modeling career and other work opportunities at hand, when does Constance Nunes have time to work on all the cars? In this case, does it really matter if it is just too good to be true? A drop in ratings for the show would not be a fake stat, should Constance decide to take her bevy of skills elsewhere.
What's Real
There was a particular episode in season 2 in which a tow truck accidentally backed into an antique car that had a considerable amount of custom work done to it. The car was unfortunately totaled, and the crew did not look pleased. Mark Towle seemed genuinely angry. There had to have been some creative editing in order to maintain the cleanliness the show typically provides its viewers.
The popularity of the show cannot be denied, nor can the chemistry of the crew. Gotham Garage did donate the Plymouth XNR Replica to the Petersen automobile museum. It is obviously a beautiful car that took a lot of work to complete. The crew must have considerable mechanical abilities and experience in order to crank out masterpiece after masterpiece.
Does It Really Matter?
Who really cares what parts of the show are real and what parts are fake? Part of the allure of the show is in trying to figure out what is fabricated. Regardless of how real or fake the series Car Masters: Rust To Riches is, the success of the show is important and cannot be denied. Netflix certainly wants to have popular shows readily available and viewers that are hooked on Car Masters will demand a 3rd season.