We all know that there is money in buying and selling cars? Otherwise, used-car dealers would not exist, right? Flipping cars, just like flipping houses can be easy money if you know exactly what you’re doing. Two guys in the UK performed an interesting experiment. To see if, with a $3,000 budget, they could buy a second-hand car and trade it up to a Ferrari.

Mike Brewer, an experienced Motor Trader, and Edd China, a professional car mechanic, were the original icons of the UK TV show called ‘Wheeler Dealers’. In its ‘Trading Up’ series, the duo embarked on an international mission to see if they could make enough money from buying and selling cars around the globe, to subsidize the purchase of an Italian supercar.

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The First Leg Of The Car Buying Tour: Australia

Ford Falcon Futura
Bidgee Via Wikimedia Commons

With $3,000 they started the search in Sydney, Australia. And they find a 2000 Ford Falcon Futura sedan, which Mike bought for $900. After visiting a scrap yard, Mike bought a second-hand driver-side mirror and a headlamp. Edd resprayed the front bumper and fitted the $215 worth of reclaimed parts. Then Mike advertised the car online, and sold it for $2,790, at a profit of $1,675.

They then bought a 1981 Mazda RX7, the rotary-engined sports car that cost $4,050. But this time things don’t quite go according to plan. Mike had the car repainted for $450 but struggled to sell it. Even after tapping a friend, and placing it in a showroom, they only got $3,600 for it. A loss of $900.

But Mike wasn't deterred. He then bought a 2002 Holden Commodore for $4,750. And this time he was lucky. He managed to sell it for $5,850 to a local mechanic, at a profit of $650. The next car they bought was a Ford Escort Mk1, for $4,950. Mike decided to ship it back to the UK and sell it on home turf. Unbelievably, he sold it for a whopping $14,240. Minus shipping costs, they still made a tidy profit of $7,922.

The Home Market Proves Fruitful

Caterham Seven rear third quarter view
Via: Caterham

With a new budget of $12,347 from their fruitful exploits in Oz, they restarted their search in the UK. Mike had a lot of contacts, and he knew the home market well. The first car that they got their hands on was a Mk1 Golf GTi, the penultimate hot hatch, a big favorite of Mike. Edd worked his magic on the ball joints, and they resold the sporty hatch for $2,000 more than they paid for it.

Two more cars followed - a 1999 Caterham 7, and a 2007 Land Rover Freelander. The Caterham is a track car, so they bought bits to convert it back to a road-going sports car. They managed to sell the racing parts, which included a roll-cage, seats, transponder, and stickers for $900. And after a small mechanical fix on the $15,200 Freelander, they made a profit of $4,618 on the two.

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A Lucrative International Market

1961 Jaguar E-Type hd wallpaper view
Via: Jaguar

They hit the road again and tried their luck in São Paulo, Brazil. The initial $3,000 budget had now evolved six times to $18,646. The first car they bought was a classic Volkswagen Kombi van, a 1972 model for $12,174. Mike registered it as a classic car and then flipped it for $13,913.

They then found a classic 1962 Willys Jeep. After doing a deal at $10,000 on the car, they sold it for $10,435, still at a profit, but a relatively small one. A 1976 Chevrolet Impala for $5,200 caught Mike’s eye, and after a $6 wash, they somehow managed to sell it on for $6,522.

The next stop was Austin, Texas. Mike had some contacts in the USA that he wanted to try and exploit. With a $21,655 budget, he spotted a lovely 1972 Corvette Stingray and bought the sports car for $17,000. Edd fitted an electronic ignition system, and ramped up the horsepower from 145 to 195, for $440. They then sold the Vette for $22,500, a handsome profit of $5,060.

1972 Chevy Corvette front third quarter view
Via: Chevrolet

After flipping a Chevrolet Apache, and making a further $2,560, they purchased an E-Type Jaguar. Both of them were visibly salivating when they decided to do the deal, which at $16,000 is a real bargain. Edd fixed a crack in the Jag’s steering wheel, fitted new brakes, cleaned up the carbs, repaired a ripped seat, and steam cleaned it.

This is where they made some really serious cash. They offloaded the Jag for $37,000, walking away with a huge profit of $10,000, just on the one car. Poland isn’t well known for its cars, but Mike thought that they could make a fast buck. So they headed over there and bought a small Fiat and a Gaz military truck. The two-vehicle sales added $1,000 profit to the budget, which now sat at $40,308.

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The Final Stop: Italy And A Ferrari 348

Lancia Delta Integrale front third quarter view
Via: Bring a Trailer

The pair chose Italy as their final destination because Mike was keen to get his hands on an Italian supercar. For nostalgia reasons, he bought a 1980 Vespa scooter, spends $4,900 on a Primavera 125, and another $322 restoring it. Then sold it for $7,000, and went on to buy one of the best rally cars of all time; a 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale for $35,000.

 Ferrari 348 tb rear third quarter view
Via: Bring a Trailer

They touched up a few stone chips and flipped the rally icon for $39,000. Finally, after circumnavigating the globe, visiting six different countries, and buying and selling-on sixteen different cars, and one motorcycle, their money pot was at $45,378. This was an amazing feat, considering they started with just $3,000.

Now, they could finally purchase the supercar of their dreams, and complete their mission. They bought a 1989 Ferrari 348 tb, for $44,800, and proved that some cars are not only fun to chase after, but seriously good investments.

Sources: Wheeler Dealers Show, Bringatrailer