The guys working at Count’s Kustoms may not seem like a the type who are keen on rule-following, and, for the most part, that is true. There really aren’t all that many stated rules in the domain of Danny Koker and crew, but everyone has linesthat they would prefer remain uncrossed.
That said, Danny and thecrew ofCounting Carsdo have a few unstated lawsthat must be adhered to on the set. While the History network may not be as interested in staging dramatics and scenarios as their competitors, that isn’t to say that they haven’t laid out a few orders which need to be followed in order to keep the show interesting for the viewer. It may betray the tough guy bravado of the show, but rules are rules, no matter how many hot rods you’ve restored.
Some of these rules are relatively petty and simple, while others might raise an eyebrow or two and hint at a darker history behind these Las Vegas-based body shop workers. Danny, Mike and company haven’t caused all that many controversies when compared to some other big-name reality TV stars out there, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a couple of skeletons in their closet. Again, there don’t appear to be all that many hard-and-fast rules on the set of Counting Cars, but there are at leasta few things that cast members know to keep an eye out for.
Here are the15 Rules The Cast Of Counting Cars Is Forced To Obey.
OnlyApproach Certain PeopleAbout Their Cars
A major focal point of many Counting Cars episodes is Danny’s frequent run-ins with random car owners. He’s often been filmed approaching peopleon the street or following someone home in order to track them down and make a deal for their car. These moments are, as most viewers may have guessed, almost always staged.
This is a pretty important rule for the cast to follow, however, as following hot rod owners home and offering to buy their cars is a pretty good way to creep out your clientele and make viewers think you're a huge weirdo.
While Danny may have done something like this once or twice in his private life, these instances are commonly pre-arranged for the show. Stalking someone with the intent of bartering for their car is probably illegal anyway, though it does make for some interesting TV. Most of the Counting Cars guys aren’t actors by trade, either, and their performance sort of ruins the facade at times.
GetEvery Fact Straight
If there’s one rulethat Danny Koker does his best to follow, it is this one. Danny and the rest of the Counting Cars crew have frequently been called out and ridiculed by trivia-loving car aficionados for small mistakes they have made on air. Event the smallest of inaccuracies get pointed out, and it may call the integrity of Count’s Kustoms into question for the hardest of the hardcore.
For instance, Danny was once noted to have been incorrect about the year in which Chevy first started producing the Corvette: he said it was 1954,but it was actually 1952. It is a mistake he has yet to live down in some circles, and he’s since been sure to get his facts straight when he’s on camera.
Keep an Eye Out
Again, this isn’t necessarily a written rule, and it may seem like common sense for most business owners, but Danny and the rest of the guys working at Count’s Kustoms need to do their best to make sure burglary and theft aren’t taking place under their noses. This may sound like a no-brainer, but these things have happened more than once in the autoshop’s history.
From stolen trailers to ransacked houses and full-on employee embezzlement cases,Counting Cars hasn’t had a totally spotless run.
As a result, the guys at Count’s Kustoms need to keep an eye on their surroundings as well as on their co-workers, which doesn’t exactly create grounds for a healthy work environment.
The Customer is Always Right
The guys at Count’s Kustoms have taken on some pretty ludicrous jobs over the years, andthis is partially because, as a rule, they try not to refuse any customization requests. This definitely isn’t something that’s been set in stone, as Koker and his employees have certainly turned some people away over the course of the show’s history, but it rarely ever happens.
Though they specialize in motorcycles and cars, the Counting Cars crew has accepted vans, busses, and even boats in the past, which certainly made for some interesting TV. It probably isn’t in Danny’s best interest to take on literally every project which comes through his door, but they certainly seem to try.
Keep Them Coming
Time is money, and the crew working behind the scenes at Count’s Kustoms sure like to keep busy. Though Counting Cars never really gets into the inner workings of the shop, Danny has said that they never have fewer than fifteen projects going at one time.
Given that each project is a pretty hefty investment in terms of time and resources, this is a pretty major commitment.
As a result, Count’s Kustoms has taken on a bunch of new employees over the years, and they don’t seem to show any signs of slowing down any time soon. Though the show’s popularity may eventually fade, Danny and his employee’s work probably won’t.
Stick to the Budget
Danny Koker is known to be very conservative both politically and fiscally. He is extremely protective of his money despite the fact that he has plenty of it to spare, and he never overspendsexceptin very particular situations. Though it may not be an explicitly laid out rule in his shop, Danny’s employees are doubtlessly aware of the fact that they really need to stick to a budget.
The Count himself has shown his financially conservative nature when haggling, and he has been known to walk away from deals he finds unfair. This doesn’t show up all that often in the show, of course, because most of the drama is scripted and most of the bartering has already been pre-arranged. Those close to Danny, however, will know the truth.
Don’t Rush It
Count’s Kustoms may take on no fewer than fifteen projects at a time, but most of these projects take quite a while to complete. This is never really shown on the show, though, as the Counting Cars producers like to expedite things for the sake of viewer interest, but customization jobs are known to take 12 to 24 months to complete on average.
This may sound like an insane amount of time, but there really aren’t many places in the worldthat offer customization options like Count’s Kustoms.
Though some projects cruise through the shop in as little as ninety days, most employees know not to rush things.
Don't Mention Danny’s Dad
Danny Koker’s father, a well-respected man who taught Danny everything heknows about autobody customization, bequeathed his extensive collection of rare cars to his son when he passed away. These vehicles hold an incredible amount of sentimental value to the Count’s Kustoms owner, and, though he has shown parts of the collection off in recent years, he doesn’t like to work on them.
Danny has said that his father’s passing is still a tough subject for him, and, as a result, most of his employees know better than to bring it up. In fact, even Counting Cars regulars should know better than to mention those cars or suggest working on them. While this may one day change, it remains a point of contention in Danny’s garage.
Don’t Bring up the Bandana
This really isn’t an unspoken rule, as Danny’s look has been the subject of occasional workplace antics over the years, but it should be said that Danny doesn’t seem all that keen to reveal what’s going on underneath his iconic bandana.
Many have speculated that he is covering some sort of facial deformity or unsightly tattoo, while others believe that he is abnormally committed to his rock-and-roll look.
The most likely explanation is that he isn’t eager to show off his receding hairline. Though this is little more than speculation, it does explain why Danny is often pretty defensive in regards to his dress. Those close to him might poke fun, but fans may want to avoid the subject.
Be Careful When Haggling
Danny Koker has stated on multiple occasions that the success of his show has made haggling at car shows much more difficult. As a typical enthusiast, the Count never seemed to have a problem getting his way on the showroom floor.
However, once his profile was raised, sellers began recognizing him more often and attempting to upsell him. This has become a major headache to the penny-pinching autobody overhauler, and anyone working with himshould ensurethat they don’t overpay when bartering. Danny is most likely very grateful for all of the good that the show has done his business over the years, though he could almost certainly go without this one annoying quirk.
Don’t Mention Danny’s Family
In keeping with his conservative values, Danny Koker typically doesn’t like to reveal all that much about his family or his private life.This is completely fair, and most Counting Cars fans will understand that his reality TV star status doesn’t require him to relay all of his personal matters to the public.
That said,Danny is abnormally protective of his loved ones, and very little is known about his wife and kids.
His wife, Korie Koker, co-owns Count’s Vamp’d Rock Bar & Grill with her husband, though her private life remains largely undisclosed. Counting Cars cast members should almost certainly know better than to go prying into Danny’s personal life while the cameras are rolling.
Don't Break The Fourth Wall
The guys on Counting Cars may seem like larger-than-life celebrities at times, but it is important to remember that they are actually people, and Count’s Kustoms is an actual business that will continue to operate independently of the show once the production crew heads home.
That said, though it may be an actual business, much of the situations covered on the show aren’t genuine. Whether played up for the sake of drama or totally fictional, much of the on-air hijinx covered on Counting Cars is dramatized. The Counting Cars cast is careful not to break the illusion, though, and everyone seems pretty eager to play along. There seems to be a rule against fourth wall breaks while on set, and it seems to have gone pretty much unbroken over the years.
Politics Are a No-Go
In today’s radically partisan climate, few shows are all that eager to take sides or show any sort of political bias at all. That said, Counting Cars star Danny Koker was an avid supporter of the current leader of the United States during his campaign in 2016. This should come as no surprise given his conservative background, but it remains a major point of contention among many viewers.
Rather than bring up a potentially costly political debate on-air, the Counting Cars crew is pretty careful to keep their lips sealed concerning the subject.
The time may well come when things of that nature can be discussed more freely, but Count’s Kustoms is better off free of political drama for the time being.
Forget About Scott Jones
Scott Jones, the ornery store manager featured in the first and second seasons of Counting Cars, isn’t brought up all that much these days. He was hardly mentioned at all in the third season, and he seems to have been totally absent from every subsequent episode since then.
Fans have speculated that he was actually fired as a result of an embezzlement scheme, while others believe he simply grew tired of the daily grind and returned to his hometown. It’s tough to know exactly what happened to Jones, though none of the Counting Cars cast members seem all that eager to bring it up. This probably isn’t an explicitly stated rule, but most will know better than to bring up Scott on camera.
Don’t Deal With Vince Neil
Show lead and shop owner Danny Koker has met quite a few celebrities through his business, and his rock-and-roll band side project has also put him in contact with some pretty interesting characters. Koker has, in one way or another, come to be pretty good friends with ex-Motley Crue vocalist Vince Neil.
Though it started out as a pretty lucrative relationship for Koker and his show, the Counting Cars cast soon decided that their relationship with Neil was detrimental to the show’s good standing.
After that, they by-and-large disbanded any professional connections to the singer, though Koker and Neil are said to have remained friends. Even so, it isn’t likely that the ex-rocker will be making any appearances on the show any time soon.The bottom line is that Vince is bad news, and the cast can't mention him anymore.
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Are there any other rules that the cast ofCounting Carshas to follow? Let us know in the comments!
