There’s no shortage of original automotive-focused content online, which is why it’s easier than ever to satisfy the tastes of even the most demanding of gearboxes. YouTube has become one of the best platforms for creators to find their audience and get the recognition they deserve, as is the case for Derek Bieri and his extremely popular Vice Grip Garage channel.
Derek’s success has become so huge that his chance to star on TV finally happened when his show “Roadworthy Rescues” premiered on MotorTrend in late 2022.
While Derek is already well known to his old internet audience, those who have recently come to know him through TV have many questions about his life, his family, his business, how rich he is and his story as a motorhead.
Do you also want to know what’s going on with Derek from “Roadworthy Rescues”? Stay here to find out all about him!
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Who is Derek Bieri?
The name Derek Bieri is quite well known to anyone who has ever searched the internet for crazy and not so expensive cars. However, those who have recently discovered him through TV may not be familiar with the man who turns old and abandoned cars into beautiful and fully functional cars in the recently premiered “Roadworthy Rescues”.
Born May 16, 1984 and raised in Minot, North Dakota, Derek knew hard work from an early age. Inspired by his father and grandfather’s reluctance to buy new parts and instead reuse and repair what they had at home, young Derek successfully learned the basics of the trade and how to keep any car running.
It was a local North Dakota auto expert who first taught Derek what car restoration was, but surprisingly Derek never pursued official certification in the field. After spending several years of his life as a businessman, Derek left the business world in 2019 to start his YouTube channel Vice Grip Garage, gaining hundreds of thousands of subscribers in a few years.
Known for his hands-on method of bringing cars back to life, and for philanthropy, Derek has gained over a million subscribers to his channel to date, stars in a MotorTrend TV show, and is respected and admired by his peers in the automotive industry.
Betty White, you say?! No problem. This guy (Derek Bieri of Vice Grip Garage) found her in a field and brought her right back. She has now recovered. He named the car after her because of her hair.
But seriously, I hope she’s okay too. Wonder what she’s up to these days. pic.twitter.com/3uPEREOTfy
— The Driver (@Driver_Stig) November 20, 2021
Wife & Family
Although Derek Bieri is the face of Vice Grip Garage and “Roadworthy Rescues”, the truth is that his family has contributed immensely to his success. Married to Jessica since 2008, Derek and she have welcomed three young sons with whom they share their love of the car, as evidenced by many of their social media posts.
Derek’s loved ones are a great motivator for him to make every project as safe as possible: ‘At some point I have to consider my own safety and buy something decent. I have kids and a wife at home that I adore,” he said Sick magazine in 2022.
While the Bieri kids are still too young to participate in the most adrenaline-filled activities their parents love, like racing, Derek and Jessica have done a great job incorporating that family-friendly attitude into their YouTube content. It’s also not rare to see Jessica participating in the content creation aspect of their channel, whether working on a build or behind the wheel.
All in all, Derek proves every day that he is a real family guy.
What is Derek’s Net Worth?
Although Derek Bieri became known through his YouTube channel and most recently through his TV show, he has worked in various fields throughout his life. Unbeknownst to many, Derek was an accomplished businessman for many years, maintaining his financially stable job while pursuing his passion for auto repair.
While it’s been a long time since Derek left the corporate world to fully focus on his passion for the automotive industry, he hasn’t forgotten the business side of it all. As seen on his website Vice Grip garageDerek has released a wide variety of products related to his car brand, from t-shirts and accessories to launching car care products.
While Derek’s salary from “Roadworthy Rescue” and earnings from his Vice Grip Garage channel are unknown, his years as an automotive content creator, businessman, and more recently as a reality TV personality have resulted in a net worth of over $1.2 million as of 2023. Nevertheless, that number will certainly continue to increase over time.
Where does Derek Bieri live?
Derek Bieri and his family lived in Minnesota the longest. However, at the end of 2021, the Bieris decided to take a risky step in their lives and move to Tennessee, establish their company and where they currently live.
While the move came as a surprise to those who have followed Vice Grip Garage from the start, the Bieris had many good reasons to leave the place that was once their hometown.
As explained by Derek and Jessica in a video shared on their YouTube side channel Vice Grip LodgeSaving money was the first and foremost reason for their move, as the cost of living in Tennessee is much lower than Minnesota when it comes to utilities and taxes. As the couple also confirmed, one of their biggest problems in Minnesota was the long distance between their home and their store, which took them too many hours to simply travel.
The latter problem was solved by locating their new store in their new home in Tennessee, which allowed Derek to spend more time with his family without leaving his passion for cars and the canal aside.
Overall, the Bieris are now living a more comfortable and happy life in their new home in Tennessee.
What is Vice Grip Garage about?
What are the chances of becoming internet famous just by doing what they love? While that’s not something that happens to a lot of people, Derek Bieri is one of the lucky few who has become hugely popular and successful online without losing his essence while remaining humble at the same time.
That said, Derek’s YouTube channel, Vice Grip Garage, is everything every motorhead is looking for. Keeping the projects eye-catching, interesting and with a good sense of humor is Derek’s way to go, but his old car-focused restorations and builds are also down-to-earth enough that everyone understands what’s going on. Viewers also got a glimpse into Derek’s life outside of his auto shop, such as his collaborations with other auto experts and his racing escapades.
Derek’s success can easily be attributed to how well he connects with his audience. As he admitted in an interview with Sick magazinedoes he create content for the common man because he is one himself: “I like to show people that you can have fun and put cars on the street and enjoy them, and they don’t have to be pretty and shiny,” he said .
Since the channel started in 2019, Derek’s channel has amassed over 370 million views and the success doesn’t seem to stop anytime soon.
What is “Rideable Rescues” about?
Following the line of restoring classic cars and hot rods that comes his way, “Roadworthy Rescues” showcases the many skills Derek Bieri has up his sleeve. While the speed at which each project is brought to completion is faster than the public has come to expect from Vice Grip Garage, the essence of bringing cars back to life is the same as ever.
Starting with projects like making a Mustang from 1967 getting back on the road for the first time in 28 years and battling a termite infestation from a 1966 Pontiac Tempest, the real charm of “Roadworthy Rescues” is seeing Derek explore so many different places across the U.S. just to accomplish his restless rescue mission .
⏳ 2 WEEKS AWAY ⏳ Roadworthy Rescues premieres September 27th on MotorTrend TV and MotorTrend+.
Posted by MotorTrend TV on Tuesday, September 13, 2022
However, Derek is not alone on the road. His wife Jessica is always on hand to help, while upholstery expert Dan Dosemagen breathes new life into the vehicle’s interior.
While a second season of “Roadworthy Rescues” has not yet been confirmed, there is no doubt that the show has already left a big impression on everyone.
Was Derek on TV before?
Before the 2022 premiere of his show, Derek Bieri had already made his TV debut in a number of automotive-oriented shows. Some of his small screen experience include appearances in “Hooptie World Championship” and “Holiday Hooptie Challenge III”, both highlights of Derek’s career as they gave him the opportunity to work with David Freiburger from the hit show “Roadkill “.
Derek’s admiration for Freiburger stems from his job on TV and as a writer for several successful car magazines, as he revealed in an interview with The Chris & Sandy Show in 2022: ‘the talent that guy has is amazing. I mean, he can list things that would take me a year to find,” he said.
The premiere of “Roadworthy Rescues” adds a major milestone to Derek’s career and proves he has a bright future in the entertainment world.
The best cars and moments
Since Derek Bieri rose to fame in the auto world, he’s had great moments both inside and outside the auto shop.
For starters, Derek entered motorsports for the first time in his life during the 2021 edition of Midwest Drags, when he drove the Ice Cream Truck owned by fellow YouTuber and expert drag racer Tom Bailey. Since then, Derek has competed in several motorsport events such as Rocky Mountain Race Week, Bristol Race Weekend and the 2022 Memphis International Raceway edition.
While getting behind the wheel at full speed is an activity that Derek thoroughly enjoys, other of his greatest car-related moments are less adrenaline-inducing, though just as interesting. As Derek said in an interview with My Star Collector car, his favorite revivals of cars in Vice Grip Garage are the 1980 Nissan Turbo Diesel Scout II and the 1972 Chevelle that he later renamed Independence. The former became his daily ride, while the latter is a favorite of his children.
All in all, Derek Bieri’s efforts and hard work in the automotive world have more than compensated not only for the success he has achieved so far, but also for the great moments he has shared with his family as a result. Hopefully, Derek continues to inspire others to follow his dreams, whether through his online projects or on TV.
