In

Arthur takes delivery of a BMW imported from Germany, a fine car at a price that felt like a bargain. For a man who sells second-hand cars, Arthur has a remarkable talent for buying the one car in Europe he shouldn't have. The next thing he knows, his car lot is being raided and the bargain is sitting in a police compound with a drugs case built around it. The German import, it turns out, came with rather more than a full tank. Arthur is marched off to answer questions from Inspector Klingmann, who has the weary patience of a man who has met plenty of Arthurs.

Terry's job is to find the man who sold the car, which means chasing the delivery driver across London until the trail ends in a punch-up on a public bus. It's one of those Minder scraps that start over a seat and finish with everyone on the floor, and the other passengers get a story to tell at work on Monday. But by the time Terry has his man, the station has finished with Arthur, who walks out free while his minder is left to wonder what exactly he was protecting.

Leon Griffiths wrote the script and Ian Toynton directed. Brian Cox plays Frank, Frederick Jaeger is Inspector Klingmann, and Peter Childs appears as Rycott. Diane Langton plays Rita, Russell Hunter is Billy 'The Ferret', John Hallam plays Gypsy Joe, Lindy Whiteford is Bridget and Linal Haft appears as Ronnie. Dennis Waterman and George Cole hold the middle of it all.

Arthur's ability to fall into other people's criminal enterprises by pure accident is one of the show's great running jokes, and here it runs at full power. The car is a lovely trap, the kind of purchase that looks sensible until it isn't. Next time Arthur buys a car he might think twice. Then again, he won't. Terry does the hard work, Arthur takes the walk, and order is restored until the next deal comes along.