car show gripes

[Stereolab42]

Am I just selfish? I think I far prefer just visiting car shows at my convenience rather then actually entering my cars.

• Car shows are so ******* early. I have the type of insomnia that says "oh you need to wake up early the next day, forget it bud, I'm going to keep you up until 3 am". The sun stays up until 8 PM during summer, why are all shows from like 8 AM to 3 PM, with earlier setup? (Which means I need to wake up 5-6.)
• The vast majority of people are respectful. But when you have 1000s of people walking past your car, it only takes 1/1000 to be jerks for something to happen. Had a group of people leaning on one of my cars at a show recently listening to the music (the organizers had put my car right up in front of the outdoor stage, I won't be allowing that again). It had a perfect paint job and still does, I got lucky but the key word is "lucky".
• A corollary to that is if your car was placed in a busy spot you often can't bear to spend the time to check out other cars or go eat because that means letting it out of your sight for an hour+.
• Give us some shade! Getting beat on for 8 hours in the sun is no fun. Put up a giant tent that's not just for paid meals or VIPs.
• I'm less and less willing to fork out $50 for the "privilege" of showing my car when I know the organizers are making good money from vendors, spectator parking, and so on.

Meh. I know these shows wouldn't be possible without people willing to, you know, show their cars. Maybe it's easier for retired people who always wake up at 5 AM and have little else to do (not saying this disrespectfully).

 

[Mike67]

I dont frequent big shows anymore. The car club is big with the Autorama and I went religiously ever Weds before Thanksgiving for set up. I enjoyed it as we got to meet the owners/builders before the big show. During the show I had no interest fighting the crowds. But it seems that 95% of the cars are the same ones that have been showing for the last 30+ yrs.
When they moved it back downtown to GRB, it became a hassel, parking was a pita and I dont care to travel into Houston anyways.
I stick with local cruise in parking lots, ours start around 5 and end 9-10. Most of the people a very cool and willling to talk.
Secondly I would never want to own a car I would be scared to leave, especially around other "car people". In fact we often go have dinner and leave the car sitting windows down and hood up,

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

Exactly why I run our car show as "FREE" with random door prizes in two parks. Some with shade and some without. There are other "family-friendly" events for people of all ages. This was our sixth year and an average of about 75-125 cars. If someone else wants to change the show (for a fee), let them have it. I will help out. I would suggest to you and anyone else to get involved with a local show to volunteer and be heard. Some municipalities charge for use of a park, if so try to piggyback a car show with another event so they will cover the liability insurance.

 

[beanhead]

There's really only one all-Mopar show in my area, and it's not real big. It's traditionally held at a fairly nice park with shade. My only real gripe, and why I don't go much anymore(as well as others I've talked to) is the late-model cars get more and more every year, and the classics get less and less. I mean I know the new cars are nice and fast and furious and all, and I know the organizers aren't going to turn down all those entry fees.. but I could care less when I go out to shows that are supposed to be for the old stuff.
I do get some joy though out of being the dick that arrives late and leaves early, shrugging and smiling as my exhaust blows dust and debris and hydrocarbons all over everybody going down the rows

 

[gkent]

I've said this for years: why should car owners "pay" to enter a show where "they" are the main attraction ?!?!? As stated, the organizers are charging a spectator fee and that is usually a good chunk of coin - especially when you consider half or more of the folks are wives and kids who couldn't give a ****. But hey, for your $50 entry fee you "could" win a can of WD40 for having the "squeekiest door in show" !!! I'm all for swapmeets and free, local car shows but the big shows ... usually too damn hot, dusty, etc (can you tell I'm feeling my age !!).

Oh, and for those who bitch about the golf carts and scooters at the shows ... I have a valid reason - severe plantars fasciitis in both feet and arthritis in both knees. I'm not some obese lardass who spent his life stuffing his face with Twinkies and Big Macs to the point his legs won't support his own weight!!

 

[JimKueneman]

For some of us talking to the spectators and allowing them to relive old memories makes it all worth while.

 

[gkent]

For some of us talking to the spectators and allowing them to relive old memories makes it all worth while.

Especially the guys who had the 383 6-pack hemis !!

 

[Stereolab42]

For some of us talking to the spectators and allowing them to relive old memories makes it all worth while.

That is a huge plus, I always enjoy doing that. I drive my cars at least once every two weeks and for at least 50+ miles, all year long (bless the great state of Smokifornia), and I get plenty of shout-outs. People do love seeing them. Just that for me the mental and physical toll of these all-day car shows is just completely exhausting. I wish there were more informal cruises, there are some and I do like going on them (a classic Mopar club, a Mercedes club).

 

[Darter6]

Some of us old guys, that's all we have anymore...

For some of us talking to the spectators and allowing them to relive old memories makes it all worth while.

Week days coffee and cars but some of the old guys can be "Clickish" if you don't have a Ford or Chevy.My biggest peeve most of these guys don't know the difference between a hammer or a screwdriver. They BUY their cars. They shy away from you because they know YOU know they don't have a clue what they are talking about.
I too feel that prices are out of hand. $65 and you get a free T shirt. No the T just cost me $65. God knows I don't need another T shirt.
There are several local free shows on Saturdays. I don't mind those.you go,hang around,talk to a few folks,if you get board you leave.Cost nothing but time.
Ok, rant over. Sorry, having a bad day.

 

[Darter6]

mental and physical toll of these all-day car shows is just completely exhausting.

Amen.

 

[Red63440]

Am I just selfish? I think I far prefer just visiting car shows at my convenience rather then actually entering my cars.

• Car shows are so ******* early. I have the type of insomnia that says "oh you need to wake up early the next day, forget it bud, I'm going to keep you up until 3 am". The sun stays up until 8 PM during summer, why are all shows from like 8 AM to 3 PM, with earlier setup? (Which means I need to wake up 5-6.)
• The vast majority of people are respectful. But when you have 1000s of people walking past your car, it only takes 1/1000 to be jerks for something to happen. Had a group of people leaning on one of my cars at a show recently listening to the music (the organizers had put my car right up in front of the outdoor stage, I won't be allowing that again). It had a perfect paint job and still does, I got lucky but the key word is "lucky".
• A corollary to that is if your car was placed in a busy spot you often can't bear to spend the time to check out other cars or go eat because that means letting it out of your sight for an hour+.
• Give us some shade! Getting beat on for 8 hours in the sun is no fun. Put up a giant tent that's not just for paid meals or VIPs.
• I'm less and less willing to fork out $50 for the "privilege" of showing my car when I know the organizers are making good money from vendors, spectator parking, and so on.

Meh. I know these shows wouldn't be possible without people willing to, you know, show their cars. Maybe it's easier for retired people who always wake up at 5 AM and have little else to do (not saying this disrespectfully).

Being a caregiver I haven’t been to a show in years, maybe next year….. since I retired In March at 70 now I can sleep as long as I like instead of getting up at 5:00 to go to work……who in hell WANTS to get up at 5:00 when they don’t have to, no disrespect meant.

 

[gkent]

Week days coffee and cars but some of the old guys can be "Clickish" if you don't have a Ford or Chevy.

No **** ... move to a small town when you're in your 50's and see how many "car" friends you make. Oh sure, they'll talk to you - if you're around, but they don't invite you anywhere.

 

[Red63440]

Some of us old guys, that's all we have anymore...
Week days coffee and cars but some of the old guys can be "Clickish" if you don't have a Ford or Chevy.My biggest peeve most of these guys don't know the difference between a hammer or a screwdriver. They BUY their cars. They shy away from you because they know YOU know they don't have a clue what they are talking about.
I too feel that prices are out of hand. $65 and you get a free T shirt. No the T just cost me $65. God knows I don't need another T shirt.
There are several local free shows on Saturdays. I don't mind those.you go,hang around,talk to a few folks,if you get board you leave.Cost nothing but time.
Ok, rant over. Sorry, having a bad day.

No need to apologize for sharing your feelings. Sometimes I and I’m sure you do to wonder where people get their ideas, do we have signs on us that say, “I’m an older person and don’t know ****” or “ just sitting here cause I have nothing else to do”? I could go on but I may hurt some people’s feelings.

 

[Superbeemike]

I totally agree with you. For years I would take my Bee to Hot August Nights here in Reno, only to get up early, sit out in the hot sun all day, deal with others leaning or brushing up against the car, and paying a bunch to do it. Hot August Nights here is a week long event. Nice venue, but last time was $170 per car. Not to mention a week off of work and all the little expenses to go with it. The real kick in the junk though was the critisism about my car from others that probably didn't own a car themselves. Not really sure why people feel the need to pick apart cars. I don't want to sound like a jerk, or make it sound like I don't like going out with my car, but in the end, I really just stopped showing my car and it sat in the garage far more than I took it out. I guess I got bored/tired of it.

Good thing out of it is after some time, I got tired of seeing the car sitting around. It motivated me to use it more for fun things like road trips and track days. I did make a 1800 mile trip to Tucson and back for the Roadkill Zip Tie Drags and ultimately, I've started playing with the car at a road course race track. So much more fun.

 

[Red63440]

I totally agree with you. For years I would take my Bee to Hot August Nights here in Reno, only to get up early, sit out in the hot sun all day, deal with others leaning or brushing up against the car, and paying a bunch to do it. Hot August Nights here is a week long event. Nice venue, but last time was $170 per car. Not to mention a week off of work and all the little expenses to go with it. The real kick in the junk though was the critisism about my car from others that probably didn't own a car themselves. Not really sure why people feel the need to pick apart cars. I don't want to sound like a jerk, or make it sound like I don't like going out with my car, but in the end, I really just stopped showing my car and it sat in the garage far more than I took it out. I guess I got bored/tired of it.

Good thing out of it is after some time, I got tired of seeing the car sitting around. It motivated me to use it more for fun things like road trips and track days. I did make a 1800 mile trip to Tucson and back for the Roadkill Zip Tie Drags and ultimately, I've started playing with the car at a road course race track. So much more fun.

It makes no sense to me to build a car just to go to shows, to me that would be the last reason because as you said, it not only would get old but also expensive. Enjoy the hell out of your car, do your road trip or even get together with other people and do impromptu evening shows, I’m sure there are business owners who would love the draw that a show would bring.

 

[59pwrwgn]

I use to enjoy mine when in was smaller. When they upsized it and move farther away. It was still nice. $20 got my truck and two people in. Attendance was$10. I spent the morning wandering the swap for trinkets I didn't know I needed. Looked at cars and left by 3.
Now they decide to make it a 3 day show and double the fee. The swap starts Friday and is garage by Saturday. I was disappointed the first year and kick myself i wasted my time and $10 to go the second.

 

[dadsbee]

Haven't done a car show in 25 years. We take ours on the road, it's a lot more fun..

 

[beanhead]

Haven't done a car show in 25 years. We take ours on the road, it's a lot more fun..
View attachment 1154799

Couldn'ta said it better myself!

 

[Dennis H]

Malibu Hills.

 

[Superbeemike]

Drive it like you're 19 again........