car show gripes

[Sahara]

We have a cool show here, but it works for us because it’s such a small town. Population of around 4,000.
The way ours work is that you can enter anything. Old car, bike, go kart, horse, we don’t care. It’s cool, laid back, non judgemental, polite, not competitive. We get somewhere between about thirty and fifty vehicles. Every one is driven, all makes, all welcome. Everyone mingles, chats, is happy. I love small towns.

 

[R413]

Agree

They had a car show here that was 5pm to 8pm. It was great! Was a bit hot to start but it cooled down nicely. Yep slept in, cleaned the car, had dinner, ready for the show!

Yes they some rules posted so these non car people spectators know to not touch the cars.

 

[JimKueneman]

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).

we mostly just do small local shows and you can just leave when you want.

 

[Kern Dog]

Unless you have spent time organizing or working a car show, you don't know all of the effort that it takes to host one.
Quit your bitching, people.
Hosting the show costs money. In the case of our Sacramento Mopar show, we don't have all the equipment for the show. We have to rent stuff and that costs money. Tables, pylons, generators and misc other things
Rent of the park isn't cheap. I know of some shows (300 cars, give or take) that have to pay $3500 just to rent a location. Then the club has to front the cost of the trophies, the food, the T shirts, the music guy and whatever else is needed. In our show, EVERYone is a volunteer. Nobody in the club gets paid, except for a free hot dog or burger.
After all expenses, the profits are split between a few charities and the club itself. What we keep pays for various club events for the year.
The club has no authority to keep nit picky assclowns out.
The club does not encourage the use of those stupid stuffed "Crying dolls" that morons place against their cars.
We try to keep a decent space between cars but since it is the owners that are doing the parking, we can't get that perfect every time.
If you paid to be judged and park someplace away from your class, you will not be seen and probably won't be judged.
Don't be a Prima Donna. Yeah, your nice car IS appreciated and we are happy to have you but don't expect people to host a parade because you showed up.
Late model cars.....Yeah, Us with classics often feel the same way. The car show used to be just the classics. As late as the 90s and 2000s, Ma Mopar wasn't making anything really fast and rear wheel drive. We'd get some Neons and Vipers but now....The late model cars are easily HALF of the cars at the show. What is a club to do? Everyone is getting older and many 70-80 year old guys don't get out to the shows like they did when they were 50 or younger. These cars are classics and not as many young guys are as interested in them as we are. It is not the fault of the car show organizers that the older people are staying home.

Car shows start early because the weather often gets hot. Simple answer.

 

[vintage chromoly]

I’d rather be at the drag strip.
If there is a “show field”, I’ll walk through and take a look.
I walk by about 90% of the cars. Just not interested in most, as I’ve been into these cars for a long time, and it takes a lot to peak my interest.

don’t even get me started on the lame *** music the promoters feel obligated to play.

 

[Moms68]

I wish I saved it but a while back, I saw a cartoon of the development of a car show guy similar to the rise of the homo sapiens from cave man to modern man.

You start off really enthusiastic and attend all the shows that you can being really positive, enjoying the crowds and cars, then attend less and less, start criticizing cars and participants, then finally leave the car home and think that all car shows suck.

I rarely go to shows anymore, like others have said I’d rather meet a few friends and go for a cruise.

 

[Potts]

I'm retired, never had a nice enough Mopar until about 5 years ago, so I kinda like the shows. I have a young son, and he enjoys anything Mopar.
I don't do the all day shows anymore but any trophies we snag are his. That's the motivation.

 

[Mike67]

Unless you have spent time organizing or working a car show, you don't know all of the effort that it takes to host one.
Quit your bitching, people.
Hosting the show costs money. In the case of our Sacramento Mopar show, we don't have all the equipment for the show. We have to rent stuff and that costs money. Tables, pylons, generators and misc other things
Rent of the park isn't cheap. I know of some shows (300 cars, give or take) that have to pay $3500 just to rent a location. Then the club has to front the cost of the trophies, the food, the T shirts, the music guy and whatever else is needed. In our show, EVERYone is a volunteer. Nobody in the club gets paid, except for a free hot dog or burger.
After all expenses, the profits are split between a few charities and the club itself. What we keep pays for various club events for the year.
The club has no authority to keep nit picky assclowns out.
The club does not encourage the use of those stupid stuffed "Crying dolls" that morons place against their cars.
We try to keep a decent space between cars but since it is the owners that are doing the parking, we can't get that perfect every time.
If you paid to be judged and park someplace away from your class, you will not be seen and probably won't be judged.
Don't be a Prima Donna. Yeah, your nice car IS appreciated and we are happy to have you but don't expect people to host a parade because you showed up.
Late model cars.....Yeah, Us with classics often feel the same way. The car show used to be just the classics. As late as the 90s and 2000s, Ma Mopar wasn't making anything really fast and rear wheel drive. We'd get some Neons and Vipers but now....The late model cars are easily HALF of the cars at the show. What is a club to do? Everyone is getting older and many 70-80 year old guys don't get out to the shows like they did when they were 50 or younger. These cars are classics and not as many young guys are as interested in them as we are. It is not the fault of the car show organizers that the older people are staying home.

Car shows start early because the weather often gets hot. Simple answer.

I hear ya, Im friends with the guy that puts in the Nifty Fiftees car show here in the Woodlands.
He only charges $10 for the car and spectators are free. Cars are limited to 1980 and earlier.
He has had to move the venue probably 4-5 times in the past 10 yrs. He has a legal lease with the property owners with specific rules. He has to carry $1000000 worth of insurance, have security (off duty LEO), picks up the trash left & has been drawing about 100 cars every Saturday. In its heyday at the other sites he was drawing anywhere from 4-600 cars. On Halloween it was crazy in excess of 800. He is always working on it.
We dont dont always go to it, there is an outlaw type get-together in Montgomery but the business owners dont mind as many are patrons to the restaurants. It can range upwards towards 60 cars, but you have to sprinkle in a handful of the new vette and mustang crowd. They are typically the one that piss everyone off as they take spots that are typically filled with classics not to mention having to burn out in the parking lot risking getting everyone else kicked out...
Never understood what makes a new('er) car owner think that hot rodders want to see a car that can be found on any showroom or be every 5th car on the highway????

 

[toolmanmike]

Our Mopar club has a car show coming up Saturday. It's part of our Mopar Maxx weekend. Racing from Friday through Sunday, $12,000 in pay outs so far, Mopar only car show, swap meet, all brands show and shine on Sunday and a drag strip reunion. Admission is $15 a day, really pretty reasonable for a whole day of fun and the profits we get from the show go to local food banks and veterans organizations. The show cars are out in the open. I wish we had some trees but most car show folks have Easy-ups for their own shade. It's great fun getting together with forum members from other states and showing off our old cars we enjoy so much. I like all the remember when stories as well. Ya the 383 6 pack Hemi stories are corny. Those guys just want to be cool too.

Oh ya, my Swinger is featured this year, on the banners and the shirts.

 

[Chargered]

I prefer the cruise-ins. You can cruise in at your leisure and cruise back out at your leisure. I don't have time to sit around for hours at a car show.

 

[Steven Bowers]

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).

Personally, I have found that over the years I got way more enjoyment taking my 69 Charger to nursing homes when they had a 50’s 60’s party…everyone had a great time dancing, talking and looking at the cars….I’ve also taken it to a few cruise ins that were okay….I have never liked baby sitting my car…..I’m to the point now in my life I’m most likely going to gift my car to my nephew…he’s only 12 so his father will have ownership until he’s ready for it…..we really own nothing just possess it for a moment…..

 

[toolmanmike]

I prefer the cruise-ins. You can cruise in at your leisure and cruise back out at your leisure. I don't have time to sit around for hours at a car show.

We have a couple cruises a year. One goes over by the Mississippi River through the hills and curves. Lots of fun in our old cars. Makes you respect your 4 wheel drum brakes. LOL

 

[bandit67]

My club put on a show for 18 years in our medium size city, we heard and seen it all, just as Kern Dog posted. Asshat onlookers that damaged show cars to participates asking why his car was beat out by this car as his had a $5000 stereo. We said we didn't judge stereos. He was pissed. Our show generated some decent money most years as EVERY penny went to the local Children's Hospital in our town, club kept nothing. The space to rent at the airport as well as the insurance to cover if somebody did a burnout and lost it and killed somebody was very expensive. As K Dog said, if you have never put on a show yourself , you only seeing the event one sided.....try to have a bit more patience. I had a some members griping about how something was done, I put them in charge to fix/change it, and you would be surprised how quick the gripping slowed down. We did put a suggestion box one year and did get some good ideas where and how to make changes for the better.

 

[moparedtn]

Seems to me like this is more a bitchfest about particular, individual shows than the type of
event in general, eh?
Tossing in my own two cents on the subject then...

Having lived in both very urban - and now the last quarter century, in very rural areas - as others
have noted, the type of event typically is quite different, I've found.
In these parts, oftentimes the events are smaller necessarily - and many times are held as a fundraiser
for any of many worthy charities.
There's typically not a lot of car show judging going on and usually - but not always - the hosts will try
to keep it a special interest/"old car" event by having some sort of model year limit on what cars are
allowed to participate.

In a part of the country where the largest "city" is Knoxville (180k pop.) and the next one can't manage
much more than 60k, there's counties that don't even have 50k population for the entire county - so
just about anything and everything is allowed in some shows - and there are specific shows for specific
makes, lest the fart can muffler Honda crowd be left out.

I've been to huge shows in the past and you pretty much know what to expect with those (some of which
the OP, among others, complain about here).
I've not attended a truly big show since moving here though - and I find I don't have an issue taking Fred
to any regional show around here out of fear of experiencing any of those issues.

Lookit - all car shows have at least two things in common - cars and people, both of all sorts - but there's
a key to keeping them enjoyable to participate in, at least for me:
Once I got over my fear of leaving the car and going off to enjoy the event with my wife (or sometimes
alone even) though, things got a lot more enjoyable for me - and her.
I can visit with folks, have something to eat, look over the presentations and raffles and all the other
festivities, check out the other cars at a leisurely pace - some call it participating in fellowship with other
humans - and still return to Fred later and chat with folks who want to talk about the car, too.

As with most things in this life, it's all in how you approach it - and I choose to enjoy both bringing the car
(because I love to drive the damn thing, obnoxious as Fred is) and checking out what all is going on at the
show, too.
Most times these days, the lawn chairs and such remain in the trunk.
That speaks volumes, right there.

 

[toolmanmike]

Unless you have spent time organizing or working a car show, you don't know all of the effort that it takes to host one.
Quit your bitching, people.
Hosting the show costs money. In the case of our Sacramento Mopar show, we don't have all the equipment for the show. We have to rent stuff and that costs money. Tables, pylons, generators and misc other things
Rent of the park isn't cheap. I know of some shows (300 cars, give or take) that have to pay $3500 just to rent a location. Then the club has to front the cost of the trophies, the food, the T shirts, the music guy and whatever else is needed. In our show, EVERYone is a volunteer. Nobody in the club gets paid, except for a free hot dog or burger.
After all expenses, the profits are split between a few charities and the club itself. What we keep pays for various club events for the year.
The club has no authority to keep nit picky assclowns out.
The club does not encourage the use of those stupid stuffed "Crying dolls" that morons place against their cars.
We try to keep a decent space between cars but since it is the owners that are doing the parking, we can't get that perfect every time.
If you paid to be judged and park someplace away from your class, you will not be seen and probably won't be judged.
Don't be a Prima Donna. Yeah, your nice car IS appreciated and we are happy to have you but don't expect people to host a parade because you showed up.
Late model cars.....Yeah, Us with classics often feel the same way. The car show used to be just the classics. As late as the 90s and 2000s, Ma Mopar wasn't making anything really fast and rear wheel drive. We'd get some Neons and Vipers but now....The late model cars are easily HALF of the cars at the show. What is a club to do? Everyone is getting older and many 70-80 year old guys don't get out to the shows like they did when they were 50 or younger. These cars are classics and not as many young guys are as interested in them as we are. It is not the fault of the car show organizers that the older people are staying home.

Car shows start early because the weather often gets hot. Simple answer.

Yes, it is expensive. We have a $18,000 budget. Not cheap to put on a big show. And we work on it all year. LOL

 

[towtruckAl]

Hey boys another big cost to host or promoter is frickin insurance . we have a open car show here every sat nite no late model only muscle and hot rods and customs and no competion just a 50/50 draw we get 250 to 400 cars , lots of socializing and remenising , super good time had by all .

 

[gkent]

Hey boys another big cost to host or promoter is frickin insurance . we have a open car show here every sat nite no late model only muscle and hot rods and customs and no competion just a 50/50 draw we get 250 to 400 cars , lots of socializing and remenising , super good time had by all .

Where in Canada do you get that many cars on a weekly basis?!?! Calling "bullshit" on this one !!

 

[RT6PK]

I'm not complaining about entry fees, lack of shade, early hours etc.; because as a consumer I can choose to attend or not attend. If it were not for guys willing to organize and promote shows, then us car guys would have a lot less events to attend. My biggest pet peeve is these guys who show up and save parking spots for their buddies with a lawn chair. Then, I have to drive around endlessly looking for a parking spot that does not have someone's lawn chair in it.... or wait for someone else to leave. Saving spots for your buddy is o.k. UNTIL all of the other remaining spots are full. Once the other spots are full, there should not be any spot saving allowed.

 

[Hey-O]

We have cruise-ins every month and those are the most fun. I don't need to go to a dick measuring contest and hope they vote for my car, just good old boys that love cars and enjoy the stories that go alone with it. The beers on me!!!!

 

[demonram]

I enjoy car shows, unfortunately I don’t go as often as I’d like. I don’t mind the entry fees at all, I know it cost money to put them on. I try to go to the ones for charity as far as the smaller ones. I can’t sit around all day, that’s just not me. I chat with the people next to me, leave the car and check things out. I did have the car on a chassis dyno right after I built it, that was very cool. Also ran it at the track at Great Lakes dragway a few times at there shows. Found out how bad my reaction time was and the traction issue but won so that’s a plus. Actually got best mopar there one year. I think it was because of my drag racing ability. Just kidding, it was because the car chased down my opponent and I won from an awful start with traction and my great reaction time. Three years ago at a veterans memorial show I left early and got a call on Monday that I had won my class. He said he would mail the plaque to me if I wanted. I told him don’t waste the money, if I get a chance I’ll stop by and pick it up, just leave it by your front door. I never did go by and get it. The next year I never mentioned it, didn’t win that year. The money goes for a great cause, that’s all that matters. Hopefully I’ll make it to some this year, haven’t yet. Take care.