Car Show Mini-Rant

[B C]

I know my thoughts will agitate some, and many will probably disagree with me but:

 

When I go to a car show, I dont want to see late model showroom stock vehicles unless they are rare/special editions. I especially dont care to see the hood popped to reveal the latest in plastic engine cover technology with an Armor-All sheen.

 

What I DO want to see are:
-Special edition cars like a Limerock Edition E92 M3 

-Rare-ish cars like a 1M

-Any sort of classic that you dont see often (no your beige automatic E36 325i isnt a classic)

-Cars of ANY vintage that have a special story behind them (beige automatic E36 325i formerly owned by Thomas Jefferson)

-Cars of ANY vintage that have a personal touch to them (beige automatic E36 325i with 19" chrome wheels, sound system, M3 badge, and euro tail lights)


I dont want to pull up to a car show and see a factory stock 530xi receiving an elaborate touch-up detail in the parking lot from the damage 10 miles of driving did to the paint 

 

 

[straight6pwr]

while i agree with you on wanting to see cool cars like that, shows would be awful small if no one with a regular car showed up.

no one is forcing you to check out the stock e60, let alone glance at it. besides, stock cars are usually the 'gateway drug' for enthusiast, who then move on to something more show worthy.

[B C]

dang you and your valid counterpoints. 

[Doorman]

while i agree with you on wanting to see cool cars like that, shows would be awful small if no one with a regular car showed up.

no one is forcing you to check out the stock e60, let alone glance at it. besides, stock cars are usually the 'gateway drug' for enthusiast, who then move on to something more show worthy.

I agree with this.

Aug 20th a local car show is featuring rear engine/mid engine/imports. Trying to get the Chicago e30 crew to represent....failing so far!!

Sept 10th is station wagon/utility vehicles.....guess who's bringing his e39 touring.....

[i_love_cars]

Honestly, the cars are only part of the reason to go in the first place. I largely attend car shows to talk to people. There are always enough enthusiasts there for me to talk to that I can easily tune out any peripheral noise from plain-jane stock cars. 

 

There is still a part of me, however, that when I see a run-of-the-mill shitbox parked on the lot among the cars for show, in my head goes "wtf are you doing son, gtfo", and mainly my point there is just park your shitty econobox or family sedan away from the main show area so you don't clutter up the space with something nobody really wants to see. Then come in and talk to people about cars and enjoy yourself. 

 

Ironically, Brian you brought your minivan to the E30 meet and got upset when they made you park it far away. To me, parking your beat out minivan (as comical as it is) next to a bunch of E30s at a show dedicated to E30s/BMWs in general is no different than the clown with a stock E60 528 trying to roll with a bunch of modified/enthusiast cars at a show. The main difference is that you aren't trying to polish your turd and show it off - you know it's a turd. 

 

EDIT: vote rage drifting

[KaiserRolls]

If I could go and just look at cars and not talk to people. I'd be cool with that.

I promise I'm not a dick. I just don't enjoy talking to people

Plus. I like rusted out shit boxes.

I own one 0__0

[REKIII]

I agree with you......except for exotics.  If someone pulled in with a completely stock brand new Pagani......I'm gonna check it out.

[wally509]

I agree.  I do not consider a new car lot to be a "car show", therefore...

 

Nothing irritates me (and a number of my friends) as much as the half dozen or so late model Aston-Martins that show at the Elkhart Lake vintage races Saturday night car show.  They have been doing this for years.  Then this year there was a Lamborghini Azenticane, or whatever their newest car is which looks just like the one before it, which looked like the one before that, which looked like...a Fiero with a body kit.  They haven't made a car with any styling to it since the Jalpa, but I digress...

 

I lay a lot of this on the show organizers.  It seems most of them are going for quantity rather than quality, not picking a theme and sticking to it.

 

Old man rant mode off...sorry about that.

[B C]

Kaiser sent me a pic from a car show in Eau Claire a few weeks ago with a Pontiac G6 parked next to a Lotus and similar caliber cars

Its entirely possible to love a G6 and take pride in it and thats good and fine, but its the same reason I never entered my completely stock 325i automatic into the concours show years ago.

I love(d) the car to pieces but it just doesnt fit in next to Clemens' modded 1M, restored 2002s, and some very well kept examples of other cars.

I mostly go to socialize and try to get bagels. I was successful in my bagel pursuit this year at concours.

[KaiserRolls]

I eat donuts at car shows when I'm lost

Donuts>bagels

[KaiserRolls]

Pics snap is referring to

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[patsbimmer1]

I enjoy going to car shows where I know the people are passionate about cars.  I've made more friends by going to car shows then I can count and a lot of the time the only time I see these people is at one of the shows.  I'm not sure what show's you guys are going to but the show's i'm attending has a vast majority of modified cars.  Whether it's just lowered or a full build, the general audience has a passion for the car they brought.  Cars and Coffee is a great example of this.  It doesn't matter what you bring to that event as long as you are passionate about it.  You'll always find people at those events that are there because they love cars.  

 

You can blame the organizers for the current selection at car shows because they are not policed but after knowing a few of these organizers for years now I will say that if they were really that strict about who was allowed to show up then the events would be a lot smaller and the crowds would be smaller.  It's hard for an organizer to start out and say, "i'm only going to allow cars that meet 'x' criteria in the show and this is going to be hugely successful."  It doesn't work that way.  There are a lot of costs associated with a show that isn't in your local Culvers parking lot.  Venue fee's, insurance, attorney fee's (if you're smart), marketing, etc.  On top of that, nobody wants to pay to be a spectator and then you hope to break even based on registered cars and vendors.

 

There are great shows across the country that somebody could attend and see exactly what they want but you have to pay a price.  You either pay to spectate or pay to travel or something along those lines.  If you want a better car show then what is available then do it yourself or travel to the existing shows in the country.

 

I'm happy going to local shows and seeing my friends and seeing the progress they've made on their car even though it might not be "show ready".  I also like seeing this scene accessible to a younger generation that might not have the money for a high dollar build but they can park next to someone with a similar car and similar mindset who might be further along who can mentor them.  I've made friends from across the midwest by attending shows in Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky and I hope to continue to make friends when I attend other shows in other states.

[patsbimmer1]

That Lotus and the 4C were on Water st. about a month back when I was in Eau Claire lol.

[KaiserRolls]

That Lotus and the 4C were on Water st. about a month back when I was in Eau Claire lol.

Guy that owns the alpha also owns the Porsche I posted. He also has a super old fiat. He's a pretty relaxed guy, he's let a few other people drive it actually.

[patsbimmer1]

He was really nice when I stopped and talked to him on the street that evening.  A little shocked that I knew what the car was and that I had seen another one very recently but seemed pretty genuine.

[wally509]

...

You can blame the organizers for the current selection at car shows because they are not policed but after knowing a few of these organizers for years now I will say that if they were really that strict about who was allowed to show up then the events would be a lot smaller and the crowds would be smaller.  It's hard for an organizer to start out and say, "i'm only going to allow cars that meet 'x' criteria in the show and this is going to be hugely successful."  It doesn't work that way.  There are a lot of costs associated with a show that isn't in your local Culvers parking lot.  Venue fee's, insurance, attorney fee's (if you're smart), marketing, etc.  On top of that, nobody wants to pay to be a spectator and then you hope to break even based on registered cars and vendors...

 

Thanks for the reminder/reality check that most of these shows are not about passion for cars but for an organizer to profit.  This is why there are so many late model cars such as the stupid Aston's, a Subaru WRX and a brand new BMW M4 at the Sat night vintage races show.  They pay the $50 or $60 and they get in.  I did talk to a guy parked outside the show with an all original, patina'd series 1 or 1.5 Jag e-type roadster that I think he said had period racing history who was not allowed in the show because it was full, so that discussion helped fuel this ranting.  His bro was also going to bring his Healey 100, but again, didn't even drive it because they couldn't get in the show.

[Earl]

If the criteria was vintage then I would say the organizer of that show was to blame. Those cars should not have been let into that show.

 

I have seen plenty of cars turned away at shows that I attend due to not meeting the criteria to get in. People have to learn that they can't drive their fox body mustang to a volkswagen show and expect to be let in. This is a whole different conversation that doesn't have much to deal with stock cars being in car shows=P 

[RamenNoobles]

I'm not sure what show's you guys are going to but the show's i'm attending has a vast majority of modified cars.  Whether it's just lowered or a full build, the general audience has a passion for the car they brought.

coming from the man with a shift knob listed as a mod in his sig

[patsbimmer1]

coming from the man with a shift knob listed as a mod in his sig

A mod none the less!  lol it makes a difference, trust me.

[Earl]

I'm going to list all of my painted bits in a mods list because they make a difference to me=P

[RamenNoobles]

pat you forgot to list your carbon fiber wrapped items!

[ClassE]

What's equally annoying to the "I'm bringing my stock car to the car show" are the lightly modded cars that appear the owner couldn't be bothered to clean/wash/wax it.

"Check it out - I plastidipped my (fill in the blank) bruh, but I've never clay barred or waxed my car1!!1!1!!"

[KaiserRolls]

^to be reasonable.

My paint sucks bushels of cocks. I buffed it once to "bring back the red"

I found out it is like 18.3 different shades of red.

When there's some dust/dirt on it, it almost looks the same red.

Plus, I can't have nice things. If I ever got a car painted, the next day id scratch it.

[RamenNoobles]

 18.3 different shades of red. When there's some dust/dirt on it, it almost looks the same red.

same with my miata

[andyhundley]

What's equally annoying to the "I'm bringing my stock car to the car show" are the lightly modded cars that appear the owner couldn't be bothered to clean/wash/wax it.

"Check it out - I plastidipped my (fill in the blank) bruh, but I've never clay barred or waxed my car1!!1!1!!"

 

I am guilty of this besides the plastidip part.