by "MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
Published 06/18/2017 at 11:34
by "MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
Published 06/18/2017 at 11:34
Tags: car shows
; concours
; enthusiasts
; motoarigato
; forest grove concours
; portland oregon
; kids and cars
; cars and coffee
; car forums
; land cruiser
; ferrari lusso
; lemans
; gullwing
STARS: 2
Only Young People and Minorities Can Save the Old Car Hobby
by Marrs
If you’ve spent any amount of time on various car forums you’ve probably seen the same line of questioning pop up every year as car show season begins; “How do we get more young people interested in the hobby?” It’s a great question, an important one also, because without a new group of interested enthusiasts coming along there will be no one to buy, collect, maintain, enjoy, or display the antique and classic cars many of us cherish. Without getting into the tired conversation about “if” kids and teens today even care about cars or driving, we will move ahead to the practical side of how to stir interest among this demographic.
First things first, young folks today aren’t used to unbending schedules and early morning arrivals, they are more used to things being fluid or on-demand. Because of this, I think the first thing to focus on is timing and length of events. Why the hell do car shows start so early anyway? Many I attend each year run from 8 or 10am until 2pm. Most people under 25 that I know (and quite a few older) don’t even wake up until 10am or after on weekends. We could easily become more inclusive if we started events later and ran them longer. One friend suggested that the current hours already work volunteers and organizers to the bone, but a simple shift in the times wouldn’t add any more hours and may in fact ease some of these issues since workers would be more likely to catch a full night’s rest. Money is often tight for young folks and if they would only be able to make the last couple of hours of an early morning event, they would likely opt to skip it altogether rather than spend the fees for just an hour or two of fun. Supporting argument: Cars & Coffee events have more people under the age of 25 than any other type of event I attend, and while the hours don’t comply with my reasoning above, the free factor and free-wheeling in-and-out vibe surely draws them in more than a fully structured event with hard start and stop times.
Speaking of entry fees, why charge younger attendees at all? Individual organizations should be able to easily view their ticket/attendance demographics and figure out the general cutoff point of attendees by age, so let’s say a local concours primarily draws attendees over the age of 20, they could make the event free for anyone 20-years of age and under. They aren’t losing anything because this is a group that was not heavily invested to begin with, and by doing so, they would likely build a “fan base” of these same folks to attend the event in upcoming years. It’s an investment in their future.
Getting this crowd even more directly involved, showing their own cars or otherwise entering festivities, can also be better accomplished by allowing, where possible, day-of sign-ups and entries, simply because Millennials often prefer to play their day by ear rather than adhere to strict schedules.
CELEBRITIES!!! Got your attention? No? OK, well anyway, this *would* have gotten the attention of many in the pop-culture obsessed, TMZ-mainlining, celebrity-emulating, youth market. We are fortunate to have more automotive-related celebrities these days than ever before thanks to the proliferation of TV shows and enthusiast websites. I can imagine youngsters seeking face time or autographs from the likes of Edd China, the Gas Monkey fools, any one of the virtually interchangeable “big personality” owners of a customizing shop, or anyone who has ever skidded across a shop floor on an office chair powered by the thrust of a fire extinguisher in front of a camera.
More than that is perhaps the general culture of cars, one that seems to be among the slower hobbies to modernize. Personally I notice this quite clearly as a separation between forums that tend to cater to an older clientele and those geared towards under 40’s. Without naming any names, I can report first-hand witnessing name calling, rudeness, disrespect, vitriol, hate, homophobia, racism and other unsavory acts on forums that specialize in older autos, tho you rarely see these same issues on youth oriented/accepting forums and seems largely due to the age and associated open-mindedness of their members as compared to the older and perhaps more stubborn members of the older car crowd and their retained cultural biases. Clearly this does not relate to all “old folks” but it seems to be more common than it really should be in this day and age.
How do we change this problem? By speaking up. Whenever you read something that would be considered hateful or otherwise insulting to a reasonable and rational adult, speak up! Call the poster out for their behavior without engaging in an attack yourself. Be polite but firm, speak your mind and explain why you’re disagreeing with their remarks. If it does cross the line into hate speech, homophobia, or racism, then go ahead and also report the post to a moderator or “flag it” if there’s the option. I truly think this feeling of accepting others even if they are different from yourself is one thing that has leapfrogged modern society more than many other pieces of cultural phenomenon, especially among Millennials, simply because they have been exposed to other races, cultures, and out-of-the-box concepts by spending much of their young lives on the internet sharing and getting to know people from other places and with differing points of view.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably noticed a fairly low representation of “minorities” at events, and I put that in quotes because a minority at a car show is pretty much anyone who isn’t white, male, and between the ages of 50-70 years old. It’s not just teens and young adults we need to welcome with open arms, but people of color of all ages, women, people with disabilities, and basically anyone you see in regular everyday society but rarely notice at car events. This might require specific outreach to a community organization that works with minorities, a women’s club or group, a children’s charity, hospitals, convalescent homes, outreach programs, and so on. Again I would suggest the model of free admission to members of a specific facility or group to encourage attendance. You’re much more likely to convince a small group to attend your event than by approaching individuals who may not know anyone else who’s interested. People are people and cars can be a powerful tool in bridging the gaps in society that we don’t normally get to address.
You know who else often gets left out? Our immediate family members. We all have friends or car-buddies that we know have a family, we have heard countless stories about their kid’s ball games, or their wife’s promotion at work, yet we never actually see these people. Of course not everyone is interested in cars, and I get it that for some people this is their getaway from the daily grind of family life and they want to be alone for a while with their gear head pals, but I encourage you to step out of your conditioned mindset and give real thought to inviting your kid or wife along one more time, who knows, if you ask with enough conviction they may come around! Rather than. “I’m heading out to the car show, anyone interested?” try a more direct, “Hey, I know this isn’t exactly your cup of tea, but it would be really nice to spend some time outside today with you!” or even address specific reasons your family members normally choose not to attend, “I know you don’t think you know a lot about cars, but there will be lots of really cool and beautiful ones there today that I know you will enjoy just looking at!” If your own family isn’t in the cards for whatever reason, how about that friendly neighbor, or the coworker you always plan to hang out with but it never seems to happen? Already have plans? Thinking outside the box and meeting up first at a non-traditional venue like a local car show before heading off to golf, Sunday brunch, or whatever your routine is, can be a real blast!
One thing is for certain, attendance at car events does seem to be dropping as a whole across the country, and we need to get active and address the matter before it is too late, but only by stepping outside our preconceived notions of what a car show is and is not, and seeking new and innovative ways to be more inclusive, is the only way the hobby will survive in any meaningful way. With the coming advent of driverless cars, we will face yet another “roadblock” in creating and maintaining car enthusiasts, and who knows how we will handle that, but it probably won’t be you or I who that responsibility falls to, it will be the next generation of enthusiasts, those we must embrace and bring into the fold today to ensure our collective tomorrow.
This story originally appeared on MotoArigato.com
"Nothing" (nothingatalluseful)
06/18/2017 at 11:49, STARS: 9
I find car shows boring. I love cars, and I like enjoying them. I’m in the tweeter demographic for events. Too old for the tuner crowd, when I had the RX8 and later, the Miata. Too young for the muscle car crowd, which tends to be 60 and up. I like small events, local get togethers with car buddies. A few of us grabbing a beer/food, where the common element that brought us together was our enjoyment of cars. Walking around in a parking lot looking at various cars with their hoods up. Boring. I’ve also found the people to be significantly more pretentious and “all knowing” than when I’d go to similar events with my dad in the 80s.
I like wrenching and driving, primarily.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
06/18/2017 at 12:04, STARS: 1
Same. I’ve been to cars and coffee maybe twice. That’s plenty for me. I do enjoy back to the fifties, but that’s a huge event with some incredibly cool and rare cars. Though even that was more about nerding out with my grandpa than looking at cars, it was about looking at cars together.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
06/18/2017 at 12:11, STARS: 4
the local car show is almost wrist slitting boring experience. There are a few larger ones and they all 5 hours long, with strict entry and exit times. worse they all go 2-7. 7? you just blew a whole afternoon. Last year I got chewed out for trying to leave early to get back for a Fathers Day dinner.
People’s attitudes need to change. last year I overheard 3 guys bitching how they let a Hellcat! Yes a hellcat park next to their classic Challengers. ‘it not old”.
I was at cars and Coffee event yesterday and a guy showed up in vw r32 and the announcer was “let that guy in” to guy directing traffic. the driver goes “I was at another show last week and got stuck in the outfield. nobody knew what it was”
i like shows that have variety. seeing 50 911s, corvettes, and mustangs gets boring as shit. Last year a dude showed up in kei truck. if I had a vote that guy would have gotten it.
"Twinpowermeansoneturbo" (twinpower)
06/18/2017 at 12:18, STARS: 6
Cars and coffee being the exception, most other car events in my area tend to cater to classic American vehicles. Frankly, a segment of cars I have very little interest in. Moreover, the demographic is largely elderly, blue collar, individuals. For me, that entire scene is just a little unrelatable. I wish there were more events by me geared towards people like myself. The networking benefits would be immense and I would also feel much more at home. I’m 22, a young professional, and one of the few car guys I know. But no one I socialize with, car guy or not, has any interest in a ‘55 Chevy. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with classic American cars, but without events geared towards anything else, it is going to be very hard to bring new blood into car culture.
"Scott" (merl3noir)
06/18/2017 at 12:20, STARS: 4
Lots of young people involved in car. it’s just not necessarily the same car culture as older generations.
"garagemonkee" (monke)
06/18/2017 at 12:22, STARS: 5
The two demographics tasked with “saving the enthusiast scene” are the two groups who are statistically without the income to buy any of them, let alone the space necessary to house them, maintain them, and keep them on the road.
Millennials are ruining classic cars, obviously.
"ptak appreciates old racecars" (racecarptak)
06/18/2017 at 12:25, STARS: 2
this
"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips)
06/18/2017 at 12:26, STARS: 7
And for the most part, that older demographic tends to brush off those younger than 35.
"Scott" (merl3noir)
06/18/2017 at 12:28, STARS: 1
Just curious where you live, I live in a very small town (>2000 in the township)in upstate NY and the car show our local Fire Dept puts on sounds better than what you describe. Yes it has the expected Hot Rods, and old muscle cars. But I also see everything from a Maserati Quatroporte, to Mazda Miata’s WRX’s to a couple Lotus Elans. The old guys in their Hot rods camp out all day, with all their awards on display. the younger guys seem to come and go all day long. And some people I think park their car and leave.
"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
06/18/2017 at 12:38, STARS: 2
Bear in mind though that people who are interested in and buy classic cars are usually those who remember them from their childhood and now have the means to indulge their hobby.
In my experience the vast majority of enthusiasts are older - and always have been. As each generation passes on they’re replaced by the next who are interested in a different generation of car.
"cluelessk" (cluelessk)
06/18/2017 at 12:41, STARS: 4
TLDR.
The car scene is booming among young people. We just don’t care about almost anything pre 60's. Even muscle car prices are cooling off.
The biggest meets in my area are all young people.
"djmt1" (djmt1)
06/18/2017 at 12:45, STARS: 1
So how is a bunch of pensioners sitting around a bunch of cars from over 50 years ago in a field in the morning that different from a bunch of young adults standing around a bunch of cars from within the last 25 years in a supermarket car park in the evening?
"Twinpowermeansoneturbo" (twinpower)
06/18/2017 at 12:53, STARS: 0
Surprisingly, I live in Boston. Car culture here is just starting to take off. There’s a local auto museum which hosts cars and coffee and monthly theme days (Italian, German, etc), but there are very few events elsewhere. That being said, there are small meets within the various car communities quite often. Its larger public events that are lacking.
"cluelessk" (cluelessk)
06/18/2017 at 12:56, STARS: 2
The car meet scene is so much better.
The group I meet with meets up every other Friday throughout the Summer at 8:00pm. People come and go as they please. They have a food truck and music on a rented lot so we can’t get kicked out. It’s so much more fun.
And the meets stay respectful. No burnout and revving or you’ll be asked to leave.
"crowmolly" (crowmolly)
06/18/2017 at 13:00, STARS: 2
In my opinion the people that “save” the hobby will be the ones willing to spin wrenches and strike arcs.
The cars are great to look at but somebody has to keep them running and shiny. Testarossas are cool to look at but somebody’s going to have to know how to adjust the valves. How about welding a crack in your aluminum intake? Replacing oil hoses on your 911? Setting backlash on your new r&p? Once time passes you won’t be able to just run to the parts house or dealership to repair your car. If you or somebody else can’t fix it, it’s going to be a garage queen.
I know a big part of the hobby is car shows and events. But for some people (speaking for myself) the connection with the machine is why I do it. I don’t really care for the Hawaiian-shirt wearing old guys with their 65 Vettes any more than I care for the yolo swaggin instagram kids with their flat brimmed hats and Evos. They are nice to talk to but I don’t see anybody like that losing or saving the old car hobby. They just bought in to it.
Right now the people saving the “old” (since it’s a relative term) car hobby are the people willing to put in work to keep the cars out there.
"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips)
06/18/2017 at 13:21, STARS: 2
That’s what I love about the area I live in, at least car culture wise. While there are your stereotypical old white guy shows, with cars modded/restored with less imagination than getting your Camry in beige, the meet scene is really taking off. Within 2 hours of me are 3 good C&C’s, every couple of weeks there will be a neat local meet up somewhere with people my age, and then here recently, there has been a big meet. The big meet has been growing over the past few months to well over 700 cars. It consists of about every flavor of vehicle you could want: exotics, hot rods, low riders, donks, ricers, muscle cars, etc. And the best part? The attendees. They come from many different age groups and races, and makes for a great experience.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:27, STARS: 1
Great comment for Father’s Day!
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:28, STARS: 0
“A few of us grabbing a beer/food, where the common element that brought us together was our enjoyment of cars.”
You definitely have the “car guy” spirit in my book!
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:31, STARS: 0
Same here actually, I got scolded the first time I showed my old car at the historic races here in Portland for wandering away from it to check out the other 800+ cars. I also agree that we need to be more open to specialty and collector cars, and I would have welcomed that R32 in with open arms!
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:34, STARS: 2
In this specific case I can see your local C&C building momentum in years to come and the other event slowly die off, that’s what I’m seeing here in Oregon as well. Maybe I’m being rebellious but I say support the events that support you and encourage the continuation of change!
"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips)
06/18/2017 at 13:37, STARS: 2
It’s much easier to get along with people your age, who you are much more likely to have things in common with. Also, the elderly of the U.S. tend to be assholes to people below 35.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:38, STARS: 0
In general yes, I agree, but specific to my article I mentioned young adults as being in the current minority as well, and young people are the ones turning out in droves at Cars & Coffee events, meetups, weekly gatherings, etc. Young professionals here in Portland (tech/Nike) have a large percentage of the classic and collector cars around here so it likely varies with location a bit as well. Silicon Valley may have more 20-somethings driving around in classic Benzes than Indianapolis does. Also, income grows as we age (hopefully!!!) so that’s why I said at the end that the young people of today will be the older collectors of tomorrow, we all have to start somewhere. Thanks for your thoughtful response, much appreciated.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
06/18/2017 at 13:39, STARS: 0
Kids hold their own shows. They can’t afford classic cars so they don’t go to those shows. Neither do minorities because of the wealth disparity. If you go on racist forums, it’s the moderators fault.
Women, on the other hand, are a greatly underrepresented group. Likely because cars are dirty, so the hobby is a masculine social norm.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:39, STARS: 1
“remember them from their childhood...” Exactly! This is one of my major points, is instilling that interest while these next-gem collectors are still kids today. Thanks for posting!
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:41, STARS: 0
Where are you located? We have huge Cars & Coffee every weekend well attended by young people but the biggest events are still more traditional in their makeup here in Portland, Oregon tho those attract 800+ cars so tend to be a bit larger than the norm.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
06/18/2017 at 13:43, STARS: 4
It’s not because the cars are dirty.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:44, STARS: 0
That’s the point, we aren’t that different in many ways yet very far apart in others, often things like social causes and equality issues in my experience. To me it doesn’t matter where, when or how a show goes off, just that there is a new generation of people who give a shit at all. We all do of course, so let’s bring our friends and family into the hobby where we can.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:49, STARS: 2
Massively valid point. We are losing people with the skills to repair engines, repir vintage upholstery, do lead work, tighten wire wheels, etc., but at the same time we are entering a phase where young people also seem to be fascinated by the instagram accounts of people like Rob Ida and others who showcase their metalworking skills, panel beating, and all that, and I can say personally that even 15-years ago nobody I knew had a clue what an English Wheel is but thanks to Jesse James, OC Choppers, and others in the pop culture car world, thousands and thousands more people today do.
"fintail" (fintail)
06/18/2017 at 13:52, STARS: 1
I’d phrase it more like “only people with disposable income can save the old car hobby”. As cost of living inputs continue to outpace income trends, and socio-economic mobility continues to sputter, it might not bode well for premium cars. But this could also increase the popularity of cheaper special interest cars, which isn’t a bad thing. I think the preservationist movement is a reaction to these economic issues. Old finishes are not only more interesting than restored ones, but immensely cheaper.
Some areas also need to be more social. There doesn’t seem to be a formal organized C&C in Seattle, or if there is, it isn’t publicized (maybe because traffic is hell here and it might take an eon to get from a suburb to the city). The closest thing is Exotics at RTC, which is really a show-off contest between tech/FIRE bros and devilspawn of black money “investor” types.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 13:54, STARS: 0
Awesome! Where are you located? This is similar to what we have here in Portland, Oregon but with room to grow always. I do see this as perhaps being the new model for gatherings, and maybe it will just work itself out by sheer demand, the more people support and attend events like this the more they will happen.
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
06/18/2017 at 13:55, STARS: 0
I’m 38, I’m in.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 14:02, STARS: 2
Do you mean minorities don’t attend “because of the wealth disparity” to mean their personal wealth is lacking and they are not able to afford a classic car, or that they may feel unwelcome among a field of fancy cars and their owners? In either case I think we can still make the effort to invite and make these folks feel more welcome, I would bet that the average attendee at any car show doesn’t have the wealth to afford a car like what is on display so it’s not like they would be any different in that regard. In regards to women, here in Portland area I actually see a large amount of women at events but I think that’s partly because we have so many women involved in the actual organization of our shows and races. Either way you’re right, so I was making the point in the story that we personally should take it upon ourselves to seek out ways to get those around us more interested in cars, if they show even a speck of interest to begin with. I know I always walked around the owners sitting in their chairs, never made eye contact, and certainly never spoke with any owners when I first started going, I felt they would’t be interested in talking to me since I didn’t own a collector car at the time, but I could’t have been more wrong (usually).
I agree that the issues I see on forums are the fault of the moderators, and I am often shocked at what is allowed on some of the very largest and most visited forums. Thanks for taking the time to make some good points my friend, I appreciate that!
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 14:09, STARS: 1
Nice to see you again Benz-buddy! (I have the ‘62 220se coupe.) I agree 100% on the money aspect, and that does seem to be why C&C events are taking off so much, you can enter almost anything interesting and show up in almost anything interesting and have a great time. Sadly I also agree that this isn’t going to end well for many high end classics as their costs to keep on the road only go up and up, as I’m sure you can relate, I mean have you been following the price of rubber seals for our cars over just the last 5-years, let alone anything you need to keep moving. Tires cease to be made for some cars (13" rubber is no treat to locate) and those who can repair them seem to disappear daily.
I had to do a quick search and found a Facebook page for the Seattle area C&C, maybe you’re already aware but here it is .
"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips)
06/18/2017 at 14:12, STARS: 1
Look at mister fancy pants here, yelling at clouds.
"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips)
06/18/2017 at 14:13, STARS: 0
Columbia, SC.
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
06/18/2017 at 14:15, STARS: 1
It’s what everyone has been saying for a while: Car collectors collect cars from their childhood through teenage years. There are near-zero early production through 1940s car collectors anymore. 1950s ones are dying out or moving to retirement homes. 1960s-1970s ones are prime today. 1980s-1990s car scenes are developing and solidifying. 2000+ hasn’t started yet and may never be more than a small niche due to autonomous cars...
You’ll have a hard uphill battle trying to get us excited about cars that were built well before we were born...
"Elumerere" (elumerere)
06/18/2017 at 14:30, STARS: 1
I think you are right.
"fintail" (fintail)
06/18/2017 at 14:33, STARS: 2
Hey I thought that was you.
I think the real high end stuff like prewar exotics and 300SLs etc will remain fine, as they are a place to hide money if anything. The pricier boomer-loved stuff might not fare well, however, as the 20 year old of today may not care about a 57 Chevy in another 30 years. The cheap and cheerful stuff today, which doesn’t have much to lose, will probably remain sound. That’s the future, the immaculate 1985 Saab or Cressida wagon not ruined by driftbros. Cheaper old material will also have hipster appeal, like a 60s Dart etc.
I think MBs will also be fine for the most part, as people see them as kind of special or precious. Parts costs have always been an issue, with closed cars seldom a wise idea to restore. I have seen the prices on W111 door seals especially. Fortunately, mine are mostly passable, and the car lives indoors anyway. I just bought a set of tires for the fintail a few years ago - not cheap and I had to send away for them, but cheaper than the last set I bought for a modern car ($1300 for a W210 E55). I also have a good indy shop who isn’t scared of it. The car being generally reliable also helps. People admire 60s era MBs, our cars may not explode in value, but they will always receive a smile and a nod.
That fb page says a lot, 3 posts in a year and the newest 2 months ago. The social car scene is here is pretty dismal. The local MBCA chapter tries, and has a good yearly meeting, but the rest of the time can be pretty quiet. But to be honest, often when I see an event I am either not in town, or have other obligations. Busy lives also make it difficult in a region where people work long hours.
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
06/18/2017 at 14:41, STARS: 1
But they will never care about the 1960s muscle cars that everyone is obsessed about today - they can’t afford them, let alone do they have interest in them.
I was once offered free education to get a train engineer’s license by a local museum when I was in my mid-20s because they hadn’t encountered someone so young that knew so much about trains, and their average engineers & docents were in their 70s or beyond at that point. My dad was so jealous because he would have done anything for that deal when he was my age. Sadly, I didn’t have the time to go out there every weekend or two, but it really was enticing. The problem is that when you’re young you simply don’t have the time to dedicate to something so time consuming...
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
06/18/2017 at 14:45, STARS: 1
We still don’t have the money to burn on these cars and a place to keep them. We make a tiny fraction of what our parents made after inflation in an environment where structures cost 5+ times as much after inflation. We’re being squeezed from all sides and will probably never have the requisite disposable income to truly participate.
Cars & Coffee is popular because it’s a casual meet of people that like cars to show off their interesting daily drivers, which are the only cars they can afford to maintain and house.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
06/18/2017 at 15:22, STARS: 1
Women don’t like cars because they’re dirty?
Jesus fucking Christ.
I’m not a woman and won’t pretend to speak for women, but I’d imagine views like this play a larger part in women not participating in car culture rather than them being dirty.
I have two little girls and I have to keep them from finger painting with motor oil while teaching then about automobiles.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
06/18/2017 at 15:31, STARS: 0
Not in this day and age, it has more to do with traditional gender roles and why the hobby is often thought of a masculine one.
Anyone who is actually afraid to get dirty or work is a wuss.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
06/18/2017 at 15:36, STARS: 0
Both. I don’t think there is much stigma anymore, I’ve seen tons of black guys on motorcycles recently. I think having a car for non utility reasons is out of reach for the lower middle class generally.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 15:44, STARS: 1
I wonder how much of this has to do with geography, East Coast has cities every few hours at most, but out west you can drive and drive and drive. I do know that when I managed bands we all dreaded touring out West as compared to the East, South and Midwest for just this reason.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
06/18/2017 at 15:44, STARS: 0
tbf I was reading it as “cars are dirty and girls are socialized not to play with that type of thing,” which is accurate, but obviously that’s just one factor.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 15:50, STARS: 1
This is probably a much larger factor than gets addressed in these discussions, it may very well be less about interest and more about how younger generations are the first in American history to have less than their parents. How can someone get excited about buying even a cheap “old” car if they don’t have a secure place to park it, funds to repair it, etc. Still, I see value in being inclusive, working to get folks out to shows so that perhaps when they do have more disposable income they will find ways to participate. I do really like what you said about showing off daily drivers, that’s a very modern way of thinking and if you find your car interesting then somebody else out there will to, no matter what it is.
"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips)
06/18/2017 at 15:51, STARS: 0
I never really thought about that, but that would make sense.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/18/2017 at 15:59, STARS: 0
Nobody talks about how autonomous cars will affect all of this, I only briefly touched on it. I have a piece in mind but it’s going to take a lot of research before it’s ready but basically it covers what I believe will be the virtual collapse of the collector car world once autonomous cars become dominant and roadways start to become restricted to driven and driverless cars. I feel it will happen across the board, sure some cars like the vaulted ones, Ferrari 250gto, MB 300sl, Aston Martin DB4 Zagato, will retain their values best because those cars are already collected mostly as artwork and not drivable cars, but anything you would see out on the road will likely plummet in values as priorities change. I can’t see folks spending $20,000 or $200,000 on a car that they cannot legally drive among autonomous cars for any reason, no matter how good they look. The “typical” collector car owner can still manage to wrangle logic enough to justify buying a weekend use car for that money today, but when it can never move under it’s own power except after being trailed to a track or open field somewhere, what’s the appeal? We are gonna need some beer to continue this convo, what time you heading’ over?
"syaieya" (syaieya)
06/18/2017 at 16:40, STARS: 0
Being a young officer in a traditionally old white mans car club has been a constant puzzle for me.
The club is old, conservative to the point of insensitive and still asks for older style events and communication, even still turnout and input is low. The manpower to do things is super limited and just making the basic requirements to pass as a non profit is difficult.
Any attempt to go against the flow and call old folks out makes it an awkward situation but man things need to change.
"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
06/18/2017 at 21:19, STARS: 1
Tl;dr if you like cars , show it by going to car shows
What does being a minority or not have to do with this? Demographics exist wether you want them to or not. It’s not shocking that old cars are mostly bought by old men. It’s called nostalgia. Minorities have their own enthusiasts, but their car culture is often different from what you are used to. By telling minorities to buy old cars and go to car shows you’re telling them that there’s only one “right” way to enjoy cars.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
06/18/2017 at 23:16, STARS: 0
because the pensioner events tend to diswade anything foreign or newer than 1975. and because they are sitting around they tend to be 5+ hour engagements.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
06/18/2017 at 23:48, STARS: 1
the one near me plays comically old music. it is equal parts hilarious and depressing,
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/19/2017 at 12:10, STARS: 0
I have similar thoughts about a couple of clubs here, one I do belong to and another I joined but literally could never participate in because it was all very old gentlemen who get together at one of their homes for meetings, they only have one land line listed as the club contact, no email, no website, no return call to the newbie who spent money to make new acquaintances and see their cars. This aspect is sadly one that I don’t think we can do too much about, changing the ways of 70 & 8'year old folks, so we just... ummm, how do I say this politely... wait them out.
"MotoArigato" (MotoArigato)
06/19/2017 at 12:12, STARS: 0
You may have missed my point entirely. There’s nothing wrong ever with being more inclusive, and nothing about what I wrote is exclusive to anyone.
"syaieya" (syaieya)
06/19/2017 at 13:04, STARS: 0
I wish I could turn around my local benz club. But between low turnout and lower input the chapter is in a tailspin.
The war chest isnt hard hit due to low turnout but man its rough on that sinking ship with only a few people able to help paddle.
"fintail" (fintail)
06/19/2017 at 13:33, STARS: 0
My local one still seems to be about 75% retiree, but there are some under-40s in the mix, and a 20-something or two even shows up sometimes. As such clubs seem to be something from the past anyway, I think it is OK. The yearly gathering always attracts at least 70-80 or more cars, which is healthy in an area as relatively anti-social as Seattle.