people charging you to bring your car to a car show ?

[Troy]

Car shows cost money. Not everything is donated - including the show worker's time. A big expense that was already mentioned is liability insurance. Some car clubs have one show per year which acts as a fund raiser for the club so, yes, it is a way to make money but if the costs are reasonable and people enjoy the show then what's the problem? Others donate the proceeds to charity (but it's still a fund raising event). Around here, most smaller shows have free admission for spectators and a small fee for participants ($5-15). Participants usually get a dash plaque and/or a goody bag and are eligible for door prizes and trophies (some donated but most are paid for). Some people really do appreciate the recognition and like collecting awards. If you don't then go to cruise-ins instead. Better yet, if you volunteer to work the show they'll usually let you enter your car for free so pitch in!

Troy

[Dodge Don]

Small price to pay for showing off your car. If you cannot afford the gas, insurance and show entry fees you should sell your Charger asap.

[Todd Wilson]

Several have made good comments on why it costs. Putting on a car show even very small takes time and $ to do.  Insurance and a place to have it is the big factor. As for dash plaques and trophies not costing that much money you should think again.  Even 150$ is a lot of money for a club to come up with. Or an individual to come up just being nice and helping the show.

I personally like the dash plaque deals just to let you know where you been. They are all kinda neat to collect.

Sometimes clubs are trying to raise some extra money to help with the club expenses. What people dont realize is everything takes money to do.  Use this site as an example. The server bill doesnt just magically pay itself! Troy has been very gracious with taking care of that and not asking for donations even though I think he should!


Todd

[Steve P.]

Hopefully Don is just kidding with this statement.

( If you cannot afford the gas, insurance and show entry fees you should sell your Charger asap. )

The LAST thing anyone should do is to sell their car or boat or what ever it is that makes you happy due to the price of taking it to a show.  It may be PART of the reason people build, restore, drive and take such good care of car or whatever, but for myself and many others, just knowing my baby is out there in the garage just waiting for me to come and play with her is well more than enough.

I love the shows for many reasons. I get to see friends and buddies that I don't otherwise get to see. I
meet new car nuts all the time. I get to see up close what others have done with their rides. Talk about techniques and products. I buy and sell parts and have made contacts that otherwise probably never would have. The list goes on and on.  Of course some things can be better. Most times things could be worse..


The economy WILL turn around. Don't sell your goods due to todays lousy funds. Tomorrow the Sun will come up and new opportunities will arise.

[chargerboy69]

Todd and I have talked about car show expenses before. He is right, it can be costly to put on a show.

We were doing a show a couple years ago at Kruse Auction Park. And Dean Kruse sold the business 2 months before the show. The new owner, E-Bay, wanted $5000.00 for us to hold our show at thier location. We found another location at the last minute and they charged us $250.00. But then we had trophys, port-a-shiters, insurance, flyers, food, ect. We spent almost $1200.00 out of our own pocket for this show.

Ever since then I can see why most shows are in the $5.00-$15.00 price range.

[TK73]

If somebody wants to get a really good idea about the shows, they could help out organizing one for a club.

I've never gotten really involved but was around the club organizing the shows and helped with the swap meet 2 years... MUCHO time for the organizers, major logistics and $$...

[JimShine]

I never spent more than $15 bringing a car in, most small shows are less than $10. C'mon, its peanuts. Usually you get a hell of a bang for you buck for the entertainment, contact making, and friendly discussion you get in return.

[Dodge Don]

Hopefully Don is just kidding with this statement.

( If you cannot afford the gas, insurance and show entry fees you should sell your Charger asap. )

I wasn't. If your financial situation cannot accommodate a Charger then having one is a financial mistake. I cannot afford a Hemi Cuda....therefore I do not have one, nor do I "deserve" one.

[Steve P.]

Maybe I understood you wrong, but it looks as though you were saying, (if you can't afford the gas or show fees, sell your car).. I cannot afford to finish my car at this point, but I will be damned if I am going to sell it!

[ACUDANUT]

 The last show I went to they didn't even provide electricity.  All you heard was about 20 generators running that the vendors had to supply ?
  I don't think any golf carts ect should be allowed except for the severe handycap people who cannot walk.  I darn near have been run over several times from ATV'S.

[69CoronetRT]

If somebody wants to get a really good idea about the shows, they could help out organizing one for a club.

I agree. Until you help with one, you do not realize the time and money it costs. (no one has mentioned printing costs for fliers, envelopes and postage)

Plus, after all the time and money you put into it, you get to listen to all the whining about how the show costs too much, the trophies are too cheap, there aren't enough (fill in the blank), the judging was unfair, etc, etc, etc.

[71ChallengeHer]

If somebody wants to get a really good idea about the shows, they could help out organizing one for a club.

I agree. Until you help with one, you do not realize the time and money it costs. (no one has mentioned printing costs for fliers, envelopes and postage)

Plus, after all the time and money you put into it, you get to listen to all the whining about how the show costs too much, the trophies are too cheap, there aren't enough (fill in the blank), the judging was unfair, etc, etc, etc.

And don't forget the time and gas running around getting donations for goody bags, chinese raffle, etc.

[Steve P.]

  I don't think any golf carts ect should be allowed except for the severe handycap people who cannot walk.  I darn near have been run over several times from ATV'S.

Well, before you complain too much about gulf carts, PLEASE put yourself in the shoes of those who need it.. I am not giving you hell. I just thought the same way before needing one myself. I can walk. I just can't walk very far or for very long. Forget carrying anything. If I didn't have a cart at the last MATS I would still be hospitalized...    Also please keep in mind that not everyone with disabilities shows their disability, nor do most of us want others giving us that look.... Also those carts are not cheap. 3 days at the MATS cost me over $400.00.... 

2 years ago I spent the day walking all over Big Daddy's with Troy and a few other members. I did my best to keep up without complaining too much.  After getting home and crashing out I woke up in very bad shape. It was nearly a month before I could walk in some kind of comfort just to my mail box... I only spent about 4 hours at last Novembers show. They do NOT have golf carts for rent there. Worse yet is that the entire show is on the grass and it is very uneven...  That's the worst thing for me..


Sorry for the light rant. I just don't think that many people consider WHY some people are driving the carts.

[RD]

here is a good for instance, the HPAC mopar show, I paid $25 to register, got a cool plaque a JEGS baseball cap, and some goody stuff. Hats cost around 10 bux wherever you go to get one, buy your own plaque and you are already over the $25 dollar investment...

But really, it is not about the money, I met some great people, got to see some good friends again, and thoroughly enjoyed my time seeing cars, HAVING A GREAT PARKING SPOT, and being around fellow moparians.  If that isnt worth $25  then i need to buy a fricken chevy.

[ACUDANUT]

 RD I agree with ya on the Mopar Show in KC.  25.00 Bucks gets you a nice T-shirt and I guess a ballcap too ?  COOL. 
I like things like that.  I just don't need the other stuff.

[charge-it]

That`s exactly why I stopped going to car shows. I`m not paying anyone to look at MY car. Without the cars, there would be no shows. When they start paying me to bring my car then maybe I`ll change my mind. I`d rather drive my car than sit around a field or parking lot all day. I`ve been there, done that, and don`t have any ambition to spend money so that other people can enjoy MY car. I say, want to look at MY car, then spend your money for a change.

[ACUDANUT]

 Wouldn't that be nice to be paid to show your car.

[Old Moparz]

The Tightwads & Cheapskates Guide to Car Shows & Cruise-Ins

1)   To avoid the high cost of entry fees as a spectator, take up bingo as a hobby & save the colored hand stampers in as many colors as you can get. Keep all these stampers in your vehicle, & hang out by the gate to see which color they are using that day to stamp the spectators hand so they can leave & get back in. Hurry back to your car, stamp your own hand, then return to the gate & walk on in. If you absolutely hate bingo, make friends with a few old people who like bingo & borrow their stampers. Make sure you pick up a box of Entenman's when you return the stampers as a way of saying thank you.

2)   To get in on being a show car owner without the expense, just bring a cooler & a folding chair, set it up near an unattended vehicle in the show area & wait. When people walk over to look at your car and ask "Hey, is this yours?" Just nod & say yes proudly. They may compliment you on it & all you have to say is thanks. If they ask a few key things about the restoration, just make things up, they'll never know. Word of caution though, the real owner may return & wonder what the hell you're doing. Simply tell him you were admiring the car when you saw someone in a Chevy shirt drooling on himself & touching things & opening the door, so you stuck around to keep him away. He'll thank you for having been there.

3)   Some of the big places, like Carlisle, have car shows situated inside fenced areas. This makes sneaking in tough, & some may even have specialty hand stampers that have shapes like stars & crescent moons. The chance of getting in is slim, so to offset the cost of admission, all you have to do is get creative. We all know someone in construction, so borrow a reflective safety vest from a construction worker. Park near the show, & find a vacant lot or a house with nobody home that isn't overgrown. Direct 3 or 4 cars onto the lawn & tell them $5 to park all day. They'll jump at the chance to park close, & you'll have $15 or $20 to get in the show, grab a hotdog & a cold drink.

4)   Cruise-ins that charge an entry fee can be beat. Most are in parking lots of retail places, so it's easy to just arrive a few hours beforehand to get a choice parking space. Just park your car, do some shopping & after a few cars arrive, you'll be part of the show. The drawback is that you won't be eligible for a trophy, but you can always bring your own & hide it in the trunk until it after they judge the cars. Slip it out when one of the trailered car owners is looking, hold it up & smile. Just make sure the figure on the top of the trophy isn't someone holding a bowling ball.

[pettyfan43]

You'd be SURPRISED at how many people are real whiners about not getting a silly 8 dollar trophy or plaque!

At our show here in Huntsville Alabama (WHICH is this next Saturday at Huntsville Dragway) we have to rent the dragway, you have to get all the registration stuff, then there is the whole matter of T-Shirts and that type of thing. The money also goes to keep the CLUB afloat so there is a show NEXT YEAR.

[Troy]

If you wanna get paid to put your car in a show then become as talented as Foose, Troy Trepanier, or Steve Strope. Nobody wants to pay to see mediocrity.

Troy

[69charger2002]

  I don't think any golf carts ect should be allowed except for the severe handycap people who cannot walk.  I darn near have been run over several times from ATV'S.

Well, before you complain too much about gulf carts, PLEASE put yourself in the shoes of those who need it.. I am not giving you hell. I just thought the same way before needing one myself. I can walk. I just can't walk very far or for very long. Forget carrying anything. If I didn't have a cart at the last MATS I would still be hospitalized...    Also please keep in mind that not everyone with disabilities shows their disability, nor do most of us want others giving us that look.... Also those carts are not cheap. 3 days at the MATS cost me over $400.00.... 

2 years ago I spent the day walking all over Big Daddy's with Troy and a few other members. I did my best to keep up without complaining too much.  After getting home and crashing out I woke up in very bad shape. It was nearly a month before I could walk in some kind of comfort just to my mail box... I only spent about 4 hours at last Novembers show. They do NOT have golf carts for rent there. Worse yet is that the entire show is on the grass and it is very uneven...  That's the worst thing for me..


Sorry for the light rant. I just don't think that many people consider WHY some people are driving the carts.

i had you running ragged with me buying charger parts huh!
i'll get that back in shape.. heck you were even giving us a ride back to our truck. what a guy!
trav

[bill440rt]

I can appreciate the costs involved in putting on a show these days. Not to mention the time invested.
And I don't mind spending $15 - $25(max) for an entry fee to a local show, especially if the money is being put towards a good cause. I can do without the droning '50's music, though.   

I've been going to shows for a long, long time, & have collected more trophies than I know what to do with anymore. Of course, some of the larger ones have special meaning & can bring an additional value to the car, such as an OE Certificate, SME, AACA stuff, etc. But, I'm done with that now. I like to ENJOY a car show and meet & talk with the people I know & enjoy being with. That makes it more fun.
Heck, the door prizes at some of the local shows are far better than coming home with another dust collector that's just gonna sit on your shelf. A bottle of wax, a screwdriver set, dinner coupons, whatever, that stuff is great! A buddy of mine won an air hose for his compressor in a door prize at a local show recently, & he said that was better than winning the award!

Just another tip: Got too many of these "dust collector's" lying around? Donate a few to a local car club! They'll recycle them for cruise nights, smaller shows, etc. I've done it, & car club organizers can rebadge them for giveaways. I even used a few to decorate my son's toddler room. He loves it!

[moparstuart]

 all great comment and I think there are show and cruises out there for everyone . Just pic and choose the ones that fit you .  Small shows and cruises cost nothing , or if you get lucky and find a generious sponser and free place to hold it .   You can hit a free cruise night every dayof the week around kansas city somewhere during the summer.  I like to goto those all makes show and cruises also . But I also like the all mopar shows and swaps because they have the cinda cars I wanna look at . Bottom line it cost more to put on a one make or an all mopar show . 

[ACUDANUT]

  Great points here.     I am not copping out of the shows.  Just needed a reminder of what we are paying for.  Thanks all.
I guess I am just jealous about having to walk 50 miles at the big shows, while others get to ride.  Sorry for being quick to judge on the golfcarts ect. and the people who need them.