Baby Boomers Only!

[ol' yeller]

I posted this on the V8 Buick Website but I thought I'd get some good relevant input here as well.

Ok, I have finally reached the age of the Buick demographic, 54 years old(despite owning Buicks since I was 16). I am at the point in my life like many of my peers when I have a little extra money in the bank and more time on my hands now that the kids are grown and gone. Is it just me or does it seem like our hobby is being taken over by the younger guys who only have the desire to go faster than their car was intended to go? It seems like us older guys (who have a ton of experience by the way) are constantly being discounted as having anything to contribute. Case in point.

Today I turned on Spike TV (supposedly TV for men) to watch their Saturday AM Power Block. All the hosts I used to see, have been replaced with fresh WYOTECH graduates who are very talented but I have no desire to watch them program a microchip to make their car go faster sideways. Trucks! was a great program when Stacy David was the host but now all they do is a lift kit on a new 4X4, new tires & wheels, a free flowing exhaust kit and the obligatory chip reprogram. All on a vehicle that was built in the last 5 years.

Speed TV is just as bad I used to enjoy Sam Memello and his sidekick on 2 Guys Garage but his sidekick is now anther 20 something. I watched Truck U a couple of times but I was distracted from their program as I found myself actually counting the number of times they used the term "Dude". I stopped when I reached 20 in the half hour program. Speed also runs too many racing programs and PINKS. What happened to American Muscle Car?? What happened to Overhaulin??

Here is my proposed solution. I'd like to see a channel dedicated to Men. Forget Spike, I'm, talking about grown men. I'm sure they could find plenty of sponsors (Flowmax!?!). No Ultimate Fighting, no 20 year old girls showing way too much skin (well maybe I'm flexible on that one) just car programming that we Boomers would enjoy. If you are a non Boomer and still reading this, don't get all bent, you can have all the stuff that is out there now, I just think the industry is missing a big market. What do my fellow Boomers think? What programming would you like to see on the OG (Old Guy) Network?

__________________

I am not a mechanic, although I do play one in my garage.

[JalopyBob]

They call us greybeards. They purposely put ringtones on their cell phones that are at frequencies that are higher than we can hear anymore. They dismiss us as geezers. But when they come to the car shows it is OUR cars that draw them in. As far as the new car TV shows go, I would rather be out there working on or cruising in a cool car than watching the hatchlings try to build one on TV.

[Guest ZondaC12]

Well if this channel ever comes into being let me know! That will be what my TV is tuned to night and day!!!

I actually remember trucks also from when it was "TNN" not Spike. Dad would always have TNN on on a Saturday. Simply part of the indoctrination routine that's made me the nut I am now!

And yes I know I broke the rules to this thread. I guess that just makes sense doesn't it? I may have the same views as you guys but in the end I'm still a "meddling kid"

[Guest edalfa]

I miss Shade Tree Mechanic. Real world usefulness.

It has always seemed to me that the misnamed midlife crisis might be the problem. I finally have some dough to do what I want and now you think I just want to be young again?! Heck, I've watched my kids enough to know that I like this age better.

Spike's Powerblock does have some useful stuff but mostly it's not what I care about. Although Xtreme 4x4 does have a female host! I wanted to find one like her when I was 19-too long ago!

Ed

[JohnD1956]

Hey, if there's gonna be an OG network, lets get some beer on there, the heck with Flowmax. And the heck with teenaged chicks, but there are a lot of really nice mature ones who I'd love to see showin some skin.

JD

[Guest Skyking]

I don't watch TV....too many commercials, lose too much interest! Radio is getting as bad.

[Guest Dan Cook]

I can agree with this. Most that's on TV now isn't worth watching, including the news.

I still remember watching the original Sky King and Howdy Doody, Uncle Milty and so much more. Drag racing and hydroplane racing used to be amoung my favorites.

Don't OD on the viagra watching the old stuff.

Dan

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Greg - officially, I'm Gen X, but I pretty much agree with you. I don't watch much Speed, especially since there isn't that much there to interest me. Sure, I could hop up Max a bit, but that would void the warranty...diesels are too expensive to fix to want to do that...of course, once the warranty is up, he may very well get the computer.

I can appreciate the craftsmanship and artistry that goes into rod building, but please don't give me a reality show about what goes one in these shops.

I'd like to see more of stuff like Shade Tree Mechanic, Dennis Gage's show (you can see how often I watch it since I can't even remember the name), and the few times I've caught Car Crazy with Mr. Meguiar, I've enjoyed it. I must admit to not minding seeing some skin, so long as they don't get too much in the way of the cars...at least that way I'm watching a car show rather than porn, so The Boss can't complain

There's nothing wrong with taking a camera to a car show, showing a few shots of different cars, describing them (i.e. year, model, etc.), and talking to owners...I'd tune into that in a hurry.

I guess I must be younger though, as I still have an urge to get a go-fast car...the Wildcat is no slouch, but I'm still babying it...can feel the power overall though.

[Mark Shaw]

Greg,

You are right on the money! There are lots of "old guys" working on older cars out there. Maybe some Hollywood "old guy" producer will see this thread and get with the program!

[Gary_N]

Greg:

You've hit the nail on the head! Now, I'm all for going fast. And, it's always a tug of war between modify or restore. Both have their place. If you want to really get "upset", watch some of the tuner shows. Now, you need 12 TV's in your car. And your car is a 4 door Honda. This just doesn't work for me at 59. Well, the young girls are nice to look at even though most of them don't have a clue. You're right about Stacy David. Lately some of his shows are back on and good to watch.

I really don't understand why you have to have a reality show about building cars. The work that goes into them is what's interesting, not watching people fight over a fender.

Ah well...there are a lot of us out there that share the same feeling on this topic. The question is will there be anyone in 20 years that sees our cars as we do??

Merry Christmas!

Gary

[RICK YOUNG]

AMEN GREG,

It is all sposor driven. Apparently the young people are buying $400.00 cars and spending thousands on them to "go or sound fast". I recal my son asking me if that 4 door Chevy Lumina Euro would ever be worth anything. My reply, "I hope not".

By the way, to any TV Sponsors/Producers. I've spent many thousands of dollars in recent years at Name Brand parts stores on my projects. I'm also the one writing the check and chosing brands when I repair our kids cars.

Rick

[Dave@Moon]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DRAGNRIK</div><div class="ubbcode-body">AMEN GREG,

It is all sposor driven. Apparently the young people are buying $400.00 cars and spending thousands on them to "go or sound fast". I recal my son asking me if that 4 door Chevy Lumina Euro would ever be worth anything. My reply, "I hope not".

By the way, to any TV Sponsors/Producers. I've spent many thousands of dollars in recent years at Name Brand parts stores on my projects. I'm also the one writing the check and chosing brands when I repair our kids cars.

Rick </div></div>

It's a basic tennant of marketing that trying to sell anything to someone over 25 is a waste of advertising. People over 30 have pretty much made up their minds what they want and what answers those wants best. Younger people might still be persuaded to change their minds about what toothpaste to buy, what shoes to wear, what burger to eat,....

....or what set of tools to buy, who's fuel additive works best, what kind of tires suit them, etc. etc. etc.

That's why <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">ALL</span></span></span> mainstream media is youth-oriented, whether it's sit-coms, sports, magazines, or music. There will always be marginal media outlets to pick up the scraps (Turner Classic Movies, <span style="font-style: italic">Modern Maturity</span>, <span style="font-style: italic">Readers Digest</span>, etc.), but <span style="font-weight: bold">the meat and the money in the market is getting young people to buy your product while they still have a lifetime to devote to it</span>. Why any of us should expect the automotive media to be any different is beyond me.

The hobby's bigget problem is it's invisibility to young people because so few of us drive our cars regularly any more, and this compounds it. Anyone care to compare and contrast the demographics of <span style="font-style: italic">Popular Hotrodding</span> and <span style="font-style: italic">Cars & Parts</span>?

Drive your car, change a mind.

[Gary_N]

I'm doing my part. I drive the '64 and '50 all of the time. Too bad the other ones are just sitting and rusting away. I hope I can change that soon. Actually, I get lots of compliments from young people, like young as in under 18, when I take the Electra out. It's always something like cool car. Equally too from both genders. One kid about 14 came over and made me give him a high five because of the car. Funny, most of the old people don't even notice. The '50 gets more older looks.

One day I was at the gas station and two Asian guys (maybe mid 20's) came over to look at the car. They were most likely Korean. They asked if they could look inside and then said in broken English, "Oh...look how old fashion".

Well, I just never thought of that car as old fashion. But then I guess Antique means old fashion. Personally, I don't find anything old fashion about it. Timeless is a better word. It's have more style than most newer cars in my opinion. Really, not many cars are cooler today than say a '65 Riv! Geesh, I wish I had one!!

Gary

[my65riv]

I agee with Gary,nothing is cooler than a 65 Riv.why?i own one and is driven every weekend.The AACA should look into filming their events and selling the tapes,i'd buy them.Also show restorations of classic cars and how they are restored to new.Could be a new avenue of money for the club.If they did a good job of filming the shows they might be picked up by ESPN,SPEED,SPIKE,etc. to air on TV.After attending 100's of car shows and cruise-ins I find that it's the orginal restored cars that get the attention.I saw a kid about 10 years old ask his dad,while looking at the back seat of my 60 Coupe DeVille,"how do you get back there?"We're losing a generation to 4 door egg cars.

Jeff Mealer

Mt. Juliet,TN

1965 Buick Riviera

1965 Pontiac Bonneville

1960 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

[Gary_N]

Jeff:

Love your taste in cars! That's sad..."how do you get in the back seat?". But then, watch the tuner shows. All 4 door ricers. Yuk!

Gary

[Reatta Man]

To Skyking and all others that no longer watch TV due to too many commercials:

Buy a Dish Network system or some other system with a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) or a Tivo system. You will NEVER, and I mean NEVER want to watch regular TV again!

You will ZAP TV commercials faster than Hillary avoids tough questions. You will watch a one-hour program in about 40-45 minutes. And, best of all, you will watch TV when YOU want to watch it.

If you like sports, you can't imagine watching an NFL game without all of the delays! No more commercials! No more yadda, yadda, yadda while some ref watches a replay waaaaaay too long! And, if you record it, a wasted halftime is about 10 seconds long.

As for how this all applies to this discussion: a DVR or Tivo system also allows you to 'catch' the TV programs that you want to watch, but come on at 2 A.M. or some other inconvenient time.

Joe

[Gary_N]

Joe, I'm with you on that one. I only use my TIVO.

Gary

[Reatta Man]

This post made me want to record and watch an episodes of "Two Guys Garage."

I did and I watched it; what a SELLOUT!

The subject line got my attention; removing carbon from heads. But, it turns out, they spent a few minutes at a machine shop in Tampa, then spent the rest of the show as an infomercial for Z-Max! What a ripoff!

And, when you go to the Two Guys Garage Web site, some of the fans are really ripping them apart for turning the show into an infomercial.

[89REATTAJIM]

I didn't see the show. Do you, by chance, have the name of the Tampa machine shop??

[Guest Tri-shield]

Rick,

That's just too good: <span style="font-weight: bold">"NO HEMI, IT'S A NAILHEAD" </span>

[RICK YOUNG]

Thanks Eric,

As for how to get in the back seat of a 2 door???

There are/were several tequniques, which would depend on

the intent wherein. Usually at this point tripping the

domelight "on" was a concern if you all catch my drift.

Rick