Gas Prices vs. Car Shows/Events, Turnout impact?

[Scotts_DG8]

While watching the news, and after recently filling up, my mind started to wander and one of the more printable thoughts that came to mind was to speculate if the gas prices will have any impact on participation/attendance to the upcoming car shows/events this year? I could get way off on a tangent regarding the crooks/taxes/market etc. but that’s not what I’m looking for in posting this question. I do think that it could be an interesting discussion point to many, but obviously not all, so I would like to open it up to all as a general discussion point.

Again to restate/frame the question at hand; If gas prices remain the same or continue to raise will you be cutting back on your attendance and/or participation in upcoming car shows/events that you either have attended or planned to attend this year?

I’ll start off by saying that although I currently don’t have a car in shape to show I have/do attend several events in any given year and have already had seconds thoughts about attending up to two due to distance. I’ve also in the past driven a considerable distance to view/obtain parts and know that I’ll be thinking twice now before making a trip unless it turns out to be the only option available. Scott…

[Shop Rat]

We will still go to the meets and events that we had planned on for the year.

However, if the gasoline prices stay high it would cause us to think twice about additional trips. We are very glad we went went last summer when the prices were not as high.

[Bhigdog]

My 55 Olds has been invited to the Concours formerly known as Meadowbrook. I'm starting to wince at the price of diesel fuel but I'll still go since I already accepted the invite. I may have had second thoughts if I knew fuel was going to get this high and likely higher..........Bob

[msmazcol]

It will have an effect in our household. I had started a thread on this a few months ago when the first hint of fuel heading to $5.00 hit the web. It was too political and was pulled.

We are very glad to have an AACA event in nearby Oakbrook this year. We also have a truck club event in South Bend. The fuel costs along with the need to take as little time off from work as possible will have a direct impact on this guys traveling plans.

[Guest billybird]

I usually plan months ahead on which National Meets I will attend. However, "local" events within 50 miles have already been trimmed, due in part to fuel prices plus the only reward is another trophy to collect dust. Most of the time, my family uses National Meets as a mini vacation and we treasure these times. Still, I have carefully selected which of these are closest, as I do haul my car. Fuel prices being a major factor in the selection of meets.

[keiser31]

Can't change the fuel prices, so we will be going to the usual swap meets because I still need the parts.

[ted sweet]

its not just fuel prices, prices of every thing are going up.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Yes in CT we are also looking at another hike in the state gasoline tax as well as the rising prices due to market conditions. Unlike the government though, we will need to change our spending habits a bit. Rather than give up key trips like Hershey, etc. we are making a vehicle change. Our trusty Ford Explorer is starting to indicate it is time to retire, replacement options were another Explorer or full size GM SUV like a Yukon or such. Well, we are looking at smaller options, like a Chevy Equinox. I would rather sacrifice my every day driver stuff than give up the miles we put on the Packard (not terrible, but not great MPGs) or trips to car oriented events.

[DAVE A]

Like Billybird, i have already planned my major events and since they are my vacation, i will be attending all of them as usual. I will also however, not attend as many "local" events this year. We had already cancelled my local show this year due to other circumstances, but it doesn't take many entry fees, 100 mile drives, and 3 meal away from home days to add up. I will cut my spending there.

[Terry Bond]

Billybird makes a good point - in all our travels last year I met a large number of members who use AACA meets as their vacations. Many of us take long weekends sometimes instead of the usual two or three weeks vacation to attend meets. We're lucky that we drive the MGs rather than trailer our cars. They get pretty good mileage but do like premium fuel better. AACA events still represent the best opportunity to enjoy our old car hobby and we'll continue to attend. See you there!

Terry

[Guest]

I was going to go to the OCA national meet in Reno Nevada, but have decided not to go. I wonder though about how many people will commit because this event is remote. I think there is more people east of the Rockies these days that are into collecting. I can't imagine going to a national meet with no cars to look at. With clubs like POCI there has only been two national events west of the Rockies if I remember correctly in Twenty years. As Ted Sweet says everything is going to go up. The only exception would be home prices, foreclosures everywhere, people just walking away.

Don

Edited March 9, 2011 by helfen (see edit history)

[Restorer32]

We often use meets as excuses for a day or two of vacation also. I noticed the relatively small turnout at Homestead compared to last year. Hopefully it was an aberration and not a forecast of the rest of the show year. By my count only 27? pre-war cars.

[Guest ktm858]

The way I see it is I am going to pinch pennys someplace else if possible. Going to a show is a relaxing get away and yes even though the price of gas sucks I need to destress after a week of work. So if I go to one show or cruise a week that should be ok.

Now I can see myself tinkering in the garage more then usual because if im not going to be driving the cars I guess I can still sort of relax and polish or tinker with them.

[Guest my3buicks]

We will cut back on a couple of the longer distance events we had planned to go to but still will go to some of them. We had planned several long distance meets this season. In a Buick convertible with a 455 that likes the hightest it adds up quickly.

[John_Maine]

I have stopped going to most local shows and don't use my cars as frequently as I might otherwise. I think I filled my '71 LeSabre once last year and put another 10 gallons in it before putting it in storage for the winter. I put about 1000 miles on my LTD and although it hurts to spend $65-$75 to fill it every 300 miles, neither will break the bank at the rate I use them. I will still go to Hershey - it might cost an additional $100 for gas - but in the grand scheme of things, that's not significant enough to keep me home.

[auburnseeker]

I'm attending all the shows I did last year including Hershey. I might add one or two as well. Nothing to do with the price of gas. It's just a great place to buy parts. Hey I might even find something that fits my car for a change. I hate to see the swap meets dry up. There seem to be fewer and fewer every year. I think that's one of the keys to a good show tha twill last. When the swapmeet dries up to Diecast Collectibles and Tshirts, Often the show kind of fizzles out as well.

[junkyardjeff]

I will go to the few shows I usually attend in the early fall but thinking about doing more motorcycle events this summer and let the cars sit and do some work on them instead of the winter.

[Dave@Moon]

I just left the local British Car Club's monthly meeting. The club president posed exactly this question to the membership, looking for guidance in planning the year;s activities and seeking any changes to some expanded plans that had been made. Out of about 75 members, not one wanted to change anything or had changed plans on attending any event.

I think we're all in this for more than gas money.:cool:

[Guest my3buicks]

We ARE in it for more than gas money, but when you are paying more for eveyday gas for your daily life, when food prices start going up to offset the fuel charges, and every other busness you deal with starts rasing prices - your disposable income starts to shrink. Sucking down a $94 tank of hightest every 354 miles adds up quickly

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

My Buick gets about 12mpg. At $2.50 before recent spike, that is $00.21 per mile, So 20 miles to a cruise in cost me $4.20. If it doubles I believe I will still go. Even if I drive 1000 miles per year , will only ADD $210.00 for the year. I will just have to cut out a drink or two now and then.

Ben

[rocketraider]

The post-Katrina frenzy of a few years back came late enough that it didn't cripple summer show season, but I did notice a sizable reduction in cruise night participation afterward.

The trouble with this whole mess is greedy speculators who are so far removed from average working people that they never consider the total effect their greed has on the economy. They aren't hurting, so no one else must be either. I'm generally not one to wish ill on anyone, but I really wish the bottom would drop out from under them and every last one of them lose everything they own to the point of homelessness.

Some NC State University economist was yapping on WRAL a while back about how rising gas prices were a sign of economic recovery. You let the stuff hit $4.00 plus a gallon again and watch how quickly the economy goes back in the toilet. It won't be just car folks cutting back on shows and cruises.

[Guest Dave Snyder]

I'll be driving 1,900 mile round trip to show my art at Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. A long way for 7 hours of exposure.

[Marty Roth]

My 8.1L Suburban (unleaded) makes about 8.5mpg pulling the trailer - soon $4/gal

my 7.3L Excursion Diesel only does about 9.0 - 9.5mpg with trailer - will be $4.5-$5

This is $XXXXX 0.47/mile on unleaded;

$XXXXX 0.52/mile on diesel, and then change 15 quarts of oil every 3,000 miles

Two miles each dollar gets expensive pulling cars to display in a meet, especially when Stowe will be a 2,000 mile round trip, and santa Rosa will be closer to 5,000 miles

Edited March 11, 2011 by Marty Roth
Corrected bad math - thanks Ben (see edit history)

[Shop Rat]

Marty, this rig gets about the same or less. But we have to also factor in what a motel/hotel would cost us + fuel (gas or diesel depending on which vehicle we would take) vs. camground fee + gas to take this. For several reasons we chose this.

If Bill gets the Falcon Sprint finished as a show car or we get Woodstock to the point it could go into DPC then it would be the combonation car/camper trailer and the Doge Ram diesel truck which would do better.

[Guest Dave Snyder]

Wow, Marty made me feel better. I haul my art in a Chrysler Town and Country 4.0 6 speed with a large cartop carrier and I expect to get 22 mpg.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Marty, my calculator only shows .47/per mile. I like it better than yours.:D

Ben

[Bhigdog]

I'll be driving 1,900 mile round trip to show my art at Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. A long way for 7 hours of exposure.

That Studebaker print is breathtaking..............Bob

[franklinman]

We will definately be cutting back on the number of show/tours we attend this year, along with a lot of other expenses. The only AACA Nat'l that we may attend (other than Hershey which is less than 1/2 hour away) would be Bristol, and that's only if I manage to get the car that I'd like to show there completed in time. It's not just the cost of fuel, now over $4.00/gal. locally. The cost of everything, food, electricity, etc. had risen, and if oil keeps going up everything is going to get a WHOLE LOT HIGHER! Business is already slower than at any time in the last 15-20 years, and I don't see anything coming from our elected officials that makes me believe anything serious is being done to straighten things out and get the country/economy headed back in the right direction. Let's face it, our hobby is a wonderful thing, and for some fortunate folks the current financial situation isn't a problem... at least not yet. But for others, if they are not already in dire straights, it's only a stones throw away depending on what the near future holds. It's only prudent to start practicing financial constraint before you don't have any choice in the matter.

[Guest Dave Snyder]

Amen to Franklin man! I've cut several marginal shows from my list this year.

[ted sweet]

the local smaller shows were already hurting last year. shows that had 100+ cars five years ago had been reduced to 50-75. when times are tuff a 15 dollar local show reg fee maybe helping kill them.

[Guest Dave Snyder]

Does anyone have a feel on the AACA Kyana Show at the Louisville Fairgrounds. It is later this month and I signed up to be a vender. I wounder if the attendance is as good as it was years ago.

[Guest jimstulga]

Here's a totally different way of looking at gas prices. I don't like these rising prices either, but the most recent issue of Hemmings Classic Car Magazine (I think it was?) chose the year 1936 for comparison to today with prices and income. Average yearly income was $1,700 and gas was $.19 per gallon. Did the math and compared with an average income of today and gas should be around $3.80 per gallon. I also realize far less people had cars in 1936 and if they did, they were driving only a fraction of what we do today, but this is something to think about.

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

Here's a totally different way of looking at gas prices. I don't like these rising prices either, but the most recent issue of Hemmings Classic Car Magazine (I think it was?) chose the year 1936 for comparison to today with prices and income. Average yearly income was $1,700 and gas was $.19 per gallon. Did the math and compared with an average income of today and gas should be around $3.80 per gallon. I also realize far less people had cars in 1936 and if they did, they were driving only a fraction of what we do today, but this is something to think about.

It's actually everything to think about. The same relationship to other things we buy reveals the same inflation in price. We seem to have some bizarre notion in this country that a gallon of gasoline should have never risen above $0.29 a gallon. Except for those who have chosen extreme distances for their commute to work gasoline as a part of a typical household budget should actually be less than 20 years ago thanks to more fuel efficient vehicles.

[Dave@Moon]

[Shop Rat]

..... It's only prudent to start practicing financial constraint before you don't have any choice in the matter.

A very wise statement. And being prudent starts with the first money earned even when very young and continues throughout life.

[Marty Roth]

Ben,

Thanks for pointing out my (now-corrected) math error. Either I was working my calculator left-handed, or I had my Carburetor up my Tailpipe

Marty

[WireWheel]

I'm already of a mind set to attend what I have planned for this year. Three tours and one show. We will attend what we have planned but I will take a hard look at what we do next year. It is hard to give up tours that are in locations that sound interesting or places you vacationed as a child. One activitie is in the location where my Mom was born so I want to visit it.

[Lawteachr]

Our club holds a weekly cruise night, instead of trophies this year we are awarding gasoline credit cards, in both $5.00 & $10.00 denominations(Amount depends on if it is a special awards night). These cards are sponsored by local businesses

who normally would have sponsored trophies,the business name is on each award and on

our cruise night fliers.

[rocketraider]

I think what's really bugging us is the blatant manipulation of the oil market. These people are (or should be, though it's sometimes doubtful) aware of the effect their manipulation has on the total economy. Fuel cost goes up, everything else goes up to the point the economy tanks AGAIN. Then businesses start dropping.

Average working people can only stand so much.

I'm convinced oil futures traders are no more than common criminals. Mob loan sharks run a cleaner business.

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

I think what's really bugging us is the blatant manipulation of the oil market. These people are (or should be, though it's sometimes doubtful) aware of the effect their manipulation has on the total economy. Fuel cost goes up, everything else goes up to the point the economy tanks AGAIN. Then businesses start dropping.

Average working people can only stand so much.

I'm convinced oil futures traders are no more than common criminals. Mob loan sharks run a cleaner business.

As one whose income is significantly from Oil and natural gas royalties I stay on top of the prices several times a day. With that said, there is huge market manipulation that goes on daily in that world and there are futures speculators need to be locked up.

It became quite obvious to me last night the current round of manipulation has been at the hands of Japanese traders. It became obvious from the price of a barrel of oil taking a significant hit following the Earth quake/Tsunami in Japan. There is no shortage of oil because of the events in Libya or elsewhere, plain and simple.

Jim