sychobaby

It is finally time to clean up your cars and get ready for some car shows! I will attending the 2011 East Limestone Quarter Back Club Car Show if anyone wants to join me. Weather permitting of course. Here is the link:

http://www.huntsvillecarscene.com/showthread.php?t=3451

HOSS429

i`m there .. as you say ..weather permitting .. i aint gunna freeze

D'prived

Was thinking about going but they have the rain chances at 80% for Saturday. Not looking too good.

HOSS429

i`m not familiar with that neck of the woods .. where is sanderson rd ?

woodj

So they want $20 for the privelege of parking my car in a parking lot so that I can sit behind it all day as people gawk at it and ask me dumb questions. I'm not trying to be cynical here but there seems to be something wrong with that approach. I realize it's for a good cause and all that and people would probably not pay to get in but I don't think I'm willing to pay to sit there all day with my fellow car enthusiasts. I may go and park my car outside and walk through. I think that makes more sense.

HOSS429

that`s all i do .. i used to be against it but now days i would`nt mind paying an admission fee to look at several cars ..

woodj

It's also the hours of washing and waxing, cleaning the interior and all that. All that for a shot at a trophy. I don't think I deserve a trophy for waxing a brand new car. I have all the respect in the world for someone with a vintage Mustang (or whatever) who has put the time, effort, and money into restoring it and then bringing it to be seen at a car show. Those people deserve the trophies. Wrong place to vent about all this and I apologize if I've offended anyone. I think with the exception of our car show I'll stick with the cruise-in's for the time being.

Puter

I was just discussing this yesterday with a friend that has several cars. We had met up at a couple of shows. It's all about what you are interested in doing. Our talks centered around the time it takes to show a car. Not only is there all of the cleanup, but there is the time involved with waiting in line to register, then being there until late afternoon, then driving home and cleaning up again. The complete day is shot. Now if I was retired with nothing to do, this would not be a big deal. So I have been searching out the smaller car shows where my registration money goes to charity or to a needed service (churches and fire departments do this all of the time). These are usually smaller shows that are nowhere near as long. And it also seems that there is much more appreciation for the owner bringing his/her car out than the bigger shows.

As far as paying money to see cars, I personally will not do such. You wanna see my car, come on over let's take a look at it and have a beer. It's on me.

Puter

Ah, but Jim, for some of us it's definitely not about the trophy. Sure, I have a few, but I like the camaraderie. I like talking with people that have an interest in what they are doing. I like learning about other cars and hearing of some of the stories. I like learning new ways and ideas to modify my own by talking with other folks.

Trophy? that's something that sits in the corner that I throw my dirty clothes on.

woodj

I enjoy that as well it's just the economic model that bugs me. It would be like me trying to open a movie theater and charging the movie producers to show their movie and letting the public in free. I just don't think that'll fly.

Irregardless when the price of gas gets to the point where the govt wants it to be we'll all be driving electric cars. I don't think we'll be going to car shows with the hood popped open showing off our batteries.

Rogue

UUM we charge 20.00 a person to enter our Show, that is kind of a standard, that is how we get money to do other things like donate money, xmas parties upgrade club show tents ect.

woodj

I realize that but if I was not a member I wouldn't go to ours either. I just don't think car shows are a good way to raise money for charities that's all. I'm just one person though and I don't think anyone will miss my car not being there.

Puter

Well, I would miss *you and your wife*, not your cars. :-)

But, and I am nitpicking here, how can you say that any activity that raises money for charity is not good? Or not a good way? Believe me, every charity that gets any money at all is VERY appreciative of it getting to them no matter how it was raised.

So, if I may ask, why do you say a car show is not a good way to raise money? What other suggestions do you have in regards to car clubs and mainstream public in raising money?

sychobaby

Call me crazy, but I will pay several registration fees this summer to sit behind my car and answer "dumb" questions. I enjoy meeting new people and seeing all kinds of different modifications to the vehicles. I have also got some really great ideas from car shows. I have a really stressful career, like so many of others. My down time consists of cleaning up my car and showing off what I have done to it. I agree with Ralph. It is the comradarie. It is nice to win a trophy, but I could actually care less if I win a trophy or not. A great car show to me is about having fun with other car enthusiasts.

woodj

I don't care how money is raised for charity as long as the money goes to the charity and not to the people raising the money. Personally I give my money to a very select group (a whole group of two) because I know the money is well spent and I support what they are trying to accomplish. My wife is very active in supporting St. Jude's for instance and I think most people would agree that money spent there goes for a good cause. So, instead of letting my charitable donations get watered down I concentrate on where I want the money to go.

What charity is this car show collecting for anyway? I don't see it mentioned on their flyer. When the RCMC holds our show it may be a good idea to emphasize our charitable donations.

mgreene

My thoughts exactly - how do you differentiate between late model cars? The ones with the least amount of dust on them? That's why I first introduced the popular vote for late models in our club, but I think it should really stretch to more than just the last two years. Is there gonna be that much more difference between a class of 2009 Mustangs than a class of 2010 Mustangs?

Redbaron93

Jim, you sir are entitled to your opinion as is everyone else. I certainly understand where you are coming from but the point is no one says you have to stand around your vehicle the whole show. Get out there and enjoy looking at what everyone else has done with their vehicles. As far as charities go, I for one have benefited from the clubs donations. When my wife, Deb, now deceased, was diagnosed with cancer the club put on a show to help us with bills. It was greatly appreciated. When it comes to shows the club has to have sponsors to help with the purchase of trophies, t-shirts and so on. The club itself operates off of income from the show plus club dues. We purchase items for the club along with making donations to local charities and as said before putting on our annual Christmas party.

HOSS429

ok ... you`re crazy

Puter

No one said this show is raising money for charity that I have seen.

RCMC does emphasize their donations via press releases. Yet, at the time of the show, the club does not know to what charity or how much will be donated. That is decided later by the BOD as directed by the president.

As mentioned, keep in mind that monies raised goes to the club's operating expenses as well. There are things such as the domain name and website fees, trailer expenses including rent, insurance, etc. The Christmas dinner alone is $20 a person whether they come or not. The dues you pay are only $12. The club must make up that difference.

woodj

I suspect it's for something to do with the athletic deparment. Those sort of things should be funded by the people who live in that school district or by the people who participate in the activities. Why have we turned the funding of schools into a charity? I'm sorry but there are people in other parts of the world, people in this country, and even people who live in our city who need financial support more than a schools athletic department.

As far as our own needs as a club go we should be self sufficient. If $12 isn't enough to cover the costs then we should raise our dues or do without some things. People from outside the club shouldn't support the club unless we provide some sort of a benefit to them. That's why Girl Scouts sell cookies and Boy Scouts sell popcorn. Sell car washes or something. Sell detailing services at the car show.