40 replies to this topic

[JBW]

It was the 1st. time I had been, thought it was much better than Mini Fair 2 at Stoneliegh last year, don't like all the Bini's though, think they should all be together, so we can just look at all the proper Mini's, and then those who want to look at Bini's can see them all together

Disappointing about the lack of trade support, took £100 to spend on bit's & bob's, finished up spending £16, came home & ordered parts online.

Apparently Minisport were selling some parts a bit more expensive than online, which is not what I expected. Car Builder Solutions used to sell their stuff minus the VAT at Kitcar shows (the last time I went to one).

Still had a good day though.

[mini-geek]

For me they have been going downhill for a long time. Certainly the lack of traders is very noticeable in all classic shows not just mini specific.
I used to enjoy Gaydon as it was a full weekend with a party on the Saturday night. For a lot of people the "big" shows are to far away to make travelling on the day not worth the effort. the option to travel the day before and camp with mates etc was a big part of the attraction for myself and many others. 

Nail on the head! I was hoping someone would say it..

The main issue is traveling for one day.. Make it a weekend and it will be a success..

(As I'm typing this though I'm aware that the likes of the lakes run is on the decline)

And as online sales has now taken hold the need to trade at a show has deminished

Edited by mini-geek, 19 September 2016 - 09:17 AM.

[1984mini25]

The main issue is traveling for one day.. Make it a weekend and it will be a success..

 

 

The main issue with the one days shows now for me, is after a 1hr and 40 mins to 2 hours drive to a show only to arrive and find large numbers of people leaving and packing up by lunchtime.

 

Its what's stopped me going to a lot of the shows now. What's the point in traveling a fair distance (something I used to do a lot of) to get to a show, to find the turn out isn't as good and by lunch time half of those have left.

 

The queue to get out of himley started around noonish, and even some of the traders at Stanford were starting to pack up around the same time.

[mab01uk]

 

For me they have been going downhill for a long time. Certainly the lack of traders is very noticeable in all classic shows not just mini specific.
I used to enjoy Gaydon as it was a full weekend with a party on the Saturday night. For a lot of people the "big" shows are to far away to make travelling on the day not worth the effort. the option to travel the day before and camp with mates etc was a big part of the attraction for myself and many others. 

Nail on the head! I was hoping someone would say it..

The main issue is traveling for one day.. Make it a weekend and it will be a success..

(As I'm typing this though I'm aware that the likes of the lakes run is on the decline)

And as online sales has now taken hold the need to trade at a show has deminished

 

 

Weekend 2 day events have been tried and work for some shows (the MCR considered it for Beaulieu) but while good for keen campers.....the costs for the event venue and staffing increase and it becomes hard to secure all the attractions including show cars for both days. What normally happens is the cars and traders are more thinly spread out over 2 days with most visitors only buying a one day ticket and are often disappointed that what they especially wanted to see was there yesterday or will be tomorrow!

[mini-geek]

I suppose so.. A lot of VW shows get bad press by people turning up on a Sunday and wondering why people are going home.. The main show day being the Saturday.

[Stevie W]

mini_surfari, on 18 Sept 2016 - 10:57 PM, said:mini_surfari, on 18 Sept 2016 - 10:57 PM, said:

 

Stevie W, on 18 Sept 2016 - 6:59 PM, said:Stevie W, on 18 Sept 2016 - 6:59 PM, said:

 
I entered my (non-cooper) Mini into the concours at Beaulieu this year for the first time but the weather let the show down a bit and I spent all morning trying to wash the mud off of it with buckets of water!
 
Cheers, Steve.  

Steve, I had the dark blue mini to the left of yours at beaulieu, and I had a close look round yours and thought it deserved an award... it's a lovely car.... but it seems to be who you are not what you built these days

 

 

Hi Mini_Surfari, thank you for the compliment, it makes all the hard work worthwhile. I just wasn't prepared for my first concours show really, especially in the gentle art of removing mud without a jet wash or at the very least a garden hose!!

I also thought you car was very nice too    

Edited by Stevie W, 19 September 2016 - 04:57 PM.

[jamesmpi]

The thing is, how do you change the formate?
At the end of the day it is a car show. You drive there, park up, look at cars, drive home. Some people spend hours cleaning to win a plastic trophy and some buy parts. It's the same for every car make.
Unless the event is lucky to have a unique feature like Combe with a race track or MITP with a drag strip, there isn't much more you can do...

I remember Mini 50 at longbridge and Southern Mini Days had team events that you could have a go at as a bit of fun, but this isn't everyone's cup of tea and were based largely on a weekend formate with some sort of evening entertainment.

As many people have stated we are spoilt for choice and no longer have to drive miles to get to a show to show off your car or buy parts.

Edited by jamesmpi, 19 September 2016 - 05:25 PM.

[Stevie W]

I remember many years ago (mid eighties), our local club Wessex Mini Owners Club attending shows around the midlands, where we all used to meet at the Cowherds pub in Southampton and drive up in convoy the day before a show.

We would camp nearby, get a barby going and have too much to eat and drink! Then the next morning we would drive in convoy to the actual show.

 

The concours scene was for people with rare/old Minis, most of us were just glad to get to the show and back in our Minis on one gallon of oil and without any bits falling off during the journey to and from the shows!

Whilst the concours scene is good and I enjoy looking at the show cars, I sometimes wonder whether there should be separate classes for Minis brought to shows on trailers and ones actually driven there.  

 

I also remember one show having an "autotest" circuit with the idea being to get round the course using full throttle, steering wheel and the handbrake only! This used to be popular and as long as no-one went mad, was safe! In this day of 'elf & safety I suppose this sort of thing it now just too dangerous to put on or organise at a show.

 

For me it seems the "golden years" of the mid-eighties were the best years for Mini shows and also clubs......that's enough reminiscing for one post!!

 

Cheers, Steve.      

Edited by Stevie W, 19 September 2016 - 05:49 PM.

[absx2]

This is the second year running I have missed Combe due to work commitments so I have been following the comments with interest.

 

Its a 440 mile round trip for me and I have always traveled up and back in the same day.

 

Its disappointing to hear the shows are going down hill a bit with regards to the traders and car boot sellers.

I would hope the track action at combe with quick cars knocking the spots off Bini`s and the wannabe F1 drivers pirouetting all over the track will always provide great entertainment.   

[minisprint]

And whilst I'm upsetting people... This:
The same sodding show cars!?! You've polished that same turd for ten years or more! Get a different mini and show us what you can do ya lazy bastards.
If I see another blue cabrio then I guarantee I've see it before... For 15 bloody years. He'll I'm not shocked people are bored of looking at the same cars!
Lazy lazy boring samey lazy boring samey ol tripe. Nice cars but I must have paid out over £300 on show entries to see the same black Gt or orange car with no wheels and mirrors etc.
Where's the new cars? I'm not talking the v tech norms or Honda yawn... But the guy at home with his ideas and a budget?
Feel the burn lol

Didn't you once own a blue cabriolet? I'm with you boring same old click in show and *******

[minisprint]

Bring back the old shows where you was accepted with a cooper lookalike , non of this ,over restored let's see how much chrome we can bolt on! In my opinion it slowly being ruined by its own success and climbing prices