Musings after attending a car show

[Eric7810]

I am not a car show guy. It’s not my scene. I love cars, but the air of a car show never set well with me.

Well, I went to a local show tonight to try making some business connections.

I walked around probably 40 cars of all types and ages and did not notice even one that had tire shine on it. Cars showing up with petrified bug salads on their windshield, dried dirt on their Radial T/A’s, paint jobs ruined with swirls.

One person with a Regal Type T when I asked about their car care routine gave me the classic line “oh, I do my own detailing”. The car was wasted.

I don’t have any specific point with this post other than to say, car shows where I am from are the most confusing events you can imagine. Everyone with knees pad on bowing down worshipping a totally hammered 72 Nova. I show up with a restored 1998 Chevy Silverado detailed like crazy with zero swirls and no one gives a ####.


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[PaulMys]

I am not a car show guy. It’s not my scene. I love cars, but the air of a car show never set well with me.

Well, I went to a local show tonight to try making some business connections.

I walked around probably 40 cars of all types and ages and did not notice even one that had tire shine on it. Cars showing up with petrified bug salads on their windshield, dried dirt on their Radial T/A’s, paint jobs ruined with swirls.

One person with a Regal Type T when I asked about their car care routine gave me the classic line “oh, I do my own detailing”. The car was wasted.

I don’t have any specific point with this post other than to say, car shows where I am from are the most confusing events you can imagine. Everyone with knees pad on bowing down worshipping a totally hammered 72 Nova. I show up with a restored 1998 Chevy Silverado detailed like crazy with zero swirls and no one gives a ####.


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I have experienced the same, Eric.

There are very few "car guys" who give a crap about paint condition. Us AutoGeeks cringe at that, but it's the truth.

They are into every single aspect of the car (Year, model, options, rarity, mods, etc.) except paint condition.

I work at a Ford dealer, and I posted a while back about a guy with a 2005 Ford GT (dark blue) in our parking lot standing around it with a few other guys admiring it.

As I walked up on them to give my admiration for a rare 250k car, the paint swirls just screamed "Help me!!!). Lol

To each his own, but damn........

[Big Dave]

I remember going to a car show shortly after doing my first detailing course, I was so disappointed. It was a local Ford car club, but they'd invited a couple of other clubs. They called it a "Show n Shine". Maybe one or two were acceptable, the rest were rough. I think there's a lot of fear out there, especially if you haven't had hands on with some equipment or techniques. They don't want to make things worse. They'd never admit it though. The worst thing I've seen was a guy with an old 911 who at a self wash place applying wax, Mother's I think, before spraying, because it made washing it so much easier. He just drove and started applying wax on the dirty paint. Because he used to be a panel beater he knew what he was doing. So many swirls.

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[Ed Abbondanzio]

I've never had any luck with car guys, especially tuners.

The price is always too high and they know someone who can do it cheaper.

Best of all I'm just a production detailer. I'm not out there quoting full paint corrections. Just production buffs lol.

[TMQ]

Same with muscle car guys....

$$$$ in motors etc.

They think detailers and paint correction should be cheap...

Sigh, prolly gonna give it up in couple years and just kick back and enjoy a beer with old age!

Tom

[briarpatch]

Sigh, prolly gonna give it up in couple years and just kick back and enjoy a beer with old age!

Tom

Now that's a plan!!!

[briarpatch]

Been to lots of car shows.....hot rods, tuners, lifted 4x4's, Corvettes....and I'm always amazed at how poor the paint is on most of the cars....even the Corvettes.

[FUNX650]

•I have mostly attended: “The All-Comers Are
Welcome” and “All Proceeds Go To Charity” types
of car shows—events where I know in advance
that there will be very few actual Show Cars
present. (Show Car owners know all too well the
hazards associated with such events!)

As such:
-At “TACAW”/“APGTC” car shows I expect basic
cleanliness, not perfection (and I sure don’t go
about looking for either, just for criticism’s sake
or otherwise).

-Much more FUN to be had in participating in plain
old fashioned visiting with fellow enthusiasts and
past acquaintances.

-Oh yeah: and the food trucks. :hungry:

**************************************

•Conversely:
-It’s when I attend “Classic” car shows, where it’s being
advertised as having actual Show Cars on display; or
any of the annual Manufacturers’ Automotive Shows;
is where I’m guilty of scrutinizing every square inch of
the Show Cars—often to the owners chagrin, I must add.



Bob

[Big Dave]

Most car guys, are NOT detailing guys. They just think they are.


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[hoyt66]

I find the same thing at car shows I have attended. Most notably at Detailfest. They had such sweet cars, here we are where I learn so much about car detailing and most cars were a mess.

[boosteddub69]

It's kind of funny to see this post. I grew up in Metro Detroit, and saw the same thing...major car guys who were content to just wash the car and when they went all out they might throw on some tire shine. I love cars and have been lightly modding them for as long as I've had them, it was my love of cars that sent me down the detailing path. When you have a black car that started off shiny and gradually became swirled, how can you not notice that? I sure did and started learning how to take care of the car's paint too.

Having said that, sometimes detailer enthusiast me, fights with car enthusiast me. Track the car versus "heck no, all that rubber and dirt on the paint?"

[Mike Phillips]

Most car guys, are NOT detailing guys. They just think they are.





100% aggree.


Here's a question for you all....


The guys you see on TV on all the "Car Guy Shows".


Do you think they're detailing guys?


Do you think they know the difference between a Swirl and a Squirrel?


I'd LOVE to here your thoughts - so reply with what you think.


:dig:

[Mike Phillips]

I'm always amazed at how poor the paint is on most of the cars....even the Corvettes.




I have taught a ton of classes for Corvette clubs in my life. Also worked at and been to a lot of car shows in my life.

And I'll just say I agree with you and leave it at that.


:laughing:

[Bill D]

We have to get the word out about Autogeek to these car guys so that they can preserve their vehicles the way they ought to be.

[Mike Phillips]

We have to get the word out about Autogeek to these car guys so that they can preserve their vehicles the way they ought to be.




We tried with 2 TV shows. :dunno:


Here's what I've come to do - I divide Car Guys into 2 groups.

1: Bolt-on Guys

2: Finish Guys


Bolt-on guys simply bolt cars together. They will look right at a swirled-out car and say to themselves,

That looks nice!


They just don't see it. They don't get it.



Finish Guys will bolt or "build" a car and then make sure it's finished out right. When they look at a car, they not only look at the fitment of the body panels and everything else - they look to see if the paint finish quality matches the build-quality of the car.

I'd say Finish Guys are far and few between.



:)