I remember the days when I looked forward to receiving my Car and Driver, Motor Trend and Road and Track magazines in the mail. Seems like ancient history.
The death of the auto enthusiast.
- Thread starter macarose
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there are plenty of affordable fun cars. mustangs and Miatas come immediately to mind - available in pretty much any price range depending how old. then there are chargers and challengers and camaros and pretty much any BMW roadster.... GTIs, GLIs.
If you want to get hard core there are factory fives, caterhams, locost....
If you want to get hard core there are factory fives, caterhams, locost....
Cars are pretty difficult to work on comparatively to years past and the costs are through the roof. Then there are the necessary tools (wrenches, screwdrivers, and such) and equipment (jacks, stands, and such.) It is an expensive and difficult hobby. I completely understand why people do not want to do it.
With distracted driving at an all time high-I don't understand anybody who would want to ride a motorcycle.
But that's just me! Riding one in Utah is a death wish....
It’s an expensive hobby and a terrible investment(if you’re one that tries to consider a classic car an investment). I know we all like to rag on the generation below us but in this case I think they’ve got it right. Drive a $1500 99 Camry and maybe then you don’t have to work 60 hours a week to try and get ahead.
I used to go to car shows with my dad. In the 80s you'd see cars from the 40s-- that was the cutoff, anything after the 55 Chevy was just an old beater. People that restored their cars painted them themselves, rebuilt the engine, maybe even tried doing the headliner "cleverly." It was a friendly, noncompetitive time.
Now if you go to a show it's "look how rich I am", and "I also share the dream of the perfect 69 Firebird because that's what Alpha males like me are supposed to like."
So people of modest means started making rat rods. Then rich jerks took that over, putting clearcoat over the rust so they wouldn't lose the patina.
OBD-II got in the way, too, of fun stuff like motor swaps for all but the most determined. I like to breathe clean air, it's just too bad an inconsequential programming mismatch between years lights a light that makes the car illegal to operate.
Now if you go to a show it's "look how rich I am", and "I also share the dream of the perfect 69 Firebird because that's what Alpha males like me are supposed to like."
So people of modest means started making rat rods. Then rich jerks took that over, putting clearcoat over the rust so they wouldn't lose the patina.
OBD-II got in the way, too, of fun stuff like motor swaps for all but the most determined. I like to breathe clean air, it's just too bad an inconsequential programming mismatch between years lights a light that makes the car illegal to operate.
All these youths of today with their PS2s and MP3 players. Riding their Razor Scooters everywhere. Watching all those Lord of the Rings movies and listening to their Jay Z albums. It’s madness I tell you!
I've turned to bicycles, scoots and motorcycles. Cars/trucks are expensive and frankly everything has been done twice. Even RVs don't thrill me except the travel part. With traffic now kills whatever is left!
Cars are all about personal mobility. The ability to go where you want when you want.
All of them are fun to drive in their way, even the '97 Aerostar we bought new.
Maybe younger folks just don't feel like getting out as much?
Maybe online culture on their phone is enough for them?
A pity if that is the case.
All of them are fun to drive in their way, even the '97 Aerostar we bought new.
Maybe younger folks just don't feel like getting out as much?
Maybe online culture on their phone is enough for them?
A pity if that is the case.
I'm enthusiastic for reliability, simplicity, utility and access to DIY maintenance and repair information. The older 4Runner still puts a smile on my face as it runs and drives like when it was new after 13 years of routine maintenance.
I'd say if anything, outdoor activities are exploding. The amount of people who bought bikes since cv19 are crazy, ski resorts are exploding in popularity and price, and the NatParks are so busy they have to have timed entry permits.
Which brings me to my next point, lack of time. The above have always been there. Technology and games have been here for three (four?) generations. Americans have been so worried about work that they have never really experienced life outside of work and it shows whenever somebody equates money to success instead of happiness as success.
I also feel like a lot of younger folks are more “experience” based than older. I’m 9 years older than my wife and she’s definitely more so than I. She doesn’t bat an eye at $5k for a vacation but $1800 in truck parts is frivolous to her.
I grew up never going on vacation because the profits went back towards investing in the farm. As I became an adult I realized that for me personally, I never missed out. I’m as happy as can be running a brush hog, clearing a road/fence line or trying to do timber stand improvements. I’m miserable out sightseeing or constantly thinking about how everything costs way too much at a concert or sporting event.
I grew up never going on vacation because the profits went back towards investing in the farm. As I became an adult I realized that for me personally, I never missed out. I’m as happy as can be running a brush hog, clearing a road/fence line or trying to do timber stand improvements. I’m miserable out sightseeing or constantly thinking about how everything costs way too much at a concert or sporting event.
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My kids are 22 & 17. I am convinced I could gift either one of them a new Ferrari and although they would be very excited in the moment, by the end of the day they would be playing their Xbox and Nintendo Switch, NOT out cruising in the Ferrari. Cars are appliances to them.
I think there has been a shift in interest even in sports and outdoor activities. I see a lot more people hauling mountain bikes now, using the bike lane on the roads and my town has even opened up a bike trail. Then pickleball has become popular as already mentioned.
Then on the flip side a softball league I’ve played in for over 15 years had to cancel the fall season last year due to lack of teams signing up. I also noticed during deer season this year the parking lot at the local motel was not full. That would have NEVER been the case 20 years ago.
I think so too. It seems like sports that were more rare or extreme are becoming way more popular now too, rock climbing, surfing, snowboarding, etc. It's cool watching various Redbull sport teams on TV doing their stunts and stuff while at the gym.
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The ceo of my co, smart man, said, he’s getting rid of his cars. He lives in the city. Bye bye Aston, Panamera S, keeping the Bentley. In reality he doesn’t need any car. He has a driver(s) and the co has two Suburbans.
He went on to explain when he got out of college, the first thing he wanted to do was to get a nice car. That was normal. But it’s not the case today. Young people have little interest. Why pay for something that sits 22 hours a day. His friends that own car dealerships are planning exits from the business. That was around 2014
I’ve liked cars since I was in 2nd grade. I collected brochures by 5th grade. So being interested in cars is second nature. My dad would get catalogs for himself and option out vehicles he would never even seriously buy. I’m sure I got that from him. He explained to me why V6 is very bad, and in-line 6 is very good. V8 quite good and in-line 4 no good. Pros and cons of boxer 4’s. Maybe we got the interest from our dads.
He went on to explain when he got out of college, the first thing he wanted to do was to get a nice car. That was normal. But it’s not the case today. Young people have little interest. Why pay for something that sits 22 hours a day. His friends that own car dealerships are planning exits from the business. That was around 2014
I’ve liked cars since I was in 2nd grade. I collected brochures by 5th grade. So being interested in cars is second nature. My dad would get catalogs for himself and option out vehicles he would never even seriously buy. I’m sure I got that from him. He explained to me why V6 is very bad, and in-line 6 is very good. V8 quite good and in-line 4 no good. Pros and cons of boxer 4’s. Maybe we got the interest from our dads.
While you're correct, it's truly sad if people only select hobbies based on potential career advancement instead of doing what they enjoy.
Let me clarify my meaning. A commitment to an activity or hobby.
Not a one off vacation in the national park or weekend ski trip, by the way some of these crowds and masses are a byproduct of an ever growing population, which is now up to 350 million people and limited to no expansion in the national park system and ski slopes. But I don’t want to go off on that tangent because my initial meaning was not talking about taking a one week vacation in a park or a weekend trip to a ski slope.
I’m talking about a commitment and interest to an every day/weekly hobby or outside activity that also possibly involves family and friends instead of the computers and social media which have replaced every day, hobbies, and activities.
There is no denying the evaporation that I mentioned in my previous post is my feeling.
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I would say that most of the highly successful people I have met, and have established hobbies that have made them more relatable to other professionals in their field…or have hobbies that have helped their career trajectory (e.g. serving on nonprofit boards that directly or indirectly benefit their industry.)
Reality is, it is a highly competitive world and anything you can do to make yourself more successful in your career is wise.
Have been a hot car enthusiast for 70 years. My latest is an installation of a 2011 Camaro 6.2 with a 6 speed auto in the 77 in my sig.
Hot Rod magazine is going quarterly, Car And Driver b-monthly and so on in the hobby. So far in NH car shows and NE Dragway are well attended and hopefully will continue.
Hot Rod magazine is going quarterly, Car And Driver b-monthly and so on in the hobby. So far in NH car shows and NE Dragway are well attended and hopefully will continue.
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