Car Price Entry to Car Shows

Are the prices to get into Car Shows getting out of control, I went to the All Ford Day Today and paid $25 to get in, I mean C'mon, that's a little rich, at a guess i would say there was around 1000 cars maybe more, that's 25 big fat Gorillas at a minimum. Numerous food and trades stalls, OK so what would be the costs for 1 day, oh I forgot to mention they had a auction today as well, probably to raise the funds for the donated trophy's and not to mention the Sponsors contribution, at a guess they would have made with all sundries included, about 35 Bigger and Fatter Gorillas, and what gets me is they have the courtesy to give me as a gift, a bag of 4 month old mags, and a little tube of car wash to wash at least one of my rims, well thank you for very kind gift, and for my even more generous $25 to your super fund. OK I wont not go to the next years event, as I love the theory of representing my car at the official makers day, and will put this out all Ford Owners you need to stand up and get to these type of once a year events.

Take the Hanging Rock Event last week, rumors has it that 6400 cars entered that day, and at a cost of $20 each, total $128,000 now what do they do with this money, and that's just gate entry to a public park, go figure

what should be the standard entry to a car event, or should we set an Age group to a car for free entry.

i take it that was to enter your car i know the all ford day in south Australia donates some of the money to nominated charity

Hi Platon
I agree entirely, Sandown Kustom Picnic last year great day but again $25 Philip Island I think was $35

look I understand these venues dont come cheap but honestly it seems, Platon is right car clubs need to be heard on this. It's easy to say if you dont wanna pay just dont go, yeah that's all good but I'd prefer to come at it from the other angle and have the organizers explain why the costs are so high, Most of the shows have assistance from Rotary or any one of several voulenteer groups, Yeah posters & promotion costs money Insurance is approx $700 for $20mil public liability and venues are expensive but it does seem like we pay a lot for the privelidge of attracting paying spectators to events.

Cheap compared to cryslers on the murray
Thats $50 plus $10 for judging

Some say its 'Insurance', others say 'venue hire' then others say 'it's expensive to line pockets'

Torquay was only $10, Gembrook was only $5. Maybe if they issued a receipt we could claim it as a charitable donation.

The65 wrote:Torquay was only $10, Gembrook was only $5. Maybe if they issued a receipt we could claim it as a charitable donation.

good point, maybe then they will have to declare what they earned.

Yeh what a fricken joke Chryslers on the Murray is. Two years ago it was $20 now it's $60 and a donation at the gates the rsoles and ontop of that if you get there in your car before your family gets in the gates, they then slug you with a $5 entry fee per person. All for charity they say but come on what a rip off it use to be a gold coin donation.

Chryslers on the murray is all about a bunch of greeks with a bbq on the main drag

Bloody Greeks they're everywhere. Got to beware of the ones that are doing the BBQ I heard they're the troublemakers.

And proud

I got slapped with a $20 entry and a $20 judjing fee at Flemington 2 years ago they can go and shove it this year.

Gentlemen, you have all raised some interesting points, I can only speak for our own entry fee's for our show
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I think some of the entry fees you have mentioned are a bit on the heavy side, especially if you are getting entrants in the thousands, but then the bigger the venue the greater the costs one would think.
Tony.

Yes so true Tony and the $15 entry fee is great but Chryslers On the Murray's sting is pathetic. Let me break it down: $50 entry +$ 10 judjing + $7 for money order to pre book your entry + $5 entry per person not in the car + donation of person entering gates by the CFA on 2 consequetive days. Wow man that's a lot for a family to pay and that's not putting over $200 fuel + lunches + dinners + accomodation, etc. I know they have to account for costs but 2 years before it was $20. How can they justify that. They are simply raping us. Ontop of that the cars have doubled over the years and they still have the same or maybe less trophies for contestants. This will be the last time I will attend that show with my car.

You building a new pacer?

Yes I've got the blue prints on a new design. Thank God I was lucky to get a CAD computer system and the help of an engineer and a clay modeller so all is going well.
Just have to see the bank manager tomorrow for a $150 million loan for tooling and I will announce it on cars guide. If you're lucky you can test drive the first one of the line.

The forecast foe sunday is in the 30's again
Looks like the beach is the place to be

I have noticed here in NZ that there's a shit-load of American cars arriving in the country, some are owned by people in hot rod or street-machine claubs affiliated to NZ Hot Rod Association, a few to National Street Rod Association.

But an awful ot are not in any club - or if they are it's a 'lone wolf' club

So NZHRA events are out for them, as such they know nothing about rod-runs, hot rod nationals etc. where youy get a good 'bang for your buck'.

So they willingly pay the $$$ to have the privelege of showing off thier car to the public and get together with like-minded people.

Why are the show organisers not getting the $$$ from all the spectators??

I bet the Wallabys don't pay bugger all before they run onto the field - the promoters get their $$ from the spectators eh - so why should the crowd-drawing classics and rods have to pay when it's their presence that brings the crowds???

Bingo!!! well said Kiwibird.

Because the sponsors dont pay millions and the show doesnt get advertised on television
Most shows are under $50
Cheaper than parking your car outside in the car park then to have someone open a door on it
Most guys only drive their cars to shows so if you dont want to pay why bother owning the car

1965tbird wrote:
Most guys only drive their cars to shows so if you dont want to pay why bother owning the car

'Cos I like to drive it - and like its looks - and unlike a modern car I can actually fix it - and it doesn't devalue.

Taking it to a car show is way down the list of "Why I own a car"!

1965tbird wrote:Because the sponsors dont pay millions and the show doesnt get advertised on television
Most shows are under $50
Cheaper than parking your car outside in the car park then to have someone open a door on it
Most guys only drive their cars to shows so if you dont want to pay why bother owning the car

I dont think the question here is about paying, It's about getting some value for money, and not just filling the pockets of greedy organisers, When they start charging $30+ per car then also charge people to get in to see that car and then have a sponsor pay all the fixed costs that's the point where the Club's committee need to be looking at previous years and determing a realistic charge for Entrants & Spectators. It seems there is an opinion that because a bloke owns a classic car he can afford to donate money to charity every weekend.

most shows offer good value for money in my opinion, If you can have a good day out with some friends have a few laughs, look at some nice cars and enjoy the drive to and from the Venue then you've had a good cheap day out in my opinion.

Venues will always be the big cost factor but you've gotta ask why John's Picnic uses Sandown Racetrack It was $35.00 per car and yeah top venue great day lots of trick Customs and Classics but then again a football oval would have delivered the same end result at 1/10 the cost.


I must say i'm happier to pay to go to an open show lets say Chrome Bumper rather than an All American show, where it's predominantly Camaro's and Mustangs, I'm over that. I'd rather look at lots of different makes and models I think that gives better value for Money.

The best times I have using my car is when a group of us get together and cruise to a Pub for Sunday Lunch, no car show just a bunch of people you enjoy spending time with in a relaxed environment having a drink and a meal smack in the middle of a great Cruise. It doesnt get any better than that. There is a group of us that do this quite often and it's always a great day out.

Again full points to you Kiwibird. So If you have a nice car why not show it off. If you've spent 10s of thousands of dollars to enjoy then why not take it to a car show and enjoy the look on other people's faces. But you have to draw the line when one year it's one price and next year it's trippled. That's just crap.
BTW I've owned my Valiant for 30 years and I've enjoyed running it into the ground. Now after I restored it it rarely goes out because I like to know that it doesn't bother me.
The whole idea of this discussion is about the high car show prices. If you remember even at Caribbean Gardens a few years back someone scatched Fords Rule on the bonnet of an AP5 Valiant and that wasn't in the carpark to get damaged that was on show. Rhe guy paid his money and got shafted.
I love my Bird also but I'm a bit paranoid taking it to car shows because it doesn't meet my expectations, but that's me.
Pretty hard to make ends meet when you don't cheat the tax man and don't have a steady cash flow.

When car shows are on at Caribbean Gardens you only pay $2.50 to enter. Now that's great. The Chrysler club puts a great show on with trophies and live band. Why can't the Wodonga do the same??

DaveG wrote:

1965tbird wrote:Because the sponsors dont pay millions and the show doesnt get advertised on television
Most shows are under $50
Cheaper than parking your car outside in the car park then to have someone open a door on it
Most guys only drive their cars to shows so if you dont want to pay why bother owning the car

I dont think the question here is about paying, It's about getting some value for money, and not just filling the pockets of greedy organisers, When they start charging $30+ per car then also charge people to get in to see that car and then have a sponsor pay all the fixed costs that's the point where the Club's committee need to be looking at previous years and determing a realistic charge for Entrants & Spectators. It seems there is an opinion that because a bloke owns a classic car he can afford to donate money to charity every weekend.

most shows offer good value for money in my opinion, If you can have a good day out with some friends have a few laughs, look at some nice cars and enjoy the drive to and from the Venue then you've had a good cheap day out in my opinion.

Venues will always be the big cost factor but you've gotta ask why John's Picnic uses Sandown Racetrack It was $35.00 per car and yeah top venue great day lots of trick Customs and Classics but then again a football oval would have delivered the same end result at 1/10 the cost.


I must say i'm happier to pay to go to an open show lets say Chrome Bumper rather than an All American show, where it's predominantly Camaro's and Mustangs, I'm over that. I'd rather look at lots of different makes and models I think that gives better value for Money.

The best times I have using my car is when a group of us get together and cruise to a Pub for Sunday Lunch, no car show just a bunch of people you enjoy spending time with in a relaxed environment having a drink and a meal smack in the middle of a great Cruise. It doesnt get any better than that. There is a group of us that do this quite often and it's always a great day out.

Well Said Dave