I gonna throw my $0.02 out to you... It has been my experience that you can get a lot more bang for buck no matter what your budget is and stay away from buying a car or truck at a show. Shows are great because you have a concentrated audience attending but at most shows, everyone posts their vehicle at a much higher price because they are at a show. I've had really good luck by posting a detailed thread on forums that I am looking for "X" type of vehicle, my budget is "X" and had members around the country help find you your next hot rod. Also, search Craigslist for than just your city, broaden your search area and you'll never know what's out there, even search cities in a state that you never heard of - there are still gems out there! I found my '55 Chevy truck on Sacramento CL, it was well worth the 12 hour drive one way for me and my wife from Buckeye, AZ (Phoenix). I hope this helps alittle...
shows are not a good place to buy. You need to have the time to inspect carefully and negotiate. The hubbub at a show typically prevents that
Ive used the shows to make a car contact list. You get to see the car up close, I call the owner back a while later and see if they're willing to make a deal that's agreeable to both after their sky high show price didn't get results. When I was buying and selling a lot of cars and parts, I made contacts everywhere I went. If a guy is into early 60's pontiacs chances are he knows other people with cars and parts, few years down the road if I found one of those cars, I'd call him up.
I think car shows can be used as another tool to help in your search for your dream just like the Internet, Craigslist,or whatever. After you look at enough cars you can establish VALUE in your own mind. I agree that there is the " fairgrounds" price at times and the "I don't want to sell it pricing" but you can always throw offers after the show. I've lost a few that I waited too long on or my offer wasn't accepted but that's part of the deal. Now if it's a car you can't live without and a keeper don't let a few bucks hold you back, you only pay for it once right? The NSRA Nats North in Kalamazoo is often referred to as the " for sale" Nationals as there are a large number of cars usually on the market there and it may have something to do with the show being held late in the year and some want to get into new projects. Good luck in your quest. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I have seen better and more reasonable prices at small town shows and cruise ins. The further out in the sticks you go means a smaller audience and people are more realistic in selling. I look at asking prices at large shows like the Autofair in Charlotte and nearly choke because those same cars back home a lot of times would sell for less than half of those prices. Big shows=big prices in my opinion.
For me a car show is the only place to buy a car as you can personally inspect the car right then and there. I would NEVER buy a car sight unseen. Too many sellers will flat out lie to you about the cars condition. Drove five hours once to see a POS. Won't do that again.
I'm confused why some guys think seeing the car in person and then talking to the owner face to face is a bad way to buy car. Maybe I'm just getting old......
Go to any show you like,look at the car and if it's something you want and is in your price range buy it,but if you get their name and number and call them a couple of weeks later you can usually buy the car for less than it was advertised. HRP
Saw a couple of good deals at "run to the sun" show in myrtle beach last year (father -in-law even bough a 41 sedan we drove back to nj). Here in the north east it seems as though prices are considerably higher than elsewhere.
End of the year shows work in my area. Frog Follies, late August, Pumpkin Run in Ohio, Turkey Run in Fl. A lot of people are willing to part with their cars or trucks for less, so they don't have to store them for the winter. Also, they usually have a project waiting, or on their mind they want to go get.
never know where you might find your "new" ride - might spot it along a local street, in ad here, car show/swap meet, etc. also, search www.oldride.com/events/louisiana.html
the other thing about shows, the pace of things and the feeling "its Sunday, I gotta buy today" will cause to make a purchase you could regret. Some years ago at the NSRA Nats in St. Paul, my best friend flew out from NH and met wife and I who had driven a car to the event. He had cash money in a gym bag and a change of underwear. We picked him up and he "shopped" all day Saturday, didn't find anything. Sunday morning and you could tell he was anxious to buy something and drive back in convoy with us. He found a gl*** '32 pro-street 3W (ugh), in arrest me red and sbc. He made the deal in the middle of the throngs of people at 1pm on Sunday. Wife and I stood trying to shield him as he counted out $20K in cash on the guy's rear tire. Well come Monday and we are off on the road back home. When I saw his face at the first gas stop, I said to the wife, he won't keep that car for long. Turns out it rode like a lumberwagon, the steering wheel was so close to door panel you couldn't get a finger between the two and later he would discover what it was like to drive a wide tire car in the rain. Sure enough he didn't have it six months. Contrast that to me finding a contact in the MSRA (we lived in MN for 10 years) who led him to an all steel '32 3w, jag suspension, that turned out to be a car that was in Street Rodder in the 70s. He flew out, test drove it after several phone calls and drove it home. Great car. HRP is right, use shows to identify cars you like and get owners info. Then follow up and take your time.
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