Are swap meets getting really popular again?

OH and by the way ,i don't lowball offer for stuff at swaps .i like to chat so******e talk to other people who love what we do .i have met some of my best mates through swap meets as i live in a small-town and don't dig shows that much.so the HAMB and going to swaps are my only ways of so******ing with likeminded people ,The purpose of my post was really just to find out my fellow hammers thoughts on this very traditional pastime,

 

X2 on all points.


...and I do think the local swaps will get even better, if the vintage parts buyers start shopping there again.

Most vintage buyers don't go to all of the ones they used to, because ebay was better at one time. It could turn around IMO. ebay is on a death spiral, and craigs list is a fail in my area.

 

x2!! Go to Hershey every year(20) and to me the people are just as interesting as the parts,when the kids were small we would load them up in a wagon and pull them all day hunting for parts and food(even before it was paved,mud,mud,mud)It seemed every year we would get stopped for a picture from someone over seas that were amazed at the event and people with there swap meet wagons and home built carts.(I guess cute kids in a wagon helps,they take after their mom) People from all over the world with the same p***ion-AWESOME!! Pete

 

Love the swap meets and flea markets in Florida. Do some ****ering but usually end up becoming friends with the regular vendors and feel they give pretty good deals already. Even when I don't buy anything, which is rare, it's a fun day lookin through the junk.
Lately I haven't needed anything except money, so it takes the fun out of the hunt. It's looking for that special part and then finding it that makes swap meets exciting.
Seems like the crowds are returning after a few slower seasons. Sadly the Chinese **** is taking over the real old car parts vendors.

 

i dont low ball either, i ask a price, ask if it firm, and if they are still to high i move on without giving them a hard time....most cry because i walk away wothout a counter offer, but i cant stand it when some one does it to me, so i wont do it to them...

 

I shared a space at the Shriners swap meet in Lee's Summit this spring, didn't sell a thing, but saw some interesting stuff and some very unusual cars ('61 Plymouth, '49 Hudson pickup). Just didn't seem to be as well attended as in the past. A few weeks later, went to the Lawrence, KS meet for the first time in about 10 years. Lots bigger than the last time, and far more stuff than I recalled from earlier years. Good vendors, many I had bought from years earlier, and the variety of parts and cars was great. My brother-in-law, who's not a car guy but appreciates old stuff, was with me and had a blast, too. Beats the pants off of internet commerce.

 

Iola is always big. I've only missed a couple since they started. Always seem to find parts that I didn't intend to buy. I look forward to it every year.

 

I drive an old truck every day so the incentive to go to car shows just to drive my cl***ic on the weekend is not really there [that's the way our club and special registration schemes work in Australia].So for me it has always been swap meets or stay home and get jobs done.Ive had a site at one of our big annual swaps here for about 20 years and it's always grown steadily.my truck sits outside our business with a sign on it so I often strike up conversations with car people who notice my truck and am surprised by just how many don't know swap meets exist.[must just buy everything online]i think a lot of us guys certainly got our love of this lifestyle by going to swaps with our dads etc .so come on guys get out there go to the next local swap connect with some old buddies .take your son /daughter ,save the computer for nights show the next generation the joys of rooting through of parts for that dirty gem SWAPS WILL ONLY GET BETTER IF WE MAKE EM BETTER

 

Because of distance and difficultly sourcing locally I use the internet for all my parts need, I still go to swaps though. It gives me the opportunity to drive the car and catch up with people. We live in a smaller country down here and things aren't that plentiful. If you are savvy and time is on your side it is often cheaper to source OS and import.

 

I think shipping rates are the main reason the swap meets might bounce back. Also, (as already mentioned) Ebay IS shooting itself in the *** with their new "buyer friendly" policies along with the fees. I never sell on Ebay anymore.

 

The reason for that is compounded by that " idiot show " American Pickers . Those guys almost never pay even half of the items value ( except when Frank bought the old Plymouth and the Model A ). He needs to know cars values before he wanders around the country.

They stopped here in SC ... at a friends place and tried to " BUY " a few things. They got NOTHING. After a little filming and NO purchases ... a camera crew member told him that his segments of film would be on the cutting room floor and NOT on TV ... if he did not lower his prices and sell them something. He told them to get off his property.

 

I love swap meets! Craigslsit is weak at best for a seller an sparatic as a buyer. Ebay is expensive but I have bought and sold more using this tool than any other venue. But if I find a better, less expnsive online venue that works, I would switch. Just my humble opinion.

 

Anything I know will sell for more on eBay, I sell on eBay. I think guys have finally given up on pawing through my crates of carbs for that $20 Stromberg 97 that never existed in the first place, but that was fun to watch for a while.

I go to swaps, but I carry a bunch of non-car stuff - toys, models, flea market stuff - because for a long time that's what I was selling more of.

Now this year I did two swaps and one, I did great at and sold mostly car stuff. The other, ****ed, I barely broke even at a show I used to do good at. My next swap is the Syracuse Nationals, and I'm going to bring a bunch of **** from out of storage that no one's ever seen and see what happens.

But there's no reason to sell it for much cheaper than I'd get on eBay for the stuff - I can stay home and save all that loading and unloading ********; sure it costs more in fees, but the gas, food and swap spot cost money too. Your discount is not having to pay for it to be shipped to you and not having to pay sales tax on top of the price.



Craigslist has mostly been a waste of time for me, no one who gets me on there is remotely serious about anything.