Stoneleigh weekend

Stoneleigh weekend

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ColinM50

Original Poster:

2,630 posts

174 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
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Yet another reminder that the show starts Sunday 1 May and runs through to Monday 2nd but more importantly according to the Met Office the weather looks like it's going to be nice to us.

Sunday is forecast to be 10 degrees, sunny with a bit of cloud late pm. Monday is much the same but 14 degrees with a slight chance of rain late in the afternoon.

So all you wussies who don't want to take your kitcars out in the wind or rain, you've no excuse. Get out in the garage, throw a bucket of polish over it, top up the oil and water and get on the road

Sunday looks to be the better day to go and what's more you'll have a chance to see my beautiful Sabre which is for sale in the Royale Owners Club area. Or if you can't make it, see our club website for details.

http://royaleownersclub.org.uk/index.asp




fuoriserie

4,560 posts

268 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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What is the Feedback from the Show ? show us your pictures guys...smile

Any new Concept kits this year ? any updated kits ?

Looking forward to your replies.

Cheers

Italo

Equus

16,770 posts

100 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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fuoriserie said:
What is the Feedback from the Show?
Meh.

And no, same old same old, really - nothing ground-breaking in terms of new designs.

fuoriserie

4,560 posts

268 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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Equus said:
fuoriserie said:
What is the Feedback from the Show?
Meh.

And no, same old same old, really - nothing ground-breaking in terms of new designs.
A little dissapointing or more so ? do you have any pictures to show us ?

Equus

16,770 posts

100 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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fuoriserie said:
do you have any pictures to show us ?
None that would justify the time I'd need to spend uploading them.

Nothing that you haven't seen before, as they say (unless you count the thrilling innovation of kit-form caravans).

VxDuncan

2,850 posts

233 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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Equus said:
Meh.

And no, same old same old, really - nothing ground-breaking in terms of new designs.
That's a bit harsh. They've revamped the Gents toilets since last year.

Went Monday. Usual people starting packing up at 1pm, was raining though. Definitely going downhill. Few more Mx-5 / z3 / mgf / boxster conversions, not much else of note.

Major lack of show discounts, decided to just get stuff online rather than lug round the show. CarBuilderSolutions not really bothering attending properly another nail in the coffin.

Was a good show, but I've been going for years and it simply hasn't changed, I know where ever stand will be and what they will have on it.

Equus

16,770 posts

100 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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VxDuncan said:
That's a bit harsh. They've revamped the Gents toilets since last year.
Damn. I missed that - I went before went, IYSWIM.

Just my luck - no matter how small the show, I always seem to end up missing some crucial highlight. frown

Stuart Mills

1,208 posts

205 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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I spoke to quite a few exhibitors after the show and all were upbeat. Many were saying how great Sunday was, the halls were packed, there were loads of cars outside. Examples inside are a good variety of kits to purchase from GBS 7's to AK Cobra's, Exoskeleton offerings from MEV, Exo and Vstorm, body kits from Tribute and DNA, Hyper or Super cars from Ultima and Tritium, loads of parts from Europa and Rally Design. What more could you ask for? Well how about a party, a great atmosphere in the bar on Sunday night, a good band and even some guys in fancy dress. We were blessed with largely good weather too. Sorry, I didn't have time to take pictures, but was sent this one;

jamesG20V6

873 posts

256 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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VxDuncan said:
CarBuilderSolutions not really bothering attending properly another nail in the coffin.
That was really misjudged of them. I was in the area of their 'stand' quite a lot over the weekend and all I heard was 'have you got it here I want to buy it now.... no but we will give you a discount online' I too had been planning on spending quite a sum with them as i wanted to look at some parts that they sell, treking to Kent is not an option from where I am. In the end I got everything I needed from other guys at the show, mainly SVC who had two stands and offered me a fair whack off their usual prices. In total I spent £400 with the trade guys and took the bits away. All at a better price than I would have got online and I got to look at the products first. Judging by the scrum of people at SVC & Europa on Sunday I wasn't the only one.

So how much does a trade stand cost? Stuart do you know / be prepared to divulge? I can only assume that as the custom appears to be there, the cost of the pitch must be the thing putting people off.

The organisers boasted that they would attract 4000 kit cars over the weekend. I doubt any of us would begrudge paying just a fiver to get in, if they are speaking the truth than that is £20,000 which could surely be used to lower the cost of the pitches, attract more traders and in turn more people through the door. Not rocket science from where I am sitting. Maybe I am missing something?


rdodger

1,088 posts

202 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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I don't know why they don't just charge everyone including kit drivers £10 entry. Make camping free to encourage more people to stay for both days. Then maybe reduce the cost for traders?

Stuart Mills

1,208 posts

205 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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I cannot comment on expenses that are considered justifiable but whilst Stoneleigh is expensive it is a drop in the ocean compared to costs such as hotels, fuel, leaflets, embroidered shirts, coffee and food for staff, overtime, headache tablets etc etc. Easy to drop 2-3k for even a small set up. From a business case it often just does not stack up. For me exhibiting at Stoneleigh is more about making new friends, meeting old customers, having a laugh, a few beers and enjoying the camaraderie.
Yes we do sell at the shows and yes it is worth while in the long run but for me it is more about flying the flag.
Every year there will be casualties, a newcomer that overestimated the impact of a new product and went away with no sales, and another that was not ready but showed anyway. That results in a few less exhibitors but by next year there will be new blood to take the place and pick up the slack. Very easy to critise but I personally had a great show, did not see any evidence at all of decline and look forward to next year.

Rebuilda

866 posts

204 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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rdodger said:
I don't know why they don't just charge everyone including kit drivers £10 entry. Make camping free to encourage more people to stay for both days. Then maybe reduce the cost for traders?
They tried that at Stafford a few years back, £10 to get into the main hall as they couldn't charge entry on the gate due to not having exclusive site use. Didn't seem to work out so well as that was the last show at Stafford..

EddyP

846 posts

219 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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Quite agree that CBS made a mistake, it'll be very interesting what they do next year. I heard quite a lot of people talking about how they'd just go and buy it from Europa or someone else.

I did notice that a few of the more auto jumble traders were missing too, the guy that sells the ally sheet and metal stock and the guy that is always in the corner with all the ex-oem bits even wollies trim weren't there.
I can't remember what Stoneleigh charge but I know that it's a pittance compared to shows like Autosport.


There were more manufacturers there this year, you can clearly see that the replica/bodykit market is growing, DNA with yet another kit (2fifty) which looks damn good! the guys with the GT3 and Carrera GT on the Boxster chassis etc...

ColinM50

Original Poster:

2,630 posts

174 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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rdodger said:
I don't know why they don't just charge everyone including kit drivers £10 entry. Make camping free to encourage more people to stay for both days. Then maybe reduce the cost for traders?
I go just for the craic and to show off my beautiful car and rarely spend much. The car's sorted now and in fact this weekend I spent absolutely nowt, not even a cuppa, I bought a flask with me.

But apart from giving up my time, spending the money to get there, you're suggesting Rodger that I should pay for the privilege of letting people crawl over my car too?

Hmm, what's the phrase I'm searching for here?rolleyes

rdodger

1,088 posts

202 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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Rebuilda said:
rdodger said:
I don't know why they don't just charge everyone including kit drivers £10 entry. Make camping free to encourage more people to stay for both days. Then maybe reduce the cost for traders?
They tried that at Stafford a few years back, £10 to get into the main hall as they couldn't charge entry on the gate due to not having exclusive site use. Didn't seem to work out so well as that was the last show at Stafford..
I seem to remember that show being a fail as there were only 1 or 2 manufacturers there and when I was there no more than a dozen kit cars in the car park.

rdodger

1,088 posts

202 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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ColinM50 said:
rdodger said:
I don't know why they don't just charge everyone including kit drivers £10 entry. Make camping free to encourage more people to stay for both days. Then maybe reduce the cost for traders?
I go just for the craic and to show off my beautiful car and rarely spend much. The car's sorted now and in fact this weekend I spent absolutely nowt, not even a cuppa, I bought a flask with me.

But apart from giving up my time, spending the money to get there, you're suggesting Rodger that I should pay for the privilege of letting people crawl over my car too?

Hmm, what's the phrase I'm searching for here?rolleyes
I guess it comes down to how much one values the Stoneleigh show. Without the support of manufacturers, traders and kit car owners it will die.

To me and many other owners it's well worth £10. In fact the value to me of the weekend this year was approx £200. As my car had a deposit on it and was being collected by it's new owner on Monday afternoon I went in my tin top. I paid the full price to get in and stayed in the hotel for 2 nights. Was it worth it to me? Yes! I have booked the hotel for next year and will be there all weekend again as I am every year. I might even buy a new kit next year.

gtmdriver

333 posts

172 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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It's true that Sunday was a quiet day but it was certainly not a true reflection of the show as a whole.

Saturday was very busy, at least in the show halls, such that I didn't get to look at the cars on display till very late in the day.

I appreciate that there were only a few new designs on display but ours is a very small industry and these are hardly ideal times to be launching new businesses so we have to have realistic expectations. I too noticed that some of the traders who have attended for years were missing this year.

The debate about paying for entry will run and run I guess but my experience last year, of attending VW specific shows with my UVA, is that entry for show cars and drivers is very rarely free and on one occasion actually cost more for me to put the car in the show than it cost for standard public entrance.

My personal opinion is that if you really believe that your entry should be free because your car is essentially an exhibit in the show then, like all the other exhibitors, you should be prepared to be there before 10.00am and not leave until 5.00pm. It would also be helpful if you, or your representative, could be on hand to answer questions or talk about your car. If on the other hand, you choose to turn up, wander around the show for a couple of hours then go home then I'm sorry but you are really not an exhibitor. You are a customer and should be paying for your entry like the rest of the visiting public.

I'm sorry that some of you did not enjoy the show but we all need to remember that if we lose this one then there will be no kit car specific show left and those of you who come to view and buy spares and parts first hand will then have to travel around the country to the various retail outlets. I've a feeling that will cost a lot more than paying a one-off entry to a show.


Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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Did Den go?

renmure

4,213 posts

223 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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I enjoyed it. Second year in a row I have made the 800 mile round trip to spend Sunday down there. Lots of kits to see.. some of them better than others!!


jamesG20V6

873 posts

256 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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gtmdriver said:
It's true that Sunday was a quiet day but it was certainly not a true reflection of the show as a whole.

Saturday was very busy, at least in the show halls, such that I didn't get to look at the cars on display till very late in the day.

I appreciate that there were only a few new designs on display but ours is a very small industry and these are hardly ideal times to be launching new businesses so we have to have realistic expectations. I too noticed that some of the traders who have attended for years were missing this year.

The debate about paying for entry will run and run I guess but my experience last year, of attending VW specific shows with my UVA, is that entry for show cars and drivers is very rarely free and on one occasion actually cost more for me to put the car in the show than it cost for standard public entrance.

My personal opinion is that if you really believe that your entry should be free because your car is essentially an exhibit in the show then, like all the other exhibitors, you should be prepared to be there before 10.00am and not leave until 5.00pm. It would also be helpful if you, or your representative, could be on hand to answer questions or talk about your car. If on the other hand, you choose to turn up, wander around the show for a couple of hours then go home then I'm sorry but you are really not an exhibitor. You are a customer and should be paying for your entry like the rest of the visiting public.

I'm sorry that some of you did not enjoy the show but we all need to remember that if we lose this one then there will be no kit car specific show left and those of you who come to view and buy spares and parts first hand will then have to travel around the country to the various retail outlets. I've a feeling that will cost a lot more than paying a one-off entry to a show.
Spot on. You get out what you put in. Simple.