Beaulieu Autojumble - thought?
Discussion
Legacywr said:
Riley Blue said:
aeropilot said:
Peter3442 said:
I've not been able to get to Beaulieu for years, but used to regularly attend the Jaguar Spares Day at Stoneleigh. I always enjoyed it, bought loads of stuff, and had pleasant chats. The last ones, post Covid, were definitely on a downturn. I think the biggest factor is ebay.
Not so sure its ebay, as several traders I know have now stopped using it because of the massive cost increases of ebay and other factors around using it.
Hi,
I went on the Saturday and enjoyed myself,as I do every year.
I've been going for approx 30 years and there's certainly not so many stalls.
What's the reason for this?
Certainly eBay played it's part 10 to 15 years ago, but as others have mentioned, the fees etc are so high that many people are reluctant to use it.
The big elephant in the room is Brexit. Many people would come over from the continent with a van full of often interesting stuff and set up their stalls. If they didn't sell anything it wasn't a problem as most came for the experience. With customs etc that's no longer an easy thing. I know a number of Europeans that all say this. Hence why there are now many spaces throughout the site especially in the far field.
There were a handful of stallholders selling up but on a positive note, quite a few stalls are being run by younger people which has to be a good thing. Also, quite a few of the visitors are younger which again has to be positive.
Experienced stall holders will also tell you that there are more visitors when the weather isn't so good and less when the sun is shining.
It's about the experience rather than trying to find that individual bit, and if you've not been, have a day or weekend out.
I went on the Saturday and enjoyed myself,as I do every year.
I've been going for approx 30 years and there's certainly not so many stalls.
What's the reason for this?
Certainly eBay played it's part 10 to 15 years ago, but as others have mentioned, the fees etc are so high that many people are reluctant to use it.
The big elephant in the room is Brexit. Many people would come over from the continent with a van full of often interesting stuff and set up their stalls. If they didn't sell anything it wasn't a problem as most came for the experience. With customs etc that's no longer an easy thing. I know a number of Europeans that all say this. Hence why there are now many spaces throughout the site especially in the far field.
There were a handful of stallholders selling up but on a positive note, quite a few stalls are being run by younger people which has to be a good thing. Also, quite a few of the visitors are younger which again has to be positive.
Experienced stall holders will also tell you that there are more visitors when the weather isn't so good and less when the sun is shining.
It's about the experience rather than trying to find that individual bit, and if you've not been, have a day or weekend out.
Peter3442 said:
I've not been able to get to Beaulieu for years, but used to regularly attend the Jaguar Spares Day at Stoneleigh. I always enjoyed it, bought loads of stuff, and had pleasant chats. The last ones, post Covid, were definitely on a downturn. I think the biggest factor is ebay.
They've moved to Malvern, and apparently it was quite a success.ClaphamGT3 said:
Maybe it was because it was the Sunday, maybe because its earlier than normal this year, maybe it was because the weather was so great that people stayed away but it really did feel like it was dying on its arse.
Many fewer cars than normal for sale in the automart, massively fewer stands in the main field and the place felt about half full.
Lady running one if the F&B stalls where I bought a bottle of water said that today had been "dreadful" but yesterday was a bit better.
What did other attendees think?
I went to the Spring Autojumble Sunday gone, it really wasn’t worth going. I know the Spring one is the ‘lite’ version but I think they really ought to cut it down to just the Saturday.Many fewer cars than normal for sale in the automart, massively fewer stands in the main field and the place felt about half full.
Lady running one if the F&B stalls where I bought a bottle of water said that today had been "dreadful" but yesterday was a bit better.
What did other attendees think?
It wouldn't be a cheap day out for a family either, especially if you are not local, that isn't going to encourage families to go there for the day to get the numbers up.
I think the whole low end classic car thing is grinding to a halt - shame.
I think that while the classic movement seems to be changing because the older cars are less in demand, the problem is that spare parts of cars made since, say, 1990 are in very short supply. You all know that I have been a Jaguar man since my youth, and I could find all the parts I needed at places such as Beaulieu, but those parts have been sold and new parts were not being made. Things have changed somewhat though, and Martin Robey continue to make E-type bodies for example, but if you want the Lucas PL700 "tripod" headlights for an early E-type and many other makes "real" ones are no longer to be found, but Chinese ones are - and the quality is appalling. For years parts well known to fail, such as oil pressure senders, come from the far east. I had three in three years, and always carry a spare. But correct things such as radiators (even down to the correct Marstons label), header tanks and such are being made in the UK. I wonder though where spares for the modern Youngtimers are to be found? Are you able to find electronic parts? But no matter what, nothing can now ne found at Beaulieu I'm afraid, but via clubs and well-known spares makers such as SNG Barratt or David Manners as just two examples. But the magic days of "NOS" are long gone.
Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 22 May 08:07
lowdrag said:
But the magic days of "NOS" are long gone.
True for sure, but there were not even many stalls doing car cleaning consumables, I did not see a single stall selling Autoglym products for instance, in previous years there would be several.Maybe online/ebay shopping has replaced that sales opportunity completely, car spares shops have disappeared for the same reasons.
I think the cost of the stalls is too high, the Spring event is cheaper than the later one, add on top travel costs in a van, overnight stay somewhere and I suspect the only people who made money there on Sunday were the burger vans and Beaulieu themselves.
981Boxess said:
lowdrag said:
But the magic days of "NOS" are long gone.
True for sure, but there were not even many stalls doing car cleaning consumables, I did not see a single stall selling Autoglym products for instance, in previous years there would be several.Maybe online/ebay shopping has replaced that sales opportunity completely, car spares shops have disappeared for the same reasons.
I think the cost of the stalls is too high, the Spring event is cheaper than the later one and I suspect the only people who made money there on Sunday were the burger vans and Beaulieu themselves.
Hubnut posted a live stream from this year's Spring Autojumble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhpQhJqmeYw
lowdrag said:
I think that while the classic movement seems to be changing because the older cars are less in demand, the problem is that spare parts of cars made since, say, 1990 are in very short supply. You all know that I have been a Jaguar man since my youth, and I could find all the parts I needed at places such as Beaulieu, but those parts have been sold and new parts were not being made. Things have changed somewhat though, and Martin Robey continue to make E-type bodies for example, but if you want the Lucas PL700 "tripod" headlights for an early E-type and many other makes "real" ones are no longer to be found, but Chinese ones are - and the quality is appalling. For years parts well known to fail, such as oil pressure senders, come from the far east. I had three in three years, and always carry a spare. But correct things such as radiators (even down to the correct Marstons label), header tanks and such are being made in the UK. I wonder though where spares for the modern Youngtimers are to be found? Are you able to find electronic parts? But no matter what, nothing can now ne found at Beaulieu I'm afraid, but via clubs and well-known spares makers such as SNG Barratt or David Manners as just two examples. But the magic days of "NOS" are long gone.
Yep.Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 22 May 08:07
This all started in the early 90's when the manufacturers started reducing size of parts depts, and computerisation, and heading down the just in time route, and started clearing out the shelves of all parts and not stocking more than general service items. Anything other than service items would be sent direct from manufacture if it wasn't NLA.
Most of the NOS stuff held by independant parts people has gone (and it pretty much has for most stuff made before 1980) its no surprise that autojumbles are not what they were, other than for the people selling repro parts, which are well, as you say largely crap.
Lotus 50 said:
Agree with the above... going O/T for a moment the idea of charging classic car owners to display their cars at a show also really ticks me off...
It's a bit strange at car shows where they want people to bring premium cars and then charge them for the pleasure. I thought that if you get the interesting cars in, the general public would want to attend. Charge more for drinks, food, etc. and take a bigger cut from the burger vans. For instance, on event days, I notice Brooklands' museum shop can be quite busy with kids filling their baskets with random stuff and their parents holding their hands to their heads. 
Hoofy said:
Lotus 50 said:
Agree with the above... going O/T for a moment the idea of charging classic car owners to display their cars at a show also really ticks me off...
It's a bit strange at car shows where they want people to bring premium cars and then charge them for the pleasure. I thought that if you get the interesting cars in, the general public would want to attend. Charge more for drinks, food, etc. and take a bigger cut from the burger vans. For instance, on event days, I notice Brooklands' museum shop can be quite busy with kids filling their baskets with random stuff and their parents holding their hands to their heads. lowdrag said:
Hoofy said:
Lotus 50 said:
Agree with the above... going O/T for a moment the idea of charging classic car owners to display their cars at a show also really ticks me off...
It's a bit strange at car shows where they want people to bring premium cars and then charge them for the pleasure. I thought that if you get the interesting cars in, the general public would want to attend. Charge more for drinks, food, etc. and take a bigger cut from the burger vans. For instance, on event days, I notice Brooklands' museum shop can be quite busy with kids filling their baskets with random stuff and their parents holding their hands to their heads. lowdrag said:
Totally in agreement. After my car won a concours with the JDC I received a letter from the charity event run by Chris Evans. It stipulated that I had to arrive before 8am or I would not be allowed in. I could not leave with the car unto until 6pm. I was committed to appear for the weekend, and would I kindly reply with my cheque for £150. In the last 30 years I supported many events run by the club with free entry, but even those changed with on the last one I went toin 2017 they wanted £25 for parking my car. That was the last event I went to. I have written two articles a month for over 20 years for the club and never once been paid one penny and I gave that up several years back. Others were getting paid, but not me. I am no longer a club member and haven't been to a meeting either.
Their loss if you ask me but if interest in classic cars is slowly disappearing it isn't hard to see why.Hoofy said:
981Boxess said:
Their loss if you ask me but if interest in classic cars is slowly disappearing it isn't hard to see why.
It makes Brooklands seem even better VFM - pay £50 for a year's access to all events (bar the Italian one).On the other hand Bicester seem to be steadily cranking up the price of their Sunday Scrambles. They started as a free Sunday morning, then a token fiver and now they charge £20 (plus booking fee) to stroll around their site relying on the traders ad dealers there to open up their workshops and showrooms to make the event.
RichB said:
On the other hand Bicester seem to be steadily cranking up the price of their Sunday Scrambles. They started as a free Sunday morning, then a token fiver and now they charge £20 (plus booking fee) to stroll around their site relying on the traders ad dealers there to open up their workshops and showrooms to make the event.
Yep.Went to the first couple when they started pre-Covid, but not been back since they started charging silly money.
RichB said:
Hoofy said:
981Boxess said:
Their loss if you ask me but if interest in classic cars is slowly disappearing it isn't hard to see why.
It makes Brooklands seem even better VFM - pay £50 for a year's access to all events (bar the Italian one).On the other hand Bicester seem to be steadily cranking up the price of their Sunday Scrambles. They started as a free Sunday morning, then a token fiver and now they charge £20 (plus booking fee) to stroll around their site relying on the traders ad dealers there to open up their workshops and showrooms to make the event.
witteringon said:
981Boxess said:
lowdrag said:
But the magic days of "NOS" are long gone.
True for sure, but there were not even many stalls doing car cleaning consumables, I did not see a single stall selling Autoglym products for instance, in previous years there would be several.Maybe online/ebay shopping has replaced that sales opportunity completely, car spares shops have disappeared for the same reasons.
I think the cost of the stalls is too high, the Spring event is cheaper than the later one and I suspect the only people who made money there on Sunday were the burger vans and Beaulieu themselves.
Hubnut posted a live stream from this year's Spring Autojumble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhpQhJqmeYw
Some are free (just a donation to the village hall in a bucket), others are around £10 for a large pitch.
A couple of these auto jumbles combine with a classic/retro car gathering. Arrive in a classic and you get in for free plus it makes an attraction for other visitors.
A couple of these events attract a really good number of stalls and often hundreds of classic cars.
I phoned one of our bigger sellers at the Farnham spares day some years back to ask why, as one of our regulars, he wasn't coming that year. His reply is, I guess, the main reason for the failure of so many jumbles these days. "!Why should I bother to load the van the day before, get up at 5am to drive 100 miles, set up and stand there shivering in the cold when I can stay in bed and let Ebay do all the work for me".
lowdrag said:
I phoned one of our bigger sellers at the Farnham spares day some years back to ask why, as one of our regulars, he wasn't coming that year. His reply is, I guess, the main reason for the failure of so many jumbles these days. "!Why should I bother to load the van the day before, get up at 5am to drive 100 miles, set up and stand there shivering in the cold when I can stay in bed and let Ebay do all the work for me".
You cannot fault that logic and in the case of a two day event you have an overnight stay to factor in.Then consider that a stall holder told me the other day that he paid £600 to Beaulieu for the two days in spring and the autumn event was £800, again for two days, he also said he would not be doing the spring one next year for sure. If those figures are accurate I am amazed they have as many stalls as they do.
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