General FoS 2017 Thoughts/Reviews Thread

General FoS 2017 Thoughts/Reviews Thread

Author
Discussion

ukaskew

Original Poster:

10,642 posts

220 months

Thursday 29th June 2017
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I thought it would be a good idea to have one thread for general thoughts, reviews, complaints(!) etc.

I've just noticed that Roger Clark Motorsport have confirmed they have not been invited back to defend their title, very surprised by that. Manufacturers throwing their toys out of the pram?!

ThunderSpook

3,571 posts

210 months

Thursday 29th June 2017
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Parking - badly organised.
Entry - badly organised.
Supercar run - badly organised.

What else would you like to know? wink

The Hypno-Toad

12,251 posts

204 months

Thursday 29th June 2017
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I'll take a punt that this thread will mainly end up for complaints! smile

It's at least as busy as a Friday now, the place is heaving.

Great shame that a lot of Motorsport memorabilia stands have been priced out again. Only a couple selling models but loads of stalls selling dodgy car polish and rip-off Belstaff leather jackets. frown

ukaskew

Original Poster:

10,642 posts

220 months

Thursday 29th June 2017
quotequote all
The Hypno-Toad said:
It's at least as busy as a Friday now, the place is heaving.
Really?! Surprised by that, was considering going just on the Thursday next year given it's a pretty full schedule of stuff this year.

The paddock looked super-quiet on the vids this morning, i.e. when they unveiled the AMR Pro Vulcan thing it was hardly heaving.

Cold

15,207 posts

89 months

Thursday 29th June 2017
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Terrible queues to get in, even more of a shambles to get out with people in 4x4s pushing in because they can drive over the muddy bits.
Food was overpriced.
Too many corporate stands in the way of the track.
Far too many people around, most of whom aren't real enthusiasts.
The cost of the memorabilia has shot up.
Why was there a stand selling garden furniture there?
The walk up to the Rally Stage is too far and the queue for the tractor rides was too long.
So many vloggers there pretending to be filming something important getting in my way.
Bag checking was pointless as I saw someone walk in without being checked.
Couldn't really see the relevance of the sculpture.
The woman on the McLaren stand didn't take my enquiry seriously so wouldn't let me sit in the shiny car and make vroom noises.
Couldn't believe parents were letting their kids touch the cars.
A marshal shouted at me for getting in the way when I just wanted to take a photograph.
Why do they keep closing the track crossings?


Not been today, what have I missed so far?

Nik da Greek

2,503 posts

149 months

Thursday 29th June 2017
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First time I've ever been when I've come away from the Thursday thinking "I actually wouldn't mind if I don't go on Sunday now."

Ran out of stuff to look at ... sorry, make that interesting stuff to look at by about 1 pm. I was seriously contemplating hiking up to the rally stage for something to do. Corporate hospitality has now squeezed the paddock into an afterthought and the programme speaks volumes because where each category used to be a double-page spread of tiny print, now it's a single page. With a massive fking photo.

I hate to join all the negativity following that Fellowship thread, but I fear that Goodwood as a concept is no longer about cars or motorsport. It's about money, the end. Sad

See? Sad face cry

Jonesy23

4,650 posts

135 months

Thursday 29th June 2017
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Cold said:
Far too many people around, most of whom aren't real enthusiasts.

So many vloggers there pretending to be filming something important getting in my way.
I don't want to get into the 'real enthusiasts' thing, but it has a strong corporate/society event thing going on which seems to attract a certain type. Most of whom are s. Though you expect & ignore them.


SO SO MANY vloggers.

Endless hordes of the s. All either doing the thousandth thing about the same car, or just being annoying by existing. Extra annoyance points for the ones with full camera rigs, and a bonus for the pair wandering around chatting with their camera guy doing a circuit around them while not looking where he was going.

Special place in hell too for a particularly well known car vlogger with a taste for personal plates. He knows why.


As for other things:

Very strong corporate bit, OK when you have access to the right side of the velvet rope, obstructive if you don't (one or two locations were bad for this).
No problems here with any queues for parking or getting in; probably depends where you went as some places were quiet and others busy.
Food & drink prices relatively obscene, but you expect that!
Memorabilia - £18 for a programme?!


I thought it was OK, Thursday is (relatively) quiet for getting around looking at stuff. Not much on track but balanced by getting a good poke around.

Might have thought differently if I'd paid for the tickets instead of getting a freebie.

OtherBusiness

838 posts

141 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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I had a great day yesterday.

Passenger ride up the hill in a 530e.
Great cars to see!
5 feet away from a Red Bull F1 as its fired up and tested.
Parked up and in the gate within 10 minutes. With a bag. Did arrive at 09:30 though.
Didn't think it was too busy but all the vloggers and kids with cameras were a bit annoying (in the Supercar paddock, and I was in there about 2pm).

Generally all good though. Back on Saturday!

Edited by OtherBusiness on Friday 30th June 08:36

9.3

1,133 posts

191 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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Didn't see any vloggers at all .... maybe I was in the wrong place, or was too early!!

OtherBusiness

838 posts

141 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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9.3 said:
Didn't see any vloggers at all .... maybe I was in the wrong place, or was too early!!
If you were early they were probably in bed still!

98elise

26,380 posts

160 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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Nik da Greek said:
First time I've ever been when I've come away from the Thursday thinking "I actually wouldn't mind if I don't go on Sunday now."

Ran out of stuff to look at ... sorry, make that interesting stuff to look at by about 1 pm. I was seriously contemplating hiking up to the rally stage for something to do. Corporate hospitality has now squeezed the paddock into an afterthought and the programme speaks volumes because where each category used to be a double-page spread of tiny print, now it's a single page. With a massive fking photo.

I hate to join all the negativity following that Fellowship thread, but I fear that Goodwood as a concept is no longer about cars or motorsport. It's about money, the end. Sad

See? Sad face cry
I did think the running order looked a little short this year. last year I noticed there seemed to be less cars in the paddocks. I've been going for about 20 years and I suspect next year will be the first time I'll give it a miss frown

ukaskew

Original Poster:

10,642 posts

220 months

Friday 30th June 2017
quotequote all
Enjoyed my first 4 hours here today so far. By far the quietest year for spectators so far on a Friday for probably 8 years or so. Maybe the addition of extra stuff on Thursday has spread the load a little.

The paddocks were absolute bliss for a good hour or two this morning. Currently at the top of the hill and again it's very quiet. Happy days!

Line up feels very average and uninspiring though, probably the worst year for cars for some time. Desperately need a new batch to mix things up (80s/90s supercars?) Also a good hour behind already despite only a couple of minor stoppages, organisation isn't as efficient as usual.

Edited by ukaskew on Friday 30th June 11:14

Xaero

4,060 posts

214 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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I went on Thursday (first time on a Thurs). I've been on all previous days before, just usually only one day a weekend.

I went to car park M, it wasn't labelled at all (follow signs to car park K to get there). It's right at the top of the event next to the Honda and Porsche off road area so quick to get straight into the event. It is in a valley between the hills so I was worried about getting out if it was too muddy, but fortunately it wasn't too bad.

The event itself came across as really quiet and much smaller than I remember from previous years (not been in 5 years or so now). I was there just after 7am, and left around 630pm.

Didn't see any vloggers, but then I didn't spend all day at the supercar paddock which is the only thing they seem to care about. I did walk past Lord March though where the BMW cars were inside the house garden, which was quite nice. He was on his phone and didn't look too happy hehe

Sat in a few new cars around the dealers. Lexus guy was quite accommodating and seemed to take me seriously for some reason. Quite liked the BMWs and a few Jags, didn't like any Bentley or Audi at all.

The GAS thing was good to watch although the 2 guys presenting it just talked way too much, asking the crowd to cheer like 4 times in a row to the point where the crowd were completely quiet on the 4th time.

Was expecting more stalls and stands really. Seemed to look through them all really quickly. Was quite taken by the company that converts old cars to electric though. The garden furniture place seemed completely out of place and was one of the biggest stand there too.

Maybe it was because the crowd was so small but I didn't see a reason to go a second day over the weekend which I always thought on previous days I've been.

marcosgt

11,011 posts

175 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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I think the Red Arrows are on their way.

I live near Farnborough and a load of loud jets just took off!

I didn't see them, but it sounded like the Red Arrows smile

10-15 minutes? Maybe less?

M.

ThePieman

19 posts

137 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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Enjoyed the day yesterday......... a few points of good and bad.....

Parking wasn't an issue for us........ arrived around 8am and left 4ish...... in and out of the carpark without issue.

We had one back pack between us and was sent away from the entrance nearest to us and down through the golf acadamy entrance for bag search...... no real biggee at that time in the morning but imagine it got busier later. Thought the amnesty bin was a bit of a laugh! do you think at the end of the day it would be full up with weapons and contraband?

Don't understand people queing to pay for teas and coffee! take a couple of keys and use the corporate hospitality supplied my most manufacturers for free drinks all day....

Surprised that a few manufacturers were not present however, still a good display of new cars on show....... not as many independants as previous years though.... seemed to be less exotica, perhaps just a poor time for new realeases?

Supercar paddock was worth a look round and if timings are right watching them line up and leave for the run up the hill is worthwhile.

Note a few comments on the youtube wannabees......... but honestly, other than a certain blue focus, didnt really see any...... thank god.

Layout was awful..... hillclimb entrants for the shootout were all over the place and not in one place as have been in previous years.

I see from the Roger Clark facebook page https://www.facebook.com/rogerclarkmotorsport/ that there was no invitation for them this year? Doesn't make sense to me, great family background and two time winners of the shootout? Lots of speculation floating around as to reasons why! hopefuly just an oversight on someones behalf.

The trader tents are always worth a walk round but this years seems to be full of rebranded cleaning products and dare I say it also some 'questionable' branded products........... handy if you want some carved wooden furniture, sculptures or maybe even your loft insulating though?

Not too much queing in the early hours for rides and experiences but later in the day, 2 hour ques for the land rover experience and ques for some of the other stands. This easily being the quietest day

Food was as always heavily inflated, same as any event where the audience is 'captive' breakfast stopped service at 10:30 on our chosen food stall, so we had a rather lackluster burger each, small cone of fries between us and two cola branded drinks..... £20.50 not the worst pricing out there but for the quality, as hard to swallow as the food itself.

We went with two BMW complimentry tickets, so for a free day out We have no real complaints. We both came away thinking that we would not pay for the Friday, Saturday or Sunday tickets though. Both of us feeling that these days would only have some 'celebrity spotting' and the shootout over what the Thursday has to offer and with no defending title holder, what will the winner this year really be proving.

I really hope this isn't to be a slippery slope, this year was by far the worst i've been to......... it is becoming a little predictable and a bit samey.........

no doubt I shall attend again however, the pricing of the tickets for the main three days will see me go again on the Thursday and view the remaining days on the online broadcasting..........



Alex

9,975 posts

283 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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Is there any issue with taking your own food/picnic/drinks in?

bockaaarck

393 posts

167 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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Decided to just do the Thursday this year. Arrived about 10-ish and headed off around 4pm. No major issues with parking and consciously decided not to take a bag, so we didn't have to queue.

Relatively quiet in terms of numbers yesterday, which meant a bit more space to nose around, which was a pleasure. Paddock did seem a bit 'empty' but there were some interesting bits and bobs around.

Clearly the charge for catering stall holders has increased. The food prices have always been a little steep, but this year it was like the North face of the Eiger!

Still, atmosphere was pleasant but I noticed lot 'booted and suited / blazered and dressed up' folks. It's not a garden party for gods sake, do the know this is not the Revival?. Appeared to me there are lot more folks who are at Goodwood to 'be seen' rather than get close to the oily, noisy bits.

A lot of youngsters though, which I thought was great to see. As for the stands, a lot more tat and nonsense, garden furniture, wooden champagne wine racks, other 'wellness' elements and not so much in terms of great memorabilia.

Still enjoyed it though, but glad it was a freebie!

milfordkong

1,222 posts

231 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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11am yesterday - Goodwood (Rhubarb?) food vendor not far from the concours lawn with huge sign on the front of it 'CHURROS AND COFFEE' ... Price list with CHURROS AND COFFEE £4.50 clearly and well displayed.... large queue, these churros and coffee must be delicious ... I queue up to get my Dad and I some of these delightful treats, get to the front of the queue for the flustered looking server to say 'Oh sorry can you queue over there', ok so I join the back of a nearby queue, get to the front of the queue after another lengthy wait watching servers bumbling around and giggling at the sheer nerve of their blatant procrastination, I say "2 Churros and Coffee please" ... new flustered looking server shouts to the kitchen "Are we doing Churros yet?" ... Typical grumpy chef gruff response "No not for 45 minutes at least" ....

I realise this is the definition of a first world problem and really matters very little even within my experience in general yesterday but seriously, the stall's name was 'CHURROS AND COFFEE' ... that is what it was called ... I repeat, the stall was called that! Why on earth they were not serving churros at a churros and coffee stall is absolutely beyond me, and even if they're not doing that, common sense or any sense for that matter would dictate they might put up a little sign saying we're not currently serving churros, or they might cover up the churros on the price list just until they were ready to start up the ol' churros machine out back ... They'd do this if only to save the many people queuing up the disappointment of reaching the end of the queue apparently safe in the knowledge churros would soon be a temporary but tasty guest in their life to only be told that nope, this churros and coffee stall only lives up to 50% of it's promise - You can have a coffee if you'd like, but oh no there are no churros here.

Unfortunately my petty and pointless moan is pretty indicative of the overall experience of an average FOS visitor these days, if you're not a VIP or corporate guest with some sort of fancy wristband or lanyard i'd expect a rather compromised experience - Having been to the the FOS, the Revival and recently the Members Meeting for many years I'm not naive enough to head there without full awareness of this fact, but each year this fact is an increasingly obvious one and each year I do wonder why I bother (I bother for many reasons not least the chance to ogle the McLaren F1 not 50 meters from the aforementioned churros and coffee stall at my leisure) but I have already decided not to attend the Revival this year for the first time in 10 years and whilst i'll probably forget about my disgruntlement in time for next year's Members Meeting I doubt at this point that my loyalty to attending future Goodwood events is permanent. Of course I also doubt that they care.





F355GTS

3,721 posts

254 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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Had a great day, arrived at 7.45, zero traffic straight into car park, no delays getting in.

Ride up the hill in the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso

Good to see they had Supercars and timed practice on a Thursday on the hill this Year

Left at 15.45 and drove straight out, no traffic

About the only negative was a good number of cars in the paddock had covers on early on and when we revisited around lunchtime they were still there so not able to see the cars

98elise

26,380 posts

160 months

Friday 30th June 2017
quotequote all
Alex said:
Is there any issue with taking your own food/picnic/drinks in?
We have for every previous year. We take basic stuff like sausage rolls, and we freeze plastic bottles of waters the night before. The bottles keep the food chilled, and provide cold drinks if its to hot.

There are water fountains dotted about to top up if you need it.