Are these Vloggers just a scam? SOL or Shmee etc???????

[Patrick-Peter]

People have been questioning how these youtubers have come to own or amassed such cars that appear beyond their means...Now I think that will change to how they have come to own the houses/flats that too will no doubt appear beyond their means.

Good luck to SOL for buying a house with the missus... next to come will be tiny patter feet and supercar dreams will give way to a mini-van stinking of baby puke.

[Shmee]

dtmpower said:

I wish these vloggers would just come clean, one minute they've bought their dream car and within minutes it's been wrapped and tweaked and what seems like a video or two down the road they sell it.

Up to now, the 'market' has engaged in a big way with this type of "OMG MY NEW CAR" content and naturally that has the knock on effect that the content creator feels an instinct to continue creating it, and coming up with reasons to make it work. I think subconsciously you feel the buzz back off your audience and that pushes you towards things that otherwise you may not.

It's hugely diluted for sure, but from my own experience as soon as you have a new car then people start asking what's coming next. Because you start hearing that from every single corner after 3 months, it makes you feel like there should be something and start looking. Simply put, enough people want to see others spending money that it's always going to be an easy move to make and garner views. I'm interested to see how long it continues to work though but I'd certainly like to move this on and find a newer way to do things that isn't so over played.

[spadgm]

Hopefully all of these guys selling their cars isn't anything to do with You tube advertising revenue falling?
I enjoy all the channels and enjoy seeing them getting new cars, ( even if I cant keep up with all of Tim's!)
I have A to B cars these days so I have to live vicariously some how!

[lewishollings]

RobDown said:

It was more a generic comment Tom, not one specific video. I've just seen this trend developing whereby everyone seems to be appearing on everyone else's videos (Paul from Supercars of London seems to pop up everywhere, fully expecting him to turn up as the Stig on some future episode of Top Gear). Sometimes it just feels very "forced".

eg STG turns up while Tim is filming his GT8/Vanquish at Black Lake and has quite a stilted conversation with him about something (I cant even remember what), but it really came across as an attempt to just acquire each others subscribers (when I think both might have been better off filming something of their own)

Likewise my Youtube page seems to be full of trips to Monaco with Paul and assorted others (I think there's one where Mr JWW is driving an Aventador and Paul is sat in the passenger seat gurning). Why?

I guess what annoys me slightly is the inevitable commercialisation that's taking place. It feels less about having fun, sharing a passion for the cars and more and more about click-baiting, product placement and (in this case) a desperation to pull in some new subscribers.

Don't get me wrong, I'd probably do the same thing if I were in your/Tim's/Paul's place, but it doesn't stop it from being a little disappointing, like watching an elderly (and clearly cash strapped) John Cleese re-enacting a famous Faulty Towers scene for Specsavers....

One thing I would say about the Monaco videos is that they all, more than anything seem to be one group of friends, JWW, SOL, STG and Seb more than anything, they all went on a road trip and were staying at Sebs for quite a long time to see the Grand Prix, this is when the Aventador SV videos were made.

So of course there is going to be some overlap at times, they are always in each others company and it would be hard to completely distant yourself from those people when making a video.

[TGETV]

David87 said:

TGE. Blimey, how have I missed this guy up until now? Very much enjoying his videos; you don't expect this kind of thing to be funny, but I've found myself laughing at some of the stuff he comes out with. Blah blah blah.

Ha thank you, not been at it long. A newcomer to say the least! Only properly started late last year & do it very much on a part time basis. Really enjoying it though and glad you like the videos

[TGETV]

KHK said:

TGE is the only Youtuber I know who responds to his Snapchat and his response times are lighting fast, lol. One of the best car related social media personalities on there imo.

Thanks! I love replying as much as I can to everything! Drives people around me mad as on my phone a lot, but I enjoy it and think it's arrogant to ignore. Obviously can't reply to every single thing but I do my best.

[TGETV]

thewanted said:

Paul's (SOL) Huracan is for sale too :-o

https://youtu.be/lxdjsiOaOEM

Was a pleasure being part of this video - massive hats off to Paul for it.
He was genuinely nervous beforehand, but on the whole his audience have been great about it. He's a likeable, genuine, down to earth and honest chap who works extremely hard - I'm not surprised people have reacted how they have & back him as much as they do.
His plans for after the property purchase too are plain silly, exciting times, & wish him all the best.

[Challo]

One thing im not sure about is how they constantly changing cars? It seems at time cars are kept for 6 months then chopped in for something else?

Are they constantly refinancing on each car or sometimes able to change like for like with no need for additional money needed?

Also if they are constantly changing cars and those cars have lots of new owners does that not impact the value? Bog standard every day cars can suffer from lots of owners so super cars having a new owner every 6-12 months must be horrific for the value?

[RobDown]

Challo said:

One thing im not sure about is how they constantly changing cars? It seems at time cars are kept for 6 months then chopped in for something else?

Are they constantly refinancing on each car or sometimes able to change like for like with no need for additional money needed?

Also if they are constantly changing cars and those cars have lots of new owners does that not impact the value? Bog standard every day cars can suffer from lots of owners so super cars having a new owner every 6-12 months must be horrific for the value?

In large part yes (I think most of the Vloggers are open about this), it works at the moment because the market for supercars is strangely buoyant (ie values for most don't fall and indeed in many cases rise). Obviously won't work if we get back to a point (mind out for Brexit!) where used cars are worth less than new ones.

As for new ownership every 6-12 months, I think that's actually the norm with some of these cars (particularly Lamboghini's), people buy them, have a bit of fun for a few months, get bored, want the next thing. It's not like buying a Ford, VW etc

[danzman1991]

There's quite vicious rumour going around that Paul SOL is going to put an armytrix exhaust on his apartment.

Here is an extremely talented artists impression:


I don't know how true this is, I'm just the messenger.

Edited by danzman1991 on Monday 24th July 15:28

[SkrrSkrr]

danzman1991 said:

There's quite vicious rumour going around that Paul SOL is going to put an armytrix exhaust on his apartment.

I don't know how true this is, I'm just the messenger.

[Quickmoose]

Can imagine the walls will be wrapped not wallpapered.....
I wonder though.... 'they' spend many, many thousands on amazing cars..... and get bored within 3-4 months.
The expenditure to change the sofa, cooker, bed, décor, carpet etc when 'their' attention span is that small doesn't bear thinking about...

[TGETV]

Quickmoose said:

Can imagine the walls will be wrapped not wallpapered.....
I wonder though.... 'they' spend many, many thousands on amazing cars..... and get bored within 3-4 months.
The expenditure to change the sofa, cooker, bed, décor, carpet etc when 'their' attention span is that small doesn't bear thinking about...

Very odd comment.

[WCZ]

TGETV said:

Very odd comment.

not really, there's some logic there imo

[Quickmoose]

TGETV said:

Quickmoose said:

Can imagine the walls will be wrapped not wallpapered.....
I wonder though.... 'they' spend many, many thousands on amazing cars..... and get bored within 3-4 months.
The expenditure to change the sofa, cooker, bed, décor, carpet etc when 'their' attention span is that small doesn't bear thinking about...

Very odd comment.

in what way?
Seb...gorgeous Lotus... months into ownership he's wrapping it to make sure he "stays in love with it"
STG...gorgeous McLaren...months into ownership wrapped....and wrapped again, before having to/wanting to move it on...
SOL...gorgeous Lambo(s)...months into ownership, wrapped....he kept the Gallardo for a decent stint, and the reasons for shifting the Huracan on are refreshingly mature, but the fact remain
Archie....gorgeous Corvette.... almost felt like weeks into ownership, moved on...,,and his quite nice AMG A45....wrapped how many times?

I get the modding bug, I'd wager 80% of PH'ers 'get' that.... but it's normally when you have a Corsa or a 'first car' that boredom/enthusiasm sets in and takes over....or funds limit being able to upgrade....
To me, when spending over £100k on a car and in some cases spec'ing them to your own personal criteria... getting bored enough to change it up SO soon suggests a short attention span..

it's just an observa.....

TGETV said:

SHUUUUDDDDUUUUPPP!!!....

fair enough....

[cowboyengineer]

Quickmoose said:

Can imagine the walls will be wrapped not wallpapered.....
I wonder though.... 'they' spend many, many thousands on amazing cars..... and get bored within 3-4 months.
The expenditure to change the sofa, cooker, bed, décor, carpet etc when 'their' attention span is that small doesn't bear thinking about...

Whats wrong with wrapping it, I bet for them it's virtually free, if not free. Also, it's part of their business model. I would love to change the colour of my car willy nilly, in fact, my gt3 is booked in to be wrapped in August if I don't sell it first, ironically, to buy a house like Paul. But if I don't sell it then I'll be spending a lot more then they do getting it wrapped.

As for STG and Paul selling their cars, firstly, it's up to them, secondly, if they want to use the money for other st and not have to pay out for their cars every month then whats the issue.

Surely it just shows that they don't have an unlimited amount of money

[Escy]

Quickmoose, those constant changes are to provide content for their channels.

[ONtheROCS]

I personally don't get the wrapping thing at all. I've wasted spent hours on online configurators deliberating spec'ing my car down to the last detail. These lot probably do the same only to change it for some hideous colour within months. Anyone remember the khaki green colour of that McLaren? They seem to treat cars like mobile phones except they can't seem to keep them for 12/18months. I know it's a business model allegedly but it wreaks of the throw-away society that we live in today.

Edited by ONtheROCS on Monday 24th July 19:51

[RobDown]

For me the point of wrapping is as per Shmee's Vanquish Volante; take a used car in a resale colour (black/silver) and wrap it into something more colourful while you own it. Then return to dull original to sell

If I bought a used Ferrarii in resale red (yawn), I'd be tempted to wrap it

I'll grant you the khaki McLaren was odd though, not sure what the thinking was there

[Truckosaurus]

RobDown said:

I'll grant you the khaki McLaren was odd though, not sure what the thinking was there

I thought it looked excellent.