Tevroc98

I've been going to Corvettes @ Carlisle for 26 straight years. I wrote a thread several years ago about getting gouged by the hotels and the cost to travel to the event and the quality of the show. Well I have finally bled out. Every year the hotels go up at least $10.00 per night. The foot traffic to buy parts has disappeared. Although I did almost get run over by ALOT of scooters. It's no longer worth making the trip for me. I can sit at home and sell on E bay. Pay their fees and still be WAY ahead on money. From what I saw many others expressed the same feeling and don't go. Now I see they want my money 10 months ahead of the event. Nothing but GREED. I can only assume a toll road to the fair grounds is on the drawing board. Well they can keep their three spots that I had. I'm sure they can use them for more parking spaces. I can spend my entertainment dollars a lot of other places where they don't stick the knife and turn till you have bled out. Because I wont be back. I'm done with Corvettes @ Carlisle. I'm sure they won't miss me and I wont miss them. As everyone knows sadly the car hobby is dying with our generation and greed is just putting it on an express way. I'm not alone in my thinking either.

Frankie the Fink

Come down to the theme parks in Orlando - you don't know what gouging is...

But I agree, I did Carlisle for my Mustang needs up until the mid-90s....but I had a sister-in-law that worked at FMSO up there so I stayed with her and saved beau coup bucks. Its not hardly worth going to swap meets any more except to see old friends.

I had to push myself to even do the drive down to Lakeland for last year's NCRS meet...when it was at Old Town I didn't mind investing 20 minutes to get there...

gilbybarr

Wow....you must have had a very bad experience. Sorry to see that. I went up from TN for Friday, great weather, and enjoyed the day. Three days...that would be too much for me. Been going to this event for over 20 years now....it is still the best Corvette event I have been to. We stay in Chambersburg (about 25 miles south)...nice Hampton there. Room $139 per night. I cant speak about the vendor experience (just an attendee). There did seem to be more open spots than in prior years. Compared to some of the other "Corvette" events, this one is still the best, JMHO.

JMG2

I've been meaning to go as a spectator-- I can see through how this could be annoying to vendors. I was just speaking with the guys at corvettes unlimited, they their each year to stock up on parts and avoid shipping charges. Smart But for my one-off purchase needs, I'll stick with ebay. much easier.

JMG2

What generation are you?
I just turned 40 and can tell you the "car hobby" is very much alive and well. I spent the weekend changing out a few odds and ends on the front end of my chevy 350 cherokee, teaching my 6 year old son how to wrench. I can see he's got the bug, and will enjoy doing more as he gets older

the hobby has changed ---you need a laptop and some programming skills to do anything these days. and just about anything you need can be found on ebay. But I see all these as good things. things never stay the same. Adapt and enjoy it, or complain and be bitter .

Vette Daddy

It's all about what you want to do. Buyer, parts seller, spectator? If you just want to be around others that enjoy the Corvette experience, then Lance puts on a great show.

Hotels are around the $130 mark for a Holiday Inn Express within 20 miles or so.

DAN70

I've been attending Corvettes @ Carlisle off and on since the beginning. The Corvettes in attendance are always interesting and I always manage to walk out with hard to find parts, this year for my '54, at less then an eBay price. YES, the show had evolved thru the years but it's still a great time.

pop23235

Haven't attended, but if you think Ebay is the answer, you're going to be surprised!

Tiros

I was a little disappointed. I usually bring a list of small crap I need.

Back in the day a lot of vendors, zip, paragon and others brought trailers with most of the parts in their catalog. It seems like now all they bring is catalogs. If I want to order, from a catalog, I'll do it at home, not while I'm at a show.

mrg

Did any western region Corvettes make a road trip out to Carlisle?
John

vettebuyer6369

I don't necessarily disagree with many of the complaints brought out here, but the fact remains none of them are recent developments.

-ebay and the Internet gutted the in-person swap meet many years ago. Every swap is down, across the board.
-Hotel rooms go up every year, especially during peak times.
-Large retailers stopped bringing trailers full of parts to all the major shows because the states started cracking down on sales tax collection. This started many years ago.
-as shows lose vendors, they push remaining vendors with higher fees and asking them to please stay all weekend. Its tough for everyone.

I know people who refuse to go to Bloomington still because "it's not like it was at the Fairgrounds in 1987." Carlisle is clearly way down in swap, but I think its easily the best swap left out there. Kissimmee (Lakeland) is pretty good too, but of course smaller than in previous times.

This is the nature of the hobby these days. If you continue to compare everything to "back in the day" then yes, it's going to seem pretty bad.

fyreline

Just returned from Corvettes at Carlisle 2015. I have been going many years as well- and I thought this year's show was great. I typically stay around Harrisburg . . . lots of hotels, and "other stuff" to do and only about 25 minutes to the fairgrounds. Must be a popular option - we had 14 Corvettes in the parking lot Friday night. The weather this year couldn't be beat, the crowds looked to be pretty strong, and there were a LOT of very interesting cars there. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Picked up a couple of odds and ends for the '62, spent a lot of time catching up with old friends, and met some great new ones. The story of the major vendors not bringing trailer-loads of parts anymore has already been explained above - I try to frequent the smaller vendors when I can. And I'll tell you, sitting around the hotel pool Saturday night with a good-sized group of Corvette enthusiasts enjoying a nice cigar and some good scotch made the whole trip worthwhile. See you next year!

Nowhere Man

I have been going to Carlisle for the last 25 odd years or so. the trend I see as all the good used parts are bought and used up the swap meet area is just a place for people to try and unload there left over junk. half the parts I really don't see what good it is. then you have the vendors who deal in all your hard to find ginger bread items. then you have the junk yard vendors who part out newer cars. the whole show is geared towards C4+ and up cars for a huge car show. where all the older cars win the awards. it sure is not what it use to be. hell 15+ years ago it was not a family show. now it is. I am glad I can sleep in my own bed for the weekend.

for all the forum members i meet it was nice seeing you and until next year enjoy your cars

Tevroc98

I understand that this is no longer back in the day. If you look at the numbers game its just no longer worth going. I'm not saying my parts didn't sell compared to others parts vendors, because I asked them how they were doing. They mostly said the same as me. No real buyers anymore. Just spectators that walked over from the show field. When we sat and looked at our expenses compared to what we sold . I don't do this for a living .I'm just trying to sell extra parts We lost to much money because of the hotels going up every year and lack of interest in parts.

tbarb

I went yesterday and had a great time arrived at 7AM and left 4:30PM. I still enjoy the hunt for parts I want but I do get it that things are a little different. Fifteen dollars to walk through the gate, tax the vendors etc.

I also take time to inspect cars for sale to kind of gauge the market and really enjoy the new GM Corvette's on display, that new Corvette is awesome.

Hope you rethink it, see you there next year!

ohiovet

I just got back Sat. night and must admit I had a great time.
I bought a few C1 parts and found a real nice Enderle 8 stack injector that nobody was interested in, great buy.
Drove 480 miles each way and it was a good trip. The damn PA Turnpike tolls were $17.80 each way from New Stanton to Carlisle.
The hotel I have stayed at for years has changed hands again and the rates were $82.95 on Thursday and $149.00 on Friday night.
When I checked in I thought I was in a foreign country. Five years ago I paid $35.00 for each night. Oh well...
I will agree swap meets are slowly dying but seeing old friends and looking in the sellers in the eye is still fun.
I'll be back next year if I am warm and walking.
Bruce B

LSUvetteguy

I've been attending the winter meet since the mid-eighties and have a coffee mug collection from 86, but I won't be there this year. The proximity of hotels and eating places and the Old Town experience made the show enjoyable and worth the 750 mile drive.

Railroadman

I have only gone once, 4 years ago, but I do want to go again just for the fun and experience. But I was amazed that year at how much junk there was. I understand that various things can be rechromed, straightened, cleaned up, etc. But it seemed a few of those vendors will still be sitting on everything they had 15 years from now.

Nowhere Man

I see most of the same vendors in spring, Vettes, and fall shows. For the last 10 or so years I have seen the same ones bring the same stuff year after year The gloy years of swap meets is over fellas We just go in hopes something new shows up That's what keeps us coming back.

1955 copper

The price of entry is out of sight , parts have dried up in the C1 category and I don't think you can call it a hobby anymore ,most action is now in the C2's
C5-6-7 is where all the big time $ are and most talk is about waxing them . I've given up on swaps and Conventions. The C1 time is over and many are going Mod.