Younger Generation - Thoughts & Opinions
02-26-2015, 10:14 AM
#21
Burning Brakes
my take on this, and I have a 16 & 19 yo, is that the current generation doesn't view transportation the same way my generation did.
When I was a kid, we had 3 channels on tv. using the phone was a privelage, long distance cost money. family's usually only had 1 car. video games were fairly simple. a bicycle, then moped, then car, was the norm. the reason was, it was freedom! you could go to your friends house, then with a moped, maybe the store or further friends, or just cruise around. with a car, you were a grown up (we thought) and could go to the mall, hit MickeyD's, cruise for chicks, get a job, buy your own stuff...
And cool cars got girls, and respect from peers, and was a way to show off. if you could fix cars, you could make them faster, cooler, whatever. you made more friends because you could help tune or fix something.
The current generation: no need for transportation. they have means of communication that makes going to the local hangout obsolete. local hangouts are social media pages. want to cruise for chicks? go to jewdate, blackpeoplemeet adult friendfinder, farmersonly, you get my point...million ways to meet people online.
the thrill of driving and cruising around is lost with the video games being so realistic. It also isn't a big deal to get out and go to the mall, mom and dad drive the kids everywhere. wanna see the new fashions? it's all online. Like when we got the new sears and penny's catalogs...only they get that info every single second.
Finally cars are much more complicated. not as easy to work on, and the laws are much harsher today. most kids my son's age don;t want to drive because their older siblings or friends that drive tell them about how they are harassed, pulled over constantly, etc. the driving license requirements are much harder, no friends allowed in the car, can't be out at night, yada yada...not to mention the constant cramming down their throats of being GREEN and not polluting, greenhouse gas, emissions, etc.
OK, rant off...
When I was a kid, we had 3 channels on tv. using the phone was a privelage, long distance cost money. family's usually only had 1 car. video games were fairly simple. a bicycle, then moped, then car, was the norm. the reason was, it was freedom! you could go to your friends house, then with a moped, maybe the store or further friends, or just cruise around. with a car, you were a grown up (we thought) and could go to the mall, hit MickeyD's, cruise for chicks, get a job, buy your own stuff...
And cool cars got girls, and respect from peers, and was a way to show off. if you could fix cars, you could make them faster, cooler, whatever. you made more friends because you could help tune or fix something.
The current generation: no need for transportation. they have means of communication that makes going to the local hangout obsolete. local hangouts are social media pages. want to cruise for chicks? go to jewdate, blackpeoplemeet adult friendfinder, farmersonly, you get my point...million ways to meet people online.
the thrill of driving and cruising around is lost with the video games being so realistic. It also isn't a big deal to get out and go to the mall, mom and dad drive the kids everywhere. wanna see the new fashions? it's all online. Like when we got the new sears and penny's catalogs...only they get that info every single second.
Finally cars are much more complicated. not as easy to work on, and the laws are much harsher today. most kids my son's age don;t want to drive because their older siblings or friends that drive tell them about how they are harassed, pulled over constantly, etc. the driving license requirements are much harder, no friends allowed in the car, can't be out at night, yada yada...not to mention the constant cramming down their throats of being GREEN and not polluting, greenhouse gas, emissions, etc.
OK, rant off...
02-26-2015, 10:17 AM
#22
Racer
Car culture exposure.
I had a long-winded reply but it wasn't really going anywhere and probably didn't properly address your question anyway. 
Here where I live we have a car show every month from April to October. I get to see lots and lots and lots of pretty cars. The age-divide is rather stark. The classic cars are almost all owned by people 50+. There are a few younger owners like me, but most are older. The younger crowd typically shows up in their modern cars, which tends to be the new Camaros, Mustangs... had a Viper show up at least once last year. The tuner kids don't seem to come to the shows at all.
I would say kids today have less interest in classic cars because that's not the culture they're exposed to. It's all tuners and retro-muscle these days. Eclipses and Civics, modern Camaros and Mustangs, that sort of thing, because that's what kids today are seeing. That's what's in the movies and video games, like "Fast and Furious" and "Need for Speed" respectively. I'm sure if they were growing up 40 years ago they'd be just as interested in cars of that era instead.
That is, assuming they have interest in cars at all. This generation is not car-centric like in days past. In the past getting your first car was a liberating experience and you used it as a form of expression and identity. You were known by what you drove. Ford vs Chevy was known to start fights. This generation is known by what phone they have (Android or Apple will start the fights) or what lunch they posted a picture of on Instagram. I even read a report citing a study that in larger metro areas they're seeing fewer and fewer younger people getting drivers licenses, and thus fewer buying cars, because they get around using public transit.
So yeah, that's my take on it.
Here where I live we have a car show every month from April to October. I get to see lots and lots and lots of pretty cars. The age-divide is rather stark. The classic cars are almost all owned by people 50+. There are a few younger owners like me, but most are older. The younger crowd typically shows up in their modern cars, which tends to be the new Camaros, Mustangs... had a Viper show up at least once last year. The tuner kids don't seem to come to the shows at all.
I would say kids today have less interest in classic cars because that's not the culture they're exposed to. It's all tuners and retro-muscle these days. Eclipses and Civics, modern Camaros and Mustangs, that sort of thing, because that's what kids today are seeing. That's what's in the movies and video games, like "Fast and Furious" and "Need for Speed" respectively. I'm sure if they were growing up 40 years ago they'd be just as interested in cars of that era instead.
That is, assuming they have interest in cars at all. This generation is not car-centric like in days past. In the past getting your first car was a liberating experience and you used it as a form of expression and identity. You were known by what you drove. Ford vs Chevy was known to start fights. This generation is known by what phone they have (Android or Apple will start the fights) or what lunch they posted a picture of on Instagram. I even read a report citing a study that in larger metro areas they're seeing fewer and fewer younger people getting drivers licenses, and thus fewer buying cars, because they get around using public transit.
So yeah, that's my take on it.
02-26-2015, 10:28 AM
#23
Melting Slicks
No Honda Civics for him.
02-26-2015, 10:45 AM
#25
Melting Slicks
02-26-2015, 11:12 AM
#27
Drifting
I think most of you older guys are hitting the mail on the head. I'm 26 and don't see much of my generation being interested in classic muscle. Those of us that are interested in them tend to be the ones that were out in the garage with our dad's working on them as kids. I really feel that if health problems wouldn't have kept my dad out of the garage his last 10 years, I would have already been driving a corvette. Not just now getting around to getting the project going.
02-26-2015, 11:26 AM
#28
Safety Car
02-26-2015, 11:28 AM
#29
Le Mans Master
Lots of good posts here.
I'll just add that the majority of "twentysomething's " that go ape **** over my car in public are..college age women. Stop lights, gas stations, etc.
I'll just add that the majority of "twentysomething's " that go ape **** over my car in public are..college age women. Stop lights, gas stations, etc.
02-26-2015, 11:31 AM
#30
Instructor
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It seems to me most teenagers like old cars and classic muscle/sport that I know of. I'm 17 and own a 1976 and have had lots of younger people compliment the car and I have had a few girls and guys ask for a ride. That said, most of them don't have the money or motivation to get money to be able to build or restore an old vette or the like. And most that do have the funds or have parents that can fund their project, don't have motivation to work on something that is going to take months or years to complete.
02-26-2015, 11:49 AM
#31
Nam Labrat
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Page 2..........and still...............ON-TOPIC!
02-26-2015, 11:51 AM
#32
Melting Slicks
02-26-2015, 12:02 PM
#33
Le Mans Master
There are some younger people that are going to be with us, just not as many, for many of the valid reasons stated above. It still surprises me, the under 20 crowd, that not only likes older Muscle and Corvettes, but knows about them and even more surprising, who!
Take the case a few months ago, stopped early one evening by the mall at a light and a young black man, no shirt, pants hanging down, just a bit, but not too bad either and he's crossing at the walk, and he eye's my '74 and says: "1974, right?" and I responded 'Yep!'.
And recently, only a block away, it's already dark and a few teens are crossing and I'm at the front of the line and one of them exclaimed "Now that's what I'm talking about! '75, right?" No, but close, I responded, 1974, factory four speed and this will be likely the only one you see in this color! They thought it was cool and I appreciated the enthusiasm. Of course, I had to have 'Sassy' clear her throat leaving the intersection!
But on the other hand, at the drag races, more than a few young guys, with C6's, parked only a few car lengths from me, got zero interaction with them. They probably didn't even know what a C3 was, drove by on the way to the next run, didn't get even get a glance and as a car guy/gearhead, I always check out anything that smells of vintage muscle or Corvettes, period. In fact, I had the only C3 at the drags, along with a solo C2.
Take the case a few months ago, stopped early one evening by the mall at a light and a young black man, no shirt, pants hanging down, just a bit, but not too bad either and he's crossing at the walk, and he eye's my '74 and says: "1974, right?" and I responded 'Yep!'.
And recently, only a block away, it's already dark and a few teens are crossing and I'm at the front of the line and one of them exclaimed "Now that's what I'm talking about! '75, right?" No, but close, I responded, 1974, factory four speed and this will be likely the only one you see in this color! They thought it was cool and I appreciated the enthusiasm. Of course, I had to have 'Sassy' clear her throat leaving the intersection!
But on the other hand, at the drag races, more than a few young guys, with C6's, parked only a few car lengths from me, got zero interaction with them. They probably didn't even know what a C3 was, drove by on the way to the next run, didn't get even get a glance and as a car guy/gearhead, I always check out anything that smells of vintage muscle or Corvettes, period. In fact, I had the only C3 at the drags, along with a solo C2.
02-26-2015, 12:03 PM
#34
Nam Labrat
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02-26-2015, 12:03 PM
#35
Safety Car
02-26-2015, 12:06 PM
#36
Nam Labrat
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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPs!
Back to the thread subject!
Younger generation 'n Cars
Back to the thread subject!
Younger generation 'n Cars
02-26-2015, 12:09 PM
#37
Instructor
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There is something satisfying about having a young (or old) lady walk up to your door and ask for a ride...
02-26-2015, 12:31 PM
#38
Melting Slicks
All kidding aside, I really agree with a lot of the posts here that claim these cars need to be used, enjoyed and shown to the younger generation to gain their interest. I think we all can appreciate a Bloomington Gold restoration; but the poor owner is usually scared to death to drive it, or if he does he can't really relax at a car show/cruise-in just in case it gets inadvertently scratched/damaged.
I always pay attention at a show/meet for any young folks who show an interest. Usually Mom and Dad are always courteous enough to say "look, but don't touch", but I'll usually step forward and ask if they'd like to have a seat? It surprises a lot of parents; but my response has always been, " no worries, they can't hurt it, it's just a car....besides, if we don't get the young ones interested now, who's gonna be around to appreciate them in 20 years?". That's something that was done for me at the ripe old age of 9, and I never forgot it......it's a little thing, but sometimes I think, it's the little things that matter the most.
I've never got/understood the 'snobbery' that is prevalent in the Corvette community. I see it a lot in my area, especially in the C5/6 group......maybe one of the reasons I choose not to be associated them. My idea of a great show is still a good mix of years, models of all different types of cars. Always have a good time at those shows, because when I extend my hand and ask a question, I NEVER have been turned away.
Save the wave, and open your door at a show to let someone experience what we all get to.
I always pay attention at a show/meet for any young folks who show an interest. Usually Mom and Dad are always courteous enough to say "look, but don't touch", but I'll usually step forward and ask if they'd like to have a seat? It surprises a lot of parents; but my response has always been, " no worries, they can't hurt it, it's just a car....besides, if we don't get the young ones interested now, who's gonna be around to appreciate them in 20 years?". That's something that was done for me at the ripe old age of 9, and I never forgot it......it's a little thing, but sometimes I think, it's the little things that matter the most.
I've never got/understood the 'snobbery' that is prevalent in the Corvette community. I see it a lot in my area, especially in the C5/6 group......maybe one of the reasons I choose not to be associated them. My idea of a great show is still a good mix of years, models of all different types of cars. Always have a good time at those shows, because when I extend my hand and ask a question, I NEVER have been turned away.
Save the wave, and open your door at a show to let someone experience what we all get to.
02-26-2015, 12:57 PM
#39
Le Mans Master
Ha! I will say the other group that always says something good are homeless men at stop lights. Seems they ALL had an old vette at one time in their lives.
"FREEBIRD, *****-F@#KER!"!"
(^actual quote from homeless beggar)
"FREEBIRD, *****-F@#KER!"!"
(^actual quote from homeless beggar)
