Birmingham NEC Practical classic and restoration show.. 2025

[R Lutz]

On 23/10/2024 at 07:09, andyberg said:

I’m off to Retromobile this year. How come’ Europe’s largest retro car show’ can do their tickets for less than £20 when the UK’s equivalent * is at least double that? Never mind the overpriced nasty food…

I'm also booked to go there. What day?

[andyberg]

20 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

I'm also booked to go there. What day?

Probably the 6th although that’s flexible with the 7th. Me and my son arrive on the 5th and leave on the 8th so the two days in between will be the show and some sightseeing for my son as he’s never been to Paris before. 

[R Lutz]

Likewise. 

[andyberg]

9 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

Likewise. 

If you are about would be good to say hi to a shiter. I love Paris I can just walk and walk and walk. 

[andrew e]

Having just come out of the Paris Salon (see thread elsewhere) the food was reasonable price but the drinks a bit cheeky. If @R Lutz books a hotel I will be at Retromobile too, like you say a bucket list thing.

[Metal Guru]

4 hours ago, andyberg said:

But why should we expect it and put up with it🤷 it really annoys me. Sometimes I wish we,as a country, were a bit more like France and stood up for ourselves. 
 

I think we’ve somehow we’ve become conditioned to believing refusing to do something on the grounds of costs either makes you look mean or like a loser because you can’t afford it.

So instead of saying , no, I’m not going it’s far too expensive, we like to look big and say “if course I’m going,” . Sporting events , and gigs  get ever more expensive , but demand doesn’t seem to diminish. It’s just our instant gratification culture, so a mass boycott of over priced events never happens and prices head ever upwards.

I’ve stopped going to rugby internationals now ticket  prices are in the region of £100, ( I paid 60p the first time I went to Twickenham), but they still sell out virtually every game. We’re just mugs.

[R Lutz]

I can afford to go.  I can justify going as it's the day after my birthday and a few days before my mate's birthday. I can fill the car with 3 other bodies to share the cost of diesel. I know how not to pay for parking at the NEC. But its too expensive on principal. I'll keep the cash and live like a bourgeoisie king in Paris. 

Again, if you look at the mailer I got send for the NEC, it fails to declare most of the things it advertises are extra cost, such as viewing the auction. I used to get in there for free with my press pass but it's now £40 if you enter the area with 3 mates. 

[DVee8]

Is anyone going to this, March 21-23?

 

[andyberg]

On 25/10/2024 at 23:18, andrew e said:

Having just come out of the Paris Salon (see thread elsewhere) the food was reasonable price but the drinks a bit cheeky. If @R Lutz books a hotel I will be at Retromobile too, like you say a bucket list thing.

Did you get your hotel booked? 

[St.Jude]

On 26/10/2024 at 00:27, Metal Guru said:

So instead of saying , no, I’m not going it’s far too expensive, we like to look big and say “if course I’m going,” .

“No.” Is a full sentence. You don’t need to provide a reason.

[Saabnut]

7 hours ago, DVee8 said:

Is anyone going to this, March 21-23?

 

Yes, as usual I have a stand 3-290 in hall 3. UKSaabs, and as usual we are next to the Owners Club and the Enthusiasts, as well as the Volvo clubs. We are near the auction vehicles this year. Anybody going feel free to use code CCC5M173  to save  a few quid. It will also help us get a free stand again next year.

[R Lutz]

For anyone going to the Paris retro mobile, myself and @andrew e will be there on Thursday.  Some of us setting off in the next couple of hours...

[andyberg]

8 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

For anyone going to the Paris retro mobile, myself and @andrew e will be there on Thursday.  Some of us setting off in the next couple of hours...

Me and my son will be there Thursday too. We fly out tomorrow.

[sierraman]

I think you’ve only to look at the classic car magazines now, it’s less about men in sheds welding bits of old washing machines into the floors of Vauxhall Victors in a cold council lock up with no power. It’s more about relatively successful blokes in their forties with a cheque book in his hand and the car sat in a heated triple garage in Surrey. 
 

The money has come in to it, you could say that’s a good thing in some ways as there’s the money there to do things properly and ensure survival but on the other hand I liked reading about people like Peter Simpson mending a Rover P4 on his driveway, they’d share where things went wrong and it was packed with useful information. I read recently about a Mk1 Golf that had been restored - to an excellent standard might I add. But that guy had farmed the bodywork out, had a firm doing the engine etc…

[andrew e]

On 04/02/2025 at 08:21, andyberg said:

Me and my son will be there Thursday too. We fly out tomorrow.

Nice to meet you yesterday boys 👍

Apologise for @R Lutz incompressible northern rambling. 

[andyberg]

1 hour ago, andrew e said:

Nice to meet you yesterday boys 👍

Apologise for @R Lutz incompressible northern rambling. 

Good to meet fellow shiters. I almost understood @R Lutz 🤣🤣 bloody good show, we left at 6pm only because our feet were sore. Will go again in a couple of years. 

[andrew e]

You lasted half hour longer than me! Cracking show agreed 👍