Why Buicks are Dying

[casper]

People work hard at putting on BUICK events only to have a few people show up. There are plenty of people talking on the net guess there just talkers. Thanks Shane , Clint and Richard.

 

[scgamecock]

Just got home from the event and I will have to say once again I enjoyed it. Seen old friends and made some new ones. It’s a good time and a place where you can enjoy yourself. Thanks to all who put it together

 

[GNVenom]

The crowd:

 

[XS29L9B]

People work hard at putting on BUICK events only to have a few people show up. There are plenty of people talking on the net guess there just talkers. Thanks Shane , Clint and Richard.

I had inquired about the event, but it seemed disorganized to the point, not a lot of information or any kind of real schedule. I know I am new on this board, but have 30 years of GM/Buick ownership & knowledge. Ended up going to a Corvette event yesterday, instead.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

They're dying because the number of cars and people is going down, not up. Buick hasn't released a car that captured any significant enthusiast interest since the GN ended production in late 1987.

Without new cars, we can't get enough new people, and Buick-only events will continue to shrink.

 

[casper]

There are plenty of cars, people just don't show up. People want more days at the track but when you do that like BG the staging lanes are empty the first two days. I remember getting to BG on Monday or tuesday and we would be lined up trying to get in. Just my two cents worth. I love my Buicks

 

[Frederickdav]

I attended a car show yesterday. My T was the only Buick there!

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

Soon after I bought my Buick back in the early 90's, I began participating in everything Buick. Shows, events, clubs, road trips, hanging around Buick performance shops, getting to know the big players in the Buick performance world........so on and so on. It pretty much became the primary basis of my social life.

But I was in my early 20's. No kids, no bills, no responsibilities. If I wanted to make last minute plans to go running off to some event, I just did it. This lifestyle grew until it peaked sometime before and after Y2K. I spent the money and didn't care about tomorrow.

Tomorrow has finally arrived. Now I have a 150,000 dollar car that is worth 22 cents. Financially, I have never really been able to recover from this addiction. I'm still playing catch-up against my non-hot-rod peers. It takes months of planning for me to go anywhere. And if at the last minute something important comes up, the Buick plans get dropped in a heartbeat. I can't even get a chance to wash it before I show it anymore.

If most of the Buick crowd is my age or close, then there's your answer.

But many Buick owners are probably every bit enthusiastic about their cars today as they were 20 years ago. I know I am. We just can't do it anymore.

There is one thing I know for sure. In my one life to live, I had the opportunity to be in a different financial place at 47 years old. But I gave it up for a lump of rolling metal, rubber and plastic.

 

[Jerryl]

The crowd:

The few, the proud

 

[SGRIM]

It was a blast though!!!

 

[TURBOTIMMER]

There is about 10 turbo Buick’s within a 20 mile radius of my house, and none of them came down for the event. I really don’t understand it either. I had a great time, and I hope the event lives on. I’ll be there.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Soon after I bought my Buick back in the early 90's, I began participating in everything Buick. Shows, events, clubs, road trips, hanging around Buick performance shops, getting to know the big players in the Buick performance world........so on and so on. It pretty much became the primary basis of my social life.

But I was in my early 20's. No kids, no bills, no responsibilities. If I wanted to make last minute plans to go running off to some event, I just did it. This lifestyle grew until it peaked sometime before and after Y2K. I spent the money and didn't care about tomorrow.

Tomorrow has finally arrived. Now I have a 150,000 dollar car that is worth 22 cents. Financially, I have never really been able to recover from this addiction. I'm still playing catch-up against my non-hot-rod peers. It takes months of planning for me to go anywhere. And if at the last minute something important comes up, the Buick plans get dropped in a heartbeat. I can't even get a chance to wash it before I show it anymore.

If most of the Buick crowd is my age or close, then there's your answer.

But many Buick owners are probably every bit enthusiastic about their cars today as they were 20 years ago. I know I am. We just can't do it anymore.

There is one thing I know for sure. In my one life to live, I had the opportunity to be in a different financial place at 47 years old. But I gave it up for a lump of rolling metal, rubber and plastic.

That's it. Life gets in the way.

Without a way to get the younger people into the hobby to keep it fresh and vibrant, attendance is going to continue to go down. We can't rope them in with the existing vehicles, either. That population declines every year through theft and crashes, and always will.

Without a new vehicle to take over the mantle and get younger people involved, we're treading water.

 

[XS29L9B]

That's it. Life gets in the way.

Without a way to get the younger people into the hobby to keep it fresh and vibrant, attendance is going to continue to go down. We can't rope them in with the existing vehicles, either. That population declines every year through theft and crashes, and always will.

Without a new vehicle to take over the mantle and get younger people involved, we're treading water.

I think younger people DO like the G Body cars, but mot are priced out of their reality. So, as the owners gray and sell off, a "price correction" will happen. Not saying nice cars won't bring money. They just won't bring stupid money for much longer, if anymore.

I also think places like RK and other consignment houses are out of touch with this. They listen to the sellers, way too much, and then hope for a big payout. But the same cars sit for months (or years) for sale. Same with some of the other specialty dealers.
Supply and DEMAND.

Back to the subject of the event. I would have gone, had there been a clear picture of an itinerary. Had no idea, and in the other thread, even tried to ask some questions. Maybe next time.

 

[buickjeff]

I don't believe we are going to see anything from Buick to revive the grand national market - I think the only old time muscle car , if you can call it that , that will see any life will be the corvette coming from GM.
so now in my opinion and not to throw any shade towards the market that exists now , is to open it up to what people are looking for in cars today - look at the first and second gen Camaro market , they are very open to modifying their cars in many different ways - pro touring is big in that market not just drag cars. with so many drag racing tracks are being closed that the market of today is moving towards more performance street cars then all out drag cars.
there have been a few buicks built that have tried to bridge the gap between the markets but it just has not caught on , and even some of the builds have gotten ridiculed for their changes , that is definitely not going to make new people feel welcome to our buick world.
I have been in the grand national world for decades now , and I truly love the cars , but I can see the market drying up to just a few cars and almost no vendors without seeing things in a different light. I know this is a turbo buick website and that's fine if people don't want that to change but I think we will continue to see the decline in participation accelerate.

 

[Jerryl]

As with every event, there are lessons learned.
I agree that the information was scattered and VERY cumbersome/confusing at times.
My suggestion is to post a sticky, whereby the first post lists all pertinent event info. Example:

Dates; May 2-5
10 Day weather forecast
Hotel recommendations: Best Western , (Etc)
Sponsors; XXXXXX
Giveaways; XXXXXXXXX

Wednesday
RCG 10:00-6:00
Vendors: XXXXX
Lunch: Available for purchase on site
Lift assignment: Contact Steve V.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/FS9JBKYAMtx

Thursday
RCG 10:00-6:00
Vendors: XXXXX
Lunch: Available for purchase on site
Lift assignment: Contact Steve V.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/FS9JBKYAMtx

Friday
Test & Tune 10:00-4:00
Vendors: XXXXX
Class Racing: TAI, TSO, etc
Fees: $20 spectator, $10 Test & Tune
Location: (link to track)

Dinner Event
6:00-9:00
Location: (Link to location)
Pre-registration required: (Link to registration thread)

Saturday
Test & Tune 10:00-4:00
Vendors: XXXXX
Class Racing: TAI, TSO, etc
Fees: $20 spectator, $10 Test & Tune
Location: (link to track)

 

[SGRIM]

Sticky????? We made an ENTIRE FORUM DEDICATED TO THE EVENT ONLY! https://www.turbobuick.com/forums/2018-turbobuick-com-nationals-may-2nd-5th.168/

 

[Jerryl]

@SGRIM
Understood. It was still combersome unless you read all the posts and kept up with changes. It was merely a suggestion.

Thanks for doing all you do.

 

[marleyskater420]

People work hard at putting on BUICK events only to have a few people show up. There are plenty of people talking on the net guess there just talkers. Thanks Shane , Clint and Richard.

Or we live clear across the country and in order for us to go it would cost us almost a grand to show up with all we wanted...and some of us are in the middle of building our cars and don't have the money to spare.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge why people don't show up....now, if you are talking East Coast people that don't show up..well those guys just have a small drive and that's it...so there really isn't any excuse with that one...

 

[corsair231]

Now, I showed even though I didn't have my car. I still came out and supported the event when all I could do was spectate and this was after working 13 hours the night before and having zero sleep. There was a few times during the day that I so very much wanted my bed but at the end I was glad I made the sacrifice.

 

[VETKILR]

I had inquired about the event, but it seemed disorganized to the point, not a lot of information or any kind of real schedule. I know I am new on this board, but have 30 years of GM/Buick ownership & knowledge. Ended up going to a Corvette event yesterday, instead.

All event information was posted on this webpage. Also, Facebook as well. A lot has changed as I have been attending Buick events at BG since age 6 in the late 1980s. A lot of the originals are dying off. Many of their kids are grown up with families and would rather sell the cars and buy an SUV or another toy with the money.

The G bodies are appreciating at a rapid pace and speculation does something to the effect as well. I have even noticed the last few years that more people see my Limited and even the know it all old timers (had a guy in a tri five Chevy tell me GM never made my Limited/ He got educated the right way) are getting intrigued by these cars, because they are a cult following and kind of an enigma.

Also the collector car market has stayed strong and gaining momentum. Also last year another young kid was talking to a friend how late 50s Chevys are dying off and nobody will want them at all. Trust me they are not going the way of a Model T/Model A. Beech Bend had a couple day event last year for Tri Five Chevys and it had almost 3k of them. For 3 years only. But Buicks to Chevys is apples to oranges.

For our group is a tight knit diehard group. But like everything else, the cycle of life where people getting sick and passing away and cars get sold. Plus you have some that get wrecked or stolen and reduces the pool of cars to enjoy or buy/sell.

Sucks each year going to BG and running into people and then commenting on how someone got ill or passed away or sold the car because they cant maintain it anymore. Its inevitable...