Normal turnout? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

linc400 · 08-04-2012, 05:35 AM

Ok, so this was my first Camarofest. I was not fond of having to pay $40 for the 2 of us for 1 day since I could only be there Friday. Turnout of cars seemed kinda light, but a guy I was talking to said there were a bunch still at the hotel. This was around 2:00 PM on Fri. Saw only a handful of non-C5 other gens. I guess more cars will show up Sat. But what I was really disappointed in was the turnout of vendors.

I expected a parking lot filled with aisle after aisle of vendors. I thought there would be multiple places for me to be comparing prices and selections of stuff. It was basically 3 small aisles of vendors with not much selection. I was really disappointed. I thought I would be coming home with splashguards, floor mats, keychains, a bunch of accessories, a pile of different T-shirts, etc. All I came home with was one T-shirt (which I could have gotten online for the same price) and a bottle of Adams detailer. Good thing I bought the detailer or it would have been "I went to Camarofest, and all I got was this lousy T-shirt"

Maybe I am just used to the big antique car shows like Hershey, Iola, and Auburn where you can spend days going through parking lots filled with countless aisles of vendors. But if this is a normal turnout for Camarofest, this will be my last one. With all the stuff available for C5's online and in catalogs, I just expected to see way more of it there.

justav6 · 08-04-2012, 06:38 AM

You drove from Chicago, you didn't lose out on much.

linc400 · 08-04-2012, 06:44 AM

I had to take a day off from work, 8 hours of driving time round trip, $120.00 in gas, and $40 admission. So no, I don't agree with that. If I had known it would be so small beforehand, I would have skipped it and bought my detailer and shirt online. Especially since the main reason I went was because I wanted to see all the aftermarket stuff in person instead of just on a computer screen, and none of the stuff I wanted to buy was even there.

KnightRiderSS · 08-04-2012, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linc400

I had to take a day off from work, 8 hours of driving time round trip, $120.00 in gas, and $40 admission. So no, I don't agree with that. If I had known it would be so small beforehand, I would have skipped it and bought my detailer and shirt online. Especially since the main reason I went was because I wanted to see all the aftermarket stuff in person instead of just on a computer screen, and none of the stuff I wanted to buy was even there.

Didn't you go around and look at the cars that were parked? I didn't see two that were alike and all had plenty of different mods installed...I've spent quite a bit so far here myself..

Ryanbabz71 · 08-04-2012, 06:59 AM

There was a vendor topic of who was going.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207454

It shouldnt have been a surprise what or who was going to be there?

Ryanbabz71 · 08-04-2012, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KnightRiderSS

Didn't you go around and look at the cars that were parked? I didn't see two that were alike and all had plenty of different mods installed...I've spent quite a bit so far here myself..

The atmosphere was worth it. Met a lot of great people!

linc400 · 08-04-2012, 07:25 AM

Yes, I did walk around all the parked cars and was able to see mods I did, and did not like. However, if nobody is around the car to ask (or no sign on it), then you have no idea what manufacturer made those things or how much they cost. For example, I was looking for some trim for my gills, and was able to see them actually on the cars instead of just on a computer screen, but I have no idea who made them or how much they were.

Since this is my first Camaro, a list of vendors wouldn't do me much good since I did not know who makes what, and that is why I wanted to see all the different stuff there in person.

KnightRiderSS · 08-04-2012, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryanbabz71

The atmosphere was worth it. Met a lot of great people!

+1 I had a guy offer to help and then helped me datalog my car cause I haven't been able to get my SCT to work....a lot of great people here

cadyshac · 08-04-2012, 08:10 AM

It was my 1st fest too and my wife and I had a great time. We spent way more with the vendors than I planned, we met and talked to lots of nice fellow camaro enthusiasts. I was impressed with the number of cars, all camaros. We experienced some glitches too but the good outweighed the bad.

mikeSS · 08-04-2012, 08:15 AM

i thought it was decent. was there from about 1-430 on Friday. for a forum meet its good. i wouldn't say it was a lot amount of people. but enough that i was happy to go.

MARINE1991 · 08-04-2012, 08:25 AM

Well if you went there to just buy stuff you won't have a good time...

most of the stuff happens at the hotel, the cruise to and back, the drags, autocross, car show, the cruise and hanging out meeting people.

John Deere Boy · 08-04-2012, 08:32 AM

I was pretty impressed by the vendor turnout...and Chevrolet's display was fantastic!

linc400 · 08-04-2012, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MARINE1991

Well if you went there to just buy stuff you won't have a good time...

most of the stuff happens at the hotel, the cruise to and back, the drags, autocross, car show, the cruise and hanging out meeting people.

I guess so. Time simply didn't allow for all of that since we had to be there and back in a day, plus had a few other things we wanted to check out in Indy before we went home.

I am at car shows almost every weekend from May - October, so the comraderie, cruising, meeting people, etc. happens at all of them. In fact, I will be at a show on Sunday at a railway museum where I will pay $5 to show my car, get free museum admission, and unlimited train and trolley rides, plus will caravan up there and meet and chat with people there, and will have a great time.

I was basically just looking to check out all the stuff available for Camaros and see it in person since I am new to Camaros. I thought Camarofest would be the place to do that, but I guess not.

realsquash · 08-04-2012, 09:51 AM

The fest seems to be more of a driving event and not so much of a swap meet. As a vendor here at the show its been good for me.

Andy

08-04-2012, 05:35 AM	#1
linc400 Drives: 2012 2LT 45th anniversary convert Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 265	Normal turnout? Ok, so this was my first Camarofest. I was not fond of having to pay $40 for the 2 of us for 1 day since I could only be there Friday. Turnout of cars seemed kinda light, but a guy I was talking to said there were a bunch still at the hotel. This was around 2:00 PM on Fri. Saw only a handful of non-C5 other gens. I guess more cars will show up Sat. But what I was really disappointed in was the turnout of vendors. I expected a parking lot filled with aisle after aisle of vendors. I thought there would be multiple places for me to be comparing prices and selections of stuff. It was basically 3 small aisles of vendors with not much selection. I was really disappointed. I thought I would be coming home with splashguards, floor mats, keychains, a bunch of accessories, a pile of different T-shirts, etc. All I came home with was one T-shirt (which I could have gotten online for the same price) and a bottle of Adams detailer. Good thing I bought the detailer or it would have been "I went to Camarofest, and all I got was this lousy T-shirt" Maybe I am just used to the big antique car shows like Hershey, Iola, and Auburn where you can spend days going through parking lots filled with countless aisles of vendors. But if this is a normal turnout for Camarofest, this will be my last one. With all the stuff available for C5's online and in catalogs, I just expected to see way more of it there. Last edited by linc400; 08-04-2012 at 06:56 AM.

08-04-2012, 06:38 AM	#2
justav6 Drives: 2012 Black IPF Supercharged Camaro Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 77	You drove from Chicago, you didn't lose out on much. __________________ 2012 1LT Camaro Mods: -IPF supercharger -15% Window tint -American Thunder axle back flowmasters -Black front/rear badges, tail light bezels -Heritage grille -Razzi body kit with v8 rear -Sinister Ram air hood -Oracle Halo LED head/fog light(Not installed yet)

08-04-2012, 06:59 AM	#5
Ryanbabz71 Drives: 2018 Hyper Blue 1SS 1LE Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Brownsburg, Indiana Posts: 6,231 View My Garage	There was a vendor topic of who was going. http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207454 It shouldnt have been a surprise what or who was going to be there? __________________ Ryan * 2018 1SS 1LE Camaro Hyper Blue Metallic Car Build: http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showth...0#post10049680

08-04-2012, 08:32 AM	#12
John Deere Boy I bleed green Drives: '11 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Centerville, Indiana Posts: 462 View My Garage	I was pretty impressed by the vendor turnout...and Chevrolet's display was fantastic! __________________ 2011 2SS/RS LS3. Delivered 4/18/11. Solo Axle-back with J-pipes and quads, 35% tint, Yellow trim kit, Showstopper sidemarkers, babied garage queen. 2006 Silverado 3500 6.0, 1993 Pontiac Bonneville SSE

08-04-2012, 09:51 AM	#14
realsquash Drives: Four Door Camaro Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: SE WI Posts: 189	The fest seems to be more of a driving event and not so much of a swap meet. As a vendor here at the show its been good for me. Andy __________________ Squash Performance LLC 2010+ Camaro 800 LPH fuel systems

08-04-2012, 06:44 AM	#3
linc400 Drives: 2012 2LT 45th anniversary convert Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 265	I had to take a day off from work, 8 hours of driving time round trip, $120.00 in gas, and $40 admission. So no, I don't agree with that. If I had known it would be so small beforehand, I would have skipped it and bought my detailer and shirt online. Especially since the main reason I went was because I wanted to see all the aftermarket stuff in person instead of just on a computer screen, and none of the stuff I wanted to buy was even there.

08-04-2012, 07:25 AM	#7
linc400 Drives: 2012 2LT 45th anniversary convert Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 265	Yes, I did walk around all the parked cars and was able to see mods I did, and did not like. However, if nobody is around the car to ask (or no sign on it), then you have no idea what manufacturer made those things or how much they cost. For example, I was looking for some trim for my gills, and was able to see them actually on the cars instead of just on a computer screen, but I have no idea who made them or how much they were. Since this is my first Camaro, a list of vendors wouldn't do me much good since I did not know who makes what, and that is why I wanted to see all the different stuff there in person.

08-04-2012, 08:10 AM	#9
cadyshac It's in the hole! Drives: '11 2SS L99 SGM, '18 2SS, M6, HWSE Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,378	It was my 1st fest too and my wife and I had a great time. We spent way more with the vendors than I planned, we met and talked to lots of nice fellow camaro enthusiasts. I was impressed with the number of cars, all camaros. We experienced some glitches too but the good outweighed the bad.

08-04-2012, 08:15 AM	#10
mikeSS Drives: 2015 c7 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: MI Posts: 7,462	i thought it was decent. was there from about 1-430 on Friday. for a forum meet its good. i wouldn't say it was a lot amount of people. but enough that i was happy to go.

08-04-2012, 08:25 AM	#11
MARINE1991 Drives: COTW 8/29/11 2010 CAMARO Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: HOMELESS Posts: 10,010 View My Garage	Well if you went there to just buy stuff you won't have a good time... most of the stuff happens at the hotel, the cruise to and back, the drags, autocross, car show, the cruise and hanging out meeting people.