Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

[cjforumadmin]

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Speedy-Says-Why-I-Hate-Swap-Meets.html

[200kss]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

I've never seen a Wednesday to Friday swap meet, but that wouldn't go over well at all around here. Most are Sunday mornings, with a few on Saturday.

As for pricing, I agree. When we go to sell, one of the rules we have is EVERYTHING is priced.

CL and ebay have taken a lot of the "good" stuff off the swap meet market, and at the same time there are a lot more new aftermarket products out there making that 40 year old part not as demanded. Sheet metal is a great example.

I won't say I HATE swap meets, but will say I'm getting a lot pickier as a buyer. No real NEED to go anymore when I'm fairly confident I can find the same item online without some jackass wannabe buyer or sellers buddy heckling the negotiations with a "yea it'll fit" or "damn right it's worth that".

[Schtauffer]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

I hate Carlisle because there's way more cool stuff for sale than available funds on my part.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

For the last four or so years, I've treated the swap meet like a car show - not planning on buying anything but food. Overpriced, check. Rudeness, check. Dealers who really do shop the meet before the doors officially open, then mark it up twice for their profit, check. There's been a couple of parts I've watched over the years at the Portland Swap meet that have continued to change hands and never really sold to anyone who wants to use it....

oh well. I love hearing from dealers this line - "we didn't sell much, no one had any money".... maybe eventually they'll realize that the money will flow if their prices are no longer set to gouge. However, by that time I'll be long gone - no joke, this year I actually thought I was going to the symphony instead of the swap meet - turns out they moved the swap meet weekend, so I'll take 100 bucks for parking, food, and entrance fee
The rest of the stuff, I'll buy online and have delivered.

[38P]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

I've never seen a Wednesday to Friday swap meet, but that wouldn't go over well at all around here. Most are Sunday mornings, with a few on Saturday.

I merely picked the worst example that I was directly familiar with (excluding the time I got chewed up by bed bugs while staying at the only available motel near a swap meet).

Thankfully, most promoters and clubs have more COMMON FREAKIN' SENSE than to run a weekday-only swap meet! And I was still mad that I'd taken off work and traveled a considerable distance just to watch a handful of "stragglers" load up. But then, the last four swap meets I've attended haven't really been worth the cost and effort.

I'm not too fond of Sunday-only meets either. (I sometimes suspect the criminal element likes Sunday-only meets to safely unload their "Midnight Auto Supply" loot while their victims are in church . . . . ;D)

I won't say I HATE swap meets, but will say I'm getting a lot pickier as a buyer. No real NEED to go anymore when I'm fairly confident I can find the same item online without some jackass wannabe buyer or sellers buddy heckling the negotiations with a "yea it'll fit" or "damn right it's worth that".

I don't really hate'em either, but who's going to read a column slugged "I love swap meets except for all the needless crap I hate about 'em . . . ."

As for "yea it'll fit" . . . probably the best example I have is a photo of a Pontiac Trans-Am fender (complete with air extractor) that was labeled "Camaro." I could hardly stop laughing long enough to shoot the photo.

And I once bought (on impulse) an entire set of factory "dog dish" hub caps at a swap meet on the seller's representation that "Yeah, they'll fit a Falcon." And they would have . . . if I swapped on a set of 16.5" F-350 wheels! (I should have gone with the feeling that the deal just wasn't right).

For the last four or so years, I've treated the swap meet like a car show - not planning on buying anything but food.

And at least if they've got a car corral, you don't have to wear yourself out so much. Unless I'm in the mood for vintage speed equipment or searching for a particular part, I tend to have more fun (and get fewer bug bites and sunburns) at auctions.

There's been a couple of parts I've watched over the years at the Portland Swap meet that have continued to change hands and never really sold to anyone who wants to use it....

I know some "hoarders" who do that very same thing. Of course frequently the part never gets used because it's a worn-out, broken, parts-missing piece-of-slag that looks irresistable lying on a blue tarp in the morning fog. Or it fits into that "seemed-like-a-bitchin-idea-at-the-time-but-now-what-do-I-do-with-this-rusty-doorstop" class of flotsam.

I love hearing from dealers this line - "we didn't sell much, no one had any money"

I wish I had a buck for every time I've heard a vendor make that complaint! Of course what I usually want to say (but never do) is "QUIT GRIPPING AND PUT SOME PRICE TAGS ON THIS JUNK!"

[JOES66FURY]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

HA, this was funny..this doesnt just apply to car swap meets anymore either...it is for yard sales, estate sales, and flea markets...it is sad but true.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

I agree with a lot of your thoughts, Speedy. Many, are the reasons I stay away from Pomona. The last time I went to both Pomona and Long Beach in the same month, I saw many of the same parts and cars a week later at Long Beach with a different price on them.

Pomona has become known worldwide. I hear foreign languages, besides Spanish, being spoken every time I 've been there. That's partly the reason for the high prices. And, it's just huge. Walking all of the swap meet and the car coral, I need a wheel chair to get back to my car. I've actually sat down part way back to my car and leaned up against someone's tire to rest, and I wasn't carrying anything heavy.

The other annoying thing is that all garbage and non automotive crap you have to wade through to find what you want. Some guy who has two dozen rusty Rochester 2 bbls, and piles of stock valve covers and thinks they are all made out of gold is totally annoying.

If you're from out of state, I will always recommend going to Pomona. At the very least to see the spectacle of it. In the end, I'd rather go to Long Beach. It's only a bit closer to my place. It's somewhat cheaper; $8 to park in the coral as to $25 at Pomona. I walk one third the distance at Long Beach and still see just as much good stuff. It's become more focused of what it is supposed to be. And, finally, I can only remember going there once and not finding something on my list to buy.

[38P]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

Aw Reb . . . Dude, You've ruined it for me! I've always been lead to believe that Pomona was all bitchin stuff like barn-fresh Deuces, S.C.O.T. blowers, and $25 327s. Now I find out it's just the same overpriced crap you can at most any swap meet. Bummer.

But seriously, if you want people to stop at your booth and stay longer, bring some chairs (old car bench seats mounted on legs are heavy and bulky but send a comfy "Top Gear" vibe. And bonus points for putting the chairs under an E-Z Up canopy).

And if you really want to win some new friends, serve up free ice water (it's worked for South Dakota's Wall Drug Store for about 80 years).

And that goes for SEMA too!

[meatwagon]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

And if you really want to win some new friends, serve up free ice water (it's worked for South Dakota's Wall Drug Store for about 80 years).

Great idea, but if you're pulling your wagon around the Auto Fair in Charlotte beware. These rednecks use that ruse as entertainment. Going for what I thought was a free water I found myself the victim of the rubber snake on a cord in the ice chest trick. Kinda felt I deserved a water after that

[ImpalaKonrad]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

I usually have a Jegs/Edelbrock catalog with me when I go. Showing the seller what the part sells for new in the box usually brings them back to some sort or reality.

[Not A Duster]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

I still like goin' to the local antique auto associations spring swap meet.

After a winter of frozen hell, it's one of the first opportunities to get out & socialise with other "car folks." Even if I don't buy anything....

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

Speed, I've found deals, but the real cheap deals always came from friends of friends. An example is the freebie 850 double pumper sitting on the Impala.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

And if you really want to win some new friends, serve up free ice water (it's worked for South Dakota's Wall Drug Store for about 80 years).

I went there last summer Still have the complimetary plastic cup :D

I've always enjoyed Pomona. I haven't walked away with much, one of my friends bought a car from there once.

[milkovich]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

Why Milkovich hates swap meets:

1. 12 bolts- The seller used a stick welder to put ladderbar brackets on it, then apparently drug it behind the trailer on the way to the show to grind them off again, now (minus carrier) they have the audacity to ask $350?

2. "621" bellhousings- apparently, every bellhousing chevrolet ever produced had the part number "SIX TWO ONE" on it. They were also all manufactured out of billet titanium...

3. The catch 22- Firebird/Esprit/formula fenders cost more than TA fenders because they're rare and there were probably more TA's produced. Conversely, TA fenders cost more because they're for a higher optioned car that's more desireable. To the first guy I say "That's why I'm building a skybird clone out of my 400 TA!" to the second guy I say "I've got a basket case 403 car I hate to sell... but it's yours for $55k, my loss, your gain." I used to buy these for target practice... now I want to use the seller's tow vehicle instead.

4. Muncies and Toploaders- I'm too angry to even talk about this one but lets just say that tremec is never going to go out of business.

5. Consoles- "Buddy, the one I have looks better than this... that's why I need a new one... also, you forgot the decimal point, it looks like you're asking $500 for this piece of junk, no need to thank me, I just didn't want you to look stupid"

6. Anything that came off an LS1 car or can bolt to it- Running cars are worth $5-6k but their drivetrains are clearly worth $4000.


*SIGH*... see you guys the first weekend in May.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Speedy Says: Why I Hate Swap Meets

got some sweet louvered 71 firebird fenders at the rhinebeck swapmeet in 1987