Triple-M Register
Triple-M Register
Home | Events | My Files | Policies | Profile | Register for the forum | Active Topics | Subscribers | Search | Locate Subscribers | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Triple-M Register Forums
 General Information
 Where have all the young people gone?
 Forum Locked  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly
Previous Page | Next Page
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic
Page: of 7

Cathelijne

Netherlands
744 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2019 :  18:57:13  Show Profile
Outside of our group, there’s another handful of boys (and a girl!!!) in their late twenties to early thirties who have their own Triple-Ms, but they were all infested by their parents, so I initially left them out !
Go to Top of Page

colintf

United Kingdom
1473 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2019 :  20:13:28  Show Profile
quote:
Originally posted by Cathelijne

Outside of our group, there’s another handful of boys (and a girl!!!) in their late twenties to early thirties who have their own Triple-Ms, but they were all infested by their parents, so I initially left them out !



That sounds like our friends the Bronkhurst's and they are coming over to Prewar Prescott

Colin Murrell
D0285
Photographer for MGCC (LeMans Classic, Oldtimer Grand Prix etc) & MG Motor (BTCC 2012-5)
http://www.triple-mracing.com/
Go to Top of Page

Ian Grace

USA
650 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2019 :  20:15:23  Show Profile
I think another problem is the growing relative anachronism of our cars compared to the current moderns and current road conditions which make driving pre-war cars increasingly challenging. I was chatting to a dealer last week who reported, "Pre-war cars are now becoming a bit more difficult to sell as interest is switching more to the classics. So we tend to buy sporting classics such as MGBs, TDs, Austin Healeys, etc."

I bought my first 'old car' in 1976 when I was a 22 year old student. All my friends thought I'd lost the plot. It was a 1937 Morris 8 tourer (traded against my 'modern' 1968 Triumph Herald), so it was 39 years old at the time. Apply that to today and I'd be buying a 1980 car!

Go to Top of Page

Ian Grace

USA
650 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2019 :  20:19:53  Show Profile
Colin, mention of PWP prompts me to note that we do everything we can there to get the youngsters involved and up the hill - not least of whom are the Air Cadets. We make sure that they all get at least one run. A couple of years ago, we had a particularly keen Cadet to talked his way into about a dozen climbs in as many different pre-war cars!
Go to Top of Page

KJ1592

United Kingdom
449 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2019 :  20:19:59  Show Profile
This subject is close to home for me. I’m 40 years old, so not exactly young. I’ve always been brought up around pre war cars, especially MG’s as my dad was given a D type in the 60’s which he restored with my grandad.

I would dearly love to own a pre war MG. I have a decent job with a reasonable income, I’m a mechanical engineer by trade and I have the interest. Despite all this I still cannot afford the 20k + to buy and run a MMM car.

Wages over the past 10 years have barely increased for the common man and certainly have not kept up with inflation. Therefore I don’t have as much spending money as I did a decade ago. In contrast, since the economy crashed 10 years or so ago and investors looked to put their money into other things the price of classic cars including MMM cars has sky rocketed. The gap between my disposable income and the cost of buying and running a MMM car has never been greater.

If someone who has a decent job, the interest and the mechanical know how to run a pre war car can’t manage to own one then it’s no wonder not many younger people are getting into the hobby. Sad but true.

Cheers, Ian

Go to Top of Page

beautymate

United Kingdom
365 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2019 :  20:28:53  Show Profile
I'm 38 and have been doing MMM cars since I was 20. I love them and can't get enough of them. I'd say slightly addicted but if you asked my wife she would definitely say addict!
I have been brought up with these cars and if it wasn't for my dad I probably wouldn't be doing them know.
I have deffo spent considerably more than 20k on my MMM cars but I think it's worth it and sacfice other things in life to be able to do them.
I'm working on my 20 month old son to get him interested as I want him to have my cars when I'm to old






Chris
Go to Top of Page

JLP

United Kingdom
86 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  05:59:24  Show Profile
There are obviously many factors affecting the lack of involvement in MMM cars by a younger generation. The capital cost of acquiring one is clearly a significant one. MMM cars have steadily risen in value over the last 50 years, but is this going to continue? A decline will increase the chances of a younger generation being involved.
The stark reality is that over the next 10 or 20 years, more and more of the MMM owning baby boomers will die and their cars will come on the market. I suspect that the supply/demand situation will not, in the UK, support the present prices. I think that this decline is more likely to affect the 'standard' M,J,P etc rather than the rare, exotic and historically significant cars.
I just cannot see how the demand side will be maintained by a younger generation, for the reasons already elaborated by previous posts, and thus surely prices will fall in the UK? I have no opinion on what could happen on the international stage.
Now, whether my assessment is correct or not, only time will tell. And whether that is a healthy development for the continuing use of MMM cars, I do not really know, but I suspect it might help.

Jeremy Prince
J4227
Go to Top of Page

AndrysPosthuma

Netherlands
164 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  07:33:33  Show Profile
Following this with interest, and I fully agree with Onno on the cost factor. And thanks for the laughs, JohnE :-)

Jeremy, regarding the 'demand' side of things - wouldn't you expect that China will buy everything?

------------------------------
See my weblog on https://mgna0669.wordpress.com/
Go to Top of Page

JLP

United Kingdom
86 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  09:28:07  Show Profile
Andrys, yes, I was careful to say that I was talking about the UK supply/demand situation and that I did not have an opinion about the international scene. It may be that the demand in Asia, including China could be very significant. Is that what you are suggesting? If, so, and keeping to the thread of this post, is that a positive or negative aspect in respect of enabling the younger generation to be involved with MMM cars
Go to Top of Page

Pat B

United Kingdom
66 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  10:25:19  Show Profile
I think aside from the costing issue, one of the main reasons younger people aren't interested in pre-war cars is that we all love to own cars from the time when we were growing up ! So, if you're in your 30's, cars from 20-30 years ago will interest you. If you're in your 40's, cars from 30-40 years ago will interest you.....and if you're in your 70's, guess what ? Cars from 70-80 years ago will interest you the most !!

I was born in the early 60's and whilst I thoroughly enjoy my L-type and wouldn't change it for the world, I still have a hankering and passion for cars of the 50's, 60's & early 70's.....as these were the cars we talked about at school, at home and were on our bedroom walls.

Pat.
Go to Top of Page

Ben Stephens

United Kingdom
167 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  11:06:46  Show Profile
I am one of those rare breads being 38 and owning pre war cars without any other family involvement. I own a works supercharged PA, A 1934 Triumph Monte Carlo, a Morris 12/4 series III and a 1928 Peugeot 190.

I also belong to a group called the Beforty, for people under 40 with pre 1940 cars.

https://www.prewarcar.com/in-pictures-the-10th-beforty-rally-for-youngsters-with-prewarcars

What I will say is growing up out of the scene, ie no involvement it can appear quite a closed world. I remember when I bought my Hillman Minx at 19, ever so proud to take it to a rally to be told it’s not a thoroughbred and what was the point in owning such ‘porridge’.

All these are starter pre war cars, yet still acceptance in some circles is still very reluctant.

My fiancé who is 28 drives all the cars, yet, she turned up at an event and she got clapped when she parked. It didn’t really make her want to go back.

Don’t get me wrong, we have many lovely friends of all ages in the pre war car world, but, sometimes as an outsider it is not as welcoming as we would all like to think it is. I do a lot of miles, probably around 20k a year in pre war cars, mostly touring and camping, which is what we enjoy. I think there is a perception with things like the flying Scotsman that you need to pay a lot of money to take part and that the cars are not upto the mileage or modern traffic is prohibitive. We need to show they are useable assets, and the fun that can be had with them!

Ben

Go to Top of Page

colintf

United Kingdom
1473 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  12:41:57  Show Profile
you raise some very good points there Ben.
There is a need I think for the return of some of the old school MG events. MG Club de France just held a 3 day event that included the use of a circuit as an option. It was really really good value and camping was an option. MGCC Luxembourg also have similar great value weekends, again camping an option. The Dutch MMM weekend, again camping is an option. this all helps reduce costs and makes it a fun social event. Prewar Prescott is another great event event which encourages the next generations to get involved, again - camping to keep costs down and increase the fun factor. :)

Colin Murrell
D0285
Photographer for MGCC (LeMans Classic, Oldtimer Grand Prix etc) & MG Motor (BTCC 2012-5)
http://www.triple-mracing.com/
Go to Top of Page

geflackt

USA
52 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  12:53:19  Show Profile
We're running into the same issues here in the US, but I have noticed a slight uptick in the interest in vintage sports cars. I'm in my mid-40's and bought my first(and only!) pre-war MG in my mid-30's. It was actually the first pre-war car I had chance to get familiar with, but I had interest in getting a pre-war car for a few years. The Watkins Glen Vintage Festival pre-war group set off that spark.

What's needed is to show actual use of these cars. Race them, get them to driving events, and just get exposure besides sitting at a car show. Car shows are boring and being around other old cars makes everything feel older. A static car display feels like a museum piece. Prove that these cars can be driven. I'm only interested now in clubs that do actual driving and racing. (OK, I'll admit I've had my car on display at one event this year and took it to a British show 2 weeks ago but that's all I can handle).

Just out of college I bought a '65 Sprite because it was cheap and fit in my parent's garage. I found our local Austin-Healey Sports and Touring Club who would get out and do drives, rallies, and other "action" events. Sure, some people enjoyed the shows, but we were doing driving. Great group that had a range of ages of both cars and members. I grew up with a family that enjoyed old cars, but we never had any old cars, and this Healey club became our first "car family".

It's a lot about exposure of the cars. This past weekend I ran GUR963 in the Hershey Hillclimb. Our group of pre-war cars got a lot of the attention. We try to make it look easy and there was quite a bit of younger interest in the cars. If someone has enough interest, they'll find a way to get into one of these cars. Where there's a will....

Part of the lack of apparent interest is what I call the "development mentality" - a comparison problem. Since it's tough to put a quick rough comparison price on these cars, someone will move on to a car with an easy comparison. A lot of times people buy a development McMansion because it's easy to compare this house to the house down the street. Same with a relatively new car - easy to compare prices of new and used cars. But go back 30 or more years and it takes an effort to get a price and value. The "how much do these cost" question comes up every time which on some cars is a very tough question. Again, I try to find an "easy" comparison. And we're beginning to see some ways online to get a better picture of values.

There are a few of us locally who get out and drive our pre-war MG's, but there just aren't any local clubs for driving pre-war MG's. The vintage racing group is the best bet, although it's mostly track events with occasional rallies.

Get the young and old behind the wheel of these things. Highlight that they can be driven and useful. Or at least get someone hooked on a gateway vintage car!



'35 MG P Lester Special - GUR963.
Go to Top of Page

leckstein

USA
408 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  13:03:07  Show Profile
I am pessimistic regarding this subject, I bought my first sports car when I was 25. An old and somewhat worn 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider. Sold it some years later and in my 30's bought an MG TD. All three of my sons have grown up in a household very involved with MGs ,particularly T types. Yet for most of the reasons already mentioned, the oldest has no interest, as an adult, in old cars. The middle son is interested and has acquired with me three MMM cars, but he is very successful financially.He has no interest in club activities ( I am a Director in the New England MG T Register), yet he will not partake in our GOFs

My youngest son is also financially successful, but has been working overseas for 6 years ,first in Australia and then in Hong Kong, He hasn't owned any cars for the last 10 years, Now he has been transferred back to New York and has recently bought a "hobby car". To my surprise, a 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider. Go figure?

So even with an interest by two sons in classic sport cars, none are interested in any form of club activities.

All that is being discussed on this thread is constantly discussed at Board Meetings of the NEMGT Register. No solution found yet.

Mike L
Go to Top of Page

Npdavea

United Kingdom
269 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2019 :  15:14:19  Show Profile
A discussion with the VSCC might provide some enlightenment.
For some years now they have had a junior section of membership and in their magazine. They run events specifically for young people and you do see young people driving cars in the regular VSCC events, especially the trials.
I am sure some of these must be children of "old" members like us but not all.
This is a problem affecting all clubs and societies not just car clubs and requires a concerted effort or else as Andrys says all our cherished cars will eventually go to China!

D P Allen
Go to Top of Page
Page: of 7 Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
Previous Page | Next Page
 Forum Locked  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Triple-M Register © 2003-2024 MGCC Go To Top Of Page
Snitz Forums 2000