Its the only decent event so its a must go in my book!
I was thinking about going to Stoneleigh this year, but not in the toy car - my missus recently had a minor op and can't travel in it without
some discomfort. Certainly not for 150 miles at a time!!
So I thought I'd take the tin-top... but then I started to work out the cost...
Petrol - it's a round trip of about 300 miles, which will add up to £25+ each way, so £50 approx.
Entry - 2 adults, £30
Rubbish food and a warm beer each - £20
So, probably around £100 to drive across the middle of England on a Bank Holiday, queue up for ages to get in, a few hours wandering around looking at
nice cars (the good bit), a few hours moaning about the lack of decent car-related stalls and the proliferation of trash ones, then a long tedious
drive home in heavy traffic on boring roads.
I'm not building at the moment, so I don't have a shopping list.
I'm not sure that I can raise the enthusiasm...
Am I alone? Am I turning into Victor Meldrew?
All good comments from Mr David 'Meldrew' Jenkins!!
Its the only decent event so its a must go in my book!
It is a bit pricey for a day out, £90 fuel and entry, but we've never been before so we're going and taking our own food and drink with us. It's not the cost of the entry that bothers me so much as the damn fuel price to get there.
take you own food and drink and eat in at the car, thats -£20
"fuel £25 each way" 
Get a more economical car, my astra diesel does 250 miles plus on £25
quote:
Originally posted by omega0684
take you own food and drink and eat in at the car, thats -£20
"fuel £25 each way"
Not been for few years primarily due to time/family/other constraints. Thought about going this year for a day out, but can't justify the fuel cost. Food and drink don't figure as I always pack my own any way.
Jesus £25 to 250 miles I just bought a m3 convertible and I filled the tank £84 and driving steady on cruise control managed 270 miles
I then filled it up again and was blasting about some b roads and used z tank in 180 miles 
Oh well good fun though 
The only thing that's really changed is the cost of petrol...
Entry is the same as last year and travel costs have gone up for everyone. Cost of travelling down to Stoneleigh for me has gone up from £1.10 to
£1.30/l for me, same as every one.
I don't see that as an excuse not to come! Weather is already much better than the last 2 years and I'm looking forward to it and meeting up
with fellow locosters....
Its only 2 days so not much food required?? I'm simple in that a couple of pot noodles and some pastry goods from the supermarket, maybe a
couple of yoghurts?? Oh, and some whiskey, coke and bottles of water
Its a 400 mile round trip for us and we are all chatting about it and looking forward....
Personally I would not go unless it was in my toy car - free admission makes it worth the trip .... but only just these days. All the shows are
getting too 'samey' with no real changes to the usual suspects. MEV are about the only really new manufacturer at the moment aren't
they?
I'm still addicted though
quote:
Originally posted by omega0684
take you own food and drink and eat in at the car, thats -£20
"fuel £25 each way"
quote:
Originally posted by big_l
Jesus £25 to 250 miles I just bought a m3 convertible and I filled the tank £84 and driving steady on cruise control managed 270 miles
I then filled it up again and was blasting about some b roads and used z tank in 180 miles
Oh well good fun though
What never changes is... a thread every year about it being too expensive!
If the Mrs can't go in the kit, don't take her. Thats £30 entry saved plus her food. She'll probably be happy not to be spending the
day with a grumpy old git anyway. 
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
If the Mrs can't go in the kit, don't take her. Thats £30 entry saved plus her food. She'll probably be happy not to be spending the day with a grumpy old git anyway.
why would you want to take the other half? Mercedes from hollyoaks will be there on monday, you wont be able to say hello to her her if you bring
your oher half
How much will the hotel be this year Ash?
hmm still thinking about it.
Count yourself lucky you live so close.
It's 633 miles there and 633 miles home for me.
Plus one, or maybe two nights hotel accommodation, as I want a shower/nice bed after that distance.
But it's only once a year. So why not.
quote:
Originally posted by coozer
How much will the hotel be this year Ash?
quote:
Originally posted by ken555
Count yourself lucky you live so close.
It's 633 miles there and 633 miles home for me.
Plus one, or maybe two nights hotel accommodation, as I want a shower/nice bed after that distance.
But it's only once a year. So why not.
dont see Stoneleigh as being different to any other 'event' car related or otehrwise. Can't imagine not going to a concert because the
cost of getting there is too high! Food/drink at just about any public show is relatively expensive - that's the accepted downside of not taking
a picnic/bbq or whatever else.
I suppose everyone has a slightly different reason for attending these car shows, would be builders, people who want to visit the parts/trade stands,
those who want to catch up with pals from other parts of the country or who like looking at a collection of 'kits' and of course those that
use it as a great excuse for a run out in their toy - personally if i wasn't travelling there with a group of pals which gives the chance for
banter then i wouldnt bother. Not because of the cost, but because i'd rather be driving the car, not parking it up for 2 days.
I've been going to Stoneleigh since the '80s. Always camp. (Used to be over on the righthand side 'til all those bloody Caterhams
started turning up... )
I always pay on entrance and feed myself with a big breakfast, followed in the evening by burnt meat with the club. Sure, my beer costs are sometimes
a bit high, but otherwise it's cheap enough! About 240 miles there and back, 40mpg+...
My main issue with Stoneleigh is that it's the same stuff every year. The only reason for going is to catch up with people. It's not even
as if you can buy cheap tools or parts any more - eBay is perfectly good for that.
Interesting that the two 'up North' people who have posted so far would be prepared to travel to Stoneleigh but others have said they'd
not travel to an LB club weekend event.
http://locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/16/viewthread.php?tid=152738
(Not necessarily saying that the opinion is shared by all, just interesting to note)
Chris
[Edited on 4/20/2011 by ChrisW]
OK lets add up what it cost me for the weekend.
Fuel for 1185.2 miles - £171.79
Hotel for 2 nights - £51.00
Food - £16.84
Total = £239.63
My cost:
£30 entry for two
£60 fuel
Total £90
We took our own food and were going to drive home but the weather was nice and we saw a pub as we left so decided to stay nearby in Travel Lodge in
Coventry and went to Coventry city centre on the Monday. What a dump, wished I could have gone back to the show, the weather was great for the first
time in 4-5 years that I've been going.
between me and my friend we managed to spend a total of nearly 300 between us, but that include food that we took and bought their. few bits we
bought, 60 entery managing to just about keep up when adithorp let us lol.
tbh fuel was probs the cheapest part of our trip. less than 25 from manchester and back