Car meets are the glue of the local automotive community. They are a wonderful place where like-minded people gather to discuss what they share in common, a fervent passion for everything automotive. Whether it is your first meet, or you're a seasoned veteran, car meets are a fantastic way of gauging the pulse of your city’s local car culture.
Updated April 2022: Every car enthusiast remembers their first car meet. These events are the hallmark of spring and summer, and in order for you to make the best of them, we've updated this list with more car meet dos and don'ts every gearhead should follow.
Not only that, but car meets are often the birthplace of car enthusiasts. They are often the first real memory an enthusiast has of loving cars. Car meets also help expose people to new genres of car they would not otherwise be exposed to. Where else can you find a heavily modified Mustang GT, sitting across the way from a Pagani Huayra?
That being said, if you are planning on attending a local meet soon, it is important to know what to do and what not to do, as established by long-held traditions and common sense. It is also important to know the things you should absolutely steer clear of doing. That is due to the fact that not all is perfect in the world of car meets. Because just like everything else in the world, they are often ruined by jerks. Jerks that do wildly stupid, reckless things that can quickly shut a meet down, or worse, actually hurt someone.
So, if there is a car meet looming on your schedule, or you plan ongoing in the future, read this list of 11 car meet dos and 12 definite don’ts.
23 Do: Ask Questions
Looking like a total noob will happen at your first car meet. From where to start, to what kind of car is that, you will have a million questions, and it's important to ask away. You will never learn anything new about any of the cars in question, and you might end up lost and looking at cars of spectators and not show cars.
Asking questions will also open the door to new friendships or conversations that you may never have had before. Finally, asking questions can help inspire your own car build. Learning about new parts, methods of installation, or even an entirely new model you never thought of before. Don't be quiet, and do ask plenty of questions during your first car meet.
22 Do: Show Up Early
It is absolutely essentially if you plan on having an enjoyable time at any car meet you attend, to arrive early to the meet and comfortably secure you spot. Depending on the specific type of meet, whether Cars and Coffee, Caffeine and Octane, or some other flavor of car meet, they are often jam-packed with eager attendees.
It is not just other cars you have to worry about either, it’s the massive crowds that always seem to congregate at just the right spot to perfectly inhibit your safe entrance. Showing up early is also a great way of seeing the best cars in action.
Seeing your favorite cars sat stationary is still something worthwhile, but there is nothing comparable to seeing them in action, even if it is just watching them maneuver into a parking spot. So, don’t forget to set your alarm clock for that obscenely early hour, and get ready to either park up, or be on the lookout for your favorite cars. Just as an aside, why are car meets always held at inhumanly early hours?
21 Do: Bring Water and Sunblock
Okay, you finally decided on the perfect car meet that you have your heart set on attending. You arrive early, and eagerly anticipate the arrival of the bulk of the meet’s lineup. Then it hits you, you will be spending the next few hours walking around the baking asphalt, completely unprotected from the sun. An hour into it, you realize that because of the sun, you are now incredibly thirsty, but the only water around is from an overpriced vendor.
So, the car meet ends, and you are now the proud owner of the world’s worst sunburn and are out of pocket on the world’s most overpriced bottle of water. Definitely not a good start to your journey into the world of car meets. That is why is imperative to not let yourself get too fixated on the cars at the car meet and forget the essentials to taking care of yourself. Our rule of thumb is to always prepare as if you are going to the beach, that way you are covered on multiple fronts.
20 Do: Make New Friends
This is probably the most important thing you should remember to do. Car meets are wonderful in their ability to bring together what has traditionally been a polarized, and often times volatile, community. It is the great equalizer of car events, where you can mingle with you local Bugatti owners, as well as people from the after-market community. Being a smorgasbord of diverse backgrounds, it is imperative to make an effort to make some new friends.
Again, this is probably easier said than done, especially if you are skewed towards the introvert side. That being said, there are ways to break the ice with strangers at car meets. The easiest and way of is to ask an owner about their car.
If there is one thing car enthusiasts like almost as driving their cars, it is talking about their cars. It is also a great strategy to walk around to all the different sections, do not get overly comfortable staying in the same circle, this is the car meet equivalent of hanging by the punch bowl at a dance. So, venture forth, young Padawan, and make all the friends your little heart can manage.
19 Do: Be Open to New Styles
Okay, full disclosure, we all have our preferences. Some people love classic cars. Others can’t stop obsessing about all things JDM. Then you have your muscle car fanatics, super car lovers, and all the eclectic and increasingly niche subsets that lie somewhere along the automotive spectrum. If you are attending a general car meet, and not something with a specific theme (think of a Porsche-only event), then you have before yourself an incredible opportunity to be exposed to cars that are entirely new to you and that you otherwise would be unable to see in your daily life.
Being open is why it is important to remember to explore around and taste the meet’s different offerings. Think of it like buffet, you would never fill up on purely chicken wings, would you? No, you get a bit of everything, and always eat too much. Alright, the analogy kind of falls apart at the end, but the sentiment is correct. This does mean you have to be open-minded enough to appreciate someone else’s style and car. With cars, as in life, keeping an open mind opens new doors to possibilities and opportunities that otherwise would not have existed, so please, explore without prejudice.
18 Do: Bring the Whole Family
As we have mentioned before, car meets are a fantastic way of bringing people of incredibly diverse backgrounds together under the banner of common interest. What we didn’t mention is that it is also a great way of bringing together people with starkly different interests. We are talking of course, about your family.
You see, just because you obsess day in and day out about your cars, does not mean your family shares the same level of passion. Usually, it's not even close. If you are lucky, they will have a passive ambivalence about your extracurricular hobby.
Whether that be your significant other, children, or some other member of your extended family, car meets are great ways of exposing them to your favorite pass time. Show them the product of the hours of time and money you pour into your car. It can also be a great way of turning some members of your family into aspirant car enthusiasts themselves. At the very least, it will give your family a deeper understanding of what you are passionate about and why. Plus, car meets can definitely be tons of fun, even for those who are not their because they love cars.
17 Do: Take Lots of Pictures
With the proliferation of social media, and the ubiquity of high-quality cameras on smartphones, taking pictures has got to be one of the most obvious things to do when attending a car meet. But in the heat of the moment, you may begin to feel self-conscious about taking pictures of a stranger’s car. Don’t! Everyone at a car meet is there because they are passionate about their cars and are more than willing to share their projects with you and your camera.
Car meets are also fantastic ways of building a social media following nowadays. At the very least, you may just discover a new hobby in photography. Just beware and be cautious, because despite the typically characteristic openness of car owners at car meets, every once in a while, you will come across an unwilling soul, dead set on sharing their vehicle to all your Instagram followers.
Because of this, as a means of common courtesy, always ask for permission when taking pictures up close and personal of someone’s car. Car meets are equally great at launching YouTube channels. Given the new wave of car spotters, you definitely would not be alone.
16 Do: Bring Plenty of Detailing Supplies
This particular tip is for those actively participating in the car meet. Now, bringing your own car to a car meet can be an especially nerve-racking experience. You are experiencing anxiety from countless sources. Whether that is you worrying about how your car will be received, how the audience will treat your car, or if there will be any kids out there hell-bent on scratching your car. With all these thoughts running through your head it can be easy to properly prepare your car for the meet.
We are not just talking about giving your car a quick wash and wax either. Throughout the course of the meet, even just the drive over to the location, your car will accumulate some dirt. Nothing ruins that sweet IG post faster than a dirty car.
This is why bringing supplementary detailing products should be at the top of every car owner’s list when preparing for a car meet. It does not take much either, get a decent quality microfiber towel, and some quick spray detailer, and you got yourself a winning combination sure to have your car looking fresh for the public. Now all you have to hope for, is that no unattended kids lay into the clear coat.
15 Do: Follow Proper Parking Etiquette
This might be the most anxiety-ridden moment of any car owner’s odyssey into the world of car meets. It has become a point of pride to be a good parker, specifically, being able to back in a car. Now, to begin with, you should always listen to the event organizers, as they will typically be directing traffic to designated locations. Furthermore, if no event organizers are assuming this responsibility, it is crucial that you quickly survey the parking lot and observe the trend in cars already parked.
What we mean is, at most car meets, cars will usually back in, but that is a general rule, not a universal law. Therefore, it would be prudent to quickly determine what is the prevailing method of parking at this particular meet. When it actually comes to parking, just remember to be calm, and ask for help if necessary. Parking between six-figure exotics is not the time to let your pride get a hold of you. So, do not be shy to ask any spectator around to help guide you in. Also, unless otherwise given explicit permission to do so, do not be the person that takes up multiple spaces. It just looks bad on your part.
14 Do: Dress Comfortably
Okay, this is definitely a too-often overlooked one, and objectively subjective. T-shirts and shorts would be a comfortable option for Californians, but sure death for Minnesotans. So the first step when preparing for a car meet, is to check the weather and dress accordingly. This is already something you probably planned to do anyway, especially if you are a convertible owner. Those five minutes can be a lifesaver if you live in a region with a volatile weather pattern.
As you may or may not know, car meets inevitably mean extended minutes of idle standing, brisk walking, and occasionally running under the right circumstances (think Ferrari 812 about to exit parking lot).
Before you know it, all this activity has tested the limits of your shoes' arch support, and the strength of your deodorant. Add humidity to the situation, and things only continue to get worse. Therefore, it is crucial to bring the right gear that allows you flexibility and comfort. Seriously, you are doing yourself a huge favor. So, be wise and keep those leather-studded chaps at home for this one.
13 Do: Have Fun!
This is the single most important thing you must keep in mind when planning your time at a car meet. At the end of the day, having fun is the whole premise of your attending a car event in the first place. As is often in life, unfortunately, you could easily get bogged down in the mire of logistics and social nuances, and completely forget the reason that brought you to the car meet world in the first place. An open environment, where people congregate to enjoy themselves and their common passions.
Remind yourself that cars are meant to be enjoyed, and more specifically as it relates to car meets, meant to be shared and experienced. Their cars being the points of pride for many gear heads, it is easy to take something as seemingly relaxed like a car meet too seriously. Few things ruin an otherwise fun experience faster than taking yourself too seriously. With all this being said, you are now equipped with a list of things to do when attending a car meet, now all that is left to do is to give you the run down on 10 things you absolutely should not do at a car meet.
12 Don’t: Start A Rev-Off
Full disclosure, at one point or another, you will, as a car enthusiast, feel the urge to do something pointedly stupid. One of those dumb things that are often the quickest to get a meet shut down, or at the very least, attract unwanted attention from the fuzz, is 2-stepping in the parking lot. This is an especially egregious party foul if you happen to have a straight piped car, which basically means you're treating the audience to the sounds of thunder. We realize how tempting it is to show off that sweet blow-off valve you just installed, but it is important for you to exercise a little temperance and spare the general public’s ear drums.
As far as rev-offs go, which are as the name implies ridiculous battles involving your car’s exhaust systems. This is about as bad as 2-stepping. Typically, these start with two guys arguing over whose car either sounds better, or is just plain louder. Only one of these is actually quantifiable, neither, however, actually matter. Although, we have to admit, shooting flames is pretty cool.
11 Don't: Encourage Bad Behavior
As we have said before, 2-stepping in the parking lot is a bad idea. This bad idea, however, is often brought about by the instigation of members of public. The throngs of camera-wielding spectators are almost insatiable in their lust from increasingly sketchy behavior. Shouting and cheering for loud revving cars, and burnouts do not do anyone any favors, including those doing the shouting.
The most salient example of crowds encouraging bad behavior has to be the crowding of car meet exits. You know exactly what we are talking about, if not, let us paint you a picture: you are leaving a car show, you have a loud, rowdy V-8, and you see a bunch of people at the exit egging you on to power slide out of the meet. You are mildly responsible so at first you are hesitant, but a few more cheers and the promise of Instagram fame seal the deal for you.
What happens next is something that has happened all too often, because we almost forgot to mention, you are driving a Mustang. We have all seen the infamous videos of wild behavior going terribly wrong, and we are not suggesting the crowds are at fault here. But what we are saying, is that it is best to try to discourage such behavior, and the most effective way to do that is to ignore it, not reward it.
10 Don't: Do Donuts... Seriously
Like the loud revving and the 2-stepping, doing donuts, whether in the parking lot or an adjacent street, is a awful idea. In fact, it is a substantially worse idea than just revving loudly. The only real danger from 2-stepping is from damaged ear drums, with donuts, however, we could be talking serious injuries to bystanders.
Not only that, cops will absolutely not tolerate this, and will all but immediately shut down the car meet and may obstruct any future possibilities of holding car meets at that particular location. If that is not enough of a deterrent for possible tire-slaying rogues, know that those same police officers can go as far as impounding your vehicle if they feel you pose a great enough harm to the surrounding bystanders.
This is serious stuff, as it should be. Car meets are events designed to be enjoyable for people of all ages. One of the prerequisites of having a successful car meet, is to ensure the safety of all participants. So, doing donuts is a strict no-no for those looking to go a local car meet. You have been warned, be safe and exercise sound judgement when showing off your pride and joy.
9 Don't: Touch Other People's Cars Without Their Permission
This is everyone’s pet peeve. No one likes the person that goes around putting their dirty paws all over your shiny, clean paint. This is especially prevalent among the non-car enthusiasts that attend their occasional car meet. This is a function of both ignorance and ambivalence. We like to think that these are well-intentioned people who simply let the exuberance of beautiful cars temporarily override sounder judgment.
Sometimes, however, these well-intentioned people can lead to some serious damage. From scratches to dents, many car meet veterans have stories of wayward bystanders ruining their car without the slightest shame. Even worse still, are the wretched group of people who are not well-intentioned, and who instead have malevolent intentions when they attend a car meet. Whether jealousy or pure evil, sometimes bystanders will purposely wound your baby. This is both cruel and excessive, but something that has happened before.
This is why it is always important to ask the car owner for permission to touch the car, whether that be for a picture, or something else. This is especially true if you are trying to get inside their car. Common sense, despite being seemingly uncommon, should be followed carefully at all times.
8 Don't: Start An Impromptu Drag Race
This is another one of those things that falls under the stupid category. We get it though, the exuberance of youth often prevails over better temperance, but still, it’s a bad idea. As we have already covered, doing any of these can lead to losing your car, or even someone losing their life. Drag racing is also a common feature at car meets. Nothing especially organized, perhaps something as simple as coming across your local car meet rival at a stop sign. Regardless, this is not something you want to be taking part in, because it is both dangerous and, again, stupid.
For that matter, we should also caution those attending car meets to obey all traffic laws. Not just speed limits either, though that is obviously an important one and one that is often the point of greatest contention at car meets. As well as speed limits, it's also important to make sure you avoid the oft-cited “exhibition of speed” ticket. This is not the same as speeding, what this means is, that people who quickly accelerate or rev their engines. We have already covered the trappings of revving, but quickly accelerating is also something to be aware of as you are exiting or arriving at a car meet.
7 Don't: Complain About Other Cars in Attendance
Being “salty”, as the kids say, is when you assume the state of mind of a hater. Someone who only has one objective, brings others down. Whether that be through snide remarks, sour looks, or a combination thereof, car meets are filled with people getting their hate on. That is because the car community is a microcosm of the world at large. Filled with mostly decent, kind people, but also host to a seething, ugly underbelly where people thrive off disrespecting others. That is why, when attending a car meet, you should do your utmost to make sure you steer clear of any such behavior.
Complaining just is not an attractive trait. It is only exacerbated when what you're complaining about it something as subjective as which car looks or is better.
Complaining affects more than just yourself too, it has a pernicious effect on all those who happen to be misfortunate enough to be around you. It casts a negative cloud over what should otherwise be a pleasant event. In extreme cases, complaining could lead to confrontations when the owner of the object of your complaints decides they have had enough. This is really just a friendly reminder to be kind and avoid cynicism.
6 Don't: Feel Intimidated Attending Your First Meet
This one is almost unavoidable. It can be a scary thing to attend your first car meet, especially if this is your first time going, and you are going by yourself. It is almost like moving to a new school halfway through the year. You show up as the new kid, while everyone else as already established their respective cliques.
This is, in some sense, an accurate representation of car meets. You will often see people communing in groups, but that is definitely not to say that the car community is cliquey. So, while you may be the new kid on the block, it is important to remember that everyone has gone through this before.
Not only that, the car community, despite its less than savory elements, is an overwhelmingly positive community. Being bashful may be your first reaction to venturing into an entirely new environment, but do not be surprised when you feel the full front of the community’s embrace. Just like bonding over sports, few things can bring two seemingly antithetical people together like a shared passion for cars. So, get out there and do not feel frightened by the strangers in the crowds, because as the saying goes, a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.
5 Don't: Disrespect Event Organizers
Organizers are often the unsung heroes of car meets. They handle the logistics, promotion, and vendor coordination, all of which typically go unappreciated. Add to this, the monumental task of trying to wrangle a bunch of antsy car enthusiasts eager for mischief, and you got yourself a recipe for a thankless and taxing job. This is why you should do your best to try to express your appreciation to these organizers, for all the work they have put in, especially considering a lot of them are doing this on a solely voluntary basis.
One of the best ways of expressing your appreciation and gratitude, aside from actually saying thank you (which you should totally do), is to dutifully follow their instruction and refrain from being a rampaging hooligan. Every dumb move someone at a car meet does is added pressure and anxiety to the event organizers.
Not only that, participants in the car meets are often resentful of organizers due to what they perceive as unfair or overly restrictive regulations. When in doubt, just follow the golden rule, and treat the event organizers the way you would expect and hope to be treated if you were in their position
4 Don't: Lie About Your Car's Specs
Committing this sin at a car meet will do many things for you and your reputation, none of which are good or should be aspired to. When you lie to someone about how much power your car makes, or maybe just exaggerate the actual figures, you are putting leaving yourself wide open.
That is because, if there is one thing car enthusiasts are good at, is reading through BS power figures. This ability is another point of pride for gear heads, and that in of itself is also easy to explain. You see, in the car world, how much power your car puts down is the equivalent of how big your stick was in primal times.
On top of that, boasting about your cars inflated power figures makes you look petty and small, much like your cars power figures. Okay, that last part was probably hurtful, but that is part of the point. Your cars power numbers today are a reflection of where it is currently at, not where it will be at. Every person at a car meet will recognize that and be accordingly supportive in your car’s journey. So, there is really no need to lie or embellish.