Cars and Coffee is a great way to hang out with other gear heads - but if you've never been, here's what you need to know.
Basically, Cars and Coffee is an organized car/owner meet-up where beautiful vehicles and their owners come together. Along with this, thousands of spectators usually join in for the sights and sounds. These events happen almost every week in countless locations, with new people joining each time.
Over the years Cars & Coffee has become a global phenomenon where thousands of spectators usually join in for the sights and sounds. These events happen almost every week in countless locations, with new people joining each time and it's time we had one here in our town.
Being a rookie in this area can be somewhat intimidating, so, to alleviate this struggle, here are a few things you need to know about attending a Cars and Coffee event...
The Early Bird Gets The Worm
A big part of the Cars and Coffee events is, obviously, their cars. However, the importance of early-morning coffee along with that makes the world of a difference. Therefore, being there on time will be an important goal to strive for. This is a no registration event so the best spots go to the cars that get there first.
Those who sleep in miss the best that the car community has to offer.
They Have Some Of The Nicest Cars At Their Shows
If you want to look at million-dollar hypercars, you could, of course, go to a high-end dealership or even a racetrack. Although, these options don't always yield impressive results (Depending on your tastes). What does always seem to have a litany of jaw-dropping cars, though, are the Cars and Coffee events.
Of all the car shows and car meets there are to attend, few have the same standard, quality, and cost of their vehicles as does those at Cars and Coffee. If you go to one of these events, especially in a large/affluent cities, expect to see at least a few Ferrari's and Lamborghini's, and possibly a million-dollar car like Bugatti's and so on.
The Rich And Famous Often Attend
As mentioned beforehand, the Cars and Coffee shows have some of the coolest cars on the planet in attendance. These cars, however, are not loaned by dealerships or rented for the weekend, but bought and owned by unique individuals. As such, you'll probably meet some famous/rich drivers while you're there.
It's A Social Club
The car community and car culture appears to be misunderstood by a vast majority of the non-car-obsessed population. Many believe that all we want is to go fast and be a nuisance, but the opposite is true. In reality, car enthusiasts just want a place to hangout and be around those with a like mind. This is where Cars and Coffee comes in...
Before Cars and Coffee, car meets were usually smaller, with few attending on a regular basis (Let alone a standardized planning system). With Cars and Coffee's inception, though, car lovers can finally have a frequent and consistent place to make friends, socialize, and have fun. After all, the Cars and Coffee club isn't just to see vehicles, but to function as a social club, as well.
Don't Try To Show Off Your Rust-Bucket
KIDDING! We love those old rare barn finds and its even better when they’re original and drives! We’re talking about those poorly tuned rice-burners you would find at a Walmart parking lot at three in the morning. Cars and Coffee events are organized, high-class, and structured and want cars like those out of magazines for the great stories and the photos!
They're In Nearly Every Country
Although Cars and Coffee is a fairly new creation (In the grand scheme of things), they have still grown substantially as a business and brand. With this growth, they've been able to expand their reach around the globe; now with hundreds of C&C locations.
Whether you're in the United States, Europe, Chile, or just about anywhere else, odds are you aren't too far away from a future Cars and Coffee meet-up. They frequently change venues and post information, so to best see what's near you, check their website or Google.
No Illegal Activity
Car meets and get-togethers are supposed to be a calm, relaxing, and fun experience for everyone involved. Individuals should feel safe and surrounded by friends.
At a normal car meet, you may see someone do a burnout or two, however, police do not like this activity. As a result, with Cars and Coffee's tries to adhere to the law so acts like those are fun but frowned upon.
Look, Don't Touch
With so many beautiful, jaw-dropping, and "Only in a dream" cars, it can be tempting to open the door, get inside, and feel what it's like to be behind the wheel of such a machine. Nonetheless, this isn't something you should do without the owner's approval. The motto "look, but don't touch" still applies at Cars and Coffee, as well.
Since these cars are, usually, very expensive, owners can find themselves waking-up in a cold sweat at night, terrified about whether their vehicle is alright. Please, don't make it any worse by putting your hands all over the cars. The last thing anyone wants to deal with is a needless cosmetic repair, especially if it's on a Ferrari or something much more costly.
Mind The Photographers
When you have tons of multi-million dollar cars packed into one place, it's going to draw a lot of attention. After all, these cars attract more than just car enthusiasts, but people from all walks of life. Some of these individuals are the photographers.
With the rise of social media and technology, more and more people are finding careers in social media marketing and vehicle photography. As such, you'll probably see tons of photographers trying to earn their way at the event. It's best to be courteous around them, as they are not just here for the fun, but for a potential paycheck too. Just don't get in the way of any good shots!
Be Kind
This piece of advice can extend to multiple aspects of life, not just etiquette for attending car meets. Nonetheless, it's an important lesson to learn when interacting with others: Just be kind to people.
Since the Cars and Coffee events are, basically, a huge social gathering of like-minded people, it's best to not stir things up with attendees. If you are frequently breaking rules, interrupting photographers, and being a rude/nuisance to everyone else.
Simply put, be courteous and you will have an undoubtedly great time.