Millennials and the future of our cars.

[Rondor]

Lately there has been several articles in car mags. about where the collecting hobby is headed. Many interesting theories about what will appeal to future car enthusiast. It appears to me that the combination of technology and some retro appeal that the last t birds have will certainly have a place in the market. Look at the prices of street rods with a blend of power and technology with Granddads style. After all who would have "thunk" people would collect vinyl records or pay big bucks for a 4 door Buick.

[Sierra977]

Need a movie/series that has a Then Came Bronson/Easy Rider/On Any Sunday theme that includes a Thunderbird as vehicle.

Posted on another forum about how millennials are in the midst of an exodus from crowded cities.

Plot something like a young male/female couple cashes out of Silicon Valley, chucks their smart phones and goes off-grid searching for America.

[merlot4]

An interesting question, Ron. There are already countries that are in the process of mandating only EV by 2030 so that will also play a role.
https://electrek.co/2017/10/10/nethe...electric-cars/

[couture]

We have a problem with getting younger people to join our car club or to even be interested in old cars and hot rods. Also notice this in civic clubs ( Lions, Exchange Club, Rotary, etc. ). The younger generation does not seem interested in anything where they may have to contribute a little time or elbow grease. Is this a local thing or do you notice it elsewhere?

[4LOWBIRDS+7]

We have a problem with getting younger people to join our car club or to even be interested in old cars and hot rods. Also notice this in civic clubs ( Lions, Exchange Club, Rotary, etc. ). The younger generation does not seem interested in anything where they may have to contribute a little time or elbow grease. Is this a local thing or do you notice it elsewhere?

Same problem in East Tennessee. However when you do get a few young people involved they do a great job, so maybe there is hope.

[Jimr]

We have a problem with getting younger people to join our car club or to even be interested in old cars and hot rods. Also notice this in civic clubs ( Lions, Exchange Club, Rotary, etc. ). The younger generation does not seem interested in anything where they may have to contribute a little time or elbow grease. Is this a local thing or do you notice it elsewhere?

The youth in general want to do their networking electronically. At some point in time we will have a world of socially illiterate people.
Also realize that when we were kids our life revolved around our car. Today's kids could car less about cars and in fact I'm told a larger percentage of them don't even have a drivers license.

[11TH GEN]

The youth in general want to do their networking electronically. At some point in time we will have a world of socially illiterate people.
Also realize that when we were kids our life revolved around our car. Today's kids could car less about cars and in fact I'm told a larger percentage of them don't even have a drivers license.

Unfortunately, I think you are close to hitting on all cylinders there Jim.

[Sierra977]

My one and only son, when I asked him at age fifteen when he wanted to take driver's ed to get a driver's license at sixteen, calmly told me he would rather wait until he was eighteen so he didn't have to take driver's ed. And he did.

I am disappointed in my son for many reasons, but this is one.

[jayred1]

The youth in general want to do their networking electronically. At some point in time we will have a world of socially illiterate people.
Also realize that when we were kids our life revolved around our car. Today's kids could car less about cars and in fact I'm told a larger percentage of them don't even have a drivers license.

It may seem that way to us; however, it's all relative to your perspective If you look at our ancestors a few generations ago, their only method of social interaction was to talk in person and this was done to only those in close physical proximity - not a very big network for most. For most of our lives, it was only "in person", by mail, or telephone - very little "conversation by keyboard" and again, for most of our lives the numbers of people didn't extend very far because most of our business/commerce was done locally. Our kids/grandkids may seem to have more limited "in person" communication because a greater percentage of their day-to-day interactions are done electronically. But in many cases they still have their direct contact friends - probably just as many close friends as we have. But their business and social network extends much farther (worldwide), is much more diverse, and takes place at all hours ... all because of the internet.

They also know how to effectively and efficiently communicate via the keyboard (much better than us!) ... just watch how fast they can text a friend (social) or get an Uber ride (business) - in mere seconds. Most of us pre-internet would have to pull out a phone book, spend a minute looking it up, rotary dial a bunch of numbers (or talk to an operator??), and finally get connected with them - only to find out they weren't at home so no contact. We often frown upon their lack of person-to-person interaction, but they shake their head just as much at us for our inability to quickly converse via other media.

[merlot4]

[QUOTE=jayred1;n1017980]

It may seem that way to us; however, it's all relative to your perspective I/QUOTE]

[jerrym3]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Car interest isn't what it used to be.

None of my nephews want the retro. Neither one of my two daughters want the car either. My son/in/law isn't interested (he has a Dodge HEMI pickup), and my younger daughter's boyfriends have never gone nuts over the car. They look at it, admire it, but don't care about it that much. (One daughter wants the Galaxie, but she could never afford storage and/or repairs.)

And, none of these younger folks drive anything that could be considered more than basic transportation.

But, put a new cellphone on the market, and they buy one quicker than you can say WTF?

So, here sits a one year model (black/saddle) 2003 retro with under 24,000 garage kept miles, and nobody really gives a hoot.

[wcoates]

And, none of these younger folks drive anything that could be considered more than basic transportation.

But, put a new cellphone on the market, and they buy one quicker than you can say WTF?

So, here sits a one year model (black/saddle) 2003 retro with under 24,000 garage kept miles, and nobody really gives a hoot.

Jerry agree. None of my 4 children have a car interest other than starting and going from A to B.

Cellphones? Daughter -in law- and son had to have the new iPhone X asap at a cost of a small fortune.

Love the fact that there are low mileage cars out there for when I need a next one.

[EllisonCal]

Same problem in East Tennessee. However when you do get a few young people involved they do a great job, so maybe there is hope.

Ron, I belong to the Charleston Kiwanis Club and 10 years ago I was more concerned about our future than I am today. We have quite a few Millennials and Gen X-ers and the average age of our membership is now under 50 and with quite a few of us septuagenarians still attending. I think the idealism of the younger members is attracted to the Kiwanis goal of "Improving the world one child and one community at a time." We have a number of volunteers at "Reading Partners", which helps kids who are at least 6 months below their reading grade level. It is rewarding to both the student and the tutors. This changes a service club from just being a place to meet peers for lunch.

[Quickdraw]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Car interest isn't what it used to be.

None of my nephews want the retro. Neither one of my two daughters want the car either. My son/in/law isn't interested (he has a Dodge HEMI pickup), and my younger daughter's boyfriends have never gone nuts over the car. They look at it, admire it, but don't care about it that much. (One daughter wants the Galaxie, but she could never afford storage and/or repairs.)

And, none of these younger folks drive anything that could be considered more than basic transportation.

But, put a new cellphone on the market, and they buy one quicker than you can say WTF?

So, here sits a one year model (black/saddle) 2003 retro with under 24,000 garage kept miles, and nobody really gives a hoot.

Jerry, I see the same thing with my grandchildren and THAT is why I would invest in bitcoins before I would invest in automobiles for future appreciation. The death of muscle cars in the 1970's due to environmental concerns and the conversion of engine control to computers probably forever interrupted Americas love affair with the automobile. And futurists I've seen on CNBC say that within a decade even automobile ownership will begin to wane. Apparently with self driving cars, transportation needs will gravitate to a subscription model.

[4LOWBIRDS+7]

Ron, I belong to the Charleston Kiwanis Club and 10 years ago I was more concerned about our future than I am today. We have quite a few Millennials and Gen X-ers and the average age of our membership is now under 50 and with quite a few of us septuagenarians still attending. I think the idealism of the younger members is attracted to the Kiwanis goal of "Improving the world one child and one community at a time." We have a number of volunteers at "Reading Partners", which helps kids who are at least 6 months below their reading grade level. It is rewarding to both the student and the tutors. This changes a service club from just being a place to meet peers for lunch.

I agree and that is why I say there may be hope for service organizations. Now for cars, I do not see much future.