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3 Reasons Why the Underground Car Scene Is THE Place To Be Right Now

I have attended car meets and various automotive events for 15 years. Like everything in life, the scene has been through ups and downs. But it all is on an upwards trend these days. Each year, a fresh wave of enthusiasts is coming in. That leads to a steady level of growth for the community.
More and More People Are Going to Car Meets, And Here's Why 40 photos
Photo: Andrei Minzu
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Over the past two weeks alone, our team has attended two local car meets as we prepare for bigger things over the next 12 months. I can't remember seeing all these events happening simultaneously and in many corners of the world. With the rise of the Internet, the tuning scene has grown exponentially.

Ten years ago, many felt that "The Fast and the Furious" was an essential catalyst for this chain of events, but there are so many more influential factors at hand today. Today, we'll look at three reasons why more and more people are going to car meets.

Reason One: Big variety of exciting cars

The first meet we attended this year is called EuroCar Rooftop Meet, and we've selected some of the most remarkable vehicles for our highlights video below. Despite its name, we knew this would be something other than an all-European affair. Over 200 cars gathered on the rooftop of a medium-sized mall, and there was something there for everyone to enjoy. While we could only see a handful of American Muscle cars, there was a good balance between the Japanese and German parts of the display.

As you'll notice in the photo gallery and the video, JDM enthusiasts could get up close and personal with cars like the Mazda RX-7 FD3S, the Toyota Supra MK4, and even an old AE86. Over in the European camp, there was a fascinating mix between Audis and Bimmers, both old and new. Some people spent hours studying every fine detail of a first-generation Audi 80, while others couldn't take their eyes off a yellow BMW 3-Series with a Rocket Bunny kit on.

More and More People Are Going to Car Meets, And Here's Why
Photo: Andrei Minzu
Of course, these meets are more than just about visual upgrades; some cars had over 600 horsepower under their hoods. Plenty of vehicles were repping for the stance scene for those who don't care about going fast on four wheels. We even saw an old Bentley slammed on a set of wheels you'd typically see on a Japanese drift car.

Meanwhile, someone had brought in a classic VW Beetle that wasn't just rolling around on Porsche wheels; it also had a matching engine in the back. Car after car, there were many things to gawk at, but seeing them all together in the same place was even more spectacular. As for the second meet we attended, it felt slightly more exclusive. If you subscribe to our YouTube channel, you'll see a video of it sooner rather than later.

Reason Two: Networking

There's more to these events than just looking at nice cars. You couldn't interact with their owners while driving through traffic. But car meets to can create a relaxed environment for people to come together and discuss ideas. I've had dozens of people, primarily teenagers, walking up to me and asking about my RX-7 and Mike's FD3S.

They wanted to see if all the myths about rotary engines were true or if they should ignore them and buy one regardless. Hundreds of people saw several 2JZ-GTEs up close and learned about the mods you need to make them even more impressive than they already were. But it's a two-way street, as owners could also finally enjoy showing off their projects after years and years of hard work.

More and More People Are Going to Car Meets, And Here's Why
Photo: Andrei Minzu
Going to car meets allows you to learn more about tuners and car builders in your area and also discover new sources for buying the parts you need. While owning and driving a modified vehicle is nice, it's even nicer to enjoy it with other like-minded people. We spent almost 16 hours over two days learning about some of the cars at the event and their owners, and you can expect more feature videos within the next few months.

Reason Three: Bonus Internet Points

We all know how much social media has impacted our lives over the past 15 years. Anyone who owns a smartphone can be a content creator these days. And if you walk down that path, you will crave more likes, views, or comments. You get bonus Internet points if you upload a video or a photo of something extraordinary; car meets are influencer-heaven.

And that became obvious to me once preparations for the loud-pipes competition began. People lined up on both sides of the designated area for the DB drag battles, and I think 99% of them were either shooting or live-streaming the event for its entire duration. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

But it makes you think: have we taken digitalization too far? Are we missing out on life, spending so much time transposing it into the virtual world? Either way, you'll see hundreds of videos and thousands of photos after every car meet or event. Some will be better than others, but you can always watch channels that cater to your taste and preferences.

A few years ago, the new generation was interested in something other than modified cars. But there's new hope on the horizon. The plus side is that we'll see more exciting projects in the upcoming years. But on the downside, prices for cars we love might soar to ridiculous levels. We'll have to adapt and find new vehicles to work on, hoping the Internal Combustion Engine won't be banned entirely soon.

 
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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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