We talk burnout, classic vs new cars, event ticket prices, and why car culture still matters – even when it feels like it’s slipping away.
This week’s BrownCarGuy Therapy Session is one of the realest yet. No fluff, no filters – just a proper sit-down between me and Sy from Drivers Union, talking about the realities of being in the car world in 2025. We kicked off with the pressures of creating car content. Sy, also a brilliant automotive photographer, and me, running BrownCarGuy on YouTube, both know the hustle: hours of editing, planning, shooting, posting – and often, the payoff? Barely a blip. Creating content in a saturated space can feel like shouting into the void, and the mental toll is real.
That spiralled into the costs of attending car events these days. Remember when meets were free or a fiver at most? Now it’s £25 just to walk into a car park, and that’s before you factor in petrol, parking, and overpriced coffee. Events like Hampton Court Concours and Salon Privé are stunning, yes, but increasingly feel like luxury playgrounds for the elite. And that’s before we get started on the eye-watering ticket prices.
Then there’s the car market itself. New car prices are beyond bonkers – £40K for a mid-level hatch? Really? We debated whether it’s time to go back to classics instead – stuff like an old BMW, a 90s Benz, or even a Lotus Esprit. At least those had style, soul, and didn’t come with 47 submenus.
And is it too early to be converting classics to EVs? We say yes. Battery tech is still evolving, and gutting a perfectly functioning classic now might be jumping the gun. Plus, isn’t the charm of a classic in its noise, quirks, and… fumes?
We also talked about the generational divide in car appeal. Are younger drivers really into Teslas because of tech? Or because that’s all they know? And can the car scene survive London’s rising parking charges and the ever-present war on motorists?
We got a bit nostalgic as I reminisced about my time in Dubai, running Car Middle East and Motoring Middle East. Back then, car meets were vibrant, diverse, and buzzing.
🎙️ Topics we dig into:
- Burnout and content fatigue in the car scene
- The true cost of attending car events
- Why new cars just don’t excite like they used to
- EV conversions of classics – too soon?
- The price of parking, and the bigger war on cars
- Why creators keep going even when the rewards aren’t financial
- Remembering car meet culture in Dubai
- Is car culture evolving or dissolving?
This is one for the real car fans – the ones feeling a bit disillusioned, but still holding on. Because even when the world makes it hard to love cars… we still do.
Let me know if you’ve been feeling the same. Is car culture becoming too expensive, too exclusive… or are we just old petrolheads refusing to let go?
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