# NEC value for money



## dragabed (May 24, 2008)

is the nec show good value for money ?


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## philsil (Jul 24, 2007)

As a go, look around and eat place no.
as a place to compare your next motorhome yes
to beat a dealer round the head and bulldoze the best deal - defo


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## spartacus (Jul 10, 2008)

Not in my view, tickets too expensive and rip off catering when you get in. As a result we've stayed away this year.


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## dikyenfo (Feb 16, 2008)

Think o/priced considering you can eyeball all products on line and door price after travel expense not worth it for us this year.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Well I suppose I'll reserve judgement until after Saturday, but I'm looking forward to a nice day out. 

A discounted entry ticket at £12.45

An advance standard rail ticket at £17 each way with reserved, preferred seat and no changes of train. A leisurely read of the paper outbound, 6 hours nosing at the show, meet up with some people for a chat, lunch of drink and sarnies in my lightweight pocketable MHF Global Rally backpack. Watch the world go by on my return. Back in Basingstoke before sunset and pick up a Chinese on the walk home. Feet up and watch Strictly with Ali. Bliss.

If normal prices keep the crowds down, well that's a bonus but the above expenditure I don't consider a rip-off.

Dave


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

It's three years since AuntieSandra and I were there. To US it was worth it as we came away with the beautiful motorhome that you see on the left. The deal involved a part exchange value £6,000 higher than that offered by that well known Newark dealership!! :evil: 

It's the only time we have visited so it was an experience we had never had. We enjoyed it but will not rush back. 

Perhaps it's a case of "one man's meat is another man's poison".

Each to his/her own... hey ho... :roll: :wink:


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## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

Languishing in the Dr's waiting room I happened to pick up a copy of the Caravan Club magazine... 2007

NEC Show Tickets ...£7 (£6 concessions) ...


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*NEC*



spartacus said:


> Not in my view, tickets too expensive and rip off catering when you get in. As a result we've stayed away this year.


I Agree.

If two of us go by train, a 90 mile trip, 2 x entrance tickets and don't eat or drink anything. It will cost us around £100.

And it is fine of you wan't to buy a Swift or Autocruise. Maybe some continental Vans.

If you want anything out of the ordinary, Dusseldorf I am told is the one.

TM


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

I go to a biennial trade show at the Cologne Messe and I can assure you that the entrance price there makes the NEC look like a bargain! Day tickets are over 30 Euro and the catalogue is 25 Euro.

Also the food is expensive, but what do you expect? People who talk about 'rip-off' food prices have no idea of the costs involved in exhibition catering. It's a nightmare! The stands are expensive, you have to transport all your equipment to the hall and staff costs go up immensely because of travelling ond often, hotel costs.

Even if you have a permanent arrangement to do all the shows, there aren't shows every day, so what do you do with the staff during the days that there's no exhibition? You employ temporary staff, which is another expensive nightmare.

I've been there! My firm had a stand at the NEC for a trade and consumer show and after three years we stopped attending because the costs were horrendous.

Catering at the NEC is expensive for good reasons, but terms such as 'rip-off', which everyone seems happy to bandy about these days, are unfair.

If you want a hamburger and it's a fiver, with the price clearly displayed and you decide that it's more than you want to spend, how can you have been 'ripped off'?

Take sandwiches if you don't want show catering, it's not rocket science as they say!

Hobbyfan - sticking up for business, again!


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I have never really got my head around the fact that I am expected to pay to attend a venue where businesses are paying to exhibit products they wish me to buy !!

I dont have to pay an admission fee at Sainsbury's, or the garden centre, or Debenhams etc do I :? ??

So why the ***** do I have to pay to visit the NEC show which is basically a HUGE department store specialising in Motorhome and Caravans ??

Discuss :wink:


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

OK.

You don't 

It is a competitive market. Feel free to do what you like.

Dave


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

Mrplodd said:


> I have never really got my head around the fact that I am expected to pay to attend a venue where businesses are paying to exhibit products they wish me to buy !!
> 
> I dont have to pay an admission fee at Sainsbury's, or the garden centre, or Debenhams etc do I :? ??
> 
> ...


As has been said, you don't have to go! Next time you're thinking of buying a new motor-home you could visit fifteen different suppliers, some of whom may be a hundred miles away as some makers have very few dealers.

Or you could pay a few quid and go to the NEC and not cut off your nose to spite your face.

Of course, the dealers who are at the NEC will not charge you to go into their ordinary showrooms and they're not the ones charging you to go into the NEC.

The simple fact is, that if there was no admission charge, there'd be no show, as the rents for the stands would have to go up so much as to make it unprofitable for anyone to attend.

I think that the thousands of people who go every year would then be very unhappy.

I bought my first 'van by narrowing down the choice using on-line research. I then went to the NEC, where I could see every one of them within a few yards of each other. I didn't begrudge the few quid that it cost me, as it saved me hundreds of pounds in petrol and time running around the country visiting dealers.


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

xgx said:


> Languishing in the Dr's waiting room I happened to pick up a copy of the Caravan Club magazine... 2007
> 
> NEC Show Tickets ...£7 (£6 concessions) ...


So if it aint a rip off hobby fan, why on earth has the price soared this much in three years ? :?

Steve


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I look forward to the motorbike show.
Great deals on helmets and leathers.

DAve p


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

Chigman said:


> 2007 NEC Show Tickets ...£7 (£6 concessions)
> 
> So if it aint a rip off hobby fan, why on earth has the price soared this much in three years ? :?
> Steve


Don't know, don't really care! Perhaps the NEC has put its prices up dramatically to pay for all Birmingham Council's staff's incredibly generous pensions?

Perhaps the Caravan Club, whose prices you were quoting hasn't been able to negotiate such a good discount for its members this year?

If memory serves the normal price when I went in 2006 was about £14.00 a head.

But again, I ask the same question. If the show's prices are listed and you decide not to go because you think it's a bit expensive, how have you been 'ripped off'?

How can you possibly accuse any organisation of 'ripping off' its customers when you have absolutely no idea of the margins and the costs and the myriad of other things that may have resulted in an increase in price?

If you're offered any product or service and it's too expensive for you, don't buy it! Pretty simple really!


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## txe4man (Apr 7, 2009)

we went yesterday and had a good day, txe4woman spent lots of money the 460 mile train round trip went like clockwork.
camra had a real ale bar where a pint and a half was £3.30 thats nearly a pound cheaper than our local so not a rip off.
had a deja-vu moment when having a nose at the new hymers on brownhills stand found that one of the models had exactly the same furniture and bathroom as our 2006 model! still means spares still available and it is a lovely set up.


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## CPW2007 (Aug 17, 2007)

Said it before - too expensive this year, can't justify the extra cost of the entrance fee compared to previous years just to look around. Might go to the caravan, motorhome and boat show in Feb cos it's slightly cheaper entrance fee and maybe, just maybe, might trade in the m/home for a luxury sea-going cruiser!!!! :lol: :lol: :roll: :wink: :twisted: :twisted:  

Regards

Chris


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## loobyloo59 (Aug 30, 2010)

We got free tickets and driving up, we take a pack up and drink and if we see something we like we buy it if not it doesn't matter, nice day out and a Maccy d on the way home, will most probably do the same for the motorbike show as well in November!


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## StewartJ (Nov 20, 2009)

Our first ever visit staying at the CC temporary site.

Impressions, we won't be doing it again, purchased passport tickets £22.00 for multiple entries, we thought the site at £27.50 per night for very limited services, ie lecky, basic services and a single toilet block was far to expensive, noisy and very busy. 

Ok there was a marquee which served reasonably priced food, alcohol prices were frightening and entertainment very loud (maybe thats just us) Electrical supply was from onsite portable generators so depending how close the marshalls sited you noise could be a problem and even further away was very noticeable during quiet hours. 

The whole area is floodlit so light pollution was inescapable. On the plus side marshalling and security was first class so no worries.

Total cost for pitch and visits £99.00 for 2 days, we used the free bus to return to MH for lunch as we thought NEC prices very expensive. 

My opinion is if prices continue to increase much more they'll kill the golden goose


Stewart


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I saved an absolute fortune.
Didn`t go.

Dave p


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

see my post on the other thread - if you park in the Hilton carpark, which is very near the entrance ( no need to a shuttle bus ) a non guest can park overnight for £12. No electricity, but the hotel has toilets and bars and restaurants. May be worth considering for the future.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Oops seem to have bought a new van today


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## dealgan (Jun 26, 2006)

sallytrafic said:


> Oops seem to have bought a new van today


Awwwh, come on... We need details. lots of details, and a link to the actuial model you bought.

Now.

now.

Quick

Quick.

Hurry up.

:lol:


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## dodger148 (May 9, 2005)

My feelings exactly Mrplodd. 
The exhibitors pay enormous amounts to be there (and its not just Motorhome & Caravan Shows either) and Joe Public pays also. Not a bad game to be in. Makes the ex Liverpool Americans look like angels


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Agree with MrPlod too. Unless you are in the market for a new van it is definitely not worth it. I would sooner visit a large dealer with a good after sales showroom or one of the Warner shows

peedee


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## roamingsue (Aug 23, 2008)

Personally I do enjoy the Shepton Mallett show, the one held late summer. Outdoors and many more accessorie stalls, also you can camp there without breaking the bank. 

What did happen to the camping costs because I nearly went to camp one year as the costs were not too horrific but then the camping and caravan club were running it. Now the caravan club are running it and the costs are through the roof.


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## Rocles (May 1, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> I have never really got my head around the fact that I am expected to pay to attend a venue where businesses are paying to exhibit products they wish me to buy !!
> 
> I dont have to pay an admission fee at Sainsbury's, or the garden centre, or Debenhams etc do I :? ??
> 
> ...


I couldn't have put it better myself 8)


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