Summernats - Tips For New Visitors???

x351 · 07-11-2007, 07:38 PM

Hey all, just wanted to see who from the Forums is going this year, and hear about your experiences from previous years.

A friend and I have bought Silver tickets for Summernats and will be flying over from Perth. Neither of us have been before, and have never been to Canberra either. If any locals or regulars have advice on accommodation that would be appreciated. We have paid for camping at EPIC as part of our tickets but have heard that this is pretty noisy and rowdy at night, so we may be better off staying in a hotel. Can anyone recommend any hotels worth staying in? Or even which suburbs are near the venue so I can book something over the net? As long as it is clean and the bed is reasonably comfortable we don't need anything flash.

I look forward to reading your responses.

Jeremy

superpursuit83 · 07-11-2007, 07:43 PM

Hi Jeremy, I havnt been, but I will be over there with my ute.. I have a camping arrangement happening so I can not help you there either. But I can help you sink some cans

sfr rob · 07-11-2007, 07:49 PM

Unfortunately i cant go this year, a few things to remember.
It is stinkin hot up there in the ACT at that time of year , your from WA so its prob nothing to ya.
If you are bringing ya mrs, leave her at home.
Remember to keep your fluids ( beer ) up, and remember, eatin's cheatin!
Try and stand/sit up wind from the burnout comps so you can actually see what the hell is going on.
Buy a Big arsed hat for some shade.
Oh and cheer my mate on he will be in this car, but sporting a freshly blown motor.

andy351 · 07-11-2007, 08:29 PM

i would recommend finding somewhere to stay.but book soon cause im sure most places would almost full.dickson,watson,downer or lyneham are the closest suburbs but anywhere in the city is close.
and you will have a awesome time i go every year and love it!!!

buickman · 07-11-2007, 08:35 PM

I've been going for about 15 years with a friend as a trader we used to stay down at the motels around the venue but as always there are those that spoil things like breaking glass in the swimming pool and letting fireworks of near cars in the motel car park. So we stay around the Forrest area now
It used be rougher when they used to have the street cruise in Nothbourne and alcohol in eskies were allowed inside Natex. Then insurance companies put the hidious costs and tougher legalities on events like it.
Its safe during the day even with your female partner you will sometimes get excited characters yelling immature suggestions to females.
Its a fairly neat car event.
The main trouble if any happens on the Saturday night.
Go and enjoy the sights and cars.

big_pete · 07-11-2007, 09:31 PM

dont believe everything you've heard about the event.
sure there is some , just dont go cruising on fri/sat night and all will be sweet, but the amount of cars/events/people is what makes it the best car show in oz.

camping is fun, it all depends on what spot you get, some area's are reasonably quite, others are pretty hektik.

protd · 07-11-2007, 09:38 PM

we go every year, my wifes olds live in canberra, dont take you wife/girlfriend, go with heaps of mates, camp if you dont like sleep, or better still just buy the dvd and skip the whole event of morons...

no seriously you'll have a blast, but some of the boys do hassle alot of the girls, but then again some of the girls do add fuel to the fire, i was serious about not taking your partner, if she wants to go best day is fri for them, alot of the stooges are still not there..

have fun

dishpig · 07-11-2007, 11:40 PM

Hey fella's this year is ganna be my first year there as well, just wondering how much alcohol you can take in, and if none how far do they go when they search your cars.

swanee · 07-11-2007, 11:42 PM

Sunscreen... use plenty of sunscreen!

Scott · 08-11-2007, 12:10 AM

#1 tip, as mentioned, is take a BIG hat & sunscreen - last summer in Canberra it hit 48 degrees and given that the nats is 100% outdoors, lots of people x178 get burnt to a crisp.
#2 tip, take panadol & a big flask of water if you're camping. After a 16hr day of sinking tinnies in the sun, you'll need them.
#3 tip, check your ego at the gate.
#4 tip, have a fat time. It is a great event, it isn't quite the same as it was when it started but it's better than it was a few years ago.

x351 · 08-11-2007, 10:00 AM

Thanks for all your replies, and no we are not taking any women with us! I have never met a woman that enjoyed a car show, but from what I've seen of Summernats it would not be a good idea. We are both looking forward to the cars, events and the party atmosphere, but a hotel room could be the go just to get a good night's sleep at the end of a long day drinking and partying in the heat.

Looking forward to an awesome time!!! Superpursuit83 (and any others who are going) we should PM each other to see about catching up for a cleansing ale or several at the event... Protd will you be bringing your car???

||| · 08-11-2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_pete

dont believe everything you've heard about the event.

the best advice.

ignore all the try hards who say "boo hoo my mates brother once said that someone stole cars and bashed women and threw stubbies so i'll never go and they should ban it."

ive been going as an camper entrant and spectator and have never had a problem. its the best car show in the country.

Mark351 · 08-11-2007, 10:58 AM

Quality Inn, Dickson is very close, has an undercover car park, close to shops, take away, etc, and is off the main drag so you can get a bit of sleep. Felicity and I have stayed there a lot when we've worked there. Camping is an experience though, worth doing at least once.

+1 to sunscreen and a hat, I got absolutely roasted the year I camped and had weeping blisters on my head, scarred lips, the works.

ms700 · 08-11-2007, 11:24 AM

I'll be there, im entering my XC and my XR6 this year. And im taking my missus, always do, the only hassles ive ever seen has always been after 5pm, we usually go home at 4pm, have a shower and hit the town large!

Quality Inn at Dickson is good, there is also a good hotel in Ainslie, its on Stephen st, dunno the name sorry, quiet enough to get a good nights sleep, close enought to Dickson for a good feed, close enought to EPIC too.

There are heaps of self contained apartments around Kingston, which are excellent. Kingston isnt really that far away from EPIC. 15 mins tops.

But like the others have said, you better pull your finger out and book, its not really that far away! 8 weeks to be exact!

buickman · 08-11-2007, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dishpig

Hey just wondering how much alcohol you can take in, and if none how far do they go when they search your cars.

They won't let you bring your own unless you smuggle it in. But you can buy it in there.
Getting your car inside Natex would be near impossible unless your camping a trader or have a car entered.

rns-11z · 08-11-2007, 04:28 PM

summernats has become worse and worse for me. Dont think il ever go again. The violence has increased, the stupidty of some people has increased and the attitudes has increased.

Selwonk · 08-11-2007, 05:20 PM

why go to summernats? over half the cars there are either paid for by sponsorship deals or they are built by chequebook,these people dont even turn spanners on their own cars for chrissake,do yourselves a favour and go to some regional car shows where car owners have poured blood,sweat and tears into their cars,the atmosphere at the smaller car shows is head and shoulders above the drunken plastic gangsta wannabe tits out melee!!!

BlueZH · 08-11-2007, 05:23 PM

I live in Canberra and really enjoy checking out the cars that come to town with Summernats.

As much as I would love to be a full on supporter of Summernats, unfortunatly it tends to confirm to a lot of people the sterotypical image of V8 drivers being retarded hairy hoons obsessed with tits.

I used to go along to the events but the amount of hoon behaviour displayed in residential suburbs and other social problems is ridiculous so I no longer bother supporting the event. SOME of the attitudes of the people inside is really moronic and appears to have changed little from when they first swung out of a tree.

A couple of the COMMON issues faced every year:
1 - Residents living in the nearby suburbs often have to put up with people jumping their fences and using their backyards as toilets/intimate bedrooms.
2 - Burnouts occur throughout the week in ALL Canberra suburbs.. not limited to suburbs around the event
3 - Reported assaults (both physical and sexual) increase without fail that week.

It is great for the Shell servo at the location and the prostitution trade, but Summernats is more often a display of the worst side of the V8 enthusiasts, hence lots of serious show cars are driven down for a specific event and immediatly driven away as soon as their event finishes.

xbcool · 08-11-2007, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms700

I'll be there, im entering my XC and my XR6 this year. And im taking my missus, always do, the only hassles ive ever seen has always been after 5pm, we usually go home at 4pm, have a shower and hit the town large!

Quality Inn at Dickson is good, there is also a good hotel in Ainslie, its on Stephen st, dunno the name sorry, quiet enough to get a good nights sleep, close enought to Dickson for a good feed, close enought to EPIC too.

There are heaps of self contained apartments around Kingston, which are excellent. Kingston isnt really that far away from EPIC. 15 mins tops.

But like the others have said, you better pull your finger out and book, its not really that far away! 8 weeks to be exact!

hope the xc is in the show and shine on sat ,I'm pretty keen to check out the blower setup.

as for the nats in general ,it's not too bad during the day but when the sun goes down on fri and sat the dills come out to play and cruisin is really for the hard core who don't care too much about their cars.
we have been camping for the last couple of years noise can be a pain at times just make as much noise as ya neighbour and it's all good.

actrob · 08-11-2007, 09:41 PM

I have been involved with the Nats over the last 10 yrs or so and its def tamer now than when you could bring in grog. I have taken my 3 yr old to the last 3 events, he has cruised around the cruise route in the car seat and some mates tough cars. My missus has been the last two yrs and shes been fine, you will get a few comments from some tossers all day on the Sat, but normally harmless. Just do the family stuff Friday, sunday and before 4.00pm Sat. Sat after 4.00 can get silly, mostly try hard wanna be's that will never have a car them selves. Sat night Park yourself in a good spot watch the oval entertainment then head to town about 10.30pm sat night. If camping you wont sleep fri and sat night and the amenities blocks are filthy. You need to pick a good area and make friends with the neighbours straight away. Often helps at 4.00am when some 14 yr old tool is prowling around letting off fireworks.
I live in Canberra but normally camp at Natex, no drink driving to worry about, no hassel from the police with my car coming and going, your pretty stuffed at the end of 4 days from no sleep etc, but its once a yr.
For everyone that says the nats is full of cheque book cars and guys and girls that cant spanner, you need to have a close look, there are plenty of back yard jobs (But I suppose they are too rough for you). Not everyone can do everything to the elite level that the hobbie (Lifestyle) is at at the moment. Good on them for putting their hard earned to a pro to do right. Anyway hope to see some people from the forums at the Nats.

dishpig · 08-11-2007, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buickman

They won't let you bring your own unless you smuggle it in. But you can buy it in there.
Getting your car inside Natex would be near impossible unless your camping a trader or have a car entered.

When you say you can buy your own do you mean stubbies or whole cartons. Hate to sound like a alco but this is the only thing me and my mate are worried about everyhting else is a figure it out when we get there sort of thing. I'm keen on just chilling by my tent and having some drinks with everyone.

actrob · 08-11-2007, 10:45 PM

You have to buy drinks at one of the various bars around the site, They have a couple of temporary bars (eg carlton beer semi and jD slushie outlets) If you camp at the right spot you wont have to walk far for a beer. (They open beers at the bar - plastic cups or jd cans only) you can get a few beers at time. they do alcohol checks on bags and cars when you come thru the gate they can be tough or easy depends on mood and time of day. gets taken and u dont get it back. If you are a non entrant camper you will get searched when you set up.

montyv8 · 09-11-2007, 02:48 AM

I don't get the need to drink there... I mean... there's plenty of stuff going on, why do you need a beer or twenty to 'make it more enjoyable'?

I've been three times, took my wife twice (1st time was our honeymoon lol). wasn't too bad, as others have said it gets worse the later it gets.. but you get that when there's morons + beer..

Recommend getting a $10 sombrero. best things ever. heaps of sunscreen, having the silver pass you'll have shade for the burnouts.
all three times we stayed at the Canberra Motor Village www.canberravillage.com
pretty cheap, comfortable accom, bit of a nuisance catching buses etc tho. not too bad if you get the timing right.

Fev · 09-11-2007, 08:10 AM

TIP: Bring a girl you know that has awesome tits and likes to drink a lil..

heheh

ms700 · 09-11-2007, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xbcool

hope the xc is in the show and shine on sat ,I'm pretty keen to check out the blower setup.

Probably wont be showing and shining any of my cars, i think we will be trying to qualify for HH, thats our main priority, so pm me if you like, ill give you my number, gimme a call and we will catch up some time over the weekend.

TZENU · 09-11-2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP006

#3 tip, check your ego at the gate.

Best advice bar all the standard ones...

Been going since i was 16 and absolutely love it.. .This comming year is the first time i will miss it (stupid wedding plans and costs!!!)...
Make sure you enjoy yourselves and dont plan when you get there instead just wonder around

Plan to go out on the town on friday and saturday (especially saturday night, because after the supercruise and live band it gets pretty boring pretty quickly, you'll see)!!