Gloriously Awful Goodwood
Discussion
So I pay a ridiculous price to park in the so called coveted supercar car park.
My poor 930 sat in traffic for god knows how long as my journey that usually takes 75 minutes to Goodwood took 3 long hot hours.
Was told by all Goodwood information to religiously follow signs with main traffic as no alternative yet when we finally get within 200 yards of Gate 4 there is nothing coming from the other direction on that road.
So we now enter through Gate 4 to the supercar car park and travel up this god awful dusty road to get to it. Made worse by some w...ker in a Merc S class booting it down the track kicking up so much dust we had to stop until dust cloud settled.
Get to entry of the supercar car park where the young lad manning the entrance tells me it is full you will have to park in the next door field. At least he kindly showed us where all the deep ruts and holes were so we did not ground out.
We unpacked and walked through the supercar car park to get down into the event where we see there are loads of spaces to park so we promptly showed this to the young lad who then allowed us to move.
I attended the second year of the festival and then most years through to 2004 after which due to a leg injury I had sustained I was unable to walk around big events like this for a few years.
So this was my first year back after a few years away and I will not be going again.
In the first few years of the festival I thought our support and custom was very welcome but after this years experience I felt like I was the unwanted interloper at the rich boys party and should be thankful for being allowed to watch.
If you are going to charge extra for parking somewhere different then you should supply a decent entrance and be allowed to park where you have paid for without having to prove that there is space for you after all it is what you paid for. Goodwood is an event about cars or so I thought, so the organisers should know that guys with Ferrari's, Lambo's, McLaren's etc etc do not want to get to the event with their car looking like it has been left on a dusty farm for 2 months which is what happened in the last 500 yards of the journey. It is a disregard to those who you are taking money from. After all my little Porsche 930 was one of the cheapest cars in this car park. Also Goodwood were quite happy to use these vehicles as another area for everyone to look around adding a small amount to their event.
It was not just the car parking it was many other issues some of which have already been posted on here on the Porsche forum and as Goodwood could not be bothered to even find us a decent entry into their event I can not be bothered to list the rest of my gripes.
The event has gone backwards and is now a corporate motor show with a party alongside for those that are close to the owners.
So Goodwood enjoy you private party again next year and hope the corporates keep paying because I will not be adding to you bank account again.
My poor 930 sat in traffic for god knows how long as my journey that usually takes 75 minutes to Goodwood took 3 long hot hours.
Was told by all Goodwood information to religiously follow signs with main traffic as no alternative yet when we finally get within 200 yards of Gate 4 there is nothing coming from the other direction on that road.
So we now enter through Gate 4 to the supercar car park and travel up this god awful dusty road to get to it. Made worse by some w...ker in a Merc S class booting it down the track kicking up so much dust we had to stop until dust cloud settled.
Get to entry of the supercar car park where the young lad manning the entrance tells me it is full you will have to park in the next door field. At least he kindly showed us where all the deep ruts and holes were so we did not ground out.
We unpacked and walked through the supercar car park to get down into the event where we see there are loads of spaces to park so we promptly showed this to the young lad who then allowed us to move.
I attended the second year of the festival and then most years through to 2004 after which due to a leg injury I had sustained I was unable to walk around big events like this for a few years.
So this was my first year back after a few years away and I will not be going again.
In the first few years of the festival I thought our support and custom was very welcome but after this years experience I felt like I was the unwanted interloper at the rich boys party and should be thankful for being allowed to watch.
If you are going to charge extra for parking somewhere different then you should supply a decent entrance and be allowed to park where you have paid for without having to prove that there is space for you after all it is what you paid for. Goodwood is an event about cars or so I thought, so the organisers should know that guys with Ferrari's, Lambo's, McLaren's etc etc do not want to get to the event with their car looking like it has been left on a dusty farm for 2 months which is what happened in the last 500 yards of the journey. It is a disregard to those who you are taking money from. After all my little Porsche 930 was one of the cheapest cars in this car park. Also Goodwood were quite happy to use these vehicles as another area for everyone to look around adding a small amount to their event.
It was not just the car parking it was many other issues some of which have already been posted on here on the Porsche forum and as Goodwood could not be bothered to even find us a decent entry into their event I can not be bothered to list the rest of my gripes.
The event has gone backwards and is now a corporate motor show with a party alongside for those that are close to the owners.
So Goodwood enjoy you private party again next year and hope the corporates keep paying because I will not be adding to you bank account again.
Well I thought it was once again brilliant.
It's a world-leading car event and sells out each year. So they must be getting something right.
With the number of people attending you need to be smart about when you arrive and leave.
And there's not much that can be done about the dust - would you rather mud instead?
It's a world-leading car event and sells out each year. So they must be getting something right.
With the number of people attending you need to be smart about when you arrive and leave.
And there's not much that can be done about the dust - would you rather mud instead?
will_ said:
Well I thought it was once again brilliant.
It's a world-leading car event and sells out each year. So they must be getting something right.
With the number of people attending you need to be smart about when you arrive and leave.
And there's not much that can be done about the dust - would you rather mud instead?
+ 1It's a world-leading car event and sells out each year. So they must be getting something right.
With the number of people attending you need to be smart about when you arrive and leave.
And there's not much that can be done about the dust - would you rather mud instead?
Absolutely agree - brilliant event and very well organised. I too spent hours the day before polishing the motor only for it to be covered in dust, but hey ho (as mensioned) rather dust than mud and we were all in the same boat. I parked without problem in the Supercar parking. Worth doing as it was just that bit closer and nice to oggle some of the other bits there.
Should really think about what is achieved with great precision each year before bemoaning a bit of discomfort. If this is the only bad word (and it is that I've seen so far) then 'Exceed Expectation" is the grade for the weekend!
" Also Goodwood were quite happy to use these vehicles as another area for everyone to look around adding a small amount to their event." - seriously, it's car event and it was called Supercar Parking. What did you think was going to happen????
Maybe you should have got up a bit earlier to avoid the traffic!
Edited by Slickhillsy on Monday 15th July 13:32
We camped onsite this year for the first time and it turned out to be a great decision. We arrived at 2pm on Friday afternoon, with no traffic at all.
Pitched the tent and spent the evening at the wonderful Goodwood Bar & Grill and Richmond Arms that are across the road.
Spent all day at the festival on Saturday, plus more beers in the Richmond Arms in the evening.
Packed up the tent at 10am Sunday and drove home on empty roads. Empty except for the 2 hour queues going the other way that is!
Pitched the tent and spent the evening at the wonderful Goodwood Bar & Grill and Richmond Arms that are across the road.
Spent all day at the festival on Saturday, plus more beers in the Richmond Arms in the evening.
Packed up the tent at 10am Sunday and drove home on empty roads. Empty except for the 2 hour queues going the other way that is!
Edited by Alex on Monday 15th July 16:01
Alex said:
We camped onsite this year for the first time and it turned out to be a great decision. We arrived at 2pm on Friday afternoon, with no traffic at all.
Pitched the tent and spent the evening at the wonderful Goodwood Bar & Grill and Richmond Arms that are across the road.
Spent all day at the festival on Saturday, plus more beers in the Richmond Arms in the evening.
Packed up the tent at 10am Sunday and drove home on empty roads. Empty except for the 2 hour queues going the other way that is!
Why would one go to all the trouble of going there to camp and yet leave before the Sunday, effectively only attending for one day? Seems a bit mad to me! But hey ho, whatever floats your boat!Pitched the tent and spent the evening at the wonderful Goodwood Bar & Grill and Richmond Arms that are across the road.
Spent all day at the festival on Saturday, plus more beers in the Richmond Arms in the evening.
Packed up the tent at 10am Sunday and drove home on empty roads. Empty except for the 2 hour queues going the other way that is!
Edited by Alex on Monday 15th July 16:01
As to the Porsche owner - I think that had you come in another listed Supercar, there'd have been space for you - I believe only a certain number of spaces had been allocated for Porsches, but if they had promised you a space on the basis of your paying extra, I think that's bad form.
In general, I thought that they did a poor job on the carparks compared to previous years.
I was a bit worried that this would happen for £60, ive have been many times but always been quite lucky with parking. I had a feeling it was going to be a rip off.
Have you tried the Bromley Pagent ?, biggest 1 day car show in the world they say and its a £10, worth going to if its sunny.
Have you tried the Bromley Pagent ?, biggest 1 day car show in the world they say and its a £10, worth going to if its sunny.
I am surprised no one with supercars did not scrape their front spoiler. The ground was very bumpy in places for parking. Had I had a supercar I would rather park with the masses alot of interesting cars and as the supercar car park everyone is saying is just another bumpy field you would have thought for £50 they provides a flat surface.
However, a superb day out I highly recommend.
However, a superb day out I highly recommend.
I left my house at 5.45 am to drive the 180 miles,I knew that I would be an hour in traffic from previous visits.
Have I moaned once?
Its Petrolheads Nirvana,the greatest collection of people and Internal combustion in the world.
Stop moaning about dust,it will soon be snowing again,just to give you something else to moan about.....
Roll on next years event.
Have I moaned once?
Its Petrolheads Nirvana,the greatest collection of people and Internal combustion in the world.
Stop moaning about dust,it will soon be snowing again,just to give you something else to moan about.....
Roll on next years event.
Some top gear watching 
wrote "Audi wanchor" on my black S4 on Thursday, I personally blame Clarkson for this as a few years ago nobody would of touched it and would of written on the BMW parked next to me, actually thinking about it it probably was the BMW owner 
Luckily I have a DA polisher but it really took the shine off the day, I wonder if I would get any mileage by contacting The Earl of march directly ?
wrote "Audi wanchor" on my black S4 on Thursday, I personally blame Clarkson for this as a few years ago nobody would of touched it and would of written on the BMW parked next to me, actually thinking about it it probably was the BMW owner Luckily I have a DA polisher but it really took the shine off the day, I wonder if I would get any mileage by contacting The Earl of march directly ?
rs4al said:
Some top gear watching wrote "Audi wanchor" on my black S4 on Thursday, I personally blame Clarkson for this as a few years ago nobody would of touched it and would of written on the BMW parked next to me, actually thinking about it it probably was the BMW owner
wrote "Audi wanchor" on my black S4 on Thursday, I personally blame Clarkson for this as a few years ago nobody would of touched it and would of written on the BMW parked next to me, actually thinking about it it probably was the BMW owner 
Judging by the spelling I'd say it was another Audi owner.
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