Shiftin Gears

November 5 (Saturday) 15th Annual Salute the Troops Show

Rain date Nov. 6 Rose Tree County Park, 1671 N. Providence Rd., Media, PA 19063 10am-3pm Presented by Delco Cruisers. This year’s theme salutes the Coast Guard. Trophies, Music, Food, 50/50, vendors. Info: DelcoCruisers.org

November 6 (Sunday) Military Family Food Drive Car Show

Rain date Nov. 12 Rack’s Bar & Grill, 2021 North Black Horse Pike, Williamstown, NJ 08094 10am-2pm Presented by Hot Rod Garage. Trophies, Prizes, Giveaways, 50/50, t-shirts. Info: Dan 856-417-2669 or 856-875-9700 Hrgperformance.com

November 12 (Saturday) Bourbon & Brews Toys for Tots Cruise

2001 S. Delaware Street, Paulsboro, NJ 08066 1-4pm Live music, door prizes food and drink available to purchase. Info: Laura McKay 856-599-0752 & bourbonbrews@icloud.com

November 12 (Saturday) Veterans Day Car & Truck Show

Rain date Nov. 13 Brackman Middle School, 600 Barnegat Blvd., Barnegat, NJ 08005 9am-2pm Presented by Sentimental Cruisers and Barnegat Rec. Trophies, Food trucks, dash plaques to first 100 registered vehicles. Info: 609-971-6351 and sentimentalcruiserscc@gmail.com

December 4 (Sunday) Toys for Tots Car Show

Rain date Dec. 10 Rack’s Bar & Grill, 2021 North Black Horse Pike, Williamstown, NJ 08094 10am-2pm Presented by Hot Rod Garage. Trophies, Prizes, Giveaways, 50/50, t-shirts. Info: Dan 856-417-2669; Hrgperformance.com

December 3 & 4 (Saturday & Sunday) East Coast Indoor Nationals

Maryland State Fairgrounds (Cow Palace) 2200 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093 Saturday 9am-7pm; Sunday 9am-4pm motoramaproductions.com

December 4 (Sunday) 16th Annual Holiday Cruise for Kids

Rose Tree County Park, 1671 N. Providence Rd., Media, PA 19063 9am-11am Delco Cruisers present a Toy Run & Cruise held in conjunction with U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. Info: DelcoCruisers.org

January 7 & 8 (Saturday & Sunday 2023) DRAGFEST — Drag Racing Showcase and Custom Car Show

Lebanon Valley Expo Center 80 Rocherty Road, Lebanon, PA 17042 Saturday 9am-6PM; Sunday 9am-4pm motoramaproductions.com

February 18 & 19 (Sat. & Sunday 2023) Motorama — Races and Shows

PA Farm Show Complex 2300 N. Cameron St, Harrisburg, PA 17110 Saturday 9am-10pm; Sunday 9am-5pm motoramaproductions.com

March 25 & 26 (Sat. & Sunday 2023) Mid Atlantic Indoor Nationals

Greater Philadelphia Expo Center 100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456 Saturday 9am-7pm; Sunday 9am-4pm motoramaproductions.com

By Ben Notaro • red63vetnj@comcast.net

One of my friends recently purchased a new car. He decided to go all out since he usually keeps a car for a long time.

It’s amazing the features new cars have today. Many of you, no doubt, are aware of the technology that goes into a new car. The self-correcting lane feature is unique. You drive out of your lane and the car prevents you from going any farther and steers the car back into the proper lane. There are cameras all over the car and a touchscreen information center that tells you everything from the latest gasoline price to when your next payment is due.

Now this is all cool stuff and I love bells and whistles on a car, so it’s neat to have these features for the years you own this ride right up to the day it’s paid off. But wait, that magic day you make the final payment is not necessarily the end of your financial commitment to a manufacturer. Some companies are starting to charge a monthly fee for some of the options in your car. Yes, those special options on YOUR car are not yours to own along with the car. These are features some companies refer to as “subscribing.”

I recently read in an automotive report where Lexus, Toyota and Subaru were contemplating a monthly/yearly charge for the ability to lock and unlock your car, remote start and even heated seats. Some of these companies even want to charge a subscription for headlamp high beams.

BMW supposedly wants to charge an $80 annual subscription for many of these features and found out it was not a wise move — for now.

Enter the classic car owner, custom car builder and street rod guys and gals. What has been a theme that many of them have followed over the years? That theme was and is the integration of many/some contemporary features into their rides. The idea of a computer module in a street rod or street machine was once an off-the-wall idea. Not today.

That crate motor and features like gauge modules are now rather common. Remote starters, remote suspension functions and many other features show that car builders can create their own “modern” features without the need for a factory “subscription.”

I feel it’s just plain greedy to (potentially) make a consumer pay forever to own a car. If this is the future, then companies better be prepared to be challenged by the ingenuity of the members of the car community.

Car builders have put everything from televisions to movie screens in their cars. The thought of battling big companies to put these features in a car in an aftermarket wrought with subscriptions attached will be an intriguing challenge for corporations and consumers. Time will tell.

Department of Woke: Heard where a General Lee car and a Dukes police type car were denied the ability to register for a show. My thoughts? Everyone should boycott this event and any like it.

Department of America: Pooh on politics poisoning our hobby. What’s next, banning the Starsky and Hutch ride? The Batmobile?

Department of Good Cheer: I bid everyone a great season ending in the endless summer of 2022.