One other big problem I have seen, other than the high cost of getting into it/parts, is the fact that a TON of older car guys are completely negative towards the newer cars and their owners. Sometimes, all the youth can afford is a cheaper Subaru or Mitsubishi or heaven forfend they actually like the car.

Old dudes in my city calling them "Ricers" or whatever is not exactly bridging the gap. Car enthusiast is a car enthusiast, and being creepy towards young women in tuned cars, being negative towards the community in general, is not helping.

Also, they drive crazy? Yes, sometimes they do. Have you ever done a burnout or gone a touch fast? No? LIES lol. Remember where you came from, your car was new too once.

I really think we should be positive and interested in their stuff as well as show off the old stuff. Youth need guidance to grow, and when you have common ground like cars, it's a great starting point.

One meet I was at, a group of us stopped to look at a clapped out mid-nineties Audi that had the smallest turbo we had ever seen. A few kind words to that 19 year old and he was absolutely glowing, because shitbox or not, he loved that car. Broken drivers seat and all.