Do you still go to autoshows?

"CB" (jrcb) 01/21/2020 at 15:19 • Filed to: Questions

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A post on Driving.ca  made me think: do you still go to auto shows? I went all the time growing up when I was living in Toronto, and contemplated going home for a weekend so I could go to one with my dad. It was never much of a shopping thing for me, just to go see cars and dream. Which sucks now that I’m actually car shopping and the nearest one is eight hours away.

How about you? Do you still go, and why do you go?

(Photo taken of me by my dad in 2017 at the Canadian International Auto Show)

Tareim - V8 powered > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:28

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Don’t tend to go to any form of static show, gets boring quickly

Chariotoflove > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:30

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I go with m y daughter. It’s the only place you can sit in and grope lots of different cars at the same time in a climate- controlled environment and with no salesman trying to get you into a booth to 4-square you. Sometimes you can also get on- site test drives, although I’ve never done this.

AestheticsInMotion > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:32

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I've never been. I'd definitely be interested, especially a 2 wheel one. Ooooooh or if it gave me an excuse to travel somewhere fun

jimz > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:35

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I stopped, oh, 10-15 years ago.  Having had to work the show as an exhibitor (thus being there 5 days in a row, 10-13 hour days) took the shine off of it.  Same for CES.  I never want to go back.

Sovande > AestheticsInMotion 01/21/2020 at 15:36

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Come on down to DC this weekend.  I’ll be taking my son to the car show if my knee can take it.  It’s not the greatest time, but he has fun so it’s worth it to me.  Plus I get to sit in the new Volvo’s without being asked what I will be trading in.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:38

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You never know what you will discover at a car show: random GM Futureliner in a corner, maybe getting trapped in a K900 with the child locks on, or a car whose push button ignition wasn’t disabled. I love them!

shop-teacher > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:39

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I do ... but I’m not really sure why anymore.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:40

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Sure, I still go.  Fun times

WilliamsSW > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:41

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I have gone to the Chicago Auto Show religiously for years. But last year may have been it. The crowds suck unless you can go on a weekday afternoon, and Mercedes and BMW have bailed out entirely.

My wife does need a new car later this year, so maaaayyybe I’ll swing by, but probably not.  

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:43

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Usually, especially if I get free tickets. I like looking at what’s new and complaining about how insane new car prices are.

Tripper > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:43

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Nope. I too always went with my dad as a kid and LOVED it. Went a little with my friends after college and was mostly disappointed. I might give it another try as my munchkin gets older.

Cars are so much more of an “ appliance” than they ever have been. The internet has spoiled the rest. Full disclosure I have only ever been to the Philadelphia auto show.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:44

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BMW and Mercedes don’t go anymore ; why should I?

412GTI > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:48

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I go to our local city show which isn’t huge but it’s nice to play around/ sit in some  cars not at a dealership. Although I’ve driven a bunch now that I don’t spend nearly as much time there. 

arl > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:52

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I go, but with very low expectations. Kn obs are missing off of shi fters, many of the cool cars are locked or roped off, people cutting in front of each other just to sit in some mid level Lincoln, parking fees, etc . And the terrible food. Ooof.

My son and I do it out of tradition, but I don’t really expect to see a lot that get’s me excited .

i86hotdogs > CB 01/21/2020 at 15:53

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I try to go as many times as possible. When I lived in Chicago I went annually. When I moved to Detroit I went annually. I now live in Cleveland and I still go, but man it’s like going from wagyu tomahawk to walmart center loin.

Spanfeller is a twat > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:02

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I used to go to the Mexico City autoshow every year, but the last time I went to a car show was probably six years ago

thatsmr > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 01/21/2020 at 16:04

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Local shows are attended by dealerships, not manufacturers. Ours pulled all spares, tools, first aid kits, floor mats, etc..and had all navi sd cards stolen, shift knobs, audio knobs, you name it. A rep who attended to answer questions and hand out business cards watched a guy let his kid try to jack the display screen off the dash. Local shows are trash

HammerheadFistpunch > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:06

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never been to one.  Salt Lake’s show is...poor.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:15

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I stopped going for a while, but I’ve gone the last couple of years now.

I go to see cars I might potentially buy. Best way to see all the cars under one roof. Sadly I could care less about the exotics as I’ll never drive one so I don’t really care. I go see the difference between a Civic, Corolla, and Elantra for instance.

HammerheadFistpunch > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:17

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what was the autoshow story I keep hearing about?  that westworld thing?

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Sovande 01/21/2020 at 16:18

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I might be at the DC show this weekend as well!

CB > HammerheadFistpunch 01/21/2020 at 16:24

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I dumbed out on my reading, it was actually Driving.ca .

Snuze: Needs another Swede > jimz 01/21/2020 at 16:24

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I worked a few trade shows in the defense industry, and you’re right, it does take the shine off. Although at least I didn’t have to deal with screaming children running around. 

HammerheadFistpunch > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:24

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ah

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:25

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Yeah, if we have time when it’s in town, I like taking the family.

CB > HammerheadFistpunch 01/21/2020 at 16:25

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Yep, surprise night shifts have fried my brain.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:30

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Sometimes. Like many, when I was a kid I loved going to them - it was fun to see the cars and dream about them. As an adult, I find the show obnoxious. I worked the DC Auto Show one year (in college, we displayed our FSAE car at the SCCA Chapter Booth). It was incredible how dead it was during the day, very boring, but would be the ideal time to go if you wanted to look and not deal with the HORDES OF OBNOXIOUS SCREAMING CHILDREN CLIMBING ALL OVER EVERYTHING LIKE IT WAS SOME KIND OF TRASHY DISNEYLAND!

Now I think it could be like a once every 5-10 year thing for me. The kid in me still wants to go see all the new cars and stuff, but I get tired of putting up with all the obnoxious people. My dad is shopping for a new car, though, so we may end up going to the DC show this year. And I think the last time I went was around 2013, so right about on schedule for me.

Textured Soy Protein > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:37

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I went to the Chicago Auto Show a couple times when I lived in Madison because it was one of the big shows where new stuff was announced. It was kind of an excuse to make a weekend excursion to Chicago along with doing other non-auto show things.

The DC auto show is fine but nothing special. My wife recently reminded me it was coming up soon but I was like, ehh whatever not sure there’s much I care to see. I’d probably just test the back seat legroom of a bunch of cars I won’t actually buy since my current state of 335xi ownership is it’s paid off and hasn’t broken in any significant way for a while so I’m just keeping it.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:39

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I absolutely would go if live in a major city where they occurred. 

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:42

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Not since I was a child. And that was a while ago. More recently...I don't think there has been an actual new car show in an Australian city for over a decade...

f86sabre > CB 01/21/2020 at 16:42

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Nope

fintail > CB 01/21/2020 at 17:06

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I’ll likely go to Vancouver this year, as I have been attending since the prior century, and it is a nice excuse to get away.  The shows have lost some luster though, now it is a game of which makers won’t be in attendance.

Haven’t been to the Seattle show in maybe 5 years, same deal - who won’t be there, and it seems smaller.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > CB 01/21/2020 at 17:51

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Not really. Had free tickets to the LA auto show and just plain missed it.

Sovande > Snuze: Needs another Swede 01/21/2020 at 18:09

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If I go, I’ll be the tall guy with a grey beard. I’ll be with a  blonde kid with long hair. I’ll be on crutches so it will be sure to be a real scene!

Poor_Sh > CB 01/21/2020 at 18:31

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I went to the Boston one literally yesterday. 

Mercedes Streeter > CB 01/21/2020 at 18:41

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I do! If it weren’t for me not being able to get the day off, I would be going to the Chicago Auto Show’s Media Preview for...my 6th or 7th year? I’ll still go to the Public Show though, and this will be my 11th year going. :)

It’s a tradition I’ll do until the physical show goes away.

ranwhenparked > CB 01/21/2020 at 19:20

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Not really. The only one relatively close to me only tends to get 1-2 year old concept cars and no major new product launches, plus t heir black tie preview gala tickets keep going up in price every year with no appreciable increase in food quality. Yeah, its for charity, etc., but only about half is actually tax deductible, and I donate more than that on my own to the same place anyway.

slipperysallylikespenguins > AestheticsInMotion 01/21/2020 at 19:55

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Unfortunately their isn’t a single motorcycle show in the PNW for new motorcycles. Nearest is LA or Denver. However their is a really cool custom show in Portland in a couple weeks. With racing too.

https://www.seeseemotorcycles.com/pages/the-one-moto-show-details

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > CB 01/21/2020 at 21:25

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I was fortunate to be able to attend the NYC auto show before teh 2009 crash and that ruined auto shows as they use to hand out really nice posters like candy. Then skipped a year and went in 2011 and it wasn’t the same. I’ve gone to a couple other shows when I or others were looking and it is much lamer with 1/2 the brands not showing up.

I get they can’t show up withsomething new, but i still think they’re the best way to compare 5 different cars, without affect of mood, weather, crappy salesman wasting your time.   

Nauraushaun > CB 01/21/2020 at 21:26

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The Australian motor show has been dead for years. Else I’d probably go.

Saracen > CB 01/21/2020 at 21:28

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I go to the LA Auto Show every year, as it’s about two hours from me, is a million times better than the crappy San Diego Auto Show, I get to see world debuts (come to meeeee RS6), and I’d rather not go shopping on black friday.

It’ll probably be the thing I miss the most when I get out of SoCal. Well, that and tacos.

zipfuel > CB 01/21/2020 at 21:36

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Wow a Lorraine So mmerf eld article, that takes me back to my days reading Canadian newspaper motoring sections.

This was before I realized that a lot of wheels.ca was syndicated or ripped off Jalopnik content and just went to the source...

bwp240 > CB 01/21/2020 at 22:29

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Yes, mostly to cause confusion and delay...

I usually don’t unless there is an interesting car or I haven’t been in several years. However, I have a friend who enjoys going each year so we go and make an afternoon of it. We check out the cars we want, then we dig around for random quirks, features, and oversights (ex Chrysler Pacifica Jump seat) . This has led to excessive silliness.

I nearly got kicked out of the Ford booth because I asked why the Ford Edge is the most round vehicle in Ford’s lineup.

pip bip - choose Corrour > CB 01/22/2020 at 03:46

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nope.

none held in Australia anymore

Milky > jimz 01/22/2020 at 08:58

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I just did SEMA and CES ... never went to Vegas before and now I never want to again.  

jimz > Milky 01/22/2020 at 09:37

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I find it doubly bad because there’s really nothing else in Vegas for me.  I don’t gamble so casinos are “meh,” when I was there for work I didn’t get much of a choice what restaurants I got to, and there’s never enough free time to see any of the other sights in that part of the country. 

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > thatsmr 01/22/2020 at 10:06

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Unbelievable. Wtf is wrong with people?

Milky > jimz 01/22/2020 at 11:35

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Same, that city has a fake veneer that bothers me.

Maybe I’m too used to Detroit’s lack of aesthetics.