mmarshall

Well, it's time of year again...the D.C. Auto Show will run from January 19-28 this year. Here is the web-site with the info.

https://washingtonautoshow.com


Up until the pandemic hit, I used to go every year for several days, and sometimes take people there who are interested in new vehicles....usually three or four partial half-days, since I have had a weak left leg for years that no longer stood up to (no pun intended) the former all-day-long visits. I was fortunate enough to get free tickets each year at local new-car dealerships...and to even give out some tickets to friends and colleagues. But the pandemic shut the show down for a couple of years...and, since then, my left leg just doesn't allow much real walking any more (I get my daily exercise in the indoor pool now). So, I probably won't be attending this year either. I have a Disabled parking sticker now....which lets me park in close-in-spaces.
They may have motorized carts at the show for people with weak legs, but, even then, there probably isn't much there at the shows any more that I'd really want to see....most new vehicles these days are either EV or headed that way. and, for several reasons, I'm just not a practical EV customer.

For those of you who are interested, I recommend taking the Metro Green or Yellow Subway line and getting off at the Convention Center/Mt. Vernon Ave station. Parking in D.C. can be a real hassle, and I don't recommend it. The building is right above the station, although sometimes you may have to walk down the street a little if they don't open the Metro-entrance.

As I mentioned before, you can sometimes get free tickets/show-passes at any new D.C.-area new-vehicle dealership, since the show is sponsored by the local WANADA dealer-association. If they do get tickets that year at the dealerships, they come in around a week or so before the opening date....just go in and ask for a couple. The dealerships usually freely give them out. They WANT you to go and see their products...particularly those they don't have in stock at the moment and can't show you.

Buick isn't dead in the U.S. yet LOL. They will at least have a presence at the show .....which is more than I can say for a number of other automakers today.

Steve, I know you like EuroMotorcars...they will have a dealer-display at the show.

SW17LS

Very few brands…wow. I’ll probably pass this year for the first time ever.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

another wake for the car show 'industry'.

B Dot

Damn shame. Seems like there wont be auto shows much longer.

geko29

Just read this morning that Stellantis is going to be absent from the Chicago Auto Show for the first time in over 100 years, citing cost cutting measures in the wake of the new UAW contract. Looks like they aren't at the DC show either. I wonder if they've dropped off the entire circuit.

LexBob2

I saw that too. A spokesman said they'll reevaluate their decision on a year to year basis, but the writing is on the wall for car shows in general.

mmarshall

Stellantis used to have a huge display at the D.C. show....as large or larger than that of mega-brands Ford, Chevy, or Toyota. It covered the entire back part of the upper floor.....next to the equally large Ford display.

Speaking of the Ford display, although I haven't been there the last few years, so I don't know if they still do it, but, for years, Ford and Lincoln offered a sign-up for dealer test-drives. You signed up at the show, visited a local Ford or Lincoln shop for a test-drive on the vehicle of your choice, submitted a form on-line, and got a pre-paid $50 or $75 Mastercard in the mail. I used them every year....if not for myself, for those interested in Ford or Lincoln products. And I myself liked the Lincoln Corsair....almost bought one.

In fact, one year, in addition to the regular Mastercard offer at the main display, Ford also had a secondary display with $10 Mastercards they gave you right there at the show for taking a new Ford product out for a brief test-drive-circuit around the local city streets. I used it to sample the then-new Ford EcoSport, which, though generally unimpressive, I thought might be a possibility for those interested in a very inexpensive AWD product.

mmarshall

Your favorite dealership will be there, with its own display.

SW17LS

They also ran Jeep offroad displays there too, you can thank your pals at the UAW for the loss of all of that lol

When did I ever say Euro Motorcars was my favorite dealership? I did buy my S560 there and have generally been happy with their service but they are by no means my favorite dealership and I would use another MB dealer in a second for a better deal. In any event, that wouldn't make me go to the show.

mmarshall

Well, First, I myself never took one of those Jeep-rides. I thought it was more of a gimmick than a true off-road test....you just sat there in the vehicle while a company-rep drove. Second, IF the money they save by not setting up that gimmick goes to the paychecks of hard-working and struggling UAW people, I'm all for that....you don't see me complaining.




You have had a lot of nice things to say about the place....and gave the impression that it was pretty high on the totem-pole of your favorite shops. I always had a stellar reputation of the Saturn dealerships (oops..."Retailers") of the 1990s, before the company went down the drain from GM's mismanagement. They bent over forwards, backwards, sideways....(any way you name it)......to satisfy and please customers.

SW17LS

It’s not setting up that display, it’s participating in car shows on any level. You do complain about car shows dying off. Well, the loss of Stellantis is one more nail in the coffin.

And those Jeep displays were fun, it’s a shame you never got to experience one. The whole point of a car show is to draw attention to your cars, so by your logic the whole thing is a “gimmick”

They’ve been good by and large, but I wouldn’t call them “my favorite dealer”. I don’t have a favorite dealer…

LexBob2

Jeep used have a big presence at the Chicago show too. I believe some years they had two different off road set ups. I agree, they were fun and worth experiencing them.

Stellantis also had a short acceleration demo track with Dodge Chargers which was fun.

Trackruner

I went in Charlotte, NC two months ago and we had way more brands show up. I am kind of surprised DC has so few, I would think the capital would have more brands show up.

RNM GS3

Another poor decision by the bean counters at these automakers.
They rather pay some random Youtuber and fly them out to an event rather than spend some $$$ on a Show display.

The years of cool concept cars and wowing the public are long gone…
All of them are copying the Tesla way of doing business which is be as cheap as possible!

geko29

I only remember the one very large "Camp Jeep" attraction, but there was an almost as large Ram one that did some similar but more truck-like things, and the Challenger/Charger "drag strip" as you mentioned. I would guess that those three displays alone took over 100,000 square feet of floor space, not including the static displays for the same brands where you could check the vehicles out.