mmarshall

For those of you who are planning on attending any of these three large shows, I'll post the links a little in advance, as I customarily do each fall. The L.A. Show will run December 1-10, 2017; the Detroit North American International Show from January 13-28, 2018 (though not all of that time-block may be open to the public...the site will give details), and the Washington, D.C. Show from January 26-February 4, 2018. As usual, I will be at the D.C. Show several days, probably 3-4 hours at a time. My knees are both MUCH better than they were last year at this time, after the knee-surgery I had for ruptured tendons (the other knee, with arthritis, did not have surgery, but was weak). Both are a lot stronger now, and pain-free (I swim with them both each day)...so I hope to spend more time on them at the show the year.

Not sure about the other two shows, but, as usual, free show-passes for the D.C. show should, once again, be available from any local new-car dealer in the Washington area....indeed, the show is sponsored by the local dealership association (WANADA). (After a brand-new Lacrosse this year, my dealership owes me a bunch of passes LOL). In most cases, don't try and drive downtown and park...just too many hassles, although the D.C. Metro subway system is still undergoing major repairs that might also add to hassles and delays. In general, though, take the Metro Green/Yellow lines to the Mt. Vernon Ave-D.C. Convention Center exit....the building itself is right above the station.

Happy Show-Going.

Los Angeles Show: https://laautoshow.com

Detroit Show: https://naias.com

Washington, D.C. Show: https://www.washingtonautoshow.com

mmarshall

I'll update the thread (too late to edit the title) to include the Chicago Auto Show, which runs from February 10-19, 2018.

https://www.chicagoautoshow.com

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

A certain irony that a car enthusiast doesn't recommend driving to an auto show.

mmarshall

I DO recommend driving....where it is feasible. I DON'T recommend gridlock and parking-hassles. That's what the Washington, D.C. Metro subway system was built for avoid in the first place.

Besides, you consider yourself a car enthusiast....and yet seem to want the self-driving cars.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I don't consider them mutually exclusive. And it's hard to be entusiastic in any car when driving in awful traffic.

mmarshall

OK.......you and I will definitely jive on that one.

Johnhav430

I've been to the Philly auto shows which imho are particularly weak. As a kid, I remember getting free tix every year for the NY auto show prior to the Javits even being in existence, when it was at the NY Coliseum. there were always pretty models to have your pic taken with, which was exciting for a little kid. Other than Philly, in the last 15 yrs. I went to Baltimore because Subaru gave me free tix (wasn't worth it), and smAlbany, NY. I wonder if Detroit and LA has the glitz that I remember as a kid...who wants to see nice cars all roped off and locked LOL

I'd rather go to events....don't think I'm going to do the BMW autocross tomorrow, as we have to pick up in-laws at JFK as the timing is off....

Johnhav430

This is along the lines of I'd drive a stick if it weren't for the traffic. Not to everybody, but to me, non sequitur, you either like it, or you don't. I don't feel like driving to JFK tomorrow to pick up in-laws who are coming back from overseas as the Belt Pky usually isn't too good, so should I tell them to take Uber? Kind of factor in the end result (they've got likely over 100 cu ft of luggage that's not gonna fit in an Uber)

mmarshall

Detroit and L.A. are still considered the two largest North American shows. Most of the all-new introductions are done at Detroit....some at L.A, because Southern California is considered the center of the country's auto culture, and more new vehicles are sold there than any other region in the country, with the D.C.-Baltimore region probably second. But Detroit, at least partly because of tradition if nothing else, remains far and away the biggest show. The Washington, D.C. show, though not the same scale as L.A. or Detroit, has expanded and grown significantly in the last 10-15 years, For decades, it was a Class-B show....but, after the new Convention Center was built, became a borderline Class-A-minus. L.A. and Detroit, of course, are solidly Class-A. The D.C. show has also grown due to the fact that it used to be held over the Holiday period, from Christmas to New Year, when Congress was not in session and members were back at home in their districts. Now, of course, members of Congress are in town for the current late-January/early February period of the D.C. show, and a number of them attend.

Sometimes, having high-level officials there can be a pain in the a**. I was there one year, down on the lower floor (which actually has more space and displays than upstairs), when President Obama's entourage showed up, completely unannounced (perhaps for security reasons). A bunch of Secret Service agents barged in (without show-tickets LOL) , essentially took over much of the lower floor, secured the exits, set up a perimeter, and pushed many of us into one corner and/or back upstairs. Obama's administration, of course, at the time, was pushing alternate-fuel vehicles, and he wanted to come and personally see some of the new ones on display there. At the time, most of them were in one large, single display downstairs. He and the Secret Service stayed for at least two or three hours (maybe four....I can't remember exactly), and then left...and the show went back to normal.

Johnhav430

Maybe we ought to check out the DC show one of these days....your story reminded me of when Obama and Seinfeld were in Seinfeld's car, and they tried to leave the White House....the security guard/Capitol Police said I can't let you leave, sir.....I thought interesting, even Obama is not free to leave on his own accord, as it's not protocol...

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

years ago i moved to atlanta and one of the first things i did was sell my beautiful 6 speed legend gs sedan because my left foot and calf were hurting from all the clutch work in traffic! still, i traded for a gs400 which kept the grin on my face for years.

Johnhav430

Haha I was in Atlanta for training circa 2008, the training was about 6 miles from my hotel. (It was near the Bentley dealer as I recall) They strongly urged me to leave about 45 min. to get there, which I thought was hogwash, I'll do 30. Yep, I was late!

BrownPride

I may go to the Detroit show, depends entirely on how much work I have.

mmarshall

Glad you mentioned the 6-speed. That clears up something, and might (?) account for the earlier conversation (and potential disagreement) we had in the other thread about the so-called unreliable Legend clutch. You had a later 6-speed model...it may have been that earlier ones (with the 5MT), at least from what limited sources I've seen, were the ones with the unreliable clutch.

Totally agree wth you, BTW, that big-city traffic and traditional cutch pedals simply don't mix. Though I've sampled many a clutch in reviews and test-drives since then, I haven't actually owned once since the 1980s....even back then, this D.C. area had outgrown pleasant driving conditions wth manual transmissions.

mmarshall

If you make it, you'll be in for a real treat....the largest and most comprehensive auto show in the nation, and one of the largest on the planet.