mmarshall

I posted a thread on the major auto shows in early 2019 several months ago, but just a reminder, for those of you in the D.C. / Baltimore area, that the D.C. Auto show will not be held in its former late-January/early February period. It has been moved forward to warmer weather, from April 2-14, although the first day or two may (?) be for press-introductions. I liked the time period best when it was held from right after Christmas through early January, as it made a nice part of the Holiday Season...but that went out when the new Convention Center was opened, and it was shifted to late January. I also liked the old building itself better, but it was farther from the Metro subway station (the new building overlies the station), and didn't have the outside Test-Drive Circuit the new building does...though you can't really call that local-street-circuit a test-drive (Steve, I'm sure you will agree LOL)

The somewhat smaller (Motor-Trend-Sponsored) Baltimore show will continue in early February (7-10)......I may (?) drive up there myself, if there is adequate parking, rather than wait till April for D.C., though I like the subway service in D.C. right to the building and back. Also, I don't think you can get free tickets for the Baltimore show just for the asking, like you do in the D.C. area, where, all you have to do, when the passes arrive (usually several days before the show), is walk into any new-vehicle dealership, go up to the sales-manager's desk, and ask for a couple of the passes. They are usually happy to give you a couple of them, as they want you to go look at their products. The D.C. show is actually sponsored by WANADA, the local dealers' association.

https://wanada.org/events/2019-washington-auto-show/

http://autoshowbaltimore.com

Johnhav430

Memories. I used to get free tix in Baltimore from Subaru. Thanks to them I learned that red light cameras existed (think about how long ago that would be).

If anyone has ever been to Philly, do you find ours sub-par? I do....other ones in other cities are better run imho.

mmarshall

Here's the link to this year's Philadelphia show, if you are planning to attend.....February 2-10, 2019. The site has a cute little teddy-bear video in it, introducing the show. Apparently at least some of the show's proceeds goes to benefit Children's Hospital.

Looks like the tail end of the Philly show will overlap with Baltimore, so some of the people living between Baltimore and Philadelphia (Wilmington, Lancaster, York, New Castle, Dover, etc..... will have a choice between the two.

https://www.phillyautoshow.com

mmarshall

We'll have to wait and see if Ford and/or Lincoln do the sign-up again, at the shows, for test-drives at the dealerships. For several years, at the show, Ford has gaven out $50 pre-paid Mastercards for test-drives at Ford new-car dealerships...usually with a time limit for the test-drive. Lincoln used to do $75 Mastecards, but, the last couple of years, switched and now donates $75, in your name, to a charity of one's choice (from a list). Last year, Ford, in addition to the $50 Mastercard by mail, also gave out an additional $10 pre-paid card, right there at the D.C. show, for a quick Ford test-drive on the show's test-loop around the center of the city. I used it to sample the EcoSport....I had been waiting a long time to see the EcoSport and try it out. Unfortunately, Ford had not been able to use the regular parking area out in front of the building, for its street-samples, like some other manufacturers did. They had parked the EcoSport, and their other street-samples, out on the big loading dock, next to the dumpsters. You had to go quietly out the back door with a company rep LOL and take the vehicle down the long loading-ramp to get to the street for the actual drive.

Anyhow, in addition to getting a quick feel for the EcoSport, it was nice to stop at Starbucks with that card (and the later $50 one) and get some ground-up French or Italian Roast coffee-beans. Darn, that's good coffee......pure pleasure. I look forward to brewing it each morning. It's not a Starbucks card, though, and can be used anywhere.

GM used to do a card for Cadillac test-drives, but stopped the practice several years ago.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Car dealers, running shows, giving out gift cards to people who have no intention of buying, and don't need the gift card money, now that's just kind of sad.

Car shows are on their way to extinction, as most young people have no interest.

plex

iTrader: (11)

Plan to check these out only if the new MKV is there though.

mmarshall

Incorrect. If Mary Barra follows through on her hare-brained idea to drop all of GM's big sedans, my checkbook is open for a (strongly possible) Lincoln MKZ replacement of my Lacrosse...assuming that Ford doesn't drop it, too. And I can guarantee you one thing....on an MKZ, Ford will be getting a lot more back from me than they ever gave me in Mastercards. But it's not my fault if GM or Ford will no longer build what I want as a customer. And if Ford craps out on their big sedans, too....well, that nice Genesis G80 is waiting on the lot.

Irrelevant. The world does not revolve around just young people (or old ones, for that matter).

What WILL, eventually, probably cause at least some demise of big car shows is that, as the industry electrifies (and automates/self-drives) more and more, the public will lose some of its interest in cars, as they simply won't be much fun to drive around in anymore. In other words, vehicles will lose their appeal, personality and character.

tex2670

Bump.

I just got an email, and as I expected, no Philly Auto Show this year:

The Phila Flower show IS scheduled to take place this spring/summer, but instead of in the convention center, it's going to be outside in a City park for the 1st time ever. Clearly, that doesn't work with an auto show - and you don't have all of the constant touching of surfaces at the Flower Show like you would at the Auto Show.

TheRas900

Bummer, an outdoor philly auto show would have been epic. I am still glad I attended last year’s a few weeks before the world shut down!

LexBob2

Out of curiosity I just looked up the Chicago Auto Show which is normally in February. All it says on their site is "Spring 2021" but a couple of local news articles are saying the show hopes to be able to run sometime in the summer if possible. I don't normally go to it but it is still a big event for a lot of people.

mmarshall

Moderators....the title of this thread can probably be changed/updated to the D.C. and Philly shows cancelled rather than updated.



Certainly hope they reschedule it for the summer. Too many shows have been cancelled....even Detroit, right now, originally scheduled for June, is iffy.

SW17LS

I wouldnt look to have any of these shows this year

mmarshall

Sadly, I wouldn't bet on any of them, either, at least right now.

Maybe the L.A. show, in late November, can still be salvaged this year. Now that the Detroit show is being permanently moved to June even after the pandemic is over (no more January Detroit shows), the L.A. show is likely going to be the Bellweather presentation for new vehicles......which, IMO, would be fitting, as the L.A. region, not Detroit, is actually the center of the country's auto-culture.....has been for years.