Disappointment at the auto show

So last year I went to the San Francisco show hoping to see the new Miata. Nope. This year I figured that they'd have a Ford GT there. Nope. I wish that when the automakers started showing off their new wares, they'd make up a few extra to show off to the unwashed.

If it makes you feel any better, NAIAS in Detroit has been a let down lately as well.

Even with the Ford GT there last year. 10 years ago it was a great show, now...eh

I stopped going to the San Diego Auto Show because they never had ANYTHING close to upcoming models, Prototypes, etc. It was basically all the local dealers showing off their inventory. Lame.

Now I drive up North to the LA Auto Show. Might not be the Tokyo or Detroit Show, but way better then the crap down here.

I haven't been in a while, but the LA show used to be bad because they had it around the same time as Detroit, so many of the super new cars did not show. Which was pretty stupid since LA has to be the largest car market (and easily one of the most influential) in the country.

Getting to the show, well, that is one big reason I don't go. Downtown can be a royal pain to get to, especially during a weekday.

In modern times of online "spy shots" (that are mostly purely intentional) there's never much left to actually reveal.

I last worked at NAIAS in 2007. Don't miss it.

So what are the big ones these days?

Detroit, Tokyo, Chicago, Paris, Frankfurt

Am I missing anyone?

Yeah, the "International Auto Show" ones that come up around this time of year in Boston are basically a bunch of dealers that show up with cars off their lots. Then, for some reason, a few years back they started letting some customized garbage in there. Basically, all the "custom" cars are stuff with giant chrome wheels, bad graphics, and stick-on vents everywhere.

Last time I went to one was in 2013, because I had free tickets. Coolest car there was a V6 Challenger. If you are looking to compare all of the appliance vehicles under one roof, while paying $30+ to park, $20 a person to get in, and having to deal with rude people all day, it's a great time!

I felt like Detroit was up to par for what I expected it to be in returning to the show over the last two years after a long absence, but for the most part I would say that many of these other shows are just an excuse for dealerships to park their inventory in a convention center.

Flight Service wrote: So what are the big ones these days? Detroit, Tokyo, Chicago, Paris, Frankfurt Am I missing anyone?

Add New York to that list.

Pittsburgh is a small market, and even in the heyday of auto shows, we didn't get much. These days, it's just local dealer inventory. Great if you are cross-shopping cars (do I want a Chevy SS or a Dodge minivan?!?!?) but not the place to see anything cool.

The Hoff wrote: I stopped going to the San Diego Auto Show because they never had ANYTHING close to upcoming models, Prototypes, etc. It was basically all the local dealers showing off their inventory. Lame. Now I drive up North to the LA Auto Show. Might not be the Tokyo or Detroit Show, but way better then the crap down here.

Sounds like going to the Philly show after many years of going to the New York show. NY usually has all of the big concepts and whatnot whereas Philly gets little to none. Now I'll only go to Philly if I get a free ticket (which I usually do through the local MINI club). Even then I don't always go.

The New York show is pretty good, but it's late in the show season, so there's rarely anything "new" introduced there.

Lower your standards. Simply go to a show where you can see a bunch of new cars all in the same room.

I haven't been to the Baltimore Auto Show in decades. You think the like of the Philly or Frisco show's are low, oh boy is the Baltimore show at the bottom of the barrel.

That said, I'll be going this year with the spawnling, and will have a great time watching him bounce from car to car in his youthful exuberance.

foxtrapper wrote: Lower your standards. Simply go to a show where you can see a bunch of new cars all in the same room. I haven't been to the Baltimore Auto Show in decades. You think the like of the Philly or Frisco show's are low, oh boy is the Baltimore show at the bottom of the barrel. That said, I'll be going this year with the spawnling, and will have a great time watching him bounce from car to car in his youthful exuberance.

^this. I use to go to the KC auto show every year and now the Indy auto show since ive moved out here. Its cool to get to sit in and see all the cool new gizmo's from all the car makers. If you dont go into it expecting the greatest show of all time its pretty entertaining. How else would I have figured out that there's no way i would ever fit in a C7 corvette?

The Geneva (Switzerland) auto show is also an important one for automakers----it's where the European car makers introduce their new models / concepts.

I haven't been to a big auto show in years. When we were kids, the Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place was always a high-point of the year. I remember gathering tons of brochures and posters as a little guy--- we always had a blast.

I don't even bother going to the St Louis auto show anymore. berkeleying sucks.

I was at the Chicago Car show about 10-12 years ago. They had lots of neat prototype cars. Is it still like that? Of course the C5 Corvette that you could sit in had all the radio knobs removed by walking knobs.

The Chicago one is still good. Last year they had the winning silver Viper (Sebring?) on display, dirt, bugs and all.

NAIAS last year was good I thought. Toyota had their WEC winning P1 car, Honda had an old F1 car and Mercedes had a Petronas car. The Alfa exhibit was also stunning. As far as new cars it was OK but I really liked the "old" stuff.