Glitz n' Glitter! The 2004 DC Auto Show.

[Ron Mummert]

Two years ago I dropped in on the DC Auto Show, since it was about ten years prior that I had done so.
Our leaders in the Nation's Capital decided that the "old" one square block convention center was sooooo...undersized (don't go there), that we simply MUST have one the size of the Kremlin, so now the show is at the NEW & IMPROVED two block square mega-mutha'. Of course there's still no decent parking, & I had to pay Habib fifteen bucks to attend a ten buck show.

This show has 700 cars. SEVEN HUNDRED!!!! There are two floors, in two zip codes it seemed, as floor two is down the hall a piece & up two long escalators. 700 cars & no Plymouths or Oldsmobiles! Remember them? Plenty of Kias, Scions, Suzukis & Coopers to take their place, however.

Observations:

1. Lots of eye candy!!!! OK, OK, I'll stick to the cars.

2. Biggest crowds. Cadillac. (That Cien thing IS sumpthin' else).
Mini-Cooper. There were 5 of 'em - all crammed with humanity.

3. VW has a poor man's Maybach called the Phaeton. You can drive it
home for only 75K. 400+HP W12 engine. The beautiful people's car,
I guess. Hitler must be spinning.

4. Remember POS Kia? There's an upscale one with lots of shiny wood
for 28K. Whew!

5. All dashes began to look alike.

6. All power window controls are made by the same factory in Hoboken.
They were all copied from the SVX. Maybe they'll all fall apart
at the same time.

7. In two years I predict all front fenders will be replaced with
swoopy clear plastic shrouded chrome channels with an array of
lights to rival a fourth of July display in Manhattan.

8. The Mazda 3 & Mazda 6 are nice looking. Then there's the RX8.

9. Biggest surprise, a concept car called (forgive me)-
The Chevrolet BelAir. Not radical & tastefully underdone
retro '55 convertible.

10.Coolest wheels - '49 Merc(ury) custom - all the '50s mods
(chop, channel, DeSoto grill, etc. Gorgeous!

11.The Suby STI collected lots of drool from kids I hope will never
have the money to buy one. (Yeah, right).

12.Nicest fanny. The spokes-grrrl for Scion. Actually, when I got
around to noticing these odd little beasts, I decided I liked
them. I mean what's not to like about a car you can stuff in
your back-pack rather than park it?

13. Biggest dissapointment. Walking back to my 16 year old van for
the ride home. Yeah - it's paid for.

Ron (In ten years I'll be able to afford that '04 Kia)!

[upnygimp]

Tomorrow Scion should be unveiling their tC in Detroit. First Scion I've seen that shows some promise as to styling. Guess I'll find out more tomorrow. One of these years I would love to get to the Detroit Auto Show.

[Andy]

Originally posted by Ron Mummert
Two years ago I dropped in on the DC Auto Show, since it was about ten years prior that I had done so.
Our leaders in the Nation's Capital decided that the "old" one square block convention center was sooooo...undersized (don't go there), that we simply MUST have one the size of the Kremlin, so now the show is at the NEW & IMPROVED two block square mega-mutha'. Of course there's still no decent parking, & I had to pay Habib fifteen bucks to attend a ten buck show.

This show has 700 cars. SEVEN HUNDRED!!!! There are two floors, in two zip codes it seemed, as floor two is down the hall a piece & up two long escalators. 700 cars & no Plymouths or Oldsmobiles! Remember them? Plenty of Kias, Scions, Suzukis & Coopers to take their place, however.

Observations:

1. Lots of eye candy!!!! OK, OK, I'll stick to the cars.

2. Biggest crowds. Cadillac. (That Cien thing IS sumpthin' else).
Mini-Cooper. There were 5 of 'em - all crammed with humanity.

3. VW has a poor man's Maybach called the Phaeton. You can drive it
home for only 75K. 400+HP W12 engine. The beautiful people's car,
I guess. Hitler must be spinning.

4. Remember POS Kia? There's an upscale one with lots of shiny wood
for 28K. Whew!

5. All dashes began to look alike.

6. All power window controls are made by the same factory in Hoboken.
They were all copied from the SVX. Maybe they'll all fall apart
at the same time.

7. In two years I predict all front fenders will be replaced with
swoopy clear plastic shrouded chrome channels with an array of
lights to rival a fourth of July display in Manhattan.

8. The Mazda 3 & Mazda 6 are nice looking. Then there's the RX8.

9. Biggest surprise, a concept car called (forgive me)-
The Chevrolet BelAir. Not radical & tastefully underdone
retro '55 convertible.

10.Coolest wheels - '49 Merc(ury) custom - all the '50s mods
(chop, channel, DeSoto grill, etc. Gorgeous!

11.The Suby STI collected lots of drool from kids I hope will never
have the money to buy one. (Yeah, right).

12.Nicest fanny. The spokes-grrrl for Scion. Actually, when I got
around to noticing these odd little beasts, I decided I liked
them. I mean what's not to like about a car you can stuff in
your back-pack rather than park it?

13. Biggest dissapointment. Walking back to my 16 year old van for
the ride home. Yeah - it's paid for.

Ron (In ten years I'll be able to afford that '04 Kia)!

Warning!!!!!!!!!!!

International translation error, item 12

[Ron Mummert]

Originally posted by Andy



Warning!!!!!!!!!!!

International translation error, item 12

Hmmm....OH! You mean the "F" word, Andy? Yeah, somewhere in my failing gray matter I now remember that you over-ponders use that word to refer to the, uh..."opposite" view, shall we say?
My apologies, as I, being of good taste & upbringing, would never
purposefully use questionable language to describe a lady's ass.

Humbly, Ron (Over here we get BEES in our bonnets).

[upnygimp]

Ooop, my info. was bad- tC is being unveiled tomorrow.

[SVXRide]

Ron,
Took Austin to the Convention Center for the last day of the Car show today and we both enjoyed the show. Got to sit in the EVO and the STI and definitely liked the STI's seats over the EVO's Recaros (now I just have to figure out how to find a wrecked STI to get the seats out of ). The Lambos and Ferraris up on the second floor were mind boggling - 6.2 L of V12!!
-Bill

[CigarJohnny]

Originally posted by Ron Mummert
12.Nicest fanny. The spokes-grrrl for Scion. Actually, when I got around to noticing these odd little beasts, I decided I liked
them.

Ron, you should know better than to call the possessors of such nice tushies "odd little beasts"! Not only is it sexist, but it is demeaning to them on a personal level. I find that a finey hiney overrides nearly all physical flaws a young lady may have. "Odd little beasties" indeed! I hang my head in shame for you on behalf of all us "ass"ficianatos.

-Johnny

[Ron Mummert]

Originally posted by CigarJohnny
Ron, you should know better than to call the possessors of such nice tushies "odd little beasts"! Not only is it sexist, but it is demeaning to them on a personal level. I find that a finey hiney overrides nearly all physical flaws a young lady may have. "Odd little beasties" indeed! I hang my head in shame for you on behalf of all us "ass"ficianatos.

-Johnny

Yes, Johnny, after re-reading my sentence, I can see the confusion I've caused by not better separating my description of a car verses that of feminine attributes, that henceforth shall be deemed "two kittens in a gunny-sack".

Ron (with head well hung).

[Mr. Pockets]

I'm going to miss the Detroit show this year, since I don't live next door any more. I suppose the one in Chicago will have to do...