Every year here in Orlando, the Epcot parking lot turns into the AutoShow In Motion. It's a pretty cool event... It's the only auto show where they turn the keys over to US the drivers. It's sponsored by GM, but they have over 150 cars of both GM manufacture, as well as competitors vehicles as well, so you get to really compare them side by side. There are no salespeople at all, so you truely get to test drive without the pressure. More info (including cities it travels to) can be found about it at www.AutoShowInMotion.com.

Anyhoo... it was here last spring, just after I bought my '05 EX-L I4/auto, and I didnt want to have buyers remorse, so I didn't attend. However, this year they surprised us with a bonus visit, so I just went again today. I test drove Caddys, Mercedes, Toyotas, Hondas, VWs, Saabs, and a whole bunch of others. But what really surprised me the most was that despite it all, my Accord beat out pretty much all of them*.

Even more surprising was how crappy the Toyota Camry was. It was a V6 XLE I think... very unresponsive. Bland interior. Almost felt like my grandfathers Caprice Classic. No wonder the Accord is kicking the Camry's butt.

At the end of the day, it was nice to sit back into my Accord and drive away in the best car there.*


(*=The only car that I liked better than my Accord was the Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible, which of course is my dream car. Sure, the radio was less user friendly than MS-DOS, and the seat wasn't as firm as I might like, but dayum, that car is gorgeous and fun to drive.)

nooooo!!! its in San Jose next weekend! and i'm stranded here in LA!! gahhh! :rant: :censored: :bawl:

How long were the lines man? I feel like going but I'm not waiting around another hour and a half to drive a Camry...going to the dealer this weekend to drive (buy?) Sienna/Odyssey.

For most cars, there was never more than a few minute wait (usually one person in front of you) The Camry never had any wait that I ever saw. The longest line I waited in was for the Pontiac Solstice, and that was 20 minutes... fun car, but NOT made for anyone over 5'10".

I didn't try the H2 or the Corvette this time around (I have at previous shows) but there's usually a line for those. Not worth it, IMHO.

Hey Ward,

They'll be in The Alamo City the 12th & 13th of this month!!

I went to the one last year. I gotta admit it was fun! When I test drove the GTO MT, I was power drifting around a hairpin turn! :D My friend was a passenger when I did that. We both got "cited" for that little incident, though. (two citations and you're outta there!)

That was also where I fell in love with the TL. That was easily the best car out there that day! It felt so good that I had to drive it twice and was a passenger twice.

Either I missed the one this year or they didn't have one in Boston. :dunno: I didn't check until May.

How long were the lines man? I feel like going but I'm not waiting around another hour and a half to drive a Camry...going to the dealer this weekend to drive (buy?) Sienna/Odyssey.

Last year the lines were long (for all the "desireable" cars) when they came to the Bay Area...at least they were when my wife & I went. Although, the lines for Camry were short, lol. It would be cool if they have the new Corvettes available.

I went to the one last year. I gotta admit it was fun! When I test drove the GTO MT, I was power drifting around a hairpin turn! :D My friend was a passenger when I did that. We both got "cited" for that little incident, though. (two citations and you're outta there!)

That was also where I fell in love with the TL. That was easily the best car out there that day! It felt so good that I had to drive it twice and was a passenger twice.

Either I missed the one this year or they didn't have one in Boston. :dunno: I didn't check until May.
I'm jealous that they had TLs there. We only had the MDX, which I didn't get a chance to drive. I might go back tomorrow before work, if I remember to wake up early enough.

That was in 2004... I think they took it out this year because too many people liked driving it. :lmao:

True... So instead of GM waking up and realizing that thier cars can't compare to the TL, and building a better one, they just take away the TL from the lineup.

I found it funny that all thier cars were loaded, and all the competitions were base models, or close to.

True... So instead of GM waking up and realizing that thier cars can't compare to the TL, and building a better one, they just take away the TL from the lineup.

I found it funny that all thier cars were loaded, and all the competitions were base models, or close to.

Can't really "build" a car (so to speak) in a year though.

Come on, even a "base" Lexus could whupp any GM car lol

Can't really "build" a car (so to speak) in a year though.

One year... ten years...

I went to it in Alameda, CA a couple weeks ago. The waits were longer than I expected because they have too many cars on small tracks, so they pile up waiting for a 30 second trip. I think most lines for the good cars were at least 30 minute waits, except the trucks. The "competition" was 1 honda accord, nissan altima, audi a4, mb c230, e320, bmw 325, and a few others I can't remember. The new corvette was definitely my favorite, but they only let you drive it once, with a guide in the passenger seat. They let you floor it though. :nuts: I think I got to drive about 4 cars in about 3 hours. The A4 drove very nice. For GM, I was actually impressed with the ride quality in the G6 coupe and saturn ion. I expected worse.

I found it funny that all thier cars were loaded, and all the competitions were base models, or close to.
Very astute and correct observation.