Thoughts from the Auto Show

This weekend we had an impromptu date to the Midlands Auto Show this weekend.  For those not in Omaha, this is sort of an auto show for actual car buyers.  Manufacturers display current or upcoming models, with sticker prices displayed, and you can sit in the car or kick the tires and fend off the sales pitch.

We're not really in the market for a new car.  I wanted to sit in and check out the Nissan Leaf, but for some reason Nissan was not participating.  The Chevy Volt was on display, but not where you could sit in it (or touch it, for that matter).  Perhaps because we weren't really focusing on what we wanted, my mind had time to wander, and I came away with quite a few thoughts.

First off, I thought it was interesting to see the different things he and I found important in a car.  He was listening to the sound of the door close and quite literally kicking the tires.  I was checking out how comfortable the seats were (and whether or not I could see over the steering wheel!), and looking at the dashboard displays and opening up all the cubbies and storage areas.   He was looking for a car that would last.  I was looking for a car that would be useful.

Needless to say, we had a few differences of opinion, but there was one glaring fact.  Not being a car person, I must admit that makes and models mean nothing to me and I had no idea which cars were the big ticket items and which were the "first car out of college" models, until after I had looked at the sticker - which I generally did after I had sat in the car and formed my own opinion.

The glaring fact?  Price had very little to do with value or desirability.  The $30,000 SUV would have been my choice over the $80,000 model.  The $95,000 car seemed ugly, had very uncomfortable seats, and the dashboard display seemed cluttered to me.  No thank you.

I also found it interesting that for all our talk of downsizing and improving gas mileage, etc, the ratio of big, over-sized vehicles with crappy gas mileage that were on display, compared to the number of smaller cars or mid-sized but efficient cars.

And my LAST thought on this is a continued complaint to the maker's of the SMART cars:

I like your car.  Seriously.  I think its cute and I love that it would easily fit into our 1940's width driveway and would be easy to park and it really is all I need for running from home to work and grabbing a few groceries.   And, I am as impressed as everyone else with all the videos of fat guys and big guys getting into your tiny car.  However, for three years now I have checked out the newest models. I have climbed in expecting a feeling of "rightness" and an overpowering urge to run out and by your amazing and funny little car.   Sadly, I am not BIG ENOUGH to drive your stupid little car.  Can I see over your dashboards? NO!  I am glad you got rid of the stupid pop-up speedometer that REALLY blocked the view, but come on.  And would a tilt steering wheel kill you?