Dear Crabby, What is the Difference between the Auto Show and Autorama?

Dear Crabby, What’s the difference between the Auto Show and the Autorama?

Sincerely, J. Walker

Dear J. Walker,

If you’re from the Detroit area, then you should know. Cars are our thing. We don’t walk – we drive! But since both events are held at Cobo Hall in the winter and begin with “auto,” I can understand the confusion.

The simplest way to remember is the Auto Show is NEW cars – think showcase, as in what’s new and hot now. The Autorama is OLD cars – sing the oldies song, Rama Lama Ding Dong, as in Autoramalamadingdong. Well, it works for me.

So, some of the finer details are that the North American International Auto Show runs for two-weeks in January and costs about $13 to get in. More than 500 new vehicles attract every Tom, Dick and Harry who think they’re a journalist and the event is covered to death.

I can’t afford new cars.

Now, the differences continue with the Autorama. First of all, this spell-checker thing on my fancy computer-writer keeps telling me that Autorama is not a word. If I type it, it’s a word; I don’t know why H. Packard doesn’t agree with me on this one. Anyway, the Autorama has more vehicles and has been around longer. You only have three short days to catch it before it leaves town. Ticket prices are a tad more at $19 per person, but they have entertainment and celebrities – although those so-called celebrities do nothing for me – I go for the cars.

I view myself as a classic. Therefore, I can relate to the old cars of yesteryear. Simple mechanics, simple music, good times. I may just drag the grandkids and tell them all about each and every car I remember – that’s the kind of learning they can’t get in school. Don’t worry if you missed one or both. Each event will be back next year and they’re already promising to be bigger and better.

If you want to know more about this weekend’s Autorama, read what our travel guy Michael Dwyer as to say about it.

Sincerely, Dear Crabby

 

Stuck in a rut? Need some biased advice from a crabby old baby-boomer? Go to www.DearCrabby.org and ask your question.