2005 GM Auto Show in Motion

Ladies and Gentleman... Start your Engines!

Test drove: 5/18/2005 to 5/21/2005

Moms, cancel that trip to the park. Instead, grab the kids, the sun block and head to the GM Auto Show in Motion! Bring the husband too; he might enjoy it as well. The General Motors Auto Show in Motion is an event that appeals to the masses: women, men, moms, dads, and children; truck lovers, SUV types, fast-lane drivers, luxury car fans, and the passengers we tote around with us. Great for families that can't find time to properly research and test drive the ideal family car.

The GM Auto Show in Motion isn't just for the muscle car enthusiast, it's an opportunity for moms, women and families to research, shop and drive a range of GM models as well as its competition. In a few hours I experience over 10 different cars and am able to quickly narrow down my likes and dislikes. I overhear one test driver say he loves coming to the Auto Show in Motion because he can accomplish in one day what would take weeks to do at a dealership. That's what I call "one-stop shopping."

The Auto Show in Motion features a variety of driving courses: passenger car, luxury car, truck, SUV, large SUV and a Hummer course intended to give the test driver a "real-life" scenario of what it is designed to do. This one is like a rollercoaster! I drive over moguls and then up and over a large hill; certainly not my average drive around town.

Each test drive area has a certified child car seat technician to install car seats into the test cars. My son is in and out of the Envoy, Equinox, CRV and Vue before we decide to let him take a break while my husband and I drive more cars on our own.

Later we take our son to the Cafe area where a free catered lunch is provided along with a fun children's area with crafts, face painting and a tricycle course — so the kids can get in on the experience as well. While my others are occupied with food and games, I sneak away from my worldly reality to have a free picture taken in the Cadillac XLR. I'll be pulling that baby out between temper tantrums when I need to fantasize about a mom's night out.

Along with the auto courses are information booths for services like XM Radio and OnStar. The event staff is on hand to answer any questions and is extremely knowledgeable. This is the first time I feel like I'm not being sold something, rather I'm getting the information I desire and the time to think about it. No high pressure sales here, just a chance to learn, shop around and have fun — with cars.

The Auto Show in Motion will be visiting 30 cities across the United States in 2005. According to General Motors, approximately 4 million test drives will take place. For more information about the Auto Show in Motion visit www.autoshowinmotion.com or call 1-877-THE-ASIM.

At the end of the day, our goodie bags are filled with brochures and free gifts. We fill out a quick survey and head for home knowing more about cars than we ever thought we would. We leave with a sense of what we want and need in our ideal family and personal cars. Stop the press! Did we just have fun at an auto show? If only the dealership experience was the same.