Car Show Invite!

[Todd Burch]

Received a call a few days ago and was invited to be the featured car in a local car show.

Sounds pretty cool. They're going to park a bunch of vintage/classic cars from the 50s in a row, and have me park my Model S in the middle. The idea is to show the evolution of the automobile industry since the 50s.

The show is on April 5. Should be fun. I think I'm going to make up a display poster with Model S specs/facts and put it on an easel outside the car at the show.

 

[Raven5000]

Awesome! Must post pics!

 

[Keystone S]

That will be fun. Be an ambassador for Tesla! Enjoy yourself and post some pix.

 

[Bifff67]

Very cool. can you send details/link for where and when? (McLean, VA)

 

[Majerus]

That will be awesome.. you will need some http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/13119-i-d-appreciate-some-help-please-review-my-hand-out-card-to-give-to-people-who-ask cards or have tesla send you some brochures because I am sure you will be asked for them

 

[elecblue]

Hi Todd -

If you're willing to share, please post a copy of the display poster - I would like to do something myself for the many Chi-town car shows that happen during the warm weather, and no sense in re-creating the wheel! (Ahem)

 

[Todd Burch]

I'll share more info when it's available!

 

[Discoducky]

Can't to do drive by's of car shows. There is one every summer weekend at XXX Root Beer place by my house in Issaquah.

 

[aaron.s]

Received a call a few days ago and was invited to be the featured car in a local car show.

Sounds pretty cool. They're going to park a bunch of vintage/classic cars from the 50s in a row, and have me park my Model S in the middle. The idea is to show the evolution of the automobile industry since the 50s.

The show is on April 5. Should be fun. I think I'm going to make up a display poster with Model S specs/facts and put it on an easel outside the car at the show.

Todd

Yes - let us know! I have a sister that lives in Richmond and am looking forward to my first drive down there from the NYC area... That would be a perfect time to come down and also visit the show -- more Model S's!

Her house is only 76 miles from there - so easily done on even a standard charge with some local driving miles left over!

Aaron

 

[FlasherZ]

Liz and I had our cars at the St. Louis auto show (all arranged by her)...

A couple of things to keep in mind, from my perspective:

* If not roped off, be vigilant the entire time. I had parents condoning their little kids jumping in, running around, etc., and the cars were up on a 2' platform. I had someone grabbing the extending handles and attempting to test their integrity by jerking and shaking them. I had to threaten to call security for one particular participant.

* If you're going to keep the doors open to show off the touchscreen, etc., be mindful of the battery draw with the climate control, radio, etc. on while doors are open. I noted a 20-25 mile drop in range after one 10-hour day of leaving the doors open, then asked them to get me a 120v outlet so I could at least maintain the charge during the day.

* With about 3,000 visitors we ended up giving away about 1,000 information cards / brochures. Be armed and ready.

 

[steve841]

As cool as that sounds.... Not a chance I'd ever participate.

If Tesla put on the show, OK.

Reasoning... As mentioned above and the simple fact other people don't care about or respect your stuff. A pat on the shoulder and some acceptable narcissism is fine till some rips a seat or scratches or dents your car.

At least if Tesla did it, you'd have someone to take care of any issues that arise.

No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[bonnie]

I started a thread over in EVents for upcoming EarthDay events & included some tips for protecting your car. Earth Day 2013

Most people assume your car is not privately owned - their behavior changes markedly when they become aware that it is a private car. Here are the tips I posted, hope some help. (fyi - it's a lot of fun to show your car)

• Stop by your local Tesla store and pick up a large stack of Tesla brochures for each event. With the Roadster, I had one brochure open, secured with tape, and sitting on top of the PEM, with a stack of brochures next to it. This meant that people could help themselves if I was talking to someone else.
• I typically plug in my 110 charger, leaving the wall end under the car. This is good for saying 'yep, it's electric'.
• Think ahead about any valuables you may have in your car. People want to explore.
• Most people assume these are dealer cars & not privately-owned. This means they jump in without permission, open things, poke around. Many people put a sign on the windshield, saying 'Privately owned, please ask first'.
• I inadvertently found a good solution to kids climbing all over the car - I filled it with balloons. It was a nice way to say 'no, please don't climb in my Roadster'. And it looked kind of cool.
  
• Know your car. I always have a 18650 battery with me (bought at the local electronics store for about $10), so I can show them what is powering the car. Very few people ask highly technical questions ... it's going to be 'really, no gas?' 'how far can you go?' etc. There will be the folks who are sure EVs are a bad way to go. I usually just laugh when someone brings up the whole 'long tail pipe' argument and say, 'Yes, that's a common response, but it's just not true' and then follow up with a few facts. They never want to continue past there.
• Have some cool facts ready. Find out the stats for your local area rollercoaster. "Disneyland's California Screamin' is 0-55mph is 4.0 seconds. And the Roadster ..."
• Might want to print out a chart showing charging times for different sources. "How long does it take to charge?" is probably the most common question. I always start with 'Really, no time. When I get home, I plug it in on my way into the house & it's always fully charged in the morning." And then I talk about roadtrips, iphone apps that show me where to charge, etc. If I were a Model S owner, I'd also have a map of the Supercharger network and talk about that. Ask people how often they drive more than a few hundred miles in a day. Get them thinking about what kind of range they really need. Most don't think about the fact they can charge at home every night - most are thinking 'well how many days can I go on a charge and then where do I plug in and how long will it take?' They're still on the gas station model.
• Your car will have fingerprints - I usually have some Zaino spray, glass cleaner, and clean microfiber clothes.
• It's hot out in the sun all day. Hat. Water. Sunscreen. Other people will be there showing their cars. You will be able to take plenty of breaks while they watch your car (and same for them).

 

[Majerus]

As cool as that sounds.... Not a chance I'd ever participate.

If Tesla put on the show, OK.

Reasoning... As mentioned above and the simple fact other people don't care about or respect your stuff. A pat on the shoulder and some acceptable narcissism is fine till some rips a seat or scratches or dents your car.

At least if Tesla did it, you'd have someone to take care of any issues that arise.

No good deed goes unpunished.

I will say at the auto show in Saint Louis most everyone respected the fact that the cars were privately owned and did not touch. Signs pointing this fact out work better then constantly having to tell every passerby "hey do not touch, this is not a dealer car" Now there were the few that didnt get that point, as flasherz mentioned he had to threaten to have security involved. I would think the damage possible at 70mph on an interstate is multiple times greater then the potential damage of a car show.

 

[steve841]

most everyone

As we all know, it takes just one jackass to create a personal nightmare (dent or similar) ... just not worth in IMHO.

 

[bonnie]

Eh, dents can happy anywhere. Car shows, parking lots, etc. If you're not comfortable showing your car publicly, then you shouldn't. But I don't see it as any riskier - and in fact, have had more than one person looking at the car 'shoo' away others that they thought were too close. You just have to watch people.

Two years, countless shows, dent free. But a lot of fingerprints have been wiped off, a lot of brochures given out, a lot of nice people that I've met.

 

[Todd Burch]

OK, yet again this thread has me sufficiently freaked out .

 

[ChadS]

Four years, countless shows, and like Bonnie no damage more serious than fingerprints. But dozens of people that have since bought electric cars, and hundreds more thinking about it where they weren't before.

 

[Al Sherman]

Four years, countless shows, and like Bonnie no damage more serious than fingerprints. But dozens of people that have since bought electric cars, and hundreds more thinking about it where they weren't before.

atta boy Chad! Just keep track of the car this time Todd!:smile:

 

[Todd Burch]

I'm still going to do it. But I'm going to set booby traps up around the car. Wanna touch? Fall into a deep hole, sucka!

 

[steve841]

I'm still going to do it. But I'm going to set booby traps up around the car. Wanna touch? Fall into a deep hole, sucka!

Good decision!