Organizers of the Pennsylvania Auto Show say the event differs from other car shows mainly because it offers a destination for the average buyer to find a new set of wheels.
The choices sure seem endless – Chevy, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Toyota and a slew of other makes and models. Pre-production and 2014 models will also be a part of this year’s show.
Ken Shackelford, of Dallas, details a new Toyota RAV4 in preparation of Thursday's Pennsylvania Auto Show.
Here are a few tips to help a prospective buyer heading to the show this weekend. It kicks off Thursday at 1 p.m. and runs through Sunday at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.
Know what your current vehicle is worth
Looking to trade in? The auto show has a vehicle appraisal area to help consumers get a better grasp of what their current cars are worth. The Farm Show Complex’s Main Hall is also where more than 250 used cars will be located. It’s a good place to compare your current vehicle to other cars.
Prepare for an interactive experience
A 2014 Ford Fiesta is among the hundreds of cars for patrons to check out at the Pennsylvania Auto Show. The show starts Thursday and runs through Sunday.
Unlike other car shows, you’re allowed to touch and sit inside most of the cars at the auto show. You can test drive several Ford vehicles outside the Maclay Street entrance at the Farm Show Complex, although actual purchases on new vehicles must be made at local dealerships.
There are plenty of other interactive features, such as a Ford demo that brings you through hands-free features, climate control and other accessories on various vehicles.
“You’ll get more out of it than just a trip to the showroom,” said auto show chairman Brett Corcoran, the general sales manager at L.B. Smith Ford Lincoln in Lemoyne.
Don't forget about style
Corcoran said in recent years the auto industry shifted its focus to hybrid vehicles and other technological advances. There's been another shift recently.
"This year, style is coming back," he said as he surveyed a new Lincoln MKZ. "This seems to be the year models are changing."
He pointed specifically to the new Ford Escape and the Honda Accord. It's a good idea to consider what the new models look like before settling on an older version and a different body.
Remember the bottom line
A 1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud I is one of many luxury cars on display at the Pennsylvania Auto Show.
A trip by a Bentley or a Rolls Royce might get your head spinning, but in the end it’s best to remember the important questions when shopping for an affordable vehicle.
“The dominant question is all about fuel economy,” Corcoran said. “Even if they want style, they’re saying through the side of their mouth, ‘How does it do on gas?’”
Motor Trend Auto Shows, the event organizer, also offers a smart phone application for buyers to track the cars they’re interested in and peruse their features and pricing.
The auto show, at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, runs from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $9 for adults, $5 for seniors, and children under 6 are admitted free.