Phoenix auto show draws crowds on Thanksgiving Day

Turkey Day auto show draws Thanksgiving crowd seeking escape, new cars

While many spend Thanksgiving eating turkey with their families, many escaped the traditional activities for the Arizona International Auto Show. FOX 10's Taylor Wirtz checks out the sweet rides in Phoenix this weekend.

PHOENIX - While most people are spending today around the table and the football game, a surprising amount of people chose to spend it around some sweet rides instead.

 It's not clear whether Phoenix has this many auto enthusiasts, or if there are just a lot of people looking to escape their families. But experts say if you are looking to buy a car, this is a great and low-pressure way to check it out.

Local perspective:

It's not the most traditional Thanksgiving, but for Tom Russon and his son, going to the Arizona International Auto Show is one of their favorite customs.

"Every year since he was about five or six years old," said Russon, a car show attendee. "He’s like 38 now."

Richard Randall and his three sons also come every year for the cars.

"I do love spending time with him," said Matthew Randall, another attendee said.

At least, that’s what they said was the motivation for coming.

What they're saying:

When asked if they attended for the cars or to avoid some of the family members, Russon said, "Probably a little of both but mainly for the cars."

When asked if they were hiding out from the rest of the family, the Randall brothers said, "No. Not really. No. My wife watches this, no."

For those who are looking to buy a car, Jason Fogelson, the managing editor of Kelley Blue Book, said while it’s not the easiest time financially, if you do need a new car, there are no bad options and still some well under $50,000. 

"It's a tough time to be a car buyer, I would say, honestly. Prices, the average transaction price is over $50,000. Interest rates are a little high."

Despite the prices, he says the quality is high.

"The good news is that we live in the golden age of cars," Fogelson said.

Dig deeper:

Features that used to be considered a luxury—like backup cameras and safety monitors—are now standard for most vehicles.

"It's what we dreamed of 25 years ago," he said.

Fogelson said auto shows are a good way to check out your options without the pressure.

"It's just a place where you can really experience the cars and get hands on with them without going to a dealership and feeling like, I don't want to deal with a car salesman," Fogelson said.

What's next:

The Arizona International Auto Show will be open through Nov. 30.