Car shows are often times very inexpensive. AutoX and similar events are around $40 to $60. You also need tires that you don't mind abusing, and time to spend all day for very little driving. You also have to deal with that guy with a fully stripped roll caged "race" car looking at you like you are inferior because you don't have 40TW R-comps. To talk about the hard parkers is to talk about the racers... AutoX is also typically about yourself. Yes you can admire someone else's driving, but at the end of the day, it's all about you. Don't get me wrong, that's not a bad thing, but it defeats the purpose of a group event. I think a simple cruise is the best of both worlds. That opens a whole new can of worms though. If the group isn't sub 10 cars, everyone ends up splitting up. So when you think about it, a car show is the only real group event for car enthusiasts.
The next best thing is probably playing GT5 at a friend's house. You can all drive the same car on the same track.
That's why I don't say "function over form" or "form over function". I like "form with function".
