Club benefits

[Kingster]

Funnily enough, a long day out or even a weekender in Galloway and Dumfries is something I’m looking at 

Midweek meets at this time of year are, as you say, not that appealing to drivers. 

I also think our meet venue is pants. The surrounding roads are all dual carriageways, so suggestions for other venues always welcome 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

The committee is always listening, infact it goes blue in the face both asking members via their AO's for suggestions, offering AO's support and kit from the club kit store, and asking for ideas via the Boardroom. We don't get many back at all.

Its not just the very North that feels disadvantaged, the very South does too, complaining that all the events are in the Midlands and the North.

As we don't necessarily have direct equivalents to Stoneleigh conveniently located all round the countryside, we do need the benefit of members local knowledge, it's not just a case of Googling what events are coming up, we need people's input on what events would be a good "fit" for the club, and stand a chance of getting support from the members.

From what I remember, the original Coast to Coasts were a local event that really captured members imaginations and took off over the years, to the extent that the club then provided help with promotion, ticket sales etc.

We don't really seem to have had lightening strike twice like that since, despite Areas organising some fantastic tours. 

One thing though that can be really, really difficult, is getting a small number of the Clubs AO's to promote their activities outside of their immediate areas, either via the Boardroom or the website, or even the magazine. As a consequence, it can look to those further afield, like the Area's are doing nothing, when in fact some of them are little microcosms of activity, (people tell me).

Please, do keep the ideas coming!

[Andy Malone - Editor]

I'm very new here so please take everything I say with a degree of nativity at this stage, but...

I was a very active member of another car owner's club (I'm actually still a moderator there even though I've sold the car) and one of the things we tried to do was always have a club specific event at least once a year (sometimes a couple) that was "club only" and not tied into a big national show or anything. 

For 3 years I was organising this and we hosted it at Demon Tweeks during which we got a discounts for attendees, cheaper wheel alignments/tyre fitting, a paint repair guy paid for who would spend the day fixing dings and dents, an engine carbon cleaner guy doing cut-price deals and even got some companies to donate items free for a charity raffle. It was always pretty popular as it gave people a chance to put faces to names, drool over cars, help each other out doing practical little tasks, etc... which wouldn't always be the way things went at big shows.

Often people would stay over before/after and organise runs out (or conveys to and from). Of course, we still had some issues with location as you can have one event that suits everyone (and in fact ran a couple of smaller events further north and south to cater for them), however many people did feel it was worth the annual pilgrimage and in 'peak year' we had over 80 cars there. It was a really fun day. 

I suppose I was just thinking that if there was a similar sort of "club day" outside of Stoneleigh it could be held a little further up the country to attract some members from that side of the country. Just an idea (tell me if I should be putting it somewhere more constructive).

[Stuart]

Someone mentioned Halfords discount vouchers.  They are available for car clubs, 'cos I get a 10% one from the MX5 Owners Club.  Covered my cost of membership for that by the discount on a new pressure washer

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Please don’t let this distract from the debate, and excellent feedback, but...

One other point; Area events are not exclusive! Area events are club events, this is why club equipment etc is available for them. Sometimes it’s easy to lose site of that. As a club member, I regularly attend other Area events and meet up’s.

Even if you live right next door to “your” AO, who in turn lives next door to your regular meeting spot, you are still free to go to whichever meets and event you want to!

I only mention it, as sometimes newer members, wrongly, get the impression they might be somehow supposed to stick within their area.

 

[tex]

I regularly keep in touch with my neighbours, Geoff Carter from North Yorkshire and the NWKCOG on my West over the pennines. There's always room for a meet thy neighbour tour which has worked in the past. 

OK I'm going to head to Scotland this year as I do every year by my lonesome, you may of seen Geoff's (buttercup) tours of Scotland, well I do it on steroids, 300mile days and 3 days get you right round the NW 500 and more. I'll gladly welcome ANYONE to tag along.. There's nothing booked yet but I'm aiming at the usual shutdown period most people are off, last week in July, first week in August time.. Staying in hotels / bnb.. I've done this for years and got some really really good routes.. 

If anyone is interested ill get the ball rolling.. 

Chris can you spread the word. 

Thanks guys, I hope this conversation has given a 'giddy up' to the summers thoughts as another year ahead with not much happening sounds drab.. 

Regards Terry 

[DamperMan]

I have many interests and one of the others is my Vw T3 camper.     It was all simple, there where 2 main forums.   One being a club and the other attached to a specialist parts supplier.   Now there are loads of Face book groups for the marque.    The 2 forums now have very little chat.   This is rather sad as the forums are a fabulous source of information and accumulated knowledge and really easy to search.   Special FAQ's etc.  Where as the FB reaches a wider audience it's the endless same questions so none bothers to invest the time in answering peoples questions or if they do its by people who don't have a clue.   FB has killed the forums and we get rubbish in return.    This forum seams to be very alive but so did the others and within 6 months it all went down hill.     £28 or 0.54p a week in sales speak is not all that much really.  Especially often your insurer will give  discount if you tell them you  a member of a club and have a membership number.    Club supporters will often give trade levels of discount for there products.   You get a tent to hide under at stoneleigh to name a few advantages let alone the being safe in the knowledge there are other folk as foolish as yourself...

[Kingster]

And purely coincidentally, just heard about this 

 

[Onliest Smeg David]

1 hour ago, tex said:

Just got back from Dumfries, Galloway forest.. You forget just HOW good those roads are, and how long they go on for.. No worries about anything just enjoying the drive.. I can't recall the last time the club used these roads other than Coast to Coast tours which were a long time ago.. If the CLUB organised it guaranteed it would be full. It was everytime I went on all of them when Si and Carla organised it.. 

If you get no response maybe your advertising the wrong thing.. A midweek meet with no run out isn't appealing to me.. Nice to see people but you buy these cars to drive them firstly 

Like this... "Great Northern Tour (All Areas)" , I pre booked two full B&Bs in the February and struggled to get 6 cars. BUT what a brill trip it was. It was advertised within Westfield World magazine and I emailed all North of Country AO's and local members. We do need more of this sort of thing, organised by members or AO's, for all. I was going to sort something similar this year but ongoing personal commitments mean I cannot commit to doing anything 

 

 

[Andy Banks]

Some great feedback for which many thanks.

I can only echo what folks are saying; for and against.

Events

We have a shows and events coordinator role on the committee plus AOs and we have said countless times in the mag, on-line and at the AGM that members should come and use this facility for their own agendas (events, shows, etc.), some already do, more should - there is a not insignificant investment in show kit available for all to use, it will be shipped to you and return expenses covered.

We have Blyton (about as North as we get), Stoneleigh and Silverstone as national events.

Talk to your AO, get some numbers and talk to us and we will do whatever we can to make your event happen.

Local Area

As for getting about locally, that really is in the realm of those local to you and your nearest AO to, well, organise.

Discounts

On insurance, track days, professional services...

The not so good side..

Folk are generally very busy, goes for all us. We can't all be in the same place at the same nor do we have the ability or wherewithal to go everywhere and do everything. Apathy happens, saw it in spades during my time as AO.

Bottom line

This Club is good value for money and whilst I'm around, we (the committee) supported by the AOs will ensure it remains that way. We will listen to what you want and if it sits within the art of the possible, we will help you achieve it; example, the 21st Celebrations this year at Shelsley.

Very happy to discuss more and my expectation is that this thread promotes further thought and engagement and we get more activity on the books across the country in 2018 and beyond.

[CraigHew]

I think, like many hobbies and activities, you get out what you want or put in.

If you're interested in meeting lots of people and joining in runs then you need to actively seek that kind of thing out. Can't see why you dont run out with the guy at the end of the street?

As for membership fees.  If you can't justify £27 you've got the wrong hobby or the club scene simply isn't for you.

FWIW my £27 gets me a good discount on my insurance (Westfield and otherwise) which as said above is almost offsets the £27: no brainer.  I personally get lots of ideas, solutions and advice for issues with my car from the forum which, whilst being hard to quantify in hard cash terms is enough for me to want to continue my membership. The magazine I can take or leave.

I've been on a few runs with my local group, my AO does a sterling job and keeps banging away especially over the colder months. I feel quite guilty that I dont put more in. I'm not particularly a "people" person and much much prefer a solo run out but having said that over the last couple of years I've been meeting up with @CosKev and had some great runs chats and laughs.

I fully understand that we're all different so if membership isn't for you then the choice is obvious.

£27 buys me a few beers and a decent curry.

Once you've bought a couple of Chris Rea CDs what else is there to spend money on in Teeside?

[tex]

48 minutes ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

And purely coincidentally, just heard about this 

Looks good, but my car ain't gonna make this weekend! Shame

 

[Kingster]

@tex not sure mine will be, but I do need a pre track day shakedown run before Tuesday 10th!

[Rory's Dad]

2 hours ago, tex said:

... Well I do it on steroids, 300mile days and 3 days get you right round the NW 500 and more. I'll gladly welcome ANYONE to tag along.. 

I remember 'tagging'  along with you down into Helmsley.

Jeez.....

[tex]

11 minutes ago, Rory's Dad said:

I remember 'tagging'  along with you down into Helmsley.

Jeez.....

Lol, cars even quicker now.. 

Don't always go *briskly* on longer runs I take it steady.. Think last year was 1100 miles in 3 days.. Minimum motorways.. All scenic routes.. The food and beer at the end is always very deserved.. Especially if wet! Last year had some damp sections lol.. I'm sure Geoff buttercup is going round again in June if anyone wants to go, wish my time off lines up with his tour but with the launch of a few new cars we've a busy time ahead.. The new leaf has took off much faster than business plan which says a lot about peoples upcoming intentions, the demise of diesel cars too is a door closing on ICE. There's a lot of new stuff heading towards our driveways soon. Kinda makes you wonder the future of kits in the first place, the writing is on the wall albeit in pencil..