owners clubs

[forddeliveryboy]

 

Good for some things, other stuff makes me cringe. Like gazing under bonnets like someone who's never seen an engine before, or driving in long convoys in a big circle, annoying everyone else who's trying to go somewhere.

[Negative Creep]

They could have at least parked those Escorts in chronological order

[autofive]

IMO owners clubs are played out, the wibbly wobbly web has killed them off

 

why pay 15 or 20 quid a year for a quartely photocopied magazine 4 pages thick of twee shite, while the money is syphoned off for 'admin' when eveything is free, and instant on the net?

 

why put up with flat-cap majors and middleclass wankers lusting for club-power and acknowledgemant, while their insipid flowerly frocked wives walk three feet behind them and smile sweetly (then proposition you later while hubbys judging the cleanest-exhaust-interior and best ergonomic beaded seat cover competiton) when the web is class-free, and odd power crazy svengali can be ignored? (im looking at you, Hotwire)

 

web based forums and non-club events are the future, car clubs and tweed are the past

[In The Pit]

Like the MKII Escort in the pic, looks to be a very early GL with vinyl seats (rare)

[messerschmitt owner]

 

web based forums and non-club events are the future, car clubs and tweed are the past

well, that's great for those marques which have good specialist spares back up - for rarer cars, I can't see an alternative to the spares scheme run by the owners clubs.

 

You go find me a new Messerschmitt dome or a steering column? Bet you can't - but the owners' club has them in stock - always!

 

Personally, I find nothing duller than car shows - sat around your car, dealing with the great unwashed, all telling you the same old shite about YOUR car! They're made out of aeroplane cockpits, you know, I bet that isn't safe, how much is it worth? - and having to deal with tits from other car clubs looking down their noses at your choice of vehicle - and 'judges' who don't know their arses from their elbows (even on their own 'make'.

 

I understand the lack of need for an MG Owners Club or a Triumph OC or a Jaguar one as they are all catered for by many specialists, but smaller clubs, dealing with more unusual makes, are an essential part of the scene as they are the only people to have invested in remanufactured spares for their make or model of vehicle.

[retrogeezer]

I was in the XR Owners club for a few years with my Fiesta Supersport.....load of bollox if you ask me.

 

It was very 'clique' and you got ignored and treated like an outcast if you didn't attend 'pub meets' and fun events like a 'car treasure hunt' in buckinghamshire on a sunday or a christmas dinner/dance (WTF!!) . All I wanted to do was take my car to shows, I didn't need friends as I already had my own.

 

I think the guy that ran that nicked a load of money from the kitty as well.....

 

 

*edit* found one of the 'XTRA' mags on line, the last paragraph says it all.....

 

I would also remind you not to hibernate over the winter months. The local

branches still need your support. Your secretaries work very hard on your behalf

making the winter as interesting as the summer with pub meet's, quizzes and

various activities. Please make a point of getting out there and joining in. Finally,

may I take this opportunity to wish you all the Compliments of the Season and I

hope to see as many of you as possible before the spring.

Les Gent (National Co-ordinator)

 

http://www.xroc.co.uk/xtra0500.pdf

 

Here is another excerpt:

 

 

Fourteen days later we gathered at Highclere Castle for Ford Fair 2000 for

what has to be the largest gathering of Ford Enthusiasts from the UK and

Europe, this show grows bigger as Ford Fair

moves to yet bigger venues, the only gripe that I

would have is the fact that their were Concours

entrants who had entered the wrong class for

there car, for example in group J Escort Mk5/6

standard there was a car that had twin

headlamps and non-factory alloy wheels, the

judges should have the power to move such

entrants to the correct class.

[Guest]

Over at OJC we hold regular tea dances and help to arrange funerals for our older members.

[dollywobbler]

Very much depends on the club. Citroen Car Club meetings tend to be very much 'lines of cars' whereas 2CVGB events...

 

Well, let's start with rocker cover racing

 

Yeah, clogging up the streets is actually good fun. This is Winchester.

 

Nothing starts a party like free beer served by saloon girls (our National meeting in 2009)

 

Evening entertainment Pt1

 

Evening entertainment Pt2 (2cv with lots of lights, smoke machine and lasers!)

 

Front wheel drive, steam powered bicycle!

 

More seriously, clubs are the only people investing in parts for some cars. 2CV club has a large number of parts, many other clubs are the same.

[Cavcraft]

Hey, they're not all bad you know. Most have enthusiastic owners who are willing to offer advice etc and the majority of them are friendly and polite enough.

[seth]

Hey, they're not all bad you know. Most have enthusiastic owners who are willing to offer advice etc and the majority of them are friendly and polite enough.

 

I'm not one for joining the big clubs (only joined MGOC last year and now Club Triumph for cheaper insurance though CT is smaller than I thought!) but the Borgward club is ace. Eccentrics anonymous! The AGM I went to last year (attendance approx 12 and at least one wasn't a member) was hilarious from a people watching point of view.

 

Hillman/Rootes club has always looked rather typical, old and stuffy when I've seen them though, so I don't think they'd appreciate me. Cambridge-Oxford club is an odd one because it has two such distinct types of members but has been thriving in recent years, possibly as more,slightly older (ex)racers have ended up saving and restoring cars.

[Cavcraft]

The BX Club (although internet based) are a righ good bunch. Met a few of them at various shows and what have you.

 

I think some car owners can seem stuffy or boring (and probably don't like change or young owners) but to me the beauty is rolling up to a show, ignoring some of the so called flash stuff and chatting away to ADO16 owners etc. They often looked surprised that you want to chat about Wolseley and Riley models rather than to the owner of the E-Type sat opposite, and you can get a good conversation with them. I have to confess I do like the handkerchief on head/slightly deranged battleaxe looking owner's wives eating cress butties on fifty year old picnic chairs too.

 

Obv not all 'flash' car owners are snobs.

[trigger]

I'm a signed and paid up member to two clubs, The Vauxhall Opel Drivers club (VODC) and the East Anglian Practical Classics Club, I do wonder if it's really worth it but you never know if they might come in handy.

 

I want to take my Opel to Billing in July and as the VODC are organising it I've been about to use the forum and register my interest to show it (and maybe camp the whole weekend) and the local club is handy for the monthly newsletter with the event guide plus i can display my car on there stands if i wish.

[forddeliveryboy]

Some seem a lot better than others, values and whether the cars are seen as worth collecting has an effect. When 2CVs were driven by students, engineers, writers, poets and authentic eccentrics the club was magical. Today it appears awful, cliquey beyond belief, over-restored cars which are given knowing nods by those who pretend to know - shiny is good, even when a shiny chassis is not up to strength, paint is way too thick and panels don't line up etc etc. You can just tell that sort of car which will drive like a right dog, even though all the bits have been replaced (with special cheapo shite from South America). A keen 2CVer friend dragged me round their annual rally last year since we were passing, even he agreed it was dire. Quite glad they weren't all geting excited about 'rocker cover racing', don't think I could have stood there and said nothing! Even the specialists are infiltrated with a few unpleasants, who threaten to sue the club if anyone dares tell the truth about them on a web forum, apparently.

 

Similarly the 'I'm cool' VW brigade who lavish thousands trying to create a correct patina of age even though the vehicle is straight out of the full resto. So many of these clubs appear full of those who would struggle to have good friends outside of the clubs, with some honourable exceptions proving the rule.

 

I once went along to a local club pub meet, believe me, I didn't realise life for some is so awful they prefer that sort of thing. The experience will last with me a long time, wish it wouldn't. Equally there are some awesome groups about, the Citroen Car Club has some very interesting people along with the anoraks, the SM lot are priceless but get criticised within the CCC for not being socialist enough, staying in superb hotels and generally making the Bentley Drivers Club look like a bunch of chavs. Agree with the comment about the BX lot, too. The treasure hunt or mass outing creates havoc on our already clogged roads, the British seem peculiarly good at making what should be a pleasure summit quite orrid. The Frogs are different again - they want to use their machinery to its full capability.

 

My 2cV mate told me about the club spares scheme, it has a holier-than-thou reputation, yet when they ordered a load of repair panels the specs were wrong and a load of money was wasted. Yet nobody was bollocked. Shed loads of members money tied up, too. He showerd me their mag - it's as different again from the old photocopied typewriter thing I used to enjoy and rivals a Saturday paper magazine for presentation, but full of self-compliment and sadly the PC producers don't dare fill it with anything more controversial than a cake recipe.

 

What's most interesting is how internet based forums have spawned their own meets, purely from enthusiasm and a wish to swap stuff - quite a different kettle of fish as anyone who appears a pain or useless won't last long on the forum anyway. I've been to one and it was cracking. Those who have a need will always get together, it's much easier with the net, it's when some group of self-obsessed would-be politicians take the reins and realise the potential for power and kudos that things go wrong. The amounts of money swilling around in some club coffers are amazing...

[flat4alfa]

Alfa Owners Club UK: is giant - too big for its own good and seems cut in half.

At one end are the stuffy club members with their aloof wives - try and talk to one of them they look straight through you.

At the other end is the younger clan with a flaky 156 tricked-up like a Romford-ringroad Peugeot. They don't talk to you either as you're too old.

 

Lancia club:. Some right beligerent old stuffers taking their last breath remain, but the majority are family men in their forties that are just relieved - crikey! there is another bloke who's got one. With them, there is a sensible approach that it's worthwhile keeping friends with each other as the Lancia world is too small.

 

BMC/BL clubbers: Retired woodwork teachers with clipboards wanting to control the rabble. Some right odd-balls in brown Maxis wanting to argue the toss over nothing. Good handful of petty squabbles about BBC Top Gear and the licence fee.

 

Both Rover P6 clubs: Good turn-out but same old cars rolled-out season after season. Friendly yet pedantic types.

 

Vauxhall Victor & Bedford club: Lively magazine but dull events.

[Station]

Think some clubs bought a load of old stock which is now only available to club members. Usually very expensive as well.

#I've seen some who have probably more 'directors' than actual members. Treasurer, secretary, president, etc. I say their new God should be James May.

[Justin Case]

Not having any shite of my own gives me plenty of time to wander around shows and events and chat to folk, so here are a few random observations, shoot me down if you want

 

The friendliest lots are the eccentrics, Vintage Sports Car Club and especially the National Traction Engine Owners Club (not sure if that counts here though ) Ferrari owners are almost always posers with voices as strident as their wives, but Maserati and Alfa owners are real down to earth enthusiasts.

 

The thing that tickles me most though is that no matter how small the event there are always at least twenty Mini and twelve Triumph clubs there, each trying to outdo each other with the spendour of the fencing they can erect round their stand.

[forddeliveryboy]

Not having any shite of my own gives me plenty of time to wander around shows and events and chat to folk, so here are a few random observations, shoot me down if you want

 

The friendliest lots are the eccentrics, Vintage Sports Car Club and especially the National Traction Engine Owners Club .....

 

 

Totally agree, same goes for the fencing comment

[skattrd]

The only club I've been a member of recently is the RAOC (Renault Alpine) as they have a lot of parts not available elsewhere, or considerably cheaper than anywhere else. I joined when my waterpump died and a replacement was going to cost me £80 .. RAOC price £25, membership £30 .... non member price £55. So I joined.

Last year the club bought pretty much all of the old stock from the Dieppe factory, so parts are readily available for club members at a good discount.

 

I think its a good club, not a huge amount of members and most of them do seem quite normal to me (aka petrol heads) aged from mid 20's to 60's but most seem to be around 30-40's who for some reason liked Alpine's in the 80's. The club is also MSA affiliated, which is handy if you want to do any racing. They also do a few speed trials and other things which are good if your cars reliable enough to be thrashed for a couple of hours; mine isn't.

 

I did join a VW club a few years back, but that was mainly so I could get 10% discount at GSF. I went to a couple of meets but got bored of it very quickly.

[warren t claim]

This sums up every Ford club I've been assosiated with....

 

 

Why they can't all "club" together is a mystery to me.

[HillmanImp]

IMO owners clubs are played out, the wibbly wobbly web has killed them off

 

why pay 15 or 20 quid a year for a quartely photocopied magazine 4 pages thick of twee shite, while the money is syphoned off for 'admin' when eveything is free, and instant on the net?

 

I think the Imp Club was worried about this, so have made several parts of the forum for paid up club members only. People were up in arms about it but i dont think its a bad thing. The club runs its own spares service organises jollies etc and the monthly magazine is not half bad. Only works out at £2 a month.

 

Non members can still access some bits and can PM mods if they want to post somewhere and it will be considered. It seems a bit harsh but i think quite fair. Plus it keeps out Interweb machanics giving thir 2 cents a bit more i suppose? I dont know its each to their own i suppose. Others might think the Imp Club is being draconian or such.

[dollywobbler]

Some seem a lot better than others, values and whether the cars are seen as worth collecting has an effect. When 2CVs were driven by students, engineers, writers, poets and authentic eccentrics the club was magical. Today it appears awful, cliquey beyond belief, over-restored cars which are given knowing nods by those who pretend to know - shiny is good, even when a shiny chassis is not up to strength, paint is way too thick and panels don't line up etc etc.

 

Some interesting thoughts there. Maybe you somehow missed all the students, engineers, writers and eccentrics that the club still very much has. No club meet I've ever been to matches 2CV ones for fun - though the fun is usually restricted to the evening time. I actually enjoyed the tappet case racing, and the Quecha wresting and table wresting (That was a late night one...) were fun too.

 

There are some 'cliquey' people in the club, and don't get me started on the 'specialist allegiance' wars - but I'm pretty sure this is the way with any club.

 

Incidentally, having restored my 2CV to the n'th degree, I'm now planning on hand painting it as you have a fair point - there are not enough hand-painted 2CVs around anymore.

[Doc Holiday]

I went to my first show in October. The clique sitting under the gazebo looking down their noses at you because you are not part of their Rover 75 Tourer group. A bit pathetic really.

[Mash]

I think there is still a place for owner's clubs in some quarters. However, I've always managed to find spares and stuff for any car I've had (even obscure ones) by my own efforts in 90% of cases and as has been pointed out, the internet has brought so many like-minded people in contact with each other that the traditional club is no longer seen as necessary.

 

One of the issues I always had about clubs was that whilst the guys were knowledgable and enthusiastic, there's only so much difference you can have between one example of a car and another and it gets a bit boring after a while discussing the nth degree about just one vehicle type. I'm interested in such a wide range of cars that this forum and its ilk are the best places I can get such a wide variety of discussion about any car you care to mention. A lot of the owner's club members I've experienced (and not just the MGB cliche) are so blinkered that they don't seem to acknowledge the existence of other models and that annoys me.

[Station]

I remember the owner of a Peugeot 206 (or could've been some other French hatchback) forum crashed his car, so he set up a 'donation fund' for members to chip in to pay for the repairs, I think his argument being that he set up the forum, so the members owed him something. I don't know whether he got any money, maybe he did. I've stumbled across a lot of cheap stuff on forums, people who just don't really care if they're scene taxed, and want rid.

When I owned a Whizzkid, I found the owner's club impenetrable, even when I wanted to buy some parts. Had no idea how much they would've cost, as I never got that far. Hurray for ebay.

[autofive]

maybe there is a correlation between value (or perceived value, in most cases) of the marque that the club represents and the snobbishness and anal-retension of its members

 

2cv club is a good example, few posts on this thread saying what a friendly club, good for spares etc etc

 

compare this to Ford RS owners club...........

 

also, on the spares front; the scimitar owners club, or whatever they call themselves. i used their forum for a while and got slated for posting the fact that track rod ends and balljoints were still sold by QH (and i quoted the part numbers), and still available from motor factors.

Why?

because the club's recommended spares suppliers (QRG & Graham Walker) were selling them for a lot more money

 

check out some prices here:

http://www.qrgservices.co.uk/qrg_parts.htm

 

graham walkers website conveniently doesnt display any prices

[forddeliveryboy]

maybe there is a correlation between value (or perceived value, in most cases) of the marque that the club represents and the snobbishness and anal-retension of its members

 

2cv club is a good example, few posts on this thread saying what a friendly club, good for spares etc etc

 

 

I think that's true, although the rate of increase in value may well be just as much a reason - I've known some clubs where they're cars are worth loads and loads and they're spot on. 2CV values have risen quite sharply (£2k for a belter now £6k for same) over the last seven or eight years, the club appears to have changed beyond recognition, to my eyes at least. Could also be a prob if changing type of membership, from those wanting a good car to use to wanting a smart car to show.

[Negative Creep]

This sums up every Ford club I've been assosiated with....

 

 

Why they can't all "club" together is a mystery to me.

 

 

 

And that Autoshite lot. Splitters!

[messerschmitt owner]

Clubs (and forums) are only as good as the members

 

The one car club I am a member of, I could use their forum for free, but I need parts and they are a one-stop shop. Also, being a member is handy for access to other members' experience too.

 

Thankfully, the club is also quite small so there are fewer nobs in it too.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I'm a BMWCC regular. I've made a LOT of friends from it over the past 12 years, do most of the shows (but not concours) and a few track days a year. £40 a year is 11p a day, 76p a week, £3.33 a week. So absolutely fuck all, in other words. For the price of a fortnights worth of fags, I'm in a club that arranges a lot of good events, track days plus a very decent glossy magazine. I do most of the pub meets and we have a riotous piss up at the Xmas do.

 

But if anyone doesn't 'get' owners clubs, I understand. Some of them are going to be absolute wank of course.

[scooters]

i've found the Daf owners club priceless - you need the knowledge they have to keep one of those on the road - an imperative

 

also - owners clubs can be very helpful with differences in models/parts- Total LDVSherpa has been very helpful in checking and tracking down parts for the bus

 

You make your membership fee back on the saving you get on the insurance

 

Dare i say it but the Volvo OC has, in the past been helpful with technical issues but now that the excellent Mike Brace has severed huis relationship with the forums they are not as helpful

 

BTW - need anything 240 related go to specialists in dropping LPG units into gas guzzling Ovlovs

 

http://www.iwales.co.uk/profile/24696/R ... sic-Swede/