Car Clubs! What are they doing right and what are they doing wrong?

[noflac52]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

the clubs flappist describes do exist (unfortunatly)

the thing is finding a club that you fit, not finding a club to make fit you

the clubs I'm a meber of dont have any hitler types, infact come agm time its a hard job fiding people who want an executive role, as we all just want to be in the club for the social side.

I'm not a member of any modern car clubs but I cant see why they would be different to the hot rod club and historic car club I'm a meber of

Sounds like they are a good bunch and its good to hear that you are having fun and I agree 100% with trying to find a club that you fit. The trouble is in regional and rural areas the clubs are a long way apart sometimes and it might be the local holden club that is the club to be in but you can't join because you drive the wrong car.

(LOL! as soon as I typed holden spellcheck put a red line under it. Is that because its a ford forum?)

Maybe in areas where it is hard to find a club it might be worthwhile having a club that caters for all enthusiasts regardless what they drive but rather than letting any fool become a member you have to put in an application to join and have referrals from existing members and be assessed to see if you are a like minded type who won't set about ruining things for everyone.

Having a balance of all age groups as members would be a good thing too to help keep the hobby going into the future and for future committee members when the current ones have had enough.

[OwnTheRoad]

Often the most difficult members never sit up the front they sit up the back at meetings poo pooing anything new or that they dislike , I even had one kicking my chair one night non stop at an AGM because the club GODFATHERS didn't like using the constitution to amend the rules , they simply just decided to amend the constitution on the spot ......

[onfire]

Originally Posted by xisled

For B this is the style they want the car to be, just because they dont drive around in a 30 plus year old car does not make them any less of an enthusisat.

You're right. But the clubs I'm referring to, don't exactly discriminate. And there's a lot around like this.

They're open to anything. Vehicles ranging from brand new cars, 30+year old cars, plenty of Commodores, JDM and so on.

And they are all enthusiasts and originally it's an association of like minded individuals regardless of brand or badge.

What it quickly becomes is a bunch of young men posing as a " car club " doing a lot of standing around next to their cars trying to intimidate other young men posing as " car clubs "

That's the difference between a car club and a " car club "

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by madwag

Im in a car club but its not registered
more of a gang of people who are vw enthusiasts
we have a fb page and we do cruises once a month and shows every other time
its great
the reason it formed was because of the little hitlers ruining things
Subsequently we are all now close mates and even go for drives with other breakaway clubs
plenty of hates out there so we made our own group so us goons can do our own thing and modify our cars the way we like
funny thing is when we attend shows with the club we left we bag more trophies than those fossils
Hahah
hopefully we don't get and rotten apples to spoil our bunch

That sounds like a perfect club to me

I'm in somhing similar, we aren't registered and our rule on membership is if you have to ask if your a member then your probably not

Were not interested in formal meetings were not interested in club rego we don't give a frogs toss what category your car falls in its about your reason for being there

We go on cruizes, weekends away, help each other on our cars, no club executive, meetings are nothing more than a few beers with heads under the bonnet

This was started out of the back of a hitler club, but tat said I'm also a member of 2 formal clubs and that won't change any time soon

[Happyone]

I've only been a member of one car club here in Brisbane, so far, , still am (I think my membership is still current)

But for me. IMHO you shouldn't join them, unless you either have something to contribute by being part of the support team or your happy to go with the flow based on the fact that you are happy to leave it up to others to set the destiny, but most of all, it also has to hold something of value to you.

The later may be perfectly OK if you are either very time poor due to other commitments, or just not that way inclined to be a leader/organizer - after all no one is playing for sheep stations.

For me it's the later - I enjoy attending the odd meeting and social cruise once in awhile nothing more nothing less.......in other words, I'm far from being a regular, but still feel there's some value. If I want to manage something I go to work.

In saying all that though, a good club again IMHO needs to cater for all members not just a select few, otherwise whats the point. I guess that's the trick of balancing it all out.

I also think in reality, it's very easy to be judge and jury of some club management team structures, but you do have to be as tough as nails to take on such a task half the time.

JMHO

[69XWGT]

I've been in the same club for 27 years.
People come and go. Some you're sorry to see go others you start high fiving each other.

What constantly amazed me was how some would join, come on a run and not even try to mingle with existing members. You'd even go and say g'day and introduce them to other members.

I've also seen the bad side of it with a treasurer that was fiddling the books.
Membership officers not writing receipts and keeping the money. You don't find out till the newsletters stop.

I've been on the committees quite a few times in different positions and you can't please all of the people all of the time.
It's a thankless job because all the dead ****s that whinge like little bitches never put their hand up to help or be on the committee

There are Hitlers. Thankfully our club has only had a few of them over the years and one of them formed the Gold Coast club.
Unfortunately these are the same ones that usually start the break away clubs or cause them to be formed.
Don't like the direction of the club but won't join the committee to change it.

Then you've got the now it all's. We've got one that has turned away plenty of new and or prospective members. Same bloke accused one the hardest workers on the committee of fiddling the books. Needless to say he had to apologise and pull his head in.
There are some in the Victorian club that are HO owners that are just a bunch of Neanderthals. They hang heaps on new members, rubbish anything that isn't HO and just act like a bunch of twats most of the time

If you've got a specific type of car and originality matters the knowledge in the clubs is nothing short of mind blowing.

All in all I've had a great time and meet some great people and some not so great people.
Fortunately the good ones always out numbered the bad ones

[Stock XR]

Been a member of 2 clubs over the past 12 years. Left the first club when little hitlers started infighting. Current club welcomes all Ford models, good mix of people from all walks of life & all ages.

[Trevor 57]

not too many good things about car clubs can be read here

[jpblue1000]

Im seeing a trend here!

JP

[noosacuda]

My car club experiences have been mostly pretty good, some not so good, as in- In the 1980's i had a VJ 770 Charger and wanted to join the Charger club, unless you had an R/T, you weren't really "accepted.Then i had an RX4 sedan and wanted to join the Mazda Rotary club, but unless you had the newest RX7 or an RX3 coupe, you were on the outer. In the mid 2000's i had an XR Sprint and joined the XR6 & XR8 club, well unless you had a new BA you were virtually ignored for having "just an old XR8". Now the good experience since then i'm in Rum City Rods and Customs and they're great! No "inners" or "outers", no "Brand XYZ & 2/3's are better.."
All car clubs are only as good as the effort put in by their members.

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by noosacuda

In the 1980's i had a VJ 770 Charger and wanted to join the Charger club, unless you had an R/T, you weren't really "accepted.

A similar situation to me although in reverse. I had a E49 and i used to get asked to join but never did because of a similar "policy", I went on a couple of runs with them but you could clearly see the "them and us" attitude, a situation that i had no interest in so i just faded away.....

Actually that was the closest i ever came to joining a car club, as the Shannon’s add goes....."I’m not a car club kinda guy".....

[Alan D Segal]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

A similar situation to me although in reverse. I had a E49 and i used to get asked to join but never did ....."I’m not a car club kinda guy".....

Neither am I. With my current car I've been invited to join a club. Not interested.

[GT450]

Sme here Alan , was stopped at lights and a membership form was handed to me through my window and again one time whilst having lunch with a few like minded mates in Ford gear we were approached to do the same.
Not interested it's an avoid at all costs with me as no one is ever equal in these sort of clubs , I have always for them to have a heirarchy and many with cliques which only certain people are allowed.
GT450

[Alan D Segal]

You also get them leaving club brochures on your car while it is parked at the shops and places like that. I hate any form of advertising material being left on my car, regardless of what it is about.

Especially since my BA XR8 is hardly anything to get overly excited about. The club in question is full of blokes with FG GTs who probably just want me to join so they can rub their $50-70k car in my face and feel better about how much progress ford has made in recent years

[Bearman]

Card or brochure dropping is a great way to reach potential new members. More often than not the folks approached don't know about the club and we do have a reasonable rate of enquiries arising from doing this.

Having said that I do know the meaning of "No thanks mate". I don't push it.

At things like the All Ford Day I only card drop cars I haven't seen before. I avoid cars that look to be displaying with other clubs and others I see year in year out. Those folks would obviously know about us already and aren't interested.

I like to engage with the owners, even if they're not interested I've never had a hostile reaction.

[1971]

my first ford car club I joined in Adelaide,me and my wife and kids were really exited to go on our first club run,we got the map of were to go ,stops on the way and all going togeather,and a ford club car would be at the back incase of any problems,at one of the stops our car wouldn't start,no one gave a crap and just left,the guy that was the back up car drove over ,I said the car wont start and he just said oh well, if you make it well see u there and left.the car must of just been hot as it started about 2mins later,drove up to the meeting point and know one was welcoming or nothing,pack of dicks,mybe it was because we drove my wifes el that first weekend not my xb coupe that I had at the time.really glad to get that of my cheast and haven't jointed a club since.that put me off.

[jpblue1000]

So it seems there is a significant difference in experience between social car clubs and competition car clubs.
In order to compete we need to be a member of a club, and maybe those clubs are different in approach as while many of the negatives occur they are dealt with without bitchiness, hurt egos and sooking.
You get out of any club what you are prepared to put in.
But if your just after social outings then the impetus to get on is not there, I'm sure most of us have friends so to try and make some new friends because they drive a similar car or make doesn't 'demand' personal input.

No issues here, we are all different, but all I can say Ive never had anything but good experiences in a competition oriented club.

JP

[69XWGT]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

not too many good things about car clubs can be read here

Well i'll turn that around right now.

In 27 years of club membership I've made some of the closest friendships, had some of the best times and learnt more about my car than I could ever find out myself.

The good things out number the bad by about 100 to 1

[buggerlugs]

In Qld, what is needed to form a car club ? How many members are needed to start the club ?

[2011G6E]

Had good and bad experiences with various clubs over the decades since I started driving.

Couple of suggestions; if you aren't a "single make club", then don't be surprised when people own other cars than one exactly like yours and love them.
Don't organise a car show for "all comers" and then only give trophies to people in your club...or if you do, at least have the decorum to give them to nice cars, obviously better than the ones from elsewhere. To use an example from a car show I was entered into (which i feel free to discuss as it was twenty years ago or more now) where the "top wild custom" went not to an amazingly done up HQ panel van which everyone, but everyone was talking about (Jag rear end, big block Chev engine, all sorts of stunning modifications inside and out), but instead gave the massive Top Wild Custom trophy to an unregistered, running on a permit LH Torana with the doors welded up roughly, the roof cut off to make it a "convertible", with a stock six cylinder engine, riding on cut springs, and roughly painted in semi-gloss pink paint. Which, interestingly enough, happened to be owned by the secretary of the club that the "impartial" judge of the show belonged to...

If you run an "all comers" club which allegedly accepts any make and model, new or old, then don't make it bleeding obvious that the committee has a strong bias towards people who own a certain make of vehicle...

if you run a Ford/Holden/Valiant club, then don't be surprised if you get new people turning up to ask about joining the club who don't all own GTHO's/GTS Monaros/E49's...and instead turn up with old Escorts/Geminis/Galants...


There's a lot of right clubs can do...but there's an even longer list of things they can do wrong, and alienate new or long-term existing members.

[2011G6E]

Oh...and a tip about putting on a car show. Put all the members cars together in a single well-laid out and planned display. This shows people the standard of cars your club has in it, and that you have half an idea about planning a nice even rather than just a bunch of cars in a parking lot...oh, and to be polite, anyone with a half-built primered junker should have the common decency to know to leave it at home...you're trying to project an image of your club.
That said, there is a place for half-done projects from club members...in an area on their own (usually at one end or something similar), not parked higgledy-piggledy among the shiny show quality jobs from your club. Sorry.
Have everyone wear a club shirt (if you have one, if not, try to dress at least pretty much the same shirts) which gives things a lot more professional look.

Make sure someone is directing people turning up with exhibits...don't make them come looking for you. Possibly have some basic cleaning stuff on hand like chamois, polishing cloths, spray detailer, window cleaner...simple stuff like that...in case someone hits a bit of trouble on the way in.
For example, I remember now, even nearly twenty years later, going to a car and bike show in Biggenden with a bunch of guys from our bike club who was having a club display. on the way, we ran through a stretch of dirt road repair just outside town where the doofus with the water truck had just turned it into slop. We weren't happy campers...our shiny bikes were covered in crap. the guys behind us in a super clean HG Monaro and a '32 Ford hot rod were even less impressed. However, when we turned up, we were quickly directed to a hastily set up area where club members were handing out hoses and chamois and polishing cloths for people to clean up before putting their vehicles on display. it was something we've never seen again, and something we remember all this time later. Oh, and the judges were aware of the road conditions on the way in, and were giving points accordingly, ignoring little bits of mess obviously caused by the grey dirt/mud mixture on that stretch.


It's little things that make your club stand out from the "bunch of guys who meet up every friday night for a cruise"...and believe me, people notice.

[fiery]

I was a founding member along with a few others forming an accepting of any ford vehicle club. We had our ups and downs over the years but after the last 2 founding members took a step back from Committee positions the club ran into big issues and sadly now isn't active at all. I was asked by a fair few of the members to step back to committee but I just couldn't do it all again.

We had a few 'interesting' members (best way to put it) that didn't like things being flexible or had a grudge about totally different things and blew things up to major issues. Those people were removed from the club without hesitation
.
Everyone was encouraged to have a say about what they wanted, how etc and this worked really well for quite a long time until that moment when you realise there was the biggest issue that crept up on all and started to kill off the great members. Some things can escalate fast but that's life.

Clubs can be good and some solid friendships were definitely formed from being in a club but yes there is a down side and I don't know about the label 'little hitlers', I personally call them bullies.

[Trevor 57]

My other car club is pretty awesome, they own 2 major race tracks and because I am a member I get free entry to their events (including the V8's), my other car club owns Winton Motor Raceway and Wakefield Park Raceway.

By the way, I am in 3 car clubs all up and 2 caravan clubs - LOL

[Kevxr8Leexr6]

Does not matter if its a car club,horse,dance,netball,footy or whatever. theres always a bad fruit that upsets the apple cart. speaking from experience. but it would be a damn shame if negativity stopped new or existing people from joining, a sad loss of knowledge or youthful enthusiasm would go begging.

criticize only ideas and not people and it may prove successful .............

[RSgerry]

******ing and moaning. the worst are those members who think their cars are better / more worthy of membership than yours because theirs is newer / older / faster / slower / bigger / smaller / more powerful / more economical / more interesting / a 'proper' car for the club. I am a member of a club for older sports cars and my RS2000 is too new for some members, and it is 33 years old.

on the plus side, membership of this club entitles me to compete in some great motorsport events.

[Mr Brooksy]

I'd like to find a club that didn't put stupid rules in place to give control to fat cats with money vs guys who love their cars. Sick to death of those with the most money artificially elevating themselves above everyone else.

But I'd love to find a club that accepts car enthusiasts on the basis of the person not the money bags car.

But thats me I guess.

[pajoda]

So, interesting read so far.

I may need to don my flame suit from here but have been a car enthusiast all my life, earlier years were more car focussed than married years, not married now and have time for a more keen interest in cars. Signed up for a few forums specific to my make make and model, those being AFF, XR5 forums, and focusST. Probably given away I own a Ford, but just a meek little Focus ST (**** hot drive by the way but that's not my point).

Not a member of any club, but for days out these sites have that covered without the problems displayed, just this year have had two massive cruises, Neales Bathurst cruise (AFF), and Broady's XR5 forums Wiseman's ferry run. I see links to car shows which advertise participation on a casual basis which could be displayed or just attended.

So what's the need to have membership when it brings so much angst?

Haven't had the chance yet but the Kellyville first Sunday of the month coffee meet (marque not discriminated) looks like a good way to stat a Sunday.

Bottom line is plenty of good car days without the problems most are displaying.

[69XWGT]

Can't believe all the ****ing and moaning about car clubs.

Basically you will get back what you put in.

The good things far outweigh the bad and if it's a particular model, you'll pick up more knowledge than you know what to do with.

If the blokes that did up a certain green HO were in the club scene that resto would have been a lot more correct and for a car like that it should have historically correct

[BadMax]

It's the little groups that kill car clubs, especially those who are very pally with the board. I was a part of an 'all makes' car club for several years, no matter what I always felt on the outside as most members had Aussie muscle type cars where we didn't.
The when my wife cleaned trophy wise at a major car event, whilst representing the club and I believe it put us even further outside the clique.
It's unfortunate, but it's the reality of many clubs. Most have their own interests at heart and don't really try to attract more members as it may start to water down their group. This particular club has never hit 100 members in 10 years of running, iirc it always hovers around the 60-70 mark.

[Spurious]

Ford clubs here in Tas' are few & far between. The few that exist are only catering to early classics & specific to XR's, FPV & Tickfords. I would like to be part of a club purely for the social side & club cruises, my AU2 fairmont isn't anything special so I wouldn't fit in any of the above categories. I was invited to join ford torque in W.A years ago but a douche bag put a flyer under my XF s-pack's wiper blade after I parked at my kid's school & walked in to get him. I saw the hotted up falcon with the club logo pull up at the time, so why the person left a flyer & didn't approach me personally I'll never know. I did take offence to someone messing with my ride though so obviously I never contacted them. I was tempted to ring the number & give 'em a mouthful but this may have caused future prob's at the school. I'd like to see a social club for those that own ANY type of ford or any type of car for that matter. I'd enjoy making a spectacle of myself driving along with 50 other cars of the same type.