That all depends on whether you think any payments should all be transparent and open (Via a club that is accountable to ALL paying members with fully published accounts) or hidden with you having no idea how much money is taken or where it is spent.

The club MAY not have been as transparent as it should have been in the past but that is one of the main aims of the new board.

Yes that is true. The Forum has though existed because a smaller number folks have been prepared to pay for it and support it. First off it was Kayjey alone but now and more recently it has been the paying club members who have met the bills.That was not a pop at you, sorry if you thought it was

Open and transparent, I'd like to know where my money is going - I think most folk will feel the same.

I think this has already been covered in the Members section (which i have access to even though i have not been a member since April last year ) but i think in terms of events/trackdays etc, maybe they should be delegated to some kind of regional administration who have a particular enthusiasm for arranging this sort of stuff, i would be willing to help out on that basis but i have little interest in how it is funded, although im assuming substantiation of the latter would be a vital factor in what the club could achieve in terms of scale and frequency.

On a positive note its good to see that since the forum crashed there is still enough interest to generate this debate and that there is a good chance that the club is going to progress from what came across as a very amateur outfit (no offence) to something that could become a fully fledged owners association with the capabilities to develop itself into a club which is as recognised as say MRC/POC.

Out of interest, have those in charge been listening to any of the suggestions made on this thread? Simply asking the Q not wishing to stir or anything.

It seems to me that its turned into a bit of a bickering session between a few mods and Carl - and it seems many suggestions answering the original thread question have been breezed over without consideration.

A few, including myself, and for example Akeme above, have said we'd offer our help in some way shape or form to make a success of a new club and offer new things, which seems to have been shadowed by the politics and bickering.

Have the last 2 or 3 pages actually got anyone anywhere......?

Thinking about it I would pay for both club and forum, as they do different things the club gets me a disount at PF and Motormech and the forum the group buys and general knowledge.

Oh and of course Stan

So whether they are joined or not I would still make a payment.

on reflection my post is not very helpfull

Yes they have. They are still doing so.

Pete

There are people on here that hold the view that the club is pointless and not needed and that all we need is the forum. Whilst I don’t personally subscribe to that view I / we must listen to what those people are saying and I make no apology for provoking those people into expressing their views further. We often find that their prejudice towards the club is born out of ignorance of what function the club has played in the past. I therefore don't take the view that there has been any bickering going on; it is just people expressing differing points of view and trying to get to the truth.

The club board members have some great ideas for the club and it is great to see other people sharing other new ideas within this thread too. However we must all accept that these ideas will come to nothing if we don’t get the club started right.
Unfortunately there is a lot of politics and posturing going on, but it has to happen if we are going to have a club with a future. We need to make sure the club is built on solid foundations and know exactly what obligations and commitments we have. Once this groundwork is complete we can move onto the next step of implementing those ideas and recruiting members.


Please Rest assured though that your comments are being taken down and added to the list of things the club would like to do. And when the club does move to the next stage don’t be too surprised if someone comes knocking and asking for your help

One of the things that put me off joining the club was the timing issue. I bought my car in autumn and would have wasted half-a-year's worth of subscription. If the club carries on as a commercial concern (and for me I'd join for the discounts, a sticker and a warm fuzzy feeling) then I'd strongly suggest that the annual cycle is removed.

This would have the dual effect of letting new owners join when they are in their first flush of enthusiasm and of evening out the administration of new/updated memberships.

It seems that nearly all the meets and roadtrips are organised through the forum rather than the club. The number of these indicates that there is a real interest in them on an ongoing basis. It would be nice to see them linked to the club if only to help spread the word and bring together more enthusiasts.

(Going off topic, it was interesting to see the Porsche Owners' club at Le Mans last year.)

Agree with that. Also an on-line form would be good with payment via card or payal etc etc and email reminder when subscription is due.

Now that is a good suggestion

Well here's the FCCUK at Donnington

and here in our royal box

Oh, and non of that Camping Malarky either

Of course, one should not forget the added benefit that club members can have their bumpers eaten, free of charge, by sheep... no names, no pack drill

The sheep prefer blue Coupes so I understand

I think thats a great idea if its workable.

Wish I'd thought of that

Also how about promotion of the club/forum.
i am also part of
classicrallychat.co.uk which are new within the past 12months and managed to achieve a stand at shows and many avid posters on the forum.
If there was official show events im sure there would be people from the forum throwing themselves to join in to meet other members around the country and help promote the club at shows etc

Also sales of fccuk items? etc

I personally think the club and forum should combine and have paid areas to the forum rather than the individual club.

Honestly i havent became a fledged member due to existing subscription problems and dont really care for the use of the discounts as such.It doesnt seem much of a members club with just that to offer really.
Im sure the new changes will improve that tho.

On the other hands the forum offers so much,almost a mini social moment of the day,speak to regular members,look at funny posts in general,helping others with probs.

The Forum never ceases to intrests me, day in, day out

As regard of combining i would suggest there
Would be a members areas to the forum then which can access discounts and group buys and traders section -breakers etc.
unpaidmembersshould not have access to these

How about fccuk regional events aswell?Maybe have moderators from different areas of the U.K to arrange meets?not regular,every 3 or 6 months? moderators to manage there regions?

I other thing i think has to be for fully paid members is the selling of parts and cars.
Ive noticed members with 2 posts selling cars contributing nothing to the forum and using it as a platform to sell.
I think if people had to join just for the sale of there cars they would generating some revenue.cheaper than trader and mart? I think £10-15 membership sound more effective

Anyway my 2 pennies worth

Ignore my mistakes as im sure there will be many

Well, I'm new to the Fccuk, still waiting to become a member. I have no problem paying for the privilege but I do have some concerns. I appreciate the forum is separate from the club, and I think it should remain so. I don't know what club membership is currently, but I'm sure it doesn't tally with the number of active users on the forum.

This forum is a serious tool, an amazing source of information and was a deciding factor for me, helping me decide on a coupe, I was going to buy another Integrale.

I'm happy to join up, I'm waiting for the nod, I've asked how and when a few times now. But please ensure that those who don't wish to, or are unable to commit their cash to actual club membership, are not excluded from the forum, I'm sure that the forum would slowly die if this were to happen.

So, let me know how and when and I'll get a cheque in the post!

Things I'd like to see from the club are (if they don't already exist!)

Local groups - even by county, has worked for other clubs I've been in, even if there are only 2-3 of you in one county, no harm in getting together a little more regular than a national or area meet.

Not sure if we have one, but a club badge! I was a member of the Lancia Drivers Club for some years and we had and maybe still do, a bonnet or tail badge that was almost identical to the stock Lancia badge, but had the club name incorporated into it, subtle and classy, maybe a bulk buy idea!?

Can't think of anything else at the moment, but if I do, I'll get it posted. I've just realised that this post is almost identical to the one above it! Sorry! But there you go, point made!

Ta

Gareth