Many of you should already be aware that the club board resigned earlier this year. This was mainly due to other commitments preventing them from devoting the time needed to run the club in the way they would have liked, and indeed how the had done in the past.

The Fiat Coupe Club is currently being run by Alexis (Begbie) as club president / Chairman with a group of folks nominated by him to help form the new club board. None of these nominated persons have yet been elected into post, and I am not yet sure who will be responsible for said elections. I personally have made it quite clear that I would not wish to be in any position on the board unless said position is elected by and accountable to the club membership. I would also expect any position to be reviewed annually at a club AGM

Being as I am one of those persons nominated to take a position on this new board and also being someone not afraid of change and feedback I thought I would ask you what you would like from your club, or indeed if you think there is still a need for the Coupe club.

This is your chance to let me and my fellow nominated board members hear what you, the club members, and potential members, think of your club.

What do you like about the club?

What don’t you don’t like about the club?

Do you have any thoughts on how you would like to see the club organised / structured?

What would make you join the club, or indeed renew your membership?

What kind of things would you like to receive for your membership fee?

How much do you think it should cost to be a member of the club?

Please remember we require your feedback only with regard the FCCUK Club and not the Fiat Coupé Forum.

Thanks

Bob

I find that my "use" of actual Club facilities is minimal, if at all, but not withstanding your last sentence Bob, I'm more than happy to pay my membership to help support the Forum, which, for all the other things it may be besides, remains an utterly invaluable resource for anyone who owns a Coupe, and will probably become more so as time passes.

I guess club discounts are always going to be useful/welcome, but tbh I don't make any use of the social arrangements. What else is currently on offer?

Here's a thought - whilst an annual gift is nice, personally I'd support those funds remaining in the club instead of sending gifts out - if there's a genuine article which people may desire, why not buy a small stock and sell them to those who want one, for a modest profit?

I joined the club for the discounts. Not too worried about freebies and I dont attend the social events.

I know you dont want comments on the club and forum but I think they should be one and the same and that my membership should contribute to the running of both.

I think the club fees are reasonable but I dont think I would bother if the membership went over £50 a year unless I used some other benefit.

I suspect your reply falls into this category

I would like to understand if there is indeed any desire amongst members to actually have a club. Trying to keep FCCUK alive might just be a case of flogging the dead horse

If the club is indeed dying then it might be best to just put it to sleep

I think a member's club for a declining marque which will certainly have future attraction, if not reachng formal "classic" status, will always be a good thing. it's probably more a question of what is wanted from it.

For my part, I would have thought that would amount to helping with parts availability, keeping the remaining Coupes on the road, etc. Personally not sure what benefit there is in social events (other than organised meets) where frankly the club members who don't attend are just subsidising a pi55-up for the others?

I have been around here for a while, something like 8 years of which 5 of those were as an owner...

I have never attended any club events, nor used any club discounts in that time. I have noticed in that time, that there are a few core members who do use the club events, such as yourself Bob, Begbie, Scooby, Nigel, Bockers, etc, etc, etc and I imagine it would be you and them that will feel the loss more so. But there would be nothing to stop these events being organised as a social event anyway.

I would think that people like Rog, Iceberg, the insurance co's will continue to give a discount assuming the person is affiliated with the forum, due to them wanting to keep a steady and healthy work flow.

So that all said, I personally don't really see the point in the club, never have really and maybe never will. That also said, if the money I pay were to physically fund and go into the forum then I would still pay.

But all that said, thats just me, I am sure many people have got more from the club than I ever have.

As Jim says I have got a lot from the club and really enjoyed the club Winter events. But to me the real value of the club is the forum and the advise and support it offers. In the future it will likely be needed for re-manufacturing of parts where a group buys would help keep cost per item down to affordable areas. I have liked the gifts but would not be sad if they were skipped maybe in favour of a coupe club shop with a selection of branded items. This could then keep the club fee down to minimal levels. Any events would then be wholly funded by those attending only.

To me the important thing is to keep the forum going, without it I would never have bought a coupe and I doubt I am alone in this.

For what it's worth, I agree.

IF, the club was to continue, personally, I would like to see more "northern" club events. Besides the discounts and gifts, the only thing that would make me want to join is organised events.

Also, i would like, if i was part of the club, to see where the membership money is being used and a detail account held of the accounts.

Ross

I suspect that the Forum will soon be able to run alone without the club and develop its own way of funding through paid areas and advertising.

In the past the FCCUK Club members have paid / subsidised the forum through their membership fees. Near full forum access has though always been available to all for FREE.

From a car club I would like to see regular car-related events, e.g. track days, 1/4 miles, drive-outs, meets, trips, shows etc

The first 2 club events were excellent - the first one had quad bikes, shooting & off road buggies - the second event had stock cars, reliant robins, capris - 2 excellent days out.

Discounts would also be welcomed...

Looking at the offerings from other car clubs, they all seem to have a monthly (or quarterly etc) magazine, and then the usual discounts on parts & servicing, insurance etc.

The magazine could have a classifieds section, feature member/car section, loads of possibilities. I know a magazine has been talked about before but is yet to happen - but if it was part of club membership surely this would be better?

When i go to various racing events, such as BTCC, i often see Seat owners gathering, along with other marques, for a days racing - so although we dont have a racing series, we could quite easily organise get togethers at race meetings, maybe even any italian race series meetings?? Also things like the italian car days (there are various) - basically proper, official meetings, organised, rather than owners organising meets in their areas.

Groups often get discounted tickets. I'd be happy to help with organising such things as i love motorsport!

Like mike says, we need to make more days out at events, not just meets to go to the pub etc.

I think the forum should be integrated into a new coupe club website (rather than standalone type of thing).
I'd be more active in joining if there were more to the club, but the offering at the moment doesnt really do it for me!

I'd feel very uneasy about the forum becoming any more closely linked with the club.

The forum has always existed outside of the club and benefitted from the knowledge and experience of many people (owners, ex-owners and other enthusiasts) who are members of the forum, but not the club.

Any restriction on people's ability to join and contribute to the forum would result in thye forum being a much poorer place.

However, there is a need for the forum to generate funds and support itself, hence it would be good to get to a position where club membership fees are not used to subsidise the running of the forum.

Advertising would seem to be the logical choice, otherwise how about some sort of levey on Group Buys or discount offers people receive through the forum??

eg. Group Buy gets a £50 discount from the manufacturer, forum members get £46 off and the other £4 goes to help cover the forum's running costs

Yes, there would be all sorts of details to thrash out, but its an idea

could you not have different levels of memberships!

such as

Basic - Discounts to parts and specialists
Activity - Basic + Activity Days
Track - Basic + Track Days
Gold - Everything

I for one would be willing to pay substancially more for track outings!

Think i may not have made my comment about the forum in the best way - i didnt mean that the forum should be available only to members, i meant that we should have a revised/new site about the club, where you can follow the link to the forum and use it as now, without membership etc.

At the moment its an external link (new window) from the FCCUK club page, all i thought was to integrate it more - not to restrict it to members only

I wouldnt be convinced about levels of membership. I dont think theres enough to warrant different levels, plus it would be harder from an admin point of view.

I like eldinhos idea.

id like a track day up here....

...or even just a track!

(actually I reckon Knockhill is one of the best circuits in the world)

Ah, sorry Mark, I mis-understood what you meant

I used to run the local Mini owners club for many years - so I sympathise with anyone who runs a club as it's a thankless task!
The main thing for me would be the profile of the club at shows. Having been to Stanford Hall the last two years we've had a good turnout of cars but no club banner/marquee or anything to show who we are. With a national club it may be difficult to get the stuff to a show but a relay could be set up?

I've also mentioned in the past about having info sheets on each car with car/member/forum information.

There always seems to be some razz being organised but I'm sure a bit of "show n shine" would be good - there are lots of car shows about that we could attend to raise the profile of the car & club - and partners might be more intrested in a nice day out at a show rather than sat in the car holding on while the driver has all the fun. There's a classic car show twice a year in Malvern that we could attend (and it's local to me!) and there must be others.
I'm a member of the club - membership cost seems OK, I've got it back in discounts I think each year. I don't think I can say exaactly why I joined - after years in the mini club and also 2yrs in Club GTi it just seemed obvious!

I'm just waiting for the opportunity to join. Some good ideas here. Strongly agree that the forum should be kept open to all. Any chance of having a multiple choice vote for the suggestions?
Irrespective of what decisions are made, I would just like to say that the forum has improved massively since the days of my 16V N/A (bickering / nonsense / mod-baiting etc). So well done to all concerned.

I want the moon on a stick!

Oh...ok then ... Anything Else Sir ???

I really can't see why the two can't become one, is it really that difficult?

as above great idea, there no end of classic car shows to go to where we could have a stand, like all the other Owners clubs have. even an open day at rolls royce had the ASTRA crew there ffs, amonst other proper cars new and old.

as regards to membership this forum is priceless i think that we should all give somthing back just for the use of the forum.

think fccuk branded things may be a good idea, and funds used towards parts availability somehow is a good idea. personally i hate sites which have adverts springing up everywhere, but i could live with one or two. banners etc so the club is recognisable at events would be good too as all the other clubs seem to have them.

the forum should be linked to the club as well imo. (although im very grateful to have been able to 'loaf ' my way through the last year or so!!!

maybe reduced forum access for non members?


reminds me i really must join soon!

Good question..... I wish I had an answer

I still can't get my head completely around why the two, according to some, should be kept completely separate? Surely one can't survive without the other? I'd much prefer my club membership fee going towards the upkeep of this forum, which cannot be cheap, instead of gifts.

We do without doubt have a great community here but we'll lose it, (if we haven't already), unless we get it right this year...

Me too. It's the only reason I paid for my membership, hoping it would go towards the upkeep of the forum.

I use the forum as much as I can and have used no benefits/discounts you get from being a member, so I know which one I would prefer

Sorry Matty, I dont agree - the forum was around before the club and can survive on its own, although we do need to find a new way of financing it as I agree it should not be subsidised by club members fees when its open to everyone

If you restrict forum membership to club members only, you'll end up with only a hardcore few posting on here and the forum will be a much poorer place because of it.

I've had my coupe for seven years, been a member of the forum for all of that time and have donated to the upkeep of the forum, but I've never joined the club.

Why have I never joined the club? - I dont think I would have attended any of the events (they always seemed to fall at inconvenient times and the other half wouldnt want to come along which makes it difficult), I'm not bothered about the free gifts and, yes the discounts would have saved me a few bob (mainly at Motormech, but Paul's very reasonable, hence I dont mind paying his going rate, knowing its going to help ensure his services are available in the future)

If access to the forum is restricted in any way, it will surely die a slow death due to lack of new members when the existing ones sell up and move on.