Lotus 7 Club - is it worth it?
Discussion
A must, Brilliant club, pays for its self without thinking ( insurance), apart of being an enthusiast about the car. I alway love receiving the monthly low flying even if I am only interested in 50% of it. It cost peanuts compared to all the upgrades we talk about on here. Saying that on the ground I have not made a good effort joining my local club back home (penn 7s) even though my folks live very close to the pub,but I am never around at the last weekend of the month! Any club members in South France and especially Antibes, we should try to get together. Ult-jim.
Edited by Ult-Jim on Monday 14th January 06:05
In answer to the OP's question, in my view a resounding YES!
I've been a member since 2001, volunteered as an Area Rep and now Coordinate all the AR's, but the best thing about the club is not the financial advantages of the discounts etc, but the social side in meeting a group of other seven enthusiasts.
The Area meeting side may or may not be your thing, although they can vary a lot from area to are, so if you find one doesn't gel then try another adjacent area (BTW I'm always interested to hear feedback via PM on areas as it helps the club improve).
Blatchat is a fantastic resource and a great asset to the club, and in my view worth the membership fee alone, but as with all forums (especially this one) you will get keyboard warriors that love to prolong an argument, and then go off in a huff if the majority don't agree with their POV.
@ O.K. Not sure which part of Hampshire you're in, but you're welcome to drop me a PM and I can introduce you to a local AR or members if you want to have a chat.
As for the club being mainly old beardy types, I don't think that's true at all. There is a wide range of ages of members, and also interests, from Racing, Sprinting, Touring, Fettling, and just pootling around, so there should be something to relate to.
Hope that helps your decision.
Ian (non-beardy 40 something - OK I know some people think thats old but I don't
)
I've been a member since 2001, volunteered as an Area Rep and now Coordinate all the AR's, but the best thing about the club is not the financial advantages of the discounts etc, but the social side in meeting a group of other seven enthusiasts.
The Area meeting side may or may not be your thing, although they can vary a lot from area to are, so if you find one doesn't gel then try another adjacent area (BTW I'm always interested to hear feedback via PM on areas as it helps the club improve).
Blatchat is a fantastic resource and a great asset to the club, and in my view worth the membership fee alone, but as with all forums (especially this one) you will get keyboard warriors that love to prolong an argument, and then go off in a huff if the majority don't agree with their POV.
@ O.K. Not sure which part of Hampshire you're in, but you're welcome to drop me a PM and I can introduce you to a local AR or members if you want to have a chat.
As for the club being mainly old beardy types, I don't think that's true at all. There is a wide range of ages of members, and also interests, from Racing, Sprinting, Touring, Fettling, and just pootling around, so there should be something to relate to.
Hope that helps your decision.
Ian (non-beardy 40 something - OK I know some people think thats old but I don't
)Smollet said:
There does seem to be a spot of angst from some former members. I wonder why ?
I think it boils down to a personality clash...usually sparked over some comment on a thread. That escalates into open warfare and in some cases they are actually suspended from Blatchat. They then take the decision to "resign" from the club and lob in bombs from the margins via media such as this.It's always been the same. I think that these funny cars attract people not of the "norm"...often opinionated, nearly always very bright and generally non-conventional. In my world I'd call them "creatives"...the type of person who is the most difficult to sell to...they don't like being told what to do...Maybe that's why I get on so well with every 7 owner that I have met?
I think, on balance, it's worth joining the L7 club for what is offered, i.e. tech advice when you need it, discounts and Caterham discussion if you want it. Depending on where you live, area meetings will range from 'if you turn up in a 7 you'll be the only one there' to 'get there early or you wont get parked'. Obviously, time of year affects this too, although I find most 7 owners aren't nearly so obsessed with polishing their cars as some other clubs I could name.
Most people on blatchat are sensible, there is the odd keyboard warrior as someone earlier on here put it, but isn't that the case on all forums? It's easiest to just ignore them and they soon go away.
Most people on blatchat are sensible, there is the odd keyboard warrior as someone earlier on here put it, but isn't that the case on all forums? It's easiest to just ignore them and they soon go away.
I have been a member for a while but only just joined the forum, so far it has been very useful and people are always happy to help, I had people email me with offers of a trailer and parts to fix the car when mine broke and another member also has the same bike as me and gave me a load of parts he no longer needed!
Definatly worth it!
Definatly worth it!
This is interesting. For the most part we the members say it is value.
A number of people (some ex-members granted) are on the outside chucking rocks at our glass house.
We are happy - move along and form your own club - stop slagging those of us who pay a nominal sum for what we consider value.
Can we close this thread now?
A number of people (some ex-members granted) are on the outside chucking rocks at our glass house.
We are happy - move along and form your own club - stop slagging those of us who pay a nominal sum for what we consider value.
Can we close this thread now?
Owning a Seven means different things to different people. For some is a pride and joy to be polished and used for touring, for others it's a technical toy to be worked on, to others it's a race car to be used in competition and thrashed. Nothing wrong with all of these views (and others I've missed).
IMHO The L7C is no different in this respect, in that there is a wide variety of interests, usages and viewpoints across the membership. Again, that's no bad thing.
I think the club does a great job of catering for all of these interests and in bringing them together as appropriate. For a modest subscription you gain lots of benefits and access to a speed championship and club trackdays if that's your cup of tea.
The Blatchat forum, is reason enough to join IMHO, if you own a Seven. It's a great resource and a fantastic source of advise, guidance and info. You can ask a question and will usually get prompt, accurate feedback - usually from someone who has experienced the exact same problem or issue. Just going on my personal experience, I've saved many £ and avoided wasting many hours by using BC.
I' d recommend any Seven owner to join.
Hope this helps.
IMHO The L7C is no different in this respect, in that there is a wide variety of interests, usages and viewpoints across the membership. Again, that's no bad thing.
I think the club does a great job of catering for all of these interests and in bringing them together as appropriate. For a modest subscription you gain lots of benefits and access to a speed championship and club trackdays if that's your cup of tea.
The Blatchat forum, is reason enough to join IMHO, if you own a Seven. It's a great resource and a fantastic source of advise, guidance and info. You can ask a question and will usually get prompt, accurate feedback - usually from someone who has experienced the exact same problem or issue. Just going on my personal experience, I've saved many £ and avoided wasting many hours by using BC.
I' d recommend any Seven owner to join.
Hope this helps.
+1 Skydragon
As a technical numpty like me the first year with a Caterham and member of the club, the advice has been invaluable and well delivered. Met up with local members, for a pint every month for chats. The craic is great too on the forum.
Must remember to ring Sam today to renew...
As a technical numpty like me the first year with a Caterham and member of the club, the advice has been invaluable and well delivered. Met up with local members, for a pint every month for chats. The craic is great too on the forum.
Must remember to ring Sam today to renew...
I've had quite a chuckle reading this thread 
(I don't usually post on Pistonheads) and whilst I don't necessarily agree with all your views Crossflow Kid but I like your style!
But for what it's worth I enjoy being a member of the Club and I particularly like Blatchat, although I do miss Crossflow Kid's alter ego and his generally witty posts.
I could say that as a member you get access to some great bulk buy opportunities (like decals eh Crossflow Kid?) but in truth if you message the person doing the bulk buy then they probably wouldn't turn you away - I know I didn't.
The best argument I've heard against any grumbling over the cost of the club is that if we are fortunate enough to be able to afford a Seven and all of the costs that go with it then £50 a year is not really a problem to any of us..... after all it costs me more than that to fill up the tin top.
All the best
Richard
(I don't usually post on Pistonheads) and whilst I don't necessarily agree with all your views Crossflow Kid but I like your style!But for what it's worth I enjoy being a member of the Club and I particularly like Blatchat, although I do miss Crossflow Kid's alter ego and his generally witty posts.
I could say that as a member you get access to some great bulk buy opportunities (like decals eh Crossflow Kid?) but in truth if you message the person doing the bulk buy then they probably wouldn't turn you away - I know I didn't.
The best argument I've heard against any grumbling over the cost of the club is that if we are fortunate enough to be able to afford a Seven and all of the costs that go with it then £50 a year is not really a problem to any of us..... after all it costs me more than that to fill up the tin top.
All the best
Richard
Skeetsy said:
The best argument I've heard against any grumbling over the cost of the club is that if we are fortunate enough to be able to afford a Seven and all of the costs that go with it then £50 a year is not really a problem to any of us..... after all it costs me more than that to fill up the tin top.
A very good point, this thread does seem a lot of fuss over very little money, and it's not like you have to stay a member after the first year if it doesn't suit you!Most of the L7C fee goes towards printing a magazine which these days is full of adverts and boring content. Any cash the Club does accumulate it seems to spend on unnecessary toys for the sprint series such as the ESV.
I think the L7C was a great place until 10 years ago up until Keith Jecks gave up the Chairman's role. Now, for me and many others, its lost its appeal. It has a forum where most new post are largely comprise Google excerpts or offers of lifts by people with no friends. If you try to contribute useful criticism on the forum, you get banned as your subjective views might cause the L7C to be sued.
Here on PH, you can post for free, place ads for your unwanted bits for free, and the moderation is far more sensible.
The only thing of value the L7C has is the archive of information, which belongs not to the Club but to its current and former members. So they can't wstch off access. The area meetings you can attend member or not.
L7C Trackdays are poor compared to offerings of other operators too. Poor selection of circuits, not open pit lane etc.....
I'm paid up until May. I wont be renewing.
I think the L7C was a great place until 10 years ago up until Keith Jecks gave up the Chairman's role. Now, for me and many others, its lost its appeal. It has a forum where most new post are largely comprise Google excerpts or offers of lifts by people with no friends. If you try to contribute useful criticism on the forum, you get banned as your subjective views might cause the L7C to be sued.
Here on PH, you can post for free, place ads for your unwanted bits for free, and the moderation is far more sensible.
The only thing of value the L7C has is the archive of information, which belongs not to the Club but to its current and former members. So they can't wstch off access. The area meetings you can attend member or not.
L7C Trackdays are poor compared to offerings of other operators too. Poor selection of circuits, not open pit lane etc.....
I'm paid up until May. I wont be renewing.
I love being a member of the Lotus 7 club. I joined as soon as I got my 7 and have never regretted it.
The forum is one of the best things about the club. I find myself viewing it on a daily basis and am constantly amazed at the level of expertise available. The range of subjects covered in the chitchat section is amazing, sometimes including free grammar and spelling checks and it is unfortunate when someone takes the hump following an exchange of opinion.
I think people need to have a bit thicker skin if they are going to post on any forum, as the reply you receive may not be exactly the answer you were after. It seems to me that when comments appear to be made in jest people can take offence because suddenly the joke is on them and it's all down to a loss of face.
At least with the 7 club you may have the chance of actually meeting other posters face to face so you can sort out any misunderstanding directly with them.
The forum is one of the best things about the club. I find myself viewing it on a daily basis and am constantly amazed at the level of expertise available. The range of subjects covered in the chitchat section is amazing, sometimes including free grammar and spelling checks and it is unfortunate when someone takes the hump following an exchange of opinion.
I think people need to have a bit thicker skin if they are going to post on any forum, as the reply you receive may not be exactly the answer you were after. It seems to me that when comments appear to be made in jest people can take offence because suddenly the joke is on them and it's all down to a loss of face.
At least with the 7 club you may have the chance of actually meeting other posters face to face so you can sort out any misunderstanding directly with them.
I joined the club in May 2007 & in July of that year took delivery of my roadsport kit. I can't imagine life without the 7 or being a member of the club. I have made many new friends through the club & really look forward to our Kent breakfast blats etc, just wish this horrible weather would leave us.
Low Flying has vastly improved in recent months with some excellent articles.
I tend to think of the annual subs as equal to half a tank of fuel in the tin top!
Cheap at half the price.
Low Flying has vastly improved in recent months with some excellent articles.
I tend to think of the annual subs as equal to half a tank of fuel in the tin top!
Cheap at half the price.
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