Smaller owners clubs - Are they all like this?
Discussion
I have recently joined as a full paid up member of a marque specific owners club. It's been several years since I was involved with one, but looking through the benefits or joining, and the expertise around the forums, it seemed well worth while.
I'd also like to point out, that whatever else I say here, there have been a couple of users who have been absolute gems and top, top blokes (in fact one can regularly be found here on PH with his excellent write ups and pictures).
Just bodge it:
This attitude seems to be prevalent so far. I have bought a car that I intend to keep in absolute tip top condition for many many years. This is why I've joined a club of like minded people. However most of the members seem to be of the opinion that a lazy thermostat doesn't matter, part worn / budget tyres are fine, servicing isn't that important, it's not necessary to have the correct coolant etc... etc...
Sell us your...:
Since posting a diary thread of the repairs and maintenance on my car I have been inundated with replies and private messages, not just asking me to sell them bits of my car, but telling me too. I have had three users get abusive when I've told them 'No'. I would have thought they would understand that I want to keep my car standard?
Should of got a diesel:
This is my biggest whinge. The particular range of cars I'm referring to have a range of petrol engines from 1.1 litres to 4.6 litres of V8 vs two outdated 4 pot diesel offerings. Everyone is going mental over them, which is fine. But to be told that a 115ps diesel "has more usable power" than a 200ps V6 is a little bit silly. What's sillier is that when you disagree (in a mild manner) with them you get a "warning" for it.
On the plus side this last point is probably driving down the cost of the big petrols to buy, as I'm not sure these cars have that bigger following outside of enthusiasts.
Are all small clubs going this way? It seems a real shame if they are.
I'd also like to point out, that whatever else I say here, there have been a couple of users who have been absolute gems and top, top blokes (in fact one can regularly be found here on PH with his excellent write ups and pictures).
Just bodge it:
This attitude seems to be prevalent so far. I have bought a car that I intend to keep in absolute tip top condition for many many years. This is why I've joined a club of like minded people. However most of the members seem to be of the opinion that a lazy thermostat doesn't matter, part worn / budget tyres are fine, servicing isn't that important, it's not necessary to have the correct coolant etc... etc...
Sell us your...:
Since posting a diary thread of the repairs and maintenance on my car I have been inundated with replies and private messages, not just asking me to sell them bits of my car, but telling me too. I have had three users get abusive when I've told them 'No'. I would have thought they would understand that I want to keep my car standard?
Should of got a diesel:
This is my biggest whinge. The particular range of cars I'm referring to have a range of petrol engines from 1.1 litres to 4.6 litres of V8 vs two outdated 4 pot diesel offerings. Everyone is going mental over them, which is fine. But to be told that a 115ps diesel "has more usable power" than a 200ps V6 is a little bit silly. What's sillier is that when you disagree (in a mild manner) with them you get a "warning" for it.
On the plus side this last point is probably driving down the cost of the big petrols to buy, as I'm not sure these cars have that bigger following outside of enthusiasts.
Are all small clubs going this way? It seems a real shame if they are.
t to anyone within earshot and know everything about everything.
What kind of owners club is this?
I remember seeing a "Scooby club" in a car park of a local performance parts / bling wheels shop. I've never met such a bunch of miserable, unenthusiastic morons as them - you think if you go to the trouble of cleaning your car and taking it somewhere to show it off, you'd be more enthusiastic about talking about it, rather standing around, eating free scones with a bunch of similarly miserable mid-late 30s blokes. Maybe they just saw my Civic Type R
and deemed me not worthy! :lol:
I've met loads of Impreza owners who love their cars and cars in general and would talk all day and be more than happy to show you all the cool stuff they have done to their cars. Funnily enough, none of these Impreza enthusiasts, who were and are far more enthusiastic than the club I bumped into, were members of any owners clubs themselves.
I remember seeing a "Scooby club" in a car park of a local performance parts / bling wheels shop. I've never met such a bunch of miserable, unenthusiastic morons as them - you think if you go to the trouble of cleaning your car and taking it somewhere to show it off, you'd be more enthusiastic about talking about it, rather standing around, eating free scones with a bunch of similarly miserable mid-late 30s blokes. Maybe they just saw my Civic Type R
and deemed me not worthy! :lol:
I've met loads of Impreza owners who love their cars and cars in general and would talk all day and be more than happy to show you all the cool stuff they have done to their cars. Funnily enough, none of these Impreza enthusiasts, who were and are far more enthusiastic than the club I bumped into, were members of any owners clubs themselves.
Dave Hedgehog said:
you get it in any group of people, small or large
look at PH and all the muppets who love front wheel drive cars or even worse diesels ... so very sad
And so are producers of this statement - its pistonheads not rearwheel or fourwheel driveheads. PH is about all drivelines and the enjoyment of the cars. look at PH and all the muppets who love front wheel drive cars or even worse diesels ... so very sad
But back OT, yes there are some clubs out there that simply are ridiculous. For instance there is one group of fanbois who defend a tuner so much that even when you produce irrefutable evidence that the maps for their engines are unsafe and the cause of their pistons melting etc, revert to keyboard warriorisms and total denial.
Moreover, there seems to be some owners clubs being hit with an awful chav affliction, because those cars are falling into the hands of chavs. It's a sad day when no one can offer assistance to a member because that member hasn't taken the time to type in a readable version of english.
Forums always tend to have a collection of people who think because they say something, it simply must be correct. I call it "Clarksonism" - PH and VXRonline lead the way in this, PH with generic comments like the above and VXRonline with more car/tuner centric comments. It's always this minority that let down the forum and to outsiders viewing in - makes it look like a shambles. When i was first on this forum, none of this existed. It seems to have seeped in from the smaller clubs (maybe as members migrated to PH). Shame really.
Today we have a Sunday Service on the Focusrsoc. Damn good club, not got a word bad to say about them. You get the odd bodge posts, but most (90%) are from enthusiasts and full of decent info.
So, i'd say - No, they're not.. But the minority always spoil it for the majority.
Edited by HedgehogFromHell on Sunday 28th October 11:22
I was banned from one online club/forum because I criticised the use of different colour stickers for 'normal' and 'inner circle' club members.
By and large though, I've found most BMW forums (can't speak for other marques) to be very decent and very useful. Saved lots of ££ from various correct diagnoses/clever fixes that might have otherwise been an 'hours and hours at the mechanic' job. Also enjoyed doing write ups for said forums whether it be DIY procedures or (driving) holidays.
By and large though, I've found most BMW forums (can't speak for other marques) to be very decent and very useful. Saved lots of ££ from various correct diagnoses/clever fixes that might have otherwise been an 'hours and hours at the mechanic' job. Also enjoyed doing write ups for said forums whether it be DIY procedures or (driving) holidays.
Gaz. said:
I can't abide any club that has a 'committee' or a board or structured like a blue chip FTSE100 company.
Unless it's a club run by one person it's probably a fact of life that there needs to be a committee - if you want a website and meetings and spares etc, smone has to organise them.Dave Hedgehog said:
look at PH and all the muppets who love front wheel drive cars or even worse diesels ... so very sad
My daily hack is a front wheel drive diesel, maybe I'll grow a beard and start a club 
g3org3y said:
I was banned from one online club/forum because I criticised the use of different colour stickers for 'normal' and 'inner circle' club members.
Pathetic, really really sad. I mean, car clubs are generally perceived as quite sad anyway but that's another level of anorakism.So long as there's something else to do, like eating breakfast or curry or having beer, I like car meets. But standing in a car park for over an hour? No.
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