Bentley 'Events'
Discussion
There doesn't seem to be an active community for these things, I'd quite like to go along and have a look at others...
I joined the Bentley Drivers Club which was the best part of £200 before being given access to the forums which are dead.
This invite came through which would have been fun if I was going this year. I had a couple of nice invites to various things happening at Goodwood from Bentley in Leeds but having already coughed up for hospitality on the Friday/Saturday I won't be spending the thick end of a grand to go in the Bentley hospitality, I don't see that as an 'invite'.
Loads of active BMW and Porsche clubs I am a part of but nothing on Bentley.
Did look at the membership list though and there's a few members within spitting distance of where I live but don't recognise any of their cars so either it's old info or they never drive them.
Maybe I'm just too young or the normal demographic is too old, maybe if there were events then it'd be like going for dinner with my grandparents.
Maybe I should stick to attending the Porsche and BMW stuff and just drive the Bentley to work and back. Shame, as I like getting stuck into stuff like that at the weekend and the kids would love it too. The youngest is car mad.
I joined the Bentley Drivers Club which was the best part of £200 before being given access to the forums which are dead.
This invite came through which would have been fun if I was going this year. I had a couple of nice invites to various things happening at Goodwood from Bentley in Leeds but having already coughed up for hospitality on the Friday/Saturday I won't be spending the thick end of a grand to go in the Bentley hospitality, I don't see that as an 'invite'.
Loads of active BMW and Porsche clubs I am a part of but nothing on Bentley.
Did look at the membership list though and there's a few members within spitting distance of where I live but don't recognise any of their cars so either it's old info or they never drive them.
Maybe I'm just too young or the normal demographic is too old, maybe if there were events then it'd be like going for dinner with my grandparents.
Maybe I should stick to attending the Porsche and BMW stuff and just drive the Bentley to work and back. Shame, as I like getting stuck into stuff like that at the weekend and the kids would love it too. The youngest is car mad.
I've found the most success in terms of new friends and events etc by ignoring the official owners groups and looking more generic like a general sports car group or super group rather than specific Aston, Bentley etc
It's probably quite regional with specific brands in that some areas will be very active and other areas almost dormant where as the generic style groups attract a wider audience.
Just my experience.
It's probably quite regional with specific brands in that some areas will be very active and other areas almost dormant where as the generic style groups attract a wider audience.
Just my experience.
We've been BDC members for around ten years now.
I think change is happening albeit slowly. This month there's a GT "do-it-yourself" workshop on which I'd be going, but have a prior commitment.
The Silverstone race day is great - we don't do the track parade as it's gone up to £40 - used to be under £20. It's a great opportunity to watch a decent full day's racing with full access to the pits\paddock - very old school and lots of other interesting machinery - can't fault it and a bargain.
I get what you say about the polo etc but the wives love it. The Queen used to turn up and it was proper. Over the previous few years there have been some great events in Central London but there's not many of those - maybe one or two a year at the moment. A lot of people do the weekenders but we're in our early sixties now and still amongst the youngest so we give those a miss!
With respect to the forum - caveat - I do have a personal axe to grind here. There is a humungous number of posts on older Bentleys but I've found they are very unfriendly towards owners of newer cars. The consequence of this is that there are now many Bentley DIY groups on Facebook which the club should have hoovered up. I did tell them more than once but in my view without a concerted effort to bring those people back, that ship has sailed. Just my 2p worth.
I think change is happening albeit slowly. This month there's a GT "do-it-yourself" workshop on which I'd be going, but have a prior commitment.
The Silverstone race day is great - we don't do the track parade as it's gone up to £40 - used to be under £20. It's a great opportunity to watch a decent full day's racing with full access to the pits\paddock - very old school and lots of other interesting machinery - can't fault it and a bargain.
I get what you say about the polo etc but the wives love it. The Queen used to turn up and it was proper. Over the previous few years there have been some great events in Central London but there's not many of those - maybe one or two a year at the moment. A lot of people do the weekenders but we're in our early sixties now and still amongst the youngest so we give those a miss!
With respect to the forum - caveat - I do have a personal axe to grind here. There is a humungous number of posts on older Bentleys but I've found they are very unfriendly towards owners of newer cars. The consequence of this is that there are now many Bentley DIY groups on Facebook which the club should have hoovered up. I did tell them more than once but in my view without a concerted effort to bring those people back, that ship has sailed. Just my 2p worth.
AB said:
There doesn't seem to be an active community for these things, I'd quite like to go along and have a look at others...
I joined the Bentley Drivers Club which was the best part of £200 before being given access to the forums which are dead.
This invite came through which would have been fun if I was going this year. I had a couple of nice invites to various things happening at Goodwood from Bentley in Leeds but having already coughed up for hospitality on the Friday/Saturday I won't be spending the thick end of a grand to go in the Bentley hospitality, I don't see that as an 'invite'.
Loads of active BMW and Porsche clubs I am a part of but nothing on Bentley.
Did look at the membership list though and there's a few members within spitting distance of where I live but don't recognise any of their cars so either it's old info or they never drive them.
Maybe I'm just too young or the normal demographic is too old, maybe if there were events then it'd be like going for dinner with my grandparents.
Maybe I should stick to attending the Porsche and BMW stuff and just drive the Bentley to work and back. Shame, as I like getting stuck into stuff like that at the weekend and the kids would love it too. The youngest is car mad.
Just my take on things, ignore as required:I joined the Bentley Drivers Club which was the best part of £200 before being given access to the forums which are dead.
This invite came through which would have been fun if I was going this year. I had a couple of nice invites to various things happening at Goodwood from Bentley in Leeds but having already coughed up for hospitality on the Friday/Saturday I won't be spending the thick end of a grand to go in the Bentley hospitality, I don't see that as an 'invite'.
Loads of active BMW and Porsche clubs I am a part of but nothing on Bentley.
Did look at the membership list though and there's a few members within spitting distance of where I live but don't recognise any of their cars so either it's old info or they never drive them.
Maybe I'm just too young or the normal demographic is too old, maybe if there were events then it'd be like going for dinner with my grandparents.
Maybe I should stick to attending the Porsche and BMW stuff and just drive the Bentley to work and back. Shame, as I like getting stuck into stuff like that at the weekend and the kids would love it too. The youngest is car mad.
I find marque club membership cringe-worthy. I would not be a member of one any more than I would join a club comprising people who own the same make of washing machine as me.
Specifically with regard to BDC: I contacted them when I was buying a modern Bentley, because I could not identify the exact model I wanted. They had no clue. Despite the answer being basic, it turned out. I sensed that they knew very little about modern Bentleys.
Maybe they don’t like you because you didn’t inherit your money. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Or maybe you’re just not pretending hard enough.
Owners Club members are usually a quirky bunch who stick to their own cliques. But when it comes to Rolls-Royce and Bentley ownership, the generalizations are on steroids. They're a flamboyant bunch.
Owners Club members are usually a quirky bunch who stick to their own cliques. But when it comes to Rolls-Royce and Bentley ownership, the generalizations are on steroids. They're a flamboyant bunch.
I joined the BDC a few years ago, and lasted a month. They were so sniffy about Continental GTs that I gave up. There seemed to be no moderation of the rude attitudes exhibited by some members, who appear to respect only the owners of pre-war cars, so I asked for my membership money back (and got it!).
The previous owner of my CGT suggested that I try the Rolls Royce and Bentley Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) and the difference is night and day. A far friendlier club all round. I went on their trip to Auto Moto Retro in Rouen last autumn, and couldn’t have asked to meet a friendlier crowd.
They’ve just done a 100 car tour to the RREC European Rally in Germany which I’m told was a huge success, and there are numerous other events up and down the country. With respect to the OP, few are designed with children in mind.
Funnily enough, at Salon Privé this weekend I got chatting to an active leader of a local section of the BDC (not saying which one as I don't wish to embarrass him), and he sympathised with my opinion, and explained that the BDC is changing, but fears that it may be too little too late.
Given that VW has now produced well over 100,000 Continental GTs, it surprises me that no one has started up a club for the owners of these alone.
The previous owner of my CGT suggested that I try the Rolls Royce and Bentley Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) and the difference is night and day. A far friendlier club all round. I went on their trip to Auto Moto Retro in Rouen last autumn, and couldn’t have asked to meet a friendlier crowd.
They’ve just done a 100 car tour to the RREC European Rally in Germany which I’m told was a huge success, and there are numerous other events up and down the country. With respect to the OP, few are designed with children in mind.
Funnily enough, at Salon Privé this weekend I got chatting to an active leader of a local section of the BDC (not saying which one as I don't wish to embarrass him), and he sympathised with my opinion, and explained that the BDC is changing, but fears that it may be too little too late.
Given that VW has now produced well over 100,000 Continental GTs, it surprises me that no one has started up a club for the owners of these alone.
Zulu 10 said:
I joined the BDC a few years ago, and lasted a month. They were so sniffy about Continental GTs that I gave up. There seemed to be no moderation of the rude attitudes exhibited by some members, who appear to respect only the owners of pre-war cars, so I asked for my membership money back (and got it!).
The previous owner of my CGT suggested that I try the Rolls Royce and Bentley Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) and the difference is night and day. A far friendlier club all round. I went on their trip to Auto Moto Retro in Rouen last autumn, and couldn’t have asked to meet a friendlier crowd.
They’ve just done a 100 car tour to the RREC European Rally in Germany which I’m told was a huge success, and there are numerous other events up and down the country. With respect to the OP, few are designed with children in mind.
Funnily enough, at Salon Privé this weekend I got chatting to an active leader of a local section of the BDC (not saying which one as I don't wish to embarrass him), and he sympathised with my opinion, and explained that the BDC is changing, but fears that it may be too little too late.
Given that VW has now produced well over 100,000 Continental GTs, it surprises me that no one has started up a club for the owners of these alone.
We must know each other as I was on the RREC trip to Rouen as well! We're off to Compiegne with the RREC next month too. There's a lot of truth in what you say. I know a lot about the moderation - there isn't any and at the time it was a real issue that I unsuccessfully tried to resolve. We were also at Salon Privé so I know who you mean!The previous owner of my CGT suggested that I try the Rolls Royce and Bentley Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) and the difference is night and day. A far friendlier club all round. I went on their trip to Auto Moto Retro in Rouen last autumn, and couldn’t have asked to meet a friendlier crowd.
They’ve just done a 100 car tour to the RREC European Rally in Germany which I’m told was a huge success, and there are numerous other events up and down the country. With respect to the OP, few are designed with children in mind.
Funnily enough, at Salon Privé this weekend I got chatting to an active leader of a local section of the BDC (not saying which one as I don't wish to embarrass him), and he sympathised with my opinion, and explained that the BDC is changing, but fears that it may be too little too late.
Given that VW has now produced well over 100,000 Continental GTs, it surprises me that no one has started up a club for the owners of these alone.
Edited by Lockhouse on Tuesday 2nd September 19:27
Edited by Lockhouse on Tuesday 2nd September 19:30
HdePelet said:
Bentley seems to be aware of this lack.of events....I have been asked to 2 recently - their stand at the Southampton boat show and a coffee and cars meet in Brentford- hopefully they will get better in this area!
Yeah I've had those emails, bit far for me to pop in for a free coffee.AB said:
HdePelet said:
Bentley seems to be aware of this lack.of events....I have been asked to 2 recently - their stand at the Southampton boat show and a coffee and cars meet in Brentford- hopefully they will get better in this area!
Yeah I've had those emails, bit far for me to pop in for a free coffee.I figured the travel, a hotel and new red trousers would make the trip unviable.
I attended my first BDC event a few weeks ago and it was frankly rubbish.
Of the 20 or so cars due to attend, only 5 had arrived after 2 hours - we called it quits and left.
I got the distinct impression that was very normal.
I'm in Network Wheels and have done a few of their events - so will stick with that, BDC is a waste of effort.
Of the 20 or so cars due to attend, only 5 had arrived after 2 hours - we called it quits and left.
I got the distinct impression that was very normal.
I'm in Network Wheels and have done a few of their events - so will stick with that, BDC is a waste of effort.
BrettMRC said:
I attended my first BDC event a few weeks ago and it was frankly rubbish.
Of the 20 or so cars due to attend, only 5 had arrived after 2 hours - we called it quits and left.
I got the distinct impression that was very normal.
I'm in Network Wheels and have done a few of their events - so will stick with that, BDC is a waste of effort.
Shame! I'd have come along just to have a nosey around yours! Of the 20 or so cars due to attend, only 5 had arrived after 2 hours - we called it quits and left.
I got the distinct impression that was very normal.
I'm in Network Wheels and have done a few of their events - so will stick with that, BDC is a waste of effort.
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