Discussion
Good question.
I have been a Lotus 7/Caterham owner since 1975 and was a member of the L7 Club for over 10 years. I left the club several years ago when many others did, due to the Club's Management failing to deal with the toxic and abusive members who dominated Blatchat with there smart arse, smug and sarcastic comments.
Hopefully things have improved and the code of conduct has some teeth.
Law without consequences is advice.
I have been a Lotus 7/Caterham owner since 1975 and was a member of the L7 Club for over 10 years. I left the club several years ago when many others did, due to the Club's Management failing to deal with the toxic and abusive members who dominated Blatchat with there smart arse, smug and sarcastic comments.
Hopefully things have improved and the code of conduct has some teeth.
Law without consequences is advice.
Edited by Trackdayguy on Saturday 10th November 03:41
downsman said:
A thick skin is a useful on any forum.
However, Blatchat is a lot more civilized now than when I joined the club 8 years ago. If anything it is a bit quiet and anodyne. I would encourage any Seven owner to join the club, the magazine is good, almost all of the members i have met have been nice people and some are very helpful.
Sound like this is a very different club than the one I left after 10 years of membership. What's changed???However, Blatchat is a lot more civilized now than when I joined the club 8 years ago. If anything it is a bit quiet and anodyne. I would encourage any Seven owner to join the club, the magazine is good, almost all of the members i have met have been nice people and some are very helpful.
I agree there needs to be two different clubs. Why is this so hard for others to grasp?
The L7C Management must be living in some dark cave. Didn’t the lights come on for them when (Caterham Cars the manufacture) pulled away, it really does beggar belief. Wouldn't it seem a no brainer that a club representing a certain type of car would want the support of the manufacturer. I don't get it.
Come on L7C Management, change the damn name and move on, and when you do I own the domain name for the new club. www.caterham.club
The L7C Management must be living in some dark cave. Didn’t the lights come on for them when (Caterham Cars the manufacture) pulled away, it really does beggar belief. Wouldn't it seem a no brainer that a club representing a certain type of car would want the support of the manufacturer. I don't get it.
Come on L7C Management, change the damn name and move on, and when you do I own the domain name for the new club. www.caterham.club
Edited by Trackdayguy on Monday 12th November 02:58
Surely there are 2 things going on here, maybe more.
1. The club membership deciding to keep the L7C name. This has to be short sighted on a grand scale, particularly when we know that car club's need the support of the manufacture, we all know that Caterham are very Brand focused.
2. The L7C now moves forward without any factory support with a membership that doesn't own the said car the club represents, other than a few. (That is madness)
Question: If the club changed its name would Caterham support it?
Whilst both parties are standing in their own corners and being stubborn nobody wins. In the end the L7C has way more to lose.
1. The club membership deciding to keep the L7C name. This has to be short sighted on a grand scale, particularly when we know that car club's need the support of the manufacture, we all know that Caterham are very Brand focused.
2. The L7C now moves forward without any factory support with a membership that doesn't own the said car the club represents, other than a few. (That is madness)
Question: If the club changed its name would Caterham support it?
Whilst both parties are standing in their own corners and being stubborn nobody wins. In the end the L7C has way more to lose.
Helluvaname said:
There is a "Heritage" section of the L7C for real Lotus 7 owners, organised by Rod Thonger https://www.lotus7.club/area-meetings/heritage
Its all politics. Caterham are out of order if they back pedaled on a deal they agreed to, but they do have the right not support a car they dont make.The whole thing is b
ks, CHANGE THE DAM NAME L7C, what's your problem.Edited by Trackdayguy on Monday 12th November 22:12
My best guess is this will eventually raise its ugly head again, because it isn't resolved. Hopefully someone will have the wisdom to bring the L7C & Caterham together so solution can be found that works for both parties.
As someone who has dealt with Caterham since 1975 I'm all to aware they can be difficult to deal with, but in my opinion the L7C are shooting themselves in the foot.
As someone who has dealt with Caterham since 1975 I'm all to aware they can be difficult to deal with, but in my opinion the L7C are shooting themselves in the foot.
Robert Green said:
Also the majority of Caterham 7’s on the road still benefit from a chassis built by Arch motors, maker of the chassis of original lotus 7’s. The link between the cars is pretty fundamental. Right, I’ve had a few drinks and am off to bed! ??
Nice one Robert. I've had a few drinks. Love it rene7 said:
Its simple what we need is the L7club run as a club by enthusiastic L7 owners for all other L7 lovers, who cares how big or small it is its the quality that counts :-
What we have at the moment is the L7club run as a large business by some caterham owners for all other Caterham owners, us L7 owners have a 1 page 'heritage section' - Humm not good use of the Iconic Lotus 7 brand IMO.
A possible solution would be a new club called :- For example - 'Lotus 7 drivers club'
which has a committee of long term enthusiastic L7 owners 
You could well be right. My understanding is that the main Lotus 7 man, John Watson has nothing to do with the L7C because he sees it as a Caterham Club, surely he is a huge asset and should have a voice.What we have at the moment is the L7club run as a large business by some caterham owners for all other Caterham owners, us L7 owners have a 1 page 'heritage section' - Humm not good use of the Iconic Lotus 7 brand IMO.
A possible solution would be a new club called :- For example - 'Lotus 7 drivers club'
which has a committee of long term enthusiastic L7 owners mickrick said:
The Caterham 7 is a continuation of the Lotus 7. Simples
Correct, and without doubt a lot of Caterham's sales over the previous years have been fueled by that fact. It seems however that their big push for corporate branding, started by Ansar Alli has probably convinced them that they dont need the Lotus 7 heritage any longer to sell their cars, and probably dont see any value in identifying with a car that hasn't been made for 46 years, I think they're probably right and were probably right to withdraw their support from the L7C. DUCK, in-bound missiles approaching
Edited by Trackdayguy on Wednesday 14th November 17:24
REALIST123 said:
rene7 said:
Its simple what we need is the L7club run as a club by enthusiastic L7 owners for all other L7 lovers, who cares how big or small it is its the quality that counts :-
What we have at the moment is the L7club run as a large business by some caterham owners for all other Caterham owners, us L7 owners have a 1 page 'heritage section' - Humm not good use of the Iconic Lotus 7 brand IMO.
A possible solution would be a new club called :- For example - 'Lotus 7 drivers club' which has a committee of long term enthusiastic L7 owners
With all due respect a lot of that is just garbage. What we have at the moment is the L7club run as a large business by some caterham owners for all other Caterham owners, us L7 owners have a 1 page 'heritage section' - Humm not good use of the Iconic Lotus 7 brand IMO.
A possible solution would be a new club called :- For example - 'Lotus 7 drivers club'
which has a committee of long term enthusiastic L7 owners Anyway, nothing stopping you setting up your club; good luck, let us know how it goes.
Edited by Trackdayguy on Wednesday 14th November 19:05
Simon1796 said:
When Dany Bahar was at lotus he made sure that TF owning caterham had to stop using lotus as a name associated with caterham.
I feel it has little to do with the company or management choosing to avoid the link but rather the court case they have to still abide by.
I didn't know that, I guess that makes a good case why Caterham may have pulled away from the L7CI feel it has little to do with the company or management choosing to avoid the link but rather the court case they have to still abide by.
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