RE: Scirocco.org a club? [long]

["Neal Tovsen" <sixteen.volt@gte.net>]

Comments inline:

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brad Sterling [mailto:bgsterling@earthlink.net]
> Neal, you ignorant slut (showing my age with that reference).

While technically true, I WAS hoping to keep it a secret. ;)

----Big 'ol huge SNIP----

> My point:  new car sales help, but aren't a necessity.

More-or-less what I said, I think. I completely agree.


> For that matter, I'd argue that many of the new Impreza drivers are caught
> up in the next big thing and you'll see an increase in membership followed
> by a downturn when the Subie falls out of trend.

I'm with you here. The Impreza has certain features which has started to
attract a peculiar type of enthusiast. While I don't think they represent
the majority of Subaru enthusiasts, they do tend to be less brand-loyal when
another car (one with a bigger wing, usually) comes out. These are the
people who will leave after the fad is gone.


> As for Manufacturer/Dealer/Industry support, I think the key word here is
> Industry. Now I'm sure Mark and Mike are
> not hurting for business with all of the VWs on the road, but just as this
> list supports them, I would bet they'd want to support a group that helps
> them.  It's kind of a sinking-ship, we're-all-in-this-together
> relationship.

Yes, I believe that is what they're doing now. And a damn fine job, IMHO.


> My long-winded point is that a club
> doesn't have to
> be as grand as what you're used to.
---snip---
> Instead of a newsletter, perhaps we could work
> on a good
> list of FAQs (starting with our current one of course) that can be emailed
> to everyone as they join the list and also posted once a month
> (kind of like
> a monthly newsletter).

Sounds like what we do already, except perhaps better maintained/organized.
We've been working on being better organized for years, but everyone
(especially myself!) is guilty of being "too busy". A little self-dicipline
on everyone's part would do wonders for this one.


> I'd even be willing to help compile this list of
> tire/wheel sizes, tune-up specs, sway bar options, oil in the air filter
> solutions, etc.

That's what everyone says, including me. Sadly, except for a very recent
spurt of activity, our Website hasn't changed dramatically in the 3+ years
I've been on the list. This has been true of most clubs I've been in. People
want all the benes, but when it comes time to CONTRIBUTE, "ah...I just don't
have time". Guilty as charged.


> My last point, regarding dues, would be they have some merit.  We
> could set
> up some cheap dues (so as not to make Ron leave) and promise a T-shirt or
> specially molded, Scirocco cup that fits behind the e-brake.

Cup holders? You must have read my mind! (or my earlier post...) Where do I
send the money??


> This will keep
> out the timid or flame-war-starters (what was that dude's name),
> pay for the
> website hosting fees, and get us some club merchandise.  Hell,
> many on this
> list have said they're willing to pay $15-$25 for a hat or t-shirt.  It
> would be like buying a hat or t-shirt and getting the membership for free.
> If Adirondak and Virtual parts give a small discount to members, the
> membership pays for itself the first time you buy motor mounts or a sway
> bar.  The downside, we'd have to get a President, Treasurer, etc. and
> incorporate.

Again, sounds like what we're doing. We've got free hosting (thanks
Christopher!!!!), Brett is the only one who really has put lots of sweat
equity into the Web site, and Mark/Mike already give us discounts. For our
$15-$25, we can call up Wassersport and get a t-shirt, and several times a
year we can all wear them together at places like Cincy, ND, and Waterfest.
Where's the big win?

/MY/ long-winded point, you crotchety old coot (ha! backattcha!), is that I
think it would be really cool to do all this stuff, but I'm still trying to
reconcile it all in my head. Scirocco.org kicks ass, and it is cool to say
that we don't have dues or centralized leadership but we still have
gatherings and club discounts with a few vendors. For the amount of work we
collectively put into this club, we get a lot of cool benefits! I'm still
not sure we'd really be getting something more than the awesome phenomena we
already have. Would it make us more of a tight-knit group? Would we all get
along better? Would we have more/better gatherings? Would we save LOTS of
money from vendors? Would we all get rich? My gut reaction to each these is
either a solid "NO", or a "well...I suppose it'd be a little better than it
is now". There's a lot of effort involved in running a "serious" club, and
I'm not sure that the payoff is so huge.

PLEASE realize that I'm playing Devil's Advocate more than anything. I've
already pledged my support to anyone who's willing to give it a go.

SO...
Step up, Mr. President!

Neal



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