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Originally Posted by litteng
i left the title blank because i just wasn't sure i could convey a nice message in one line... it takes a bit to describe the frustration of an organization such as PCA. they have a forum but you can't get to it unless you are a member why would i want to be a member until i own a porsche?( the bmw moa is just as asinine) if you were in my position, (7 hours drive to the closest region) and were interested in buying a previously loved porsche, it would be nice to see the classifieds section in the forum, but its all under lock and key...
to me the organization smacks of elitism, nose high in the air, i have no time for that. before the internet became what it is, the pca or bmwmoa both provide a valuable resource... but when you can find an internet board like this one, pelicanparts and renntech, what does the pca really provide?
yeah i was pissed,
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litteng,
I am the guy who created both the Cayman and Boxster Registers. I run the Cayman Register. I helped the Boxster Team get the software up and running and remain an advisor to them. I have also been a PCA member since 1995, and on and off between 1990-1994. Because of this, I think I am in a pretty good position to reply to your comments.
'Elitist' is not a word that I would use to describe anyone I've met through the PCA, or the club itself. It's a volunteer club, so the leaders are usually really hard core car enthusisasts. This can vary from region to region of course, and I'm sure there are some reall buttheads in the club, like any work place or friendship circle.
So why did we lock down the Cayman and Boxster registers? Not to be elite. We did this to protect our members privacy. We've found that many of our members don't post or share pictures because they don't want to put private information on the worlde wide web for the whole world to see.
Example 1: At my 2nd track event ever, I saw a guy tapping up his license plate. I couldn't figure out why, so I asked him, "Hey man, why you doint that?" He pointed at the camera hanging around my neck and said, "That's why. You see how many cameras there are at these events....? I don't want a picture of my car on a race track landing on the internet."
Example 2: I video record my track sessions, so I can reflect, review and learn from them. I always ask my instructors if they are OK with that. One time I was told, "I'd rather you not. The last thing I need is a video of me instrictuing on the internet."
Example 3: One time at another open forum we organized a group ride through the mountain roads of the Catskills. We had 30+ Porsches signed up to participate. We posted the maps of our route in the forums, where we would meet, when, where we would stop, when, etc.... I'll be damned if the cops weren't waiting along our route for us. They pulled me and a group of 5 others over, for just being there. They hassled the hell out of us. We didn't get tickets, but we had to do the rest ot that ride super slow becuase we never knew where the next ambush might be. I was wondering how the heck they knew we were coming. Then it dawned on me. Our route and time tables were online for the world to see.
I can go on and on with examples. There are many reasons why our private forums add value to our members. We can freely post pictures and videos, routes and time tables. No one needs to worry about their boss finding out that their last sick day was spent at the track. They don't need to worry that their insurance company will discover that they are driving their 'pleasure vehicle' on a rack track. They don't need to worry that the police will know where and when they will be driving by.
Access to the forums is literally the tip of the PCA iceberg. It's a benefit, but a small one. You get a magazine, the Panorama. You get access to so many events, nationwide. You get discounts from Porsche dealers, sometimes up to 30%. You get special invitations from Porsche, invitations that only PCA members get. You'll never convince me to drop my membership. I've gotten so much out of the club, I'll be a member for life. What's it cost? $46 a year... I renew for three years at a time, so I paid $40. That's less than the cost of a tank of gas, and the knowledge that I've gained from the people I've met has saved me thousands.
There is a membership that you can get if you don't have a Porsche. It's called the Quest membership. You get access to the magazine, the national calssifieds ('The Mart'), and access to the forums too. Any region I've ever been to is more than happy to have guests attend their monthly meetings too.
Don't knock it until you try it.