Are you a member of the FCA?

Said with a sniff while lifting little pinky finger as Rob reclines back into his club chair...

Dale

PS While watching the FChat post count scroll across the library monitor.

 

Pretty much the same thing here in south Florida. We made our new club www.scuderiasouthflorida.com with almost everything going on with the group being posted about here in Fchatland..... No dues, no president, no 'official' meetings, etc... We still manage to have lots of activities and very little friction about what we should be doing.
BT

 

Interesting perspectives about the FCA and FerrariChat. It is unfortunate that a few overzealous participants screw it up for everyone else. I think some people loose perspective about it being a hobby. I can speak for our Mid-Atlantic chapter when I say we are trying to make strides to bridge gaps, proactively promote events and introduce a bit less structure to some of the events we plan. We really have a great enthusiast base FCA and non-FCA alike. It also helps to have a great dealership in Ferrari of Washington that host a number of track days and dealership parties throughout the year. We opt not to do a separate magazine which is why some of the other regions have a higher cost than us. We'd rather roll that money back into club events and in some cases host them for free.

 

I'd disagree with Tillman on that point, with all due respect to members and the efforts of our 2 past presidents. I'd guess that we can get just as many people to a fine dining event, or exotic car night, or monthly lunch using just F-Chat. In my opinion, that's pretty much how it works now anyway.

I was a member of FCA for the first 3 or 4 years that I owned my car, then I realized that most of the events I was attending had nothing to do with FCA. I do miss the newsletters, but it wasn't worth $135/yr to me.

 

I think you misunderstand. I was stating that the events aren't necessarily organized by the 'leadership' (whatever that is), and thanking those that do organize things. Someone decides X would be fun, and steps up, rather than waiting around for others.

re FCA/FOC vs Fchat, I think they're synergetic. Our local chapter never did look at the membership cards too closely, things might be different had we done so. Other chapters are very clearly exclusionary ("not that there's anything wrong with that") and function differently. How often do you see other South Central events posted on Fchat before they happen?

 

Yes, Pacific Region, but a lot less active than a few years ago. Law Practice got too busy.

Art

 

As Ferrari owners go, I am relatively poor (which is why I "only" have a 328), so I'd rather put the $135 a year into upgrading the car, which is, after all, the most important thing.

Incidentally, I belong to a number of other organizations, and the most I pay for any of the others is about half of that $135. So, IMHO, I consider FCA membership to be highly overpriced.

 

Well said.

My FCA membership renewal is languishing in my "bills to pay" box on my desk. The only remaining value FCA offers to me is the parts and labor discount that our local Ferrari dealer affords members. Even the national FCA publications are an embarrassment for the dues paid.

FWIW, the national level Shelby American Automobile Club has blown-up due to a rift with Carroll and there is local Porsche splinter group here Phoenix called the 356 Outlaws who define their club as: Arizona Outlaws 356 Club is dedicated to preserving, maintaining and driving the first Porsches, the 356.

The 'Club' has:
No Officers
No Bylaws
No Dues and
No One is in Charge of Anything!

 

I enjoyed my membership in the past, as Houston has a very active group.

THEN we 'inherited' Franco! LOL!

I think membership is very helpful if you are searching for a good car, and the parties are usually very entertaining.

So I say 'yes' but make sure your name badge is securely fastened before Track Use......mine flew out the window.......

 

+1

 

FOC 1974 - 1977 while living in the L.A. Area. Had a great time with some hardcore Ferrari enthusiasts who truly believed "Ferraris are meant to be driven."
FCA 1978 - Present. South East Region, South Central Region and, for the last 21 years, Mid-Atlantic Region.

Some thoughts on the FCA and doing stuff with your Ferrari: Ferraris have been a family thing with us. My wife and I and our daughter have had a blast with the FCA. We've always found that the members who are serious about enjoying the cars and who enjoy getting to know other enthusiasts are really a great group of people. To get the full benefit of the FCA you've got to participate in events. And if you don't like the events in your region or you don't have any events, get involved and change what's happening (or not happening). I love FChat. The Technical Forums are awesome! FChat is also a great platform to start making things happen in your area, even if it's just doing what the FOC called "Saturday or Sunday Morning Ride & Drives." What FChat can't do (yet!), is organize well planned overnighters or "long weekend" events that combine incredible country-road driving with interesting cultural/dining activities. The Mid-Atlantic Region does 2 or 3 of these a year. It can't do an Annual Meet as the FCA does every year. This is 4 1/2 days of Ferrri camaraderie, shows, rallys, and track time at some of the best tracks in No. America. In 2008 it's in Toronto and the track is Mosport. What a kick! Yes, it's expensive but for what you get, it's a bargain vacation. FChatters tend to plan events just a couple weeks or less ahead of time. When I was a "working stiff and family guy," I wanted to plan my Ferrari activities as far out as possible. I can do that with the FCA scheduled events posted in the monthly News Bulletin or FCA website. If you don't like what your region is doing, go to a neighboring region or make it happen in you own region.

There are always comments about the FCA dues. Geez, guys, that's around $8 to 11 per month depending on your region. That's a few beers or a couple glasses of cheap wine at a bar or restaurant. The quality and content of the quarterly Prancing Horse Magazine is well worth half the dues. If you're not reading it, you're right . . . the dues is high. If you are reading it, you know what I mean. The rest of the money goes to the monthly news bulletin, to administering the club and $5 per member goes back to the region. The FCA National Board of Directors meets once a year and, believe me, it's not a party. It's 2 days of meetings and workshops by all volunteers to try to improve what the club offers to members. Nobody is paid except the Executive Administrator (fancy name for secretary). IMHO, the club has improved with time but as the saying goes, "It's hard to please all the people all the time." We try!

Bill Ebert, Director
FCA Mid-Atlantic Region

 

It is true that $135 per year is not a crazy amount of money. But if a member really feels like they are not getting anything more than a quarterly newsletter then it doesn't seem worth the money or the time to write the check. For $50 I get a 5 year membership here and there are posted events at least once per month, usually much more often. We have at least a few events per year that I host / organize and there really is no need for a club to do that.
If I lived in an area of the country that had no events other than the FCA stuff I am sure I would belong to it in that case.
The silly thing is that in South Florida there are a huge number of owner that are potential club members but do not join because the local chapter is pretty much inactive as far as I can tell. Go to the website and I think you would agree. www.fcafloridaregion.com . There is a note about Cavallino coming up and an April Spring at Sebring. Go to the Redline link and the latest info is from 2005. The 'past events' link show maranello madness and a day at Ed's garage. If you are a new owner it would seem that there is not much happening here.
BT

 

Yes. Pacific Region.

 

I haven't joined recently, but, I am a member... Why not on come out on Sunday to the Ortega Highway run and check out the club? It is one of the best ride and drive events in So Cal. Every year at least eighty to one hundred cars show up to particapate from Tom Shanassey's 375 to the latest from marrenllo 599s 430s etc.. I hope to see you there.

Don

 

Two simple reasons:

1) Liability. Many of our events require participants to sign a waiver. If the events were posted on F-Chat, anyone could show-up. This could end-up being a disaster. Also, we attract enough "pilot fish" as it is and need not broadcast it.

2) It's common knowledge that this forum is monitored by local Highway Patrol. They need not know more than necessary.

 

Been a member since 2000 Since then we have formed our Indiana Chapter of FCA. We have proudly hosted events around the USGP. Then, the dues were the best money I ever spent. Now, without the USGP, we'll see what happens. I guess if I think its not worth the money, maybe I'll try to make it more active by organizing things myself.

ciao

enzo

 

I've been a member of the FCA-SE for ~18 years and have been well pleased . I do wish there would be more events that were wife friendly, but I guess I should be more active to help it happen...after all, it is up to us members to make our club a success. And, as far as the cost is concerned, the Prancing horse magazine and discount at our local dealer (FoA) alone makes it well worth it...

 

As an FCA Rocky Mountain member we were able to join the dinner and historic racing events with the club at Pebble Beach and Monterey. Well worth the $135 just for that IMVHO.

The local Rocky Mountain Region does the same events year after year. The wife is really bored with it. Most of the events are in Denver. It's a 3.5 hour drive and they start at 9 AM so we would have to leave at 5:30 AM. Not worth it IMVHO.

 

I am a member of PCA, BMWCCA, SCCA and Motorsports NE, and each of those annual memberships cost less than a third of what FCA membership costs. They also put on PLENTY of events, mainly motorsports events, which is what I enjoy Dinners, car shows, etc. are all nice, but when it comes down to it, I want to be driving my car. That's what the focus should be.



So how is the NY-metro FCA chapter?