[The Punisher]

Man, what is it with everytime I go to a car show or cruise nite I get someone asking me to join their corvette club. I tell them I belong to DigitalCorvettes.com . Then They give me a blank stare. Then I walk away from the recruiting officer.

Corvette clubs are great for some.Just not for me.Don't worry, if I feel the need to join I will find you. Anyone else have this problem or is there something I am missing by not associating with a club?

 

[AFAMack]

I tell them I belong to DigitalCorvettes.com .

Hell yeah! artyon:

 

[Dan85Vette]

Yea I always had the same problem.

The "club scenes" that I've been around seem to be stuck in a world of their own and that's cool...for them. They have their own ways and own friends and they don't seem to want to change.

DigitalCorvettes is the only place I've found where all types of Corvette enthusiasts can share their ideas and interests openly and not be cast down in some form or fashion. DC seems to have more members that do more unique things with their cars (not just mods but events, trips, get togethers). I seem to fit in more here and after meeting several members and talking to others on the phone, it's only been multiplied by a million.

 

[midnite902]

I always try to turn it in to a "sales call". I try to get the club to join DC and reap the benefits of a National (Global) Club.

AT the track on 6-2, because of some last minutes fixes my lettering was not on. I had little time to get it on before the first session and I got the DC and Preston Road Tire (Tire Sponsor) lettering on crooked. I may do it on purpose from now on. It got a lot of attention and people wanting to tell be how to put lettering on. Each of them that were Corvette drivers got a sales pitch on DC.

I belonged to Lone Star Corvette club for a while but I am not around enough to participate.

:cheers:

 

[iburke]

To much political bull in the local clubs. do this don't do that

 

[Performin]

I feel your pain. I get that a lot also. I just tell them "no thanks".

 

[bojvette]

nobody wants me or my car in any clubs > I go home crying thy all look at my car and laugh !! or ask if i have a barf bag !!

I was in one in 1962 with my 1962 ! I did not make enough money to keep up with the clubs running around and club meetings or what ever >> so that was the last club I was ever joined since >>:cheers:

 

[JPhil]

"Any club that would have me I would not want to join." (Groucho Marx)

 

[1N189]

I'm still at that point in my life where some of the club members would look at me and say to the other club members..."Who invited the kid?" I guess I look at myself and others around my age as the generation who will have to bring the Corvette into the next era. My Dad never did the club thing back in the day, I was asked once while I was still in KC...but I went to there website and looked at the members page and felt like I probably wouldn't fit in to much.
I have to agree with Dan85Vette when he said that "I seem to fit in more here..." Granted I've only met Iburke, but from what he's told me I know that I'd get along great with the rest of the gang that he has met too. It really feels more like a family, not a club and that's a testiment to everyone that participates on the site. I'm here to have fun, talk Vettes, save the wave, run'em, race'em and make sure the Corvette is still around for MY grandkids!

James

1N189

 

[iburke]

Now if you guys still put up with me when I'm 85 and forget which one is the gear shift...:rolling: :rolling: :rolling:

 

[Bob88]

Now if you guys still put up with me when I'm 85 and forget which one is the gear shift...:rolling: :rolling: :rolling:

We thought you were 85.:rolling: :rolling:

 

[1N189]

We thought you were 85.:rolling: :rolling:

Iburke told me he was going on 18! :crazy: :smack

 

[RTGordon]

There's no club like DC. Most of the clubs in my area would be just as happy if their cars didn't even run. Makes me think of the "trailer queen" thread from a few weeks back. Everyone here seems to enjoy using their cars as they were intended: to drive them.

There's also a wealth of knowledge here from all over the world that isn't available in a local club.

On top of that, I can't think of a regular member here that I wouldn't enjoy sitting down and having a beer with.

 

[Z-MAN]

Clubs are for people who have a need to feel important in some sad way.
Clubs - :down:

 

[OldVetteFan]

Clubs are for people who have a need to feel important in some sad way.
Clubs - :down:

I'd have to disagree with that statement. I am clearly in the minority here, and it may have more to do with the Club I'm in than anything else.

Our club has about 140 members, and we run the gamut in age - our youngest member is 19, and our oldest member is probably approaching Methusela (so he must be older than Iburke! :laughing: )

The active members of the club is what makes it work or not work, and the active members are drivers. I've participated in three parades as well as the Spring Run this year. Our little club fielded 17 - 19 cars for the parades, and about 35 cars for the Spring Run.

The members I've met in the Club are remarkably similar to the people that I've met on DC - they are very interested in Corvettes, they are easy to talk to, and at least to this point, haven't soiled their underpants in my presence (or maybe they were wearing Depends!).

Our club is also actively involved in charity work, particulary Support the Troop efforts as well as Toys for Tots.

I have a sample of one, and its been very positive. I'm sorry for any of you that have actually TRIED a club and found it to be lacking that you had a negative experience. However, if you've never actually gone to a Club event (our club always welcomes potential members to 'try it out' for an event or two) to see if there's more to it than your own preconceptions, then you may well be missing out on an excellent opportunity to meet some good Corvette people.

This is not a dismissal or denigration of DC - this is a great place, and I'm glad to have the resources here that we have (in terms of both technical resources and the friendships that I've developed). On the other hand, we've also discussed the atmosphere of another Corvette site that shall remain nameless. In that respect, I'd hate for DC to be pre-judged because someone tried that site and found it lacking.

I don't really know why belonging to a Corvette Club or an online Corvette community would make me feel any different. I'm still me - but both the Club and this site give me more opportunity to be involved in something I'm passionate about - the Corvette. If that is a sad thing, then I'm happy to be sad!

Steven

 

[bigred vette]

im in the chicago gear heads with over 250 members and a long waiting list for anyone the was at the chi town kruze you saw our club and they were one of the sponsers for it

 

[bsandy1]

Clubs are for people who have a need to feel important in some sad way.
Clubs - :down:

I have to respectfully disagree with this also. Clubs can be bad, but they can be good too. It's all within the members control and who's leading the club.

When I got my first Vette this past January, I found a local club that has been great. It's all about the fun! Do what you want, when you want, and don't worry about anything else. Want to hang with the racers? We got'em. Want to hang with the curisers? We got those to. No politics, no hassles, just have a good time.

As much as I enjoy my time here to DC, I wanted to hang with local Vette owners, do things with other Vette owners, learn from the "old guys" and have as much fun as possible. I've been able to do all of this in the club, while still enjoying everything DC has to offer. I guess I've been lucky to be able to experience the best of both worlds.

This club is rebuilding and has about 60 active members now. Growth has really taken off over the past 6 to 8 months, all because of the leadership it has today. I think like most things, clubs go through cycles, changes, some not for the better, some for the better. A good solid club will make it through that bad times and get on a track that the members want and makes everyone happy.

Don't get me wrong, if it reverts back to it's old ways, I'll be gone, but I'm hoping that now that the club has a path that has shown what the members want and is bringing in lots of new members, it will still on it's current path and only get better.

But in saying this, I have to admit that I've heard the horror stories. I even heard about a club that out cruising one day and a Vette owner say them and joined them. This club actually stopped and asked what he was doing! It was a club cruise and he wasn't a club member! Well, that's a club that isn't going to grow and who would want to be a part of it. That area now has another club that is quickly growing with new members, all because they welcome anyone, as long as they have a Vette, and want to have fun!

And there's nothing better, to me at least, then going on a cruise or being in a parade with 30 to more Vettes! We have dinners, socials, cruises, racers, breakfast, and other than our President, you'll see different members at each event, doing what they want to do, and HAVING FUN! What it's all about.

Thanks for allowing me to ramble. :laughing:

 

[Z-MAN]

I have to respectfully disagree with this also. Clubs can be bad, but they can be good too. It's all within the members control and who's leading the club.

When I got my first Vette this past January, I found a local club that has been great. It's all about the fun! Do what you want, when you want, and don't worry about anything else. Want to hang with the racers? We got'em. Want to hang with the curisers? We got those to. No politics, no hassles, just have a good time.

As much as I enjoy my time here to DC, I wanted to hang with local Vette owners, do things with other Vette owners, learn from the "old guys" and have as much fun as possible. I've been able to do all of this in the club, while still enjoying everything DC has to offer. I guess I've been lucky to be able to experience the best of both worlds.

This club is rebuilding and has about 60 active members now. Growth has really taken off over the past 6 to 8 months, all because of the leadership it has today. I think like most things, clubs go through cycles, changes, some not for the better, some for the better. A good solid club will make it through that bad times and get on a track that the members want and makes everyone happy.

Don't get me wrong, if it reverts back to it's old ways, I'll be gone, but I'm hoping that now that the club has a path that has shown what the members want and is bringing in lots of new members, it will still on it's current path and only get better.

But in saying this, I have to admit that I've heard the horror stories. I even heard about a club that out cruising one day and a Vette owner say them and joined them. This club actually stopped and asked what he was doing! It was a club cruise and he wasn't a club member! Well, that's a club that isn't going to grow and who would want to be a part of it. That area now has another club that is quickly growing with new members, all because they welcome anyone, as long as they have a Vette, and want to have fun!

And there's nothing better, to me at least, then going on a cruise or being in a parade with 30 to more Vettes! We have dinners, socials, cruises, racers, breakfast, and other than our President, you'll see different members at each event, doing what they want to do, and HAVING FUN! What it's all about.

Thanks for allowing me to ramble. :laughing:

You make a lot of good points. There are a lot of clubs out there who have members who support each other, but my own personal experience is with clubs that are clicky, and while they're welcoming and enjoy your company when they're trying to get you to join, they totally change afterward. You know. Instead of all members being treated equally, including all members in activities, there are the same few people who attend all the activities and don't even talk to the newbies. So after a year and a half, we dropped the local club . We still have friends in the club, but we don't miss it one bit.

 

[ChemDawg99]

You make a lot of good points. There are a lot of clubs out there who have members who support each other, but my own personal experience is with clubs that are clicky, and while they're welcoming and enjoy your company when they're trying to get you to join, they totally change afterward. You know. Instead of all members being treated equally, including all members in activities, there are the same few people who attend all the activities and don't even talk to the newbies. So after a year and a half, we dropped the local club . We still have friends in the club, but we don't miss it one bit.

My one attempt to join a club in Killeen (out side of Fort Hood) made me realize just how out of place you can be in a Corvette Club that doesn't represent a broad cross-section of the Corvette demographic. This local club was clearly made up of folk in the typical (at least from what I have read) demographic, 45 or older, married, $88k per year average income. I'm 37, divorced, and in the Army (I am about $14k per year under the average). I felt so out of place there. To make matters worse, I filled out the membership application, handed to the president of the club, asked if I had to pay the fee now, was told no, that you could pay once the club processed my application and I would be emailed back and THEN I could pay the fee at the next meeting. That was almost a year ago and I have yet to get that email. (hmmmmmmmm) I can only assume that I wasn't welcome. At any rate, there are 4 other guys in my battalion that have Vettes including one of my best friends and my Commanding General in addition to being a member of DC I would like to have the positive interaction of being in a club that welcomes everyone, but until then, I'll cruise with my buddies and log onto the DC:thumbsup:

 

[bsandy1]

My one attempt to join a club in Killeen (out side of Fort Hood) made me realize just how out of place you can be in a Corvette Club that doesn't represent a broad cross-section of the Corvette demographic. This local club was clearly made up of folk in the typical (at least from what I have read) demographic, 45 or older, married, $88k per year average income. I'm 37, divorced, and in the Army (I am about $14k per year under the average). I felt so out of place there. To make matters worse, I filled out the membership application, handed to the president of the club, asked if I had to pay the fee now, was told no, that you could pay once the club processed my application and I would be emailed back and THEN I could pay the fee at the next meeting. That was almost a year ago and I have yet to get that email. (hmmmmmmmm) I can only assume that I wasn't welcome. At any rate, there are 4 other guys in my battalion that have Vettes including one of my best friends and my Commanding General in addition to being a member of DC I would like to have the positive interaction of being in a club that welcomes everyone, but until then, I'll cruise with my buddies and log onto the DC:thumbsup:

This was my BIGGEST fear going to the first meeting. I just imagined a bunch of old, pardon the expression, rich, old geezers sitting around talking about their cars and doing things a 'normal' person could never consider. I'm a state employee and I knew if that was the case, I wouldn't have fit in either. I guess I was lucky. Our club has such a wide range of members, luckily, many others like myself who don't have a Corvette as a spare car or show car, but as a daily driver and didn't pay cash to get, we financed! :rolling:

But sounds like you've found some like minded owners and are getting to do things with them, that's great!