Most liked posts in thread: Why I'm not renewing my BMW CCA Membership

I joined BMWCCA back when I first got my MINI. My reasoning being that I would do track days with them. Wow a monthly magazine & everything. After one weekend with them I decided to use other methods of getting on the track. The feeling I came away with was far from warm & fuzzy. So much so that I thought something must wrong with me or my MINI. In fact I worried that maybe I had a case of early onset leprosy.

 

IMO, Roundel has been bilge for years. I gave up my membership several years ago partially because I don't have time for doing many track events, and partially because I couldn't stand the mag. Not so much for the lack of MINI stuff. More because the editorial obsession with Porsche. The writers constantly compared BMWs to Porsches in a way that smacked of insecurity. After reading years of the magazine this is what I learned: BMW is better than Porsche.

 

When I contacted our local BMWCCA chapter about attending one of their drives I was politely asked why I did not coordinate a similar drive for a Mini group. I read between the lines as we have our own club and you have your own club.

 

Well, I guess I'm on the other side of the fence...

It was Vinnie, the writer before Mark, who got me in the BMWCCA, and eventually led to me going down that slippery slope onto the track. And the BMWCCA has made lip service to increasing membership directly through the MINI crowd, especially in the face of declining membership, where there is the most potential for expansion. The problem is that it has been poorly implemented. Who, for example, hears about the BMWCCA from the dealer when they buy a MINI? Virtually no one. Not the case if you buy a BMW.

I like Roundel, but it doesn't do enough for the MINI crowd the BMWCCA is trying to attract. Part of the perception is there is enough MINI stuff already, and no one is going to come to Roundel for that anyway. That perception may be right, but I think it's worth a shot to try to do more for the MINI crowd, if BMWCCA is sincere about attracting MINI owners. I try to promote the BMWCCA to MINI owners ad nauseum, but we're are own worst enemies--the MINI crowd for the most part has stayed away from it.

I really would love to get more involved specifically with this, but I lack the time with three kids and a busy job. When the load lightens, I really want to get more into it. As for that column, who knows who'll be writing it down the road.....

 

:wink::wink::wink::wink: List of things wrong with my ol buddy Crashton................let's see I've got that list around here somewhere but it's just as long as the list on me and that's waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy too long for this forum.:crazy::eek6::lol::lol::lol:

Jason

 

:wink::wink: Nathan WAIT---we need to throw some profanity and sleeze in there.:wink::eek6::lol::lol::lol:

Jason

 

Good idea, because the push was supposedly to make MINI owners welcome to the BMWCCA, rather than feel like the ugly step-sister. It's disappointing how some of the people in this thread have been treated by some of the BMWCCA chapters.

My experience has been exactly the opposite, and I'd hope that everyone else's would be too.

 

These guys in the local chapters need to understand that they're killing their own car club if they're going to maintain that attitude. The BMWCCA does not have the luxury of snobbery at the present time, if it's planning on maintaining membership, let alone growing membership. Some local chapters get it, others don't.

In our chapter, the head instructor used to own a MINI, which he drove for years at HPDE's until he wrecked it (not on the track), which is the only reason he isn't driving it anymore on the track. And he is very well respected.

The more I think about it, I think for it to work, I think what's going to need to happen is MINI owners are going to have to be in some way shape or form involved in the local chapters in some form of leadership/organizational role, because I don't think the national organization is going to be capable of making the BMWCCA more MINI friendly from the top down. It may be able to encourage the local chapters, but that's about it. I'm getting more pessimistic about the national BMWCCA/MINI relationship the more I read this thread, and the more I think about it. Bummer. It may be that MINI's are welcome at a few local chapters, but nationally, not so much.

The BMWCCA has got to know it's shooting itself in its foot if that's how its going to go. The last time I wrote an editorial to Roundel that was published was about three years ago, may be time for another.

 

Huh, this is the first I've heard that there is a national BMW car club. I guess I just assumed that there would be just a bunch of local BMW clubs, like there are local MINI clubs.

I'm a member of two local MINI clubs, they keep me busy enough. Besides, I don't have a BMW, I have a MINI!

Dave

 

This is EXACTLY a big part of the problem, people don't know about it. It's not going to be for everyone, you for example are probably great where you are, and the BMWCCA probably isn't what you're looking for. That's not a knock on the local MINI clubs, I think they're great, but just like they fit many better than the BMWCCA, the BMWCCA fits many MINI owners better than their local MINI clubs.

The BMWCCA does the car cleaning clinics, driving clinics, and they have drives and social events like the MINI clubs--different flavor, but similar types of things. But what sets the BMWCCA apart from most MINI clubs (not all, but most) are their HPDE's/drivers education. In the long run, that's what hooks most participating members into the club, at least our chapter. Many only do one HPDE a year, but that's still something. It's not for everyone, but had I known about it sooner, I'd have joined sooner, and been on the track sooner.

It's also gotten me into other car clubs that I otherwise wouldn't have been invited to--Northwoods Shelby, Audi, and PCA clubs--it really broadened my horizons, so I feel a certain loyalty to it.

MINI is a bit different in that there are many MINI clubs too, but they tend to be more on the social drive, maybe a tuning party, those types of things--which are great too, but that's not my main focus. The BMWCCA does offer something different from that, which is good in its own way too, and I'd like to see it improve, grow, and become a place where MINI owners are just as at home as E30 owners. May not happen, but it's worth a try.

One way is for BMWCCA to acknowledge some of the local MINI clubs and maybe invite them to events, something so far the BMWCCA really hasn't thought of, see if there's common ground where they can work together. I'm not sure that will ever happen though, sadly.

 

This is not the first time I have heard about BMW CCA doing this to MINI owners. I have debated joining the CCA but seeing that this kind of thing is even more common than I thought makes me say I don't think I will bother.

I am a very proud member of the Porsche Club of America and I can very truthfully say that our region is mostly full of genuine car nuts. I have had several members ask me how I like my MINI and fully understand that there are many other good cars in the world in addition to Porsche's. That is not to say that there are some bad apples in the basket but there always are no matter where you look. But overall my PCA region is really awesome.

 

The clubs vary so much, you might want to check out your local BMW chapter before you write it off.

I've done events with PCA clubs from 2 separate regions. One region, I've made a few friends, and try to hook up with them once or twice a summer, lots of damned good drivers, a fantastic group, many came over out of the blue to check my car out. The other region, you couldn't pay me enough to run with again, most condescending group of people I've ever met. Not to mention dangerous.

 

I have found that BMW Z3 owner clubs are very welcoming and friendly. Once you get into other aspects, the egos grow larger and the people do become very high browed.

Besides that group, I'm happy to stay with the MINIs.

It's unfortunate people have to be 'better' than another person because of the car.

Let's be honest though, a lot of the MINIs could SMOKE some BMWs in the track

 

In my case, I don't see a need to join a BMW club.

Griot's Garage is very close, we have detailing school there from time to time and the local MINI dealer is arranging a high performance driving clinic at The Ridge Motorsports park this year.

Besides, I have a MINI, why would I want to join a BMW club? Do people with Dodge Challengers join the FIAT club?

Dave

 

:cornut: Metroplex MINI(club) of Dallas,TX offers it all. Autocross,HPDE's, A driving school with a local Jr College's Police driving instructors, one Sat a quarter MINI of DALLAS opens their mechanic bays and provides mechanic advisors, N.S.E.W. MINI get togethers, a main monthly meeting, Our own Nathan even made his World Famous 'Seafood Chili' for a get together in someone's home, MINI's in the various parades around Dallas, Poker Run, 100mi drive outs to various historic places in Texas...............on and on.

Jason
PS does CCT stand for(USAF) Combat Control Team?

 

I have been a BMW CCA member for more than 14 years, and will continue for now, but only as a BMW fan and former owner of four BMWs. Agree 100% that the MINI brand and MINI owners are both treated like a red-headed (red roofed?) step child at Roundel. The magazine offers little reason for a MINI owner to stay.

Satch Carlson's refusal to use upper case "MINI" is just one example. The back-handed insults in the recent Roadster cover story are another. BMW NA excludes the entire MINI brand from the Member Rewards Program which doesn't help either.

Sadly, this is a huge lost opportunity for BMW CCA. MINI has a rapidly growing and enthusiastic ownership base. We do not have a national club. We could make a substantial increase in the CCA membership base. But for whatever reason, BMW CCA has chosen to ignore this opportunity and offers only a small token of MINI content each month in Roundel.

On a local level, we do have an excellent chapter here at Del Val. The chapter leadership and instructors are friends, and are welcoming to all members, even those who don't own a BMW or MINI.

So I stay for now, reading Tech Talk and missing Sam Smith, waiting for that review of the M2, and living with low expectations of getting my MINI fix from Roundel or BMW CCA.

 

Aw shucks, it stinks to read this now. Now that I'm gearing up for a summer of track days, I was planning on getting a BMWCCA membership. Now I'm not so sure. I still might, just for the track days - My first ever HPDE was with the lead instructor for the DelVal chapter, and he was awesome. It sucks to hear of the general disappointment though.