Mk1madness Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Hi all , I'd like an answer from the committee if possible , recently I've been coming on the forum and it turns out that people without membership can use the forum and read posts and comment just the same as I can , I'm puzzled by this and I'm failing to see why I pay my membership fee ? I also find that some people begrudge the membership fee of a meer £25 saying it's too much , in my opinion this is because they're offered too many club member benefits without having to join the club , I feel the answer is stop access to the forum for none members and then they'd feel like their membership fee was actually getting them something . I think a shake up is in order , also scrap the several membership options and give them one membership fee of the £ 25 it'd save loads of messing about and sorting out who has what level of membership , I'll bet some one with just web access got a free bbq last year at billing !!!! So in short can some one explain why the membership fee gets members very little more than none members?? hats off to all committee members by the way , it's a thankless task 👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlinetta Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 I'm glad I signed up for full membership...well worth the £25...best / most helpful car club! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robah Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 I pay for my membership and haven't been to Billing since 2014 and even then I never had any BBQ. My membership helps pay for it but I don't expect to get cheap/free food, but if it helps to get new members to join then I am glad to give up my share. I joined the club for the marquee of car and variants to aid in it's upkeep and everything that comes with it is a bonus. Doesn't matter what you do in membership people will moan. The web membership was originally setup for overseas enthusiasts that wouldn't be making the shows, (correct me if I am wrong), but people in this country don't go to the shows etc. so I can see why they don't want to pay for others to show their vehicles. The OMOC have to have liability insurance for you to show your car under the OMOC banner. I don't do much in the way of shows but will still pay the £25/year as I want to support the club as much as possible. I do agree with you that the committee members and area reps job's are thankless and very time consuming, and there is a lot of head banging trying to sort things out for members to turn up and take the glory/prizes etc. that the staff have helped to achieve. I easily save well over the £25 membership price due to being a member as I get discount from other members and I have a vast array of friends with knowledge who are willing to help other members. 10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumster Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 robah, I could have written the same thing.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1madness Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 I agree it's a great club and the membership fee is one of the cheapest about for club membership , I'm just astounded that none members can come on the forum and use a service paid for by paid up members , oh and then piss and moan about the club to add insult to injury ! It's just my personal opinion that none members get way too much access to the club , after all that's what the membership fee gets you . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapierdave Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 When I first got back in to Manta ownership in 2009 (I actually bought a MK1 Cav sportshatch) I thought about joining the Cavalier & Chevette owners club but their's is a closed forum instead I joined OMOC as at least I could see part of the forum before joining. This was of course pre-Manta Facebook group. I have noticed that lots of other car clubs will allow you to read parts of their forums but you can't post in most of their sections only in the introduction part until you are a paid up member, maybe this might be something to consider. I know that the facebook page is very convenient especially for smartphones but the forum is much better for project & build threads. I am quite happy to keep paying the £25 membership fee to keep the club alive. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougcae Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Hi All, I think £25 a Bargain . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1madness Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 (edited) I agree rapierdave , on another club I'm on the committee of you can go on the site and join up or renew membership , you can browse the forum etc but not comment or get full access . I would never not pay my membership as I like the club scene and being able to swap stories etc , the point I was hoping to make is that in all honesty with the level of access non members are afforded I can see why some wouldn't join ! Edited July 7, 2016 by Mk1madness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exclusive Opel Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I pay the £25 so NOT to be on Facebook 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 <member opinion> I will be against any WebXit campaign and am in favour of free passage of electrons to enable browsing. There is enough "members only" stuff. Too much if you include a projects public folder section that doesn't show images uploaded. (I can expand on the above in a logical way and dismantle pretty much any argument for isolation.) </member opinion> 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRealExile Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I came off Facebook many years ago far too much mithering with have this app and other nonsense, maybe it's changed since 2008! This place is worth every penny to a novice like me, lots of good people who are happy to give their advice and help with parts normally at a more than fair price....what really sucked me in to the forum and getting another Manta before I signed up was viewing all the old and new projects and some of the amazing ninja welding skills, I know there is the argument that you need to get more when you sign up but that bit really hooked me. Maybe a compromise where you can view say the last months to whet the appetite but need to join to view the archive? Just my ramblings anyway! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robah Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 One of the good things about this forum is it stays mainly on topic (maybe due to average age of members ) unlike a lot of other sites I use, as most people don't even own the cars the forums were formed for. One site that I am a member of is closing it's forum as most people use Farcebook and don't want to pay the £10/year membership and that is a general Vaux/Opel site. They are looking for a cheaper webhost to continue the forum, but that could take sometime. Craig I understand where you are coming from about the information being open to none paying members and I have been guilty in the past of putting information on the wrong parts of the forum. Some past members had made points on not being able to see the threads they had built up on their restorations and found it unfair that they couldn't access their own material, and I have to agree with them. Some of the threads have been masterpieces in how to transform a rot box in to best Manta/derivative at Billing. Some of these ex members had to give up the scene due to personal problems etc. and were/still respected Ex Manta owners who would drop everything to help others rebuild their dreams. The site is stuck between a rock and a hard place on what to allow free information on and as Terry said above about wetting the appetite of new members and people struggling with their mojo to get back in to restoring their car. We as a club are dwindling in numbers and owners and have to actively look for new blood I'm anyways and means. I have been an area rep sometime back and know the struggles that the club does have in keeping the masses happy. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 On 08/07/2016 at 15:31, robah said: I have been guilty in the past of putting information on the wrong parts of the forum. .............................We as a club are dwindling in numbers and owners and have to actively look for new blood I'm anyways and means. Nothing to be guilty of, these cars are well known and there is going to be little or no info of a commercial value because of all the knowledge is out in the wider world. I believe trying to hold knowledge closer to your chest, that is freely available elsewhere to try and get people to join is harmful. There is no info worth paying for or little. Getting peple to pay for things they can get for free is counter productive. "What technical info do people get extra?" "Can't tell you it's a secret." "Here's my £25, oh wait there isn't any" If people can get the info elsewhere for free rather than join, then those people will. If people cannot get info from elsewhere to keep their Manta on the road and don't join then with holding the info flies against the club aim or preserving the cars. The club isn't here to preserver the club it's supposed to be here for the cars I believe. This website has a fraction of the historical info it used to due to running out of space and being pruned years ago.......there isn't a single decent guide to a red top dizzy conversion.....it is probably in the old Manta Magic repository that disappeared and is slowly coming back if anywhere. If people truly believe the club contains info / benefits necessary and unique to keep Mantas on the road then not sharing that info reduces the number of Mantas and hastens the time when there are no Mantas and no club. Reality is this...................... So do people believe being an open and welcoming club that shares info freely and people joining because of that is better / more likely than trying to keep a few nuggets secret and get people to join for those? Eventually there will be no club but how does it want to be remembered? Taking down the signs (projects forum with no pictures), closing the doors won't help or make people join. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon p Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 I am committee member, I am going get the rest of the committee together to discuss some pressing issues. Access to the forum will top of the list, i.e. whether it allows non members just browse selective threads or post away to their hearts content. My opinion is that you need to be full member to post. The other main thing I'd to talk about will be the cost of membership and do some people "loose out" for example, Billing costs. I think we need to equal out the spread of benefits of being a member. One other thing up for a chat will be the stick/abuse/criticism we get and is running the club for the members and the cars really worth the grief? Hopefully we will get together over the Billing weekend. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 If not sharing is considered the way forward I'll just probably spend the rest of my membership deleting my 2.4% of the forum posts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 I don't post here at all anymore but have come out of the woodwork to suggest the members section needs to go because the information is available in many other locations and in many cases its easier to find and read and even receive a reply to. The cars are ever decreasing in number, the ones left are becoming of a high standard and there are almost no people needing advice and help to fix the manta so they can use it for work the next day. When I first got into mantas 20+ years ago it was my daily drive and the OMOC area rep and I would get together to fix any problems so we could get to college the next day. When I found the forum it was alive with info, banter and was fully open to all with a simple format and clear text its very quiet now because the info and banter are elsewhere and the forum seems to be prone to changes and upgrades that make it hard to get familiar. I am not on Facebook but I am told its quite good to read and get pretty instant info. Make this forum free or its going to die on its arse and then the shop window to the club will be gone. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 21 hours ago, simon p said: One other thing up for a chat will be the stick/abuse/criticism we get and is running the club for the members and the cars really worth the grief? Good point. When the club became affiliated to some organisation or other years ago processes for dissolution were added to the articles / rules etc. weren't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip1971 Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 On 12/07/2016 at 23:34, simon p said: I am committee member, I am going get the rest of the committee together to discuss some pressing issues. Access to the forum will top of the list, i.e. whether it allows non members just browse selective threads or post away to their hearts content. My opinion is that you need to be full member to post. The other main thing I'd to talk about will be the cost of membership and do some people "loose out" for example, Billing costs. I think we need to equal out the spread of benefits of being a member. One other thing up for a chat will be the stick/abuse/criticism we get and is running the club for the members and the cars really worth the grief? Hopefully we will get together over the Billing weekend. Stick and criticism is a fact of life , abuse is not . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutty2006 Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 And this topic is 18 months old. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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