Reasons to Join a Collectors Car Club

Everyone who decides to join a car club usually has different reasons for being interested in the process, the majority of people tend to join for different reasons, but on occasion the reasons you are interested in joining coincide with someone else’s reasons and at other times they tend to conflict. You should join a car club for your own personal reasons and try to avoid reasons that are inconvenient for you, or do not combine well with your needs.

Each car club is very different, there are some clubs that are designed mostly for younger adults, while others are geared towards older adults or even women. This type of organization helps very well to allow people to interact with people who are similar and share at least one common thing. This can be a great way to acquire some new friends, and check out some fabulous cars all at the same time.

Another reason that many people start looking into joining a car club is so they can look around for people who are experienced in the style of cars they enjoy. For example, you wouldn’t do the same maintenance to an old classic car as you would to a kit built car. There are some distinct differences and joining a car club can help you learn those differences quickly.

Many people who are new to the car world tend to use a car club as a way to find a mentor. This allows them to really work with people who are very experienced and can help them get as much information as possible from the meetings or even just hanging out in general. Those who are looking for a mentor generally have a large selection of members to choose from and are able to find someone who is knowledgeable and willing to work with them rather quickly.

It is well known that most people who are involved in a car club have at least one possibly more incredible cars that are gorgeous, or well on the way to becoming gorgeous. If you are looking to buy and sell cars this can be an important place to make some great connections. Similarly if you are involved in an auto repair business, or even a body shop this is once again a great place to make some highly valuable business connections. People are much more likely to work with someone whom they know on a personal level which can make your time very valuable.

Still others join car clubs because they love the thrill of the car. There is simply nothing better than being surrounded by powerful machines that are gorgeous and properly kept and maintained. A restored car is a special treat that not everyone enjoys. Those who do enjoy the treat are often hard pressed trying to locate different cars that they can view. A car club takes away part of the hassle and allows you to quickly and easily locate numerous gorgeous cars and since most members take their special car to the meetings you have ample opportunities to look at how gorgeous an old banged up car can really be with some work.

Regardless of the reason you are looking for a car club there is no reason to justify it to yourself. If you are interested in cars, or just enjoy looking at them there is almost always a good car club that you can join. Many car clubs do not even require you to own a car, though there are some that are model specific and require you to own a specific model of car in order to have your membership approved. Look around, you are going to find hundreds of incredible people, thousands of fabulous cars and the opportunity to be at the center of it all with a great car club membership. Never before has the idea of being around so many incredible cars been such a reality.

Raffles, Drawings and Other Contests for Car Clubs

If you are trying to decide what your club should possibly offer as a raffle prize there are several things that you should consider but of course, finding prizes that are car related are always best. Some of the most popular options are also highly affordable as well, especially if you take the time to call around and see if you can obtain any donations for the raffle that you are conducting. Just be careful to ensure that you treat businesses right to get repeat prizes in the future.

Look to cat detailing and body shops for some gift certificates. Most people with great classic cars are ever really satisfied with the appearance. This leaves it quite necessary to usually continuously redo some work of some sort. A small gift certificate may not go far, but it can be a huge help if someone is close to finishing the work on their car. Plus, many shops will work out a deal where you can purchase the gift certificate for at least a reduced price if not donate it entirely.

Auto parts stores are another great idea for raffles. Most people need auto parts at some point even if it is something that is basic like oil and spark plugs for normal maintenance. Providing members with prizes that allow them to pick up the auto parts of their choice can be a sure way to win over members.

Car seats are sometimes uncomfortable or even neglected in the quest to make the outside of the car look gorgeous. Consider seeking out either seat covers, or an upholstery shop for a prize. This would allow members to have some work done on the inside of their car without having the save up them money to afford it themselves.

Additionally, look to some restaurants to donate some gift certificates for free food. These are usually quite easy to arrange and almost always are free to get, just talk to the manager at the store and you are generally able to obtain 2-3 complete meals quite easily. Similar arrangements can usually be worked out for movie theaters as well. This can help you to arrange an entire date night to give away to members.

If you happen to have a really large budget, you could arrange for a small mini weekend vacation somewhere. If you are really good at talking to people you might be able to get some free gas cards to pay for the gas if the destination is close by, as well as a free or at least reduced priced hotel room as well. Talk to the managers around the destination area and you may be even able to snag some free tickets to events and attractions in the area.

As you can see, raffles and contests do not always have to have t-shirts and hats as prizes. While some people really are thrilled to win a shirt, having a few big prizes, especially when they are discounted make a great option for helping to boost the sales of the tickets, or encourage members to attend meetings if you are always giving away great prizes to those who show up. Just remember, be very nice to businesses that donate prizes so that they are likely to work with you again in the future.

Organizing the Club Meetings

The task of organizing and scheduling a meeting can seem like a huge hassle but they are part of the normal routine for a car club president. The exact matters that are discussed at each meeting can vary, but having a good idea of what you are going to talk about can help make the process go as smoothly as possible. Ensure that you plan your meetings ahead as much as possible so that they go also go as smoothly as possible.

One of the main issues that clubs talk about is a quick reading of the minutes from the previous meeting. This is generally done by the Secretary for the club; however, there are times when someone else is given that job instead. Additionally, someone is responsible for taking a roll call to see who is attending the meetings and who is not. These records are generally kept for at least a year in the event that they are necessary so it is important to ensure that this is done properly.

Other issues that are raised during meetings are often talks and plans about events and activities that are in the near future. For example, most people tend to start planning and organizing car shows, and even races at least two months in advance. This means that issues are usually discussed at meetings at least a month before this time so members can all discuss potential plans and decide who will be doing what for the event.

Additional matters can include any charity runs that are coming up, or any other events that the club is planning to participate in that are not directly hosted by the club. For example, if the club always attends a car show that is sponsored by another car club this would be discussed at a meeting held before the show so that everyone can ask questions and all details can be clearly communicated to the members.

During the time of year when the club has elected to hold elections it is very important to ensure that time is scheduled for the nomination process as well as the election process. Without the time scheduled for this it is often quite easy to overlook and this can leave the club scrambling to schedule emergency meetings to ensure that elections are properly handled.

Another important issue at many meetings is the various news items that arise, such as talking about car shows, races and even sales that are going on that can be of great interest to members. For example, if a detailing shop was running a huge special right before a car show it would be worth mentioning to members for those who did not have time to detail their vehicle themselves.

Most clubs also reserve a bit of time during each meeting for the club treasurer to discuss the finances of the club. This allows the club members to all be fully aware of what the money paid in dues goes for, and ensure that funds are being properly managed. This serves primarily as a system of checks and balances to make most people feel much better, as well as ensure that the treasurer is properly handling the money.

Most clubs are able to handle all of their business in approximately an hour once a month or so. There are some clubs that meet much more often, but the majority are able to wrap business up pretty quickly so that everyone can move along with other plans. With a well organized meeting agenda it is possible to speed the meeting greatly and still cover all of the essentials.

Local, Regional or National Car Clubs

Deciding which type of collector’s car club to join can sometimes be a very confusing process. After all, what is really the difference between the different levels and why does it really matter? While the differences in the overall club may be small between the different areas, there are generally some distinct differences in what the club expects from you, and also the number of members and the types of events that are organized.

People who are looking for a small, close-knit type of car club are going to find happiness in a local club typically. These clubs generally are very limited with members only coming from a specific area. While some areas are larger and account for larger clubs, they are still usually much smaller than the regional or national clubs could ever hope to be. Additionally, these clubs tend to meet on a weekly or monthly basis and also elect officers once a year. Another component to the local clubs is they tend to expect members to be fairly active because everyone lives fairly close together. This can include rides, shows, races and various other club related activities.

Regional clubs tend to be a bit larger and can often cover several states within the same region. Most regional clubs are lucky to meet once a month because of the distance in which people are having to travel in order to attend meetings. As with local clubs there are generally club officers elected once a year and there are often meetings held on a monthly basis or even bi-monthly. The exact location of the meetings can sometimes vary as the club moves the location around the region to ensure that everyone is able to attend at least one meeting a year. Clubs at the regional level usually organize and hold at least one or two car shows a year and several other great events as well for the members to enjoy.

National collectors car clubs tend to be the largest with the most members for each club. These are very large and typically do not have meetings on a frequent basis. Most of these clubs are lucky to meet once a month mostly because finding time for that many members to all meet together can be a large logistics problem for officers. The members in national clubs tend to come from all around the country and often members do not know each other and can only identify each other based upon seeing another member wearing the clubs jacket or shirt.

National clubs are also known for organizing several car shows a year. Additionally, depending upon the exact car style the club may organize a few races a year as well at locations around the country. Because members come from all around the country typically, meetings are not a requirement for members. To help handle the problems with members being located all around the country come officer election times many elections are held either over the internet, or by mailing a ballot into the club.

Picking out the club that is best suited to your needs and desires is based upon your own personality and desires. Many people join all three levels because each offers something that they want. You are free to join any level that you are interested in, looking around online you can generally find any club level you are interested and find out about their membership requirements easily.