Looks like it could be goodbye ?. Sorry for the long post but it could be the last chance I have. I thought I would give my thoughts and opinion.
I have read the thread on the possibility of making the Forum mainly for SOC members. When I first found this forum it was due to me possibly wanting to buy a Stag, I wanted to ask questions, these were answered which resulted in me buying a Stag ( Off a SOC Member ). If I had not been allowed access to the Forum I am reasonably certain that I would not have purchased a Stag so would not have joined the SOC. It is easy to say well join the SOC for the information but to join a club when unsure if buying a car seems to me the wrong way. I am a relative newbie as I have only owned my Stag for about one and a half years and joined the SOC but decided not to renew. I was asked by the local/regional coordinator the reason I did not renew so he could report back to the main office. I have never become involved in the threads that were about the SOC, Magazine etc but as it looks like I may not be allowed to post in the future I thought I would give my thoughts while I had the chance.
There were a number of reasons I did not rejoin.
Insurance, A couple of phone calls and I obtained a better price than the club insurance, with the same if not better conditions.
Tooling fund. No advantage to being a member, no discount so why be a member ?. Seems strange as funds from the SOC are used but are no discount for members who’s subscriptions are used.
The monthly meetings, I am not antisocial but to drive to a pub and drink lemonade even if the people are pleasant is not for me.
There are meetings some weekends, once again I am not antisocial but not for me.
Club magazine. This is a difficult one. There is always criticism of it’s content and cost. The magazine is important as it is the only means of communication to many/most members as I suspect that those who frequent the Forum are a minority of the SOC membership. There are efforts being made to change but in the year and a half since I have been visiting the Forum there is a monthly “moan” from some about the magazine, is no one listening ? even from a minority of members. Maybe before a decision about trying to raise money via the Forum is made the magazine and it’s costs should be looked at, not stopping it but looking at a way to reduce costs. This would not include sending via e-mail to those who want as printing costs etc would not be reduced by a significant amount.
Grahamb does a good job within the Forum but why do I sense that he is “lone voice” within the hierarchy of the SOC regarding the Forum.
What I found difficult to understand is the apparent them and us from the hierarchy of the SOC by this I mean that it seems that the Forum is a sort of sideline for some members, when it should be looked upon as possible the way to go in this day and age, the Internet being the preferred means of communication for many people. So the majority of new members will come via the Internet and what message will the SOC be sending to those who visit the Forum if they have limited access. I visit another Web site that allows access to the Forum and technical knowledge but other areas you need to be a member, seems to make sense to me. Now the SOC Forum is up and running the costs should be relatively low acknowledging the work done by volunteers. Yes at present people can get technical knowledge from the Forum for nothing but maybe that is the way to entice them in to join the SOC with discount on the Tooling fund parts, better deals with insurance as well as the meetings etc for those who want that sort of thing.
I would like to thank those who have helped me in the past and I would like to give credit to Dave ( DJT ) who from day one always made me feel very welcome and kept me well informed of everything that was going on down this part of the country. I have tried in my own small way to give something back, see, http://www.donkennedy.co.uk/StagIndex.htm
My offer in the past still stands, if I have anything that someone may find of use ( i.e. spanners for rear wheel bearings ) they are more than welcome to loan. I have many other “special” tools that may be of use to others when working on their Stag. Contact me via my web site at, http://www.donkennedy.co.uk/
I never say never so maybe sometime in the future I will rejoin the SOC, when it has something that is of advantage to me. The comments about it is only about 61p a week is not valid as there are many things that do not cost much, just because the cost is low does not mean I should buy if it is not offering me a complete package.
Maybe I have misunderstood some things, if so it could well be me being stupid but it could also be due to poor communication within the SOC ?.
I am sure that there are those who will reply to this post but please remember the above is my thoughts and opinions, if different to yours does not make me wrong, it just means I have a different opinion to you.
Don Kennedy
I have read the thread on the possibility of making the Forum mainly for SOC members. When I first found this forum it was due to me possibly wanting to buy a Stag, I wanted to ask questions, these were answered which resulted in me buying a Stag ( Off a SOC Member ). If I had not been allowed access to the Forum I am reasonably certain that I would not have purchased a Stag so would not have joined the SOC. It is easy to say well join the SOC for the information but to join a club when unsure if buying a car seems to me the wrong way. I am a relative newbie as I have only owned my Stag for about one and a half years and joined the SOC but decided not to renew. I was asked by the local/regional coordinator the reason I did not renew so he could report back to the main office. I have never become involved in the threads that were about the SOC, Magazine etc but as it looks like I may not be allowed to post in the future I thought I would give my thoughts while I had the chance.
There were a number of reasons I did not rejoin.
Insurance, A couple of phone calls and I obtained a better price than the club insurance, with the same if not better conditions.
Tooling fund. No advantage to being a member, no discount so why be a member ?. Seems strange as funds from the SOC are used but are no discount for members who’s subscriptions are used.
The monthly meetings, I am not antisocial but to drive to a pub and drink lemonade even if the people are pleasant is not for me.
There are meetings some weekends, once again I am not antisocial but not for me.
Club magazine. This is a difficult one. There is always criticism of it’s content and cost. The magazine is important as it is the only means of communication to many/most members as I suspect that those who frequent the Forum are a minority of the SOC membership. There are efforts being made to change but in the year and a half since I have been visiting the Forum there is a monthly “moan” from some about the magazine, is no one listening ? even from a minority of members. Maybe before a decision about trying to raise money via the Forum is made the magazine and it’s costs should be looked at, not stopping it but looking at a way to reduce costs. This would not include sending via e-mail to those who want as printing costs etc would not be reduced by a significant amount.
Grahamb does a good job within the Forum but why do I sense that he is “lone voice” within the hierarchy of the SOC regarding the Forum.
What I found difficult to understand is the apparent them and us from the hierarchy of the SOC by this I mean that it seems that the Forum is a sort of sideline for some members, when it should be looked upon as possible the way to go in this day and age, the Internet being the preferred means of communication for many people. So the majority of new members will come via the Internet and what message will the SOC be sending to those who visit the Forum if they have limited access. I visit another Web site that allows access to the Forum and technical knowledge but other areas you need to be a member, seems to make sense to me. Now the SOC Forum is up and running the costs should be relatively low acknowledging the work done by volunteers. Yes at present people can get technical knowledge from the Forum for nothing but maybe that is the way to entice them in to join the SOC with discount on the Tooling fund parts, better deals with insurance as well as the meetings etc for those who want that sort of thing.
I would like to thank those who have helped me in the past and I would like to give credit to Dave ( DJT ) who from day one always made me feel very welcome and kept me well informed of everything that was going on down this part of the country. I have tried in my own small way to give something back, see, http://www.donkennedy.co.uk/StagIndex.htm
My offer in the past still stands, if I have anything that someone may find of use ( i.e. spanners for rear wheel bearings ) they are more than welcome to loan. I have many other “special” tools that may be of use to others when working on their Stag. Contact me via my web site at, http://www.donkennedy.co.uk/
I never say never so maybe sometime in the future I will rejoin the SOC, when it has something that is of advantage to me. The comments about it is only about 61p a week is not valid as there are many things that do not cost much, just because the cost is low does not mean I should buy if it is not offering me a complete package.
Maybe I have misunderstood some things, if so it could well be me being stupid but it could also be due to poor communication within the SOC ?.
I am sure that there are those who will reply to this post but please remember the above is my thoughts and opinions, if different to yours does not make me wrong, it just means I have a different opinion to you.
Don Kennedy
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