Need Input on PCA!

[M.D. Holloway]

Need Your Input on PCA national and local chapters. I was wondering what your impression was on PCA in general and your local chapter in particular?

Do any of you get involved in the events?

What do you think of PANORAMA?

How about your chapter’s monthly mag?

What would you like to see PCA national and regional chapters change?

[757BoxsterS]

Hey Mike. I've only been a PCA member for 2+ years now. But so far I really like the club. The driving events, at least here is So. Cal. are really well done. I started off autocrossing and worked my way up to being Club Race licensed within 18 months. So you can go as far up the performance driving ladder as you feel comfortable. One of the things I like about PCA vs. other local clubs is that they are national. This gives me the opportunity to travel to other tracks throughout the country without have to get re-licensed by another club. It also means that when (if) I sell my car I will have a national market for the car.

As for things I don't like. Well, there's a lot of politics to get things done. There are a lot of members so you have a lot of opinions on what is "right" for the club. It's also very expensive to put on a PCA club race, so as a result there are very few of them local to me.

I skim through Pano every month. It's a pretty decent mag, I guess. PCA is more than driving, it's also what some people call "Wine and Cheese" club. So you'll have social events, concours, rally's (NOT performance rallying), etc.

That's about all I got at the moment. If i think of other stuff I'll post again.

[Brillo]

I've been a PCA (SGVR) member since I got my SC a little over 5 years ago. I am the outgoing V.P. for the San Gabriel Valley Region.

My experience is that the amount of activity and types of activities, really depends on the amount of interest in the membership of the Region.

[DANNOV]

I have been a member for 15+ years. The Chicago Region puts on a pretty good show with a lot of DE events at various local tracks, and autocross. If you want to learn how to drive on a track this is probably one of the least expensive ways to go. You can spend several thousand dollars at the Skip Barber school to learn how to drive at Road America, or you can do it for about $400 with the PCA. I have found the PCA instruction to be excellant. As for social activities, these events are there if you want them, but you won't feel out of place if you don't participate. I participate more in the track events than anything else and it is a great place to meet similar minded people. I have found that there are probably many more beer drinkers than wine and cheese people. For the $45 a year membership, it is a bargain. Pano is OK, it has a lot of historical stuff about early Porsche racers and cars. It also has a lot of advertising that can lead you to some interesting specialty products and websites.

[ozzie]

I've been a PCA member for about ten years. I gather the quality of the club varies by region. My home region, Potomac, is wonderful. Lot's of terrific people who work hard to make it a great experience for virtually all who attend. Especially on the DE side. You'll get out of it what you put in.

I don't care for Panorama. IMO, it is largely politically correct fluff that parrots the company line although there is the occasional good (usually historical in nature) article. You will rarely if ever see a criticism of Porsche the company even when well warranted and much discussed. In fact the editors seem to dictate the opposite (the Cayenne is a HUGE SUCCESS!!!).

It pales in comparison to BMW and MC club mags in both scope and content, and, literally, size.

[anthony]

I like skimming the ads in Panorama. Occasionally there's a good article. If your region or a region close to you has good driving events or other events you're interested in then you'll see that the yearly membership fee is cheap.

[cantdrv55]

Originally posted by anthony
I like skimming the ads in Panorama. Occasionally there's a good article. If your region or a region close to you has good driving events or other events you're interested in then you'll see that the yearly membership fee is cheap.

Hey Anthony, I have yet to meet you in person. Do you go to any weekly PCA events like the breakfasts in San Ramon?

[trj911]

The local chapter here in Indy is kind of weak.