Porsche Parade in Charlotte this weekend

[kwm]

Is anyone here going to attend this? Has anyone been to one in past years who can tell me what to expect? Thanks

[porsche4life]

If you pay for my plane ticket i will come see it with you.
I have never been and i be poor.

[Halm]

KWM, Parade starts Saturday, but unless you are registered, there is not much you can see or do until Sunday and the Concours. Also, it is my understanding that if you have your PCA card with you, you will be able to get into the Goodies Store Sunday afternoon. . . But don't quote me on that.

Pleaswe keep in mind that this is an advanced registration event. Do not expect to be able to walk up and, pay your money, and go.

http://www.paradecharlotte.org/

[Mad Mike]

I went last year. Turning 40 this year and I felt like a SPRING CHICKEN!

Good for the soul. I have been to 3 parades, but this was my first time as a participant. Banquet awards were a good time, just remember to tip the bartender enough that they remember you!

[kwm]

Originally Posted by Halm

KWM, Parade starts Saturday, but unless you are registered, there is not much you can see or do until Sunday and the Concours. Also, it is my understanding that if you have your PCA card with you, you will be able to get into the Goodies Store Sunday afternoon. . . But don't quote me on that.

Pleaswe keep in mind that this is an advanced registration event. Do not expect to be able to walk up and, pay your money, and go.

http://www.paradecharlotte.org/

Thanks for the head up Halm. Typical PCA elitist Bull$hit and one of the main reasons I am not a member. The other reason is that the PCA makes ZERO attempts at attracting anyone who doesn't have a AARP card on hand. Why? I have not idea!

[Halm]

When I went to Hershey a few years ago to be in the Corral (I was too late in Registering) I felt exactly the same way. Total exclusion. I swore I wouldn’t do another Parade, ever. But then Charlotte was awarded the event and I was asked to be part of the local Committee. I viewed this as an opportunity to make it different.

Well, if ever there was a better example of the old saying “walk a mile in a man’s shoe’s before criticizing him” I don’t know what it is. The number of people required to pull this event off is staggering. The amount of time and effort by these people is staggering. The amount of money that those that do register will spend is staggering. You simply have to have an event by event, minute by minute plan for this size event to come off. The result is that this will be by far the best and most “open” Parade, ever.

“The other reason is that the PCA makes ZERO attempts at attracting anyone who doesn't have a AARP card on hand. Why? I have not idea!” Now, as for the “age” issue, you are simply wrong. There are numerous guys in their 30’s and some even in their 20’s. But yes, there are a lot like me in their 50’s. You have to attend a few meeting, look around and find those that fit the profile you want. Yes, there are still some Wine and Cheese guys, but they don’t dominate here in Charlotte. As a matter of fact, I would say that the largest group here are track rats. As for recruiting, I have been known to walk up to Porsche owners and talk about PCA or put a flyer on a windshield. In other words, you have to make an effort too.

[kwm]

I should not say zero attempts you are correct but pretty darn close to zero. I think it might have been last fall or possibly the fall before that. My wife's prof. organization had a conf. at a hotel in South Park. Since we live in the CLT area I was just going to drop her off each morning and pick her up each night. I had never been to this hotel before so I inadvertently turned into the parking garage and not the entrance. LOW AND BEHOLD....almost all 4 floors of the garage where dominated by 911s......I WAS LIKE WOW!!!!
I looked at my wife Karri and was like is this a joke honey? Do you even have a conf. here...? I was VERY excited and I am not a let's say very excitable guy. Anyway, I got to the 3rd floor in my SC and saw a bunch of guys putting slicks on their cars and stuff. I dropped my wife off since that was her floor, turned around and as I was heading out I spoke to one of the guys and he told me it was a regional PCA event and that they were going to AutoX today.
I never could find the place that they were AutoXing at (mostly b/c I was only given vague halfa$$ directions) but I did find a car show they where holding in South Park and I attended that.
I had been considering joining PCA but just not sure I can get over the elitist part. Even if it is a false perception, which I wholeheartedly do not think that it is, I do not wish to be seen as an elitist.
I mean when out of the blue a guy shows up in a 911 in a parking garage FULL of PCA members and one guy out of like 30 very briefly comes over to talk to me that isn't very good odds or representation of a club geared around membership and the same car I am driving.
I had Miatas for years and when I was a member of that club it was a totally different scenario. I wasn't even a member at the first CMC event that I went to and some guy there detailed my entire car inside and out, did a damn good job I might add too.
That is why I like to attend Porsche events that are not affiliated with PCA like the events Eurowerks held last year. No stuffiness, no wine, no cheese(y) stuff, but rather more so guys who really knew about their cars. If was refreshing to finally talk to a guy with a SC who knew a lot about his car.
The only other PCA event I have even gone to is the Food Lion Auto Fair and I specifically went on Sunday, i.e., Club Day to talk to PCA members. There was a guy there with a super nice SC. The car was from CA. and it had nice mods done to it however all this guy ever did to complete these mods was sign his name to a check. I seriously do not even think that he knew an oil filter form a fuel filter.

[Halm]

Originally Posted by kwm

The only other PCA event I have even gone to is the Food Lion Auto Fair and I specifically went on Sunday, i.e., Club Day to talk to PCA members. There was a guy there with a super nice SC. The car was from CA. and it had nice mods done to it however all this guy ever did to complete these mods was sign his name to a check. I seriously do not even think that he knew an oil filter form a fuel filter.

Jumping to conclusions again. That was me in the SC. I had just bought it and driven it home from CA less than 2 weeks before. And yes, I do know where the oil filter is and yes, I do a lot of my own wrenching.

In all candor, I think you need to reevaluate: a.) the PCA. We would welcome you to any of our monthly meetings, and to join the club. It may or may not be your thing, but you won't know looking in from the outside. And b.) your definition of "elitist."

[KFC911]

I don't know squat about the PCA, but I casually know Hal, and he's one of the "good guys" imo

[kwm]

You don't have a chocolate brown SC listed in your avatar.

[kwm]

Either way, fair enough, I can appreciate what you are saying but I don't think that my outside bystander impression of the PCA is off the mark. I realize there are good guys there. A guy named Chuck Rich or John Rich or something like that approached me at a park in Concord who said he was a member, that he had a 930, and that he wished he never sold his 83SC and he was a very nice guy. We fetched our Labs together and stuff. So I am not making it personal b/c I too know that you are a good guys as well and I have chatted on this BBS with you and you gave me good advice when I had my 72T (which I think that advice was to sell it and it was good advice) and advice about Terry at the 911 Shop. Plus I know other people who know you Halm so even though is sounds like I am coming down on PCA (which I kind of am) it isn't personal. However, I did not obviously know that you where the owner of said SC. So did you sell it or what?

[Halm]

Originally Posted by kwm

Either way, fair enough, I can appreciate what you are saying but I don't think that my outside bystander impression of the PCA is off the mark.

With all due respect, I disagree. You are going on partial info and other's impressions.

Originally Posted by kwm

A guy named Chuck Rich or John Rich or something like that approached me at a park in Concord who said he was a member, that he had a 930, and that he wished he never sold his 83SC and he was a very nice guy.

MIKE Rich is a great guy. He is on the Parade Committee too.

Originally Posted by kwm

However, I did not obviously know that you where the owner of said SC. So did you sell it or what?

We moved and needed to consolidate a few things. Sold my wife's 2004 Audi S4 and the SC and replaced both with the 993 as a compromise.

[Halm]

Originally Posted by KC911

I don't know squat about the PCA, but I casually know Hal, and he's one of the "good guys" imo

Thanks Keith!

[javadog]

KWM,

I find it so funny that people equate PCA membership with old, elitist snobs, who know nothing about their cars and do nothing but sip wine and eat cheese.

I joined PCA when I was in my early 20's and spent most of my early time in the club autocrossing and attending tech seminars. I'm still a member 25 years later and we still have an autocross every month and two track events a year, including a national club race. We have members that are both young and old, most of whom work on their own cars. We get together every Saturday for breakfast and spend a couple hours afterwards kicking tires in the parking lot. As for the wine, all I can say is we eat a lot, too. Lot's of trips to great restaurants, some local, some in the next state. When driving to a restaurant, we generally pick the route that has the best, curvy roads. Sometimes we drive all day, just to get to a place for dinner.

Frankly, if you have ever put on a Parade event (our region did one back in the '90's) you'll quickly understand why they put a limit on the number of participants. It's simple logistics. It's a huge amount of work and few places (hotels, resorts, etc.) can handle crowds of that size. If you want to attend one, plan ahead and register. It takes all of maybe 5 minutes.

I'd wager that if you joined PCA, you'd find some people that you really liked and some that you didn't. Sort of like life in general. Sooner or later this won't be a big deal to you.

As for the wine, I particularly like reds from France and Italy, so if someone gives you a bottle or three, and you don't wish to stand around and drink it, feel free to PM me for my address, so you can ship it to me and get back to drinking whatever makes you feel good.

Cheers,
JR

PS: By the way, I like cheese too. Unpasteurized cheeses from France are really welcome, if you have any to spare.

[pwd72s]

Didn't we have a thread like this last year???