Very disappointed with my first PCA encounter
 

I have picked up my new to me 1986 930 last Wednesday from a Porsche dealer in Boise, Idaho. When we where there the sales person informed me about an upcoming Porsche event. Since I am fairly new with the PCA, (I am a member for a very short time, I did not receive the membership card yet) I was not aware of this tradition.

Apparently there is the Porsche Parade to be held in Salt Lake City. A reasonable distance (1800 km) from our place. During our way back we decided it would be very cool to drive the 930 there. Great road trip!

We got home from our road trip later that week to find out the registration was closed on the Friday we returned from the trip. I e-mailed the PCA office Monday early AM to check if we could register over the phone. I did not get any direct response and called the number displayed on the site.

The (very friendly) lady told me registration is closed, and no late entries where allowed. I explained her we did not hear about this event until late last week, and did not procrastinate. We just didn't know. She replied saying she understands and would try to get us in.

I have tried to get a hold of the PCA office for the last few days and left messages. Today I called again and have been told we are not allowed late entry.

I understand taking on this mayor event is a challenge, and late entries are hard to deal with. But is it really to much to be asked if it is less than one working day? I would expect a little flexibility is in place. The friendly PCA lady told me there where a few more requests, and all where turned down.

If we where let's say a week late, I totally understand, but one day...?

If there are any PCA board members on the forum that could explain to me why this is so hard, please do so. Than I know what to tell my son.

Thanks for reading this "rant", and now I have to tell my 12 year old Porsche nut son we can't go. This Sucks!

Lucky you didn't try to show up in a 914....

Can't offer any other advice other than dump the Porsche, buy a Mustang.

As far as late i understand your position but as my mother used to say "the plane has left".

Basically how late you are is irrelevant, a day, an hour, 10 seconds, the plane is wheels up and ain't coming back.

Still, would have been nice of them to make a consideration for you.

A HUGE amount of work goes into each Parade, and it is opened to members WORLD WIDE, so the number of people who sign up for it is huge, there are dinners, lunches, events, everyone has name tags & badges, and they aren't paper either. I won't be going this year (but came close to registering just in case) but with my Mothers 75 Birthday July 8th, there is no way I can give her a party and get to Parade with my Turbo to show, so I'll miss out. Sorry that you will miss the events, but that doesn't mean that you can't be in town to meet fellow Porsche fans.

You can always go, look at the cars and have some fun beyond all things Porsche. So what if you can't play in their games?

They will have some track events and some show events. Some will be closed to outside access. They can't hide all the cars and keep everything a secret.

+1 on just go and enjoy the event... scope it out and see if you want to go to the next one.

I would think a 930 would draw a lot of friendly attention, I bet you will have a good time.

I guess I could...don't know if I would drive 3600 km to sit on the side line. There where a few events Sam wanted to go for, and are excluded if not registred. As I told PCA, I don't care about the diners. Just the rally, coral and some other small events was where the interest was.

Just hate to disappoint my boy.

Anybody knows a cool Mustang for sale?.....:eek:

Anybody knows a cool Mustang for sale?.....:eek:[/QUOTE]

No such thing exists :)

Hook up with the Canada West PCA folks. I understand their tours are a bit lame since they appointed a mountie tour leader (no joke), but they do some fun unofficial tours.

LOL! been there done that. Yep.

If you do go you will not be allowed in all the events.

I beg to differ, Fastfred. LOL. This 65' sits next to my 930 in the garage.


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+1 There are a lot of valid reasons to get pissed at PCA but this isn't one of them.

Hey good news, we're thinking of putting together a west coast turbopalooza later this year, and when you get 20-40 930's together it's way more fun than a bunch of wine and cheese types can have anyway!! .
Welcome to the dark side my friend!! (see you in the turbo section)

A long time PCA member once told me it's actually more fun to show up at these events as a spectator because you have more flexibility in what and where you can be. You'll still meet a lot of Porsche owners, make friends and have fun. Rent a room somewhere close and spend some time with your son checking things out. Can't get much better than that.

+1
The way I see it if you want to get together with some friends who own P cars, it is more preferable than a structured group such as PCA. With a group of like minded friends, there is no politics and there is no membership fee.However for your son with u both going as guests would still be fun for u both.:):):)

Yep!!
 

This^^^^^^^^

I'll send you my PCA nametag so you can try to bully, bribe or bum rush your way into events without getting a bad rap.

PCA's not bad, in my experience, just a bit stale and kinda like high school in regards to cliques.

I'm going to sound like an ass....but, tough sh#@!. Have you never been late to something before?

The registration opened in March and has to close at some time. It sucks that you didn't find out about until it was too late; however, how is that PCA's fault?

You own a nice car...enjoy it and learn to drive the car at it's potential. You can go to a Parade next year and show off your new found skills.

This website has replaced PCA. They just don't know it.

Or you can use mine & get kicked out by the Weenie Boxster leasers.............. Of course, my name will get you in the best bars & strip clubs, the worse too..

People can't always do everything they signed up & paid for and near registration is generally a board where people list stuff for sale (surprised I know about that right;)) everything from cars, parts to tickets for events. First, you need to see if you can even get a room, then go from there. I ended up having to leave early last year, not using some tickets I had.
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A few years ago my Dad and I just drove down to San Diego for Parade one day. Seems crazy now. We took the Boxster S (leased) and walked around the parking lot, saw some stuff in the hotel, then sat in on some presentations by Porsche guys- one was on the new variable vane turbos- and went home in the afternoon. No registration or tickets or anything, just went for the heck of it.

I know , just stirring the pot a little since Paul is gone. Nice ride.

They would not let Rudolf play either but we all know what happen :)

Icemann427, effing sweet.

The best parties are the ones you crash!

Get a hotel and take your boy! What you can't grab a last minute ticket to (e.g. posted on the board, etc) you can watch or maybe get some right seat time.

angela

The PCA, (pretty crappy attitude).

RRental, drop me an email at carrerados@aol.com I'll see what I can do. It's going to be a great event.

Unlike what some members on this forum may feel, PCA is the best car club in the world. 107K members can't be wrong.

btw, I drive a 1973 914 :)

I knew exactly what you were doing, Fred. That's why I put the LOL! lol


Thanks, Hugh!

what's wrong with 914's?

PCA varies by region. Some are better than others. National events seem to bring out the best in the regions but I have not been to many of them.

saw one parked in front of my place of employment this morning, btw

They are the Ferrari Dinos of the Porsche world. Personally I think they are more of a Porsche than the 924 or 944.

(Flame retardant suit on).:cool:

I think all Porsches are great. I think u may incur the wrath of the 924 and 944 guys though. I have not seen a 914 for many years. Rusted out in most of Canada but could still exist in Arizona and California?

There's plenty out here. One guy I know has one in his backyard scrapyard. He's thinking of making it electric.

yep, saw one today here in Newport Beach, Ca

I think it's great people have taken care of these old cars. Regardless of what model.

I went to my first PCA thing a month or so ago. It was cool and laid back. No 944s, 928s. there was 1 914, though. And a 356! I see a 356 around here about once every 2-3 weeks. 914s are rarer, imo.

On the weekends I see more 356s on average than 914s I think.

Most Porsches around during the week are new models. The old ones are out on weekends and at shows/autocrosses/races.

yep. Still, 914s are rarer than 356s, imo.

Heck, I see more air-cooled 911s than 944s and you'd kinda think that there might have been more 944s around than 911s because they were more affordable and would have reached a bigger market.

I did see a blue 944 at Franks Motorcars this week and also I swear it was the same 951 guards red car I used to see leaving the lot there this morning.

Deadline. Not halfdead or still twitching. You have to accept that people want to be done with registration and not have a constant trickle of late entries. There would be people like you until the last day with excuses (good or bad) and you'd never finish.

There is always next year's event. And I'd get with driving events instead of the wine and cheese BS. Which club runs DE, AX and Time Trials? That's where I'd gravitate for sign up. As others have pointed out, this one will be fine to visit as a spectator!

G

The only thing I've done with the PCA in the past 5 years or more has been the Zone 8 festival of speed. I do attend the Porsche Owners Club races at Willow Springs and Cal Speedway, though. And I am thinking of attending the Laguna Seca events this year. Even just spectating is fun.