Porsche Club of America - ha ha how true!

[k9handler]

I just received a letter from the Porsche Club of America telling me that my membership is due for renewal. Let me think about that one and if I really want to join them again. As a member of the Germany region the past two years the benefit of the club was ZERO! They (PCA) basically dropped our region and all it's members but gladly transfered us to a stateside region (like that helps)...so just as the driving events season was about to start we are up the creek without a paddle so to speak!
The entire ordeal was over insurance...just not fair to the members!

there is always two sides to a story so I welcome a PCA official to fill us in on the details since I really never did find them out.

To get to my point...I will not be a member of the PCA anytime soon!

[K. Roman]

I joined for a year and enjoyed some of the Panorama mags they sent out. But I felt that the Pelican forum has way more useful info than their own site, pca.org.
But I felt that I needed the sticker on my car to let people know I'm down like that.
But if there were a good Pelican sticker, it would probably replace the PCA one in a second.

[emcon5]

There was a discussion of this on Rennlist when it was happening, you can see the details in these threads:

background:
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=136620

finale
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=148366

Tom

[k9handler]

well thanks for the links Tom. I had spoken with George on this topic back in Sep 2005 but never seen any of it in detail. I must say that PCA has really made a mistake with this one.

PROUD MEMBER OF: GruppeB and DDK

[PorscheGuy79]

Smitty thats really poor decision on the part of PCA. Losing touch with overseas members is not a good way to handle the issue.

Long live the knights of Gruppe B!

[rcm]

I'm not going back to our local PCA as they will not let any other cars run at thier DE's. SCDA and Beamer club are happy to have any of cars or our pu truck run. It's about the fun for me, not just cause I have a porsch-a.

[ChrisBennet]

Read the Rennlist posts if you haven't already. Given the realities of not being able to get insurance for German Region, what do you think PCA should have done? I don't see what good alternative they had to dropping Germany.
In NH at least, PCA has the lowest track event fees (for non-instructors) of any club I know of. Rick is right though, our region (North Country) doesn't allow non-Porsches. But some other PCA regions do. North East Region to the south of us allows BMW club members to attend. THe BMW club doesn't require that you run a BMW.
-Chris

[k9handler]

Read the Rennlist posts if you haven't already. Given the realities of not being able to get insurance for German Region, what do you think PCA should have done? I don't see what good alternative they had to dropping Germany.

No that was just the easy way out! They could have contacted the local club for suggestions...no instead they just ignored them! When it comes down to it the fact is it doesn't bother any of the board members so why worry about it...not like we support PCNA or local shops over here.

Ok...I am done with this topic.

[anthony]

Originally posted by K. Roman
I joined for a year and enjoyed some of the Panorama mags they sent out. But I felt that the Pelican forum has way more useful info than their own site, pca.org.

The PCA is about getting out of the ergonomic chair, away from the computer and doing Porsche related events. We are fortunate in the SF Bay Area that the GGR, Redwood, and Loma Prieta regions do such great autocross and track events. There's also tons of social events, concours, wash n' shines, swap meets, etc.

[jmshepard]

Originally posted by rcm
I'm not going back to our local PCA as they will not let any other cars run at thier DE's. SCDA and Beamer club are happy to have any of cars or our pu truck run. It's about the fun for me, not just cause I have a porsch-a.

Rick,
The exclusion of non P-cars was a fact that I dealt with in the Potomac region. There were many more DE applicants than available spaces in the events. The fair approach is to allow P-cars to drive at the expense of other marques. How could a PCA member, expecting to drive a Porsche in a PCA DE event, be turned away in order to provide room for a BMW, Mazda or P/U truck to drive? That is sending a bad message to the membership.
I drove at some PCA events in Michigan that allowed other cars. Of course the density of Porsches in that region is very small compared to the DC area. Someday there may be more spaces than applicants in the high density regions such as the Potomac region. And given the economics of the DE programs, the policy would likely change to allow other vehicles.
Jim S.

[rcm]

Hey Jim,
I agree completely! OK, so members first with p-cars then if a member has a, say a Mini and there's room let him run that.

So, hey to get a little track time for my wife and I, I can join one club (BMW) run both cars, household harmony.

There are some great people in the PCA/NCR here and I do not want anything taken away from them. Some were and still are very instrumental in Janes car.

Rick

[JCF]

Originally posted by rcm
I'm not going back to our local PCA as they will not let any other cars run at thier DE's. SCDA and Beamer club are happy to have any of cars or our pu truck run. It's about the fun for me, not just cause I have a porsch-a.

Hey Rick;

I may see you at NHIS with the "Beamers" and SCDA. I'll be in the Tangerine 67.

John

[golfnow]

That bites Smitty
And I just sent in my money to join for the first time
still waiting to hear from the local to see if I can
get in on the first DE of the year

[kach22i]

Originally posted by K. Roman
enjoyed some of the Panorama mags

Only way to get Panorama is to join, right? Worth it for the covers alone.

[DustinTarditi]

Originally posted by kach22i
Only way to get Panorama is to join, right? Worth it for the covers alone.

Actually, PCA has a special "auxilliary" membership that is just a subscription to the magazine... no other member benefits. It's about $20/year, I think.

-DT

[Rick Lee]

For $42 a year, I get a 15% discount on the few dealer items I need to buy. I also have to be a PCA member to run in the Potomac Region's DE's. So it's money well spent for me. I know there's no shortage of complaints about some PCA regions, but we really have a good one here.

[Doug&Julie]

I get a 10% discount from my dealership on parts and service by being a PCA member. Considering I'm currently going through an $8k motor replacement in my Boxster, my $42 a year is saving me a lot of money. Even if you consider payments made since '95.

Even w/o this incident, I think $42/year is pittance for the networking. Much like this site...I've always said I'd happily pay $42/year to utilize this site. Small change in the grand scheme of things.

As for our region...it's pretty cool. I honestly don't get out to enjoy it much (long story). But I'm still happy to be a member.

[smg911]

My wife (girlfriend at the time) and I joined PCA in 1974. We were fortunate to be living in Northern New Jersey at the time and NNJR was one of the largest most active regions in PCA. In '83 we moved to Atlanta and transferred to Peachstate Region and then in '92 transfered to Suncoast Region in Tampa Florida. Three great Porsche Club Regions that organize more activities they you could ever have time for. I couldn't emagine our lives over the last 30 years without PCA. The people we met and the memories of the events we attended certainly added to the enjoyment of our lives. Joining PCA in 1974 and staying active in the club was the smartest thing we ever did.

[RickM]

How ironic. No Porsche club in Germany. Wouldn't it be the PCG or PCE?

[DonNewton]

Other than the guys (military-types) in Germany/Europe, why would the Porsche Club of AMERICA be in Germany? Don't you think the GERMANs/Europeans can take care of organizing their own club if they want? Here I was, thinking the car was built in Germany. . .