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Goldryder 
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
Joined: 02-April-2004
Location: Acomb, North Yorkshire
Points: 5301
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 Posted: 20-November-2004 at 16:51 |
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At the end of the day a car enthusiast will travel to meets in whatever
car they have, whether its one featured at the meet in question or
not. They also like to keep abreast of all things new and
possible problems incurred with owing a particular marque.
Sites like this are an invaluable source of information not readily
available in dealerships or magazines, thus those who wish to purchase
a car or just have an interest in the marque can join the site and read
up on things and enjoy friendly banter with owners.
Meets are open to everyone, for instance, earlier this year I went to
the RS meet at Beaulieu..there were several BMW's there by invitation,
and there were other marques there both on display and in the
carpark..the car I took was a Toyota Turbo Supra. We were all
treated as equals and were well received by everyone.
Doesn't make any difference if you own a Reliant Robin or a Rolls
Royce, when you go to a meet, you go cos you have an interest in cars.
Having a closed section of this site would alienate those who might buy
a BMW in future and as some have already stated, could well push those
members of the site away from it.
This site is one of the best organised and the best run site I have come across, lets not spoil it.
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kbannon
Admin Group
E39 525i Sport Individual
Joined: 09-October-2002
Location: 64 Zoo Lane
Points: 15508
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Posted: 20-November-2004 at 16:59 |
@Stephen:- you were banned by one of the moderators for breaking the rules. You were lucky you weren't banned again since thain as I (and all the other moderators) recieved complaints about a post you made last night! A reason does not need to be given but from what I gather, you had recieved plenty of advanced warning!
Anyway, getting back on topic. This fourm has about 4000 members. Who is going to sit down and sort these into club member or not? Who is going to pay for their time doing this? Furthermore, in order to do this a list of club members will have to be given to the person doing the processing. Im sure many members don't want a non office or committee person looking at their membership details which would be protected under FoI legislation!
This job of processing member/non-member would have to be ongoing (adding new club members, removing people who haven't renewed their membership, etc.).
By the way, I neither want nor will accept this type of role!
WRT the last point about non-members attending events, I believe that this is only certain types of event. The better driving (track) days organised by the club are members only afaik. Also, for example the Irish region had a meeting today about how the year went and what kind of thing to do next year. Non members would have no voice in this at all! I have also found that non members coming to an event usually results in the person joining the club as they enjoy themselves at said event!
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stephenperry
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Joined: 20-April-2004
Location: Elgin
Points: 7213
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Posted: 20-November-2004 at 17:05 |
fine.
maybe "website announcements and feedback" is a misnomer.
feel free mr. moderator to censor this thread at will, as the club vehemently values the opinions of people who don't own nor drive bmws over those who do, i thought this was a club for owners and drivers, obviously i was wrong, and for that i am sorry, i promise to pay more attention to the small print and to turn the other cheek to those who goad and make fun, resulting in my aforementioned banned status and the post i made in jest at 3:07am this morning, albeit an edited picture, which i subsequently retracted for fear of offending those who do not have a sense of humour 
Edited by stephenperry
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Rhys
Moderator Group
Coffee addict...
Joined: 02-February-2003
Location: from the Latin locātiō
Points: 10053
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 00:15 |
...erm.
there isnt much to say realy as regards to benfits of being a club member..
1, saved about 100 on car insurence through club.
2. saved about 20%+ on RAC cover (about 22).
3, could have saved on cost of travel inn if I'd known they did discount at the time.
...any more, car parts, certain BMW garages etc... the list goes on.
...and all for 35. Bargain I'd say.
As for a members only site, what exactly is going to be discussed on this secret society section? I didn't join the club to be an elitist, I joined because I happen to like BMW's (currently on third one at mo). If I'm not mistaken, the name happens to be BMW Car Club GB, not BMW Owners Club GB.. And even if I had bought something else I would have stayed a member.
Looks like it's handbags at dawn...
walk 3 paces, turn and swing...
(poor dawn) 
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kbannon
Admin Group
E39 525i Sport Individual
Joined: 09-October-2002
Location: 64 Zoo Lane
Points: 15508
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 05:59 |
 stephenperry wrote:
fine.
maybe "website announcements and feedback" is a misnomer.
feel free mr. moderator to censor this thread at will, as the club vehemently values the opinions of people who don't own nor drive bmws over those who do, i thought this was a club for owners and drivers, obviously i was wrong, and for that i am sorry, i promise to pay more attention to the small print and to turn the other cheek to those who goad and make fun, resulting in my aforementioned banned status and the post i made in jest at 3:07am this morning, albeit an edited picture, which i subsequently retracted for fear of offending those who do not have a sense of humour
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1. why do you think it is a misnomer. You left feedback and people respoinded to it. I merely stated that it would cause an administration nightmare and that I was not willing to accept the job of administrator under those conditions.
2.why on earth would I censor this thread?
3. "as the club vehemently values the opinions of people who don't own nor drive bmws over those who do" - this opinion is based on what?
4. Neither I nor anyone else minds people goading or having fun - however, you do so within the rules. I have enough to do without having to respond to complaints!
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Peter Fenwick
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Joined: 27-August-2003
Location: Lost somewhere in time...
Points: 6484
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 06:22 |
stephenperry wrote:
lets get away fraom bmw... i mean would you honestly expect to turn up to a ferrari owners meeting in a skoda octavia and expect to fit in? my case rests |
I disagree totally. If I was a fan of Ferraris and was interested in finding out more about ownership etc I would join the club and turn up to meet in order to speak to owners. I would do all this before actually buying one!
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Peter Fenwick
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Joined: 27-August-2003
Location: Lost somewhere in time...
Points: 6484
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 06:36 |
Rhys wrote:
...erm.
there isnt much to say realy as regards to benfits of being a club member..
1, saved about 100 on car insurence through club.
2. saved about 20%+ on RAC cover (about 22).
3, could have saved on cost of travel inn if I'd known they did discount at the time.
...any more, car parts, certain BMW garages etc... the list goes on.
...and all for 35. Bargain I'd say.
As for a members only site, what exactly is going to be discussed on this secret society section? I didn't join the club to be an elitist, I joined because I happen to like BMW's (currently on third one at mo). If I'm not mistaken, the name happens to be BMW Car Club GB, not BMW Owners Club GB.. And even if I had bought something else I would have stayed a member.
Looks like it's handbags at dawn...
walk 3 paces, turn and swing...
(poor dawn) |
Well said.
Club members, like myself, get plenty of benefits and I don't see the need to have a separate 'members only' section on the forum.
What would we discuss in this section?
Although by the same token I don't think that if there was a separate section for members only it would necessarily alienate all the non members. It wouldn't have bothered me when I first started visiting the website.
Ultimately if it is an admin nightmare as Killian says then it's deffinately not worth the effort 
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Goldryder
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
Joined: 02-April-2004
Location: Acomb, North Yorkshire
Points: 5301
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 06:58 |
Like I said yesterday, I'm not a full member, for various reasons and
have been forced to sell the 635, but that wouldn't stop me coming on
the site if the opportunity arises in the future. The people I
have either 'spoken' to via the site or met in person have been
extremely nice, open minded people and the site is run exceptionally
well. People would be put off by a private section as it would
reinforce the notion that BMW owners feel they are above everyone
else. Which most of us on here, member or not, knows is incorrect.
I have made friendship on here that will last a very long time after I leave.
Killian is totally correct that the admin side of organising a private
section would be horrendous and probably a complete waste of time too.
'If it ain't broken, don't fix it'
Edited by Goldryder
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Peter H
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 03-January-2004
Location: Worcestershire/Ost Bayern
Points: 927
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 07:13 |
stephenperry wrote:
lets get away fraom bmw... i mean would you honestly expect to turn up to a ferrari owners meeting in a skoda octavia and expect to fit in? my case rests |
My brother in law was a member of the Rolls & Bently owners club & he did not drive one, He was made very welcome at the events
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Goldryder
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
Joined: 02-April-2004
Location: Acomb, North Yorkshire
Points: 5301
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 07:24 |
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Its like the Beaulieu RS Ford meet earlier this year. I went to
that, the BMWCC was invited along too. There was a very healthy
mix of car marques, not just RS Fords. Everyone was treated as an
equal, everyone was warmly welcomed to look at the cars and to ask
questions...no matter how daft the questions might be.
Car enthusiasts are like a big family. Doesn't matter which car you own
or rave about or wish you could own given the chance. Interaction
with owners is the very very best way to find out about the real
marques..how they drive, problems incurred that maybe the builder
didn't realise about...there is a wealth of knowledge to be had on
sites like this one, and others like it. These sites are
excellent for giving potential buyers a true and unbiased insight into
ownership, the pitfalls, the good bits and the wishlists of things
ownerd wished had been built into a marque.
This forum is for announcements and feedback....well in all honesty,
the entire site is a source of feedback, and that shouldn't be stuffed
behind a barrier.
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Peter H
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 03-January-2004
Location: Worcestershire/Ost Bayern
Points: 927
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 07:33 |
Goldryder wrote:
Its like the Beaulieu RS Ford meet earlier this year. I went to that, the BMWCC was invited along too. There was a very healthy mix of car marques, not just RS Fords. Everyone was treated as an equal, everyone was warmly welcomed to look at the cars and to ask questions...no matter how daft the questions might be.
Car enthusiasts are like a big family. Doesn't matter which car you own or rave about or wish you could own given the chance. Interaction with owners is the very very best way to find out about the real marques..how they drive, problems incurred that maybe the builder didn't realise about...there is a wealth of knowledge to be had on sites like this one, and others like it. These sites are excellent for giving potential buyers a true and unbiased insight into ownership, the pitfalls, the good bits and the wishlists of things ownerd wished had been built into a marque.
This forum is for announcements and feedback....well in all honesty, the entire site is a source of feedback, and that shouldn't be stuffed behind a barrier.
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Think this sums up the issues very well, if its members only there is the aspect of being seen as Elitist.
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Goldryder
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
Joined: 02-April-2004
Location: Acomb, North Yorkshire
Points: 5301
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Posted: 21-November-2004 at 08:50 |
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There is also another, more unpleasant side to a private area that should be taken into consideration.
One site I was on for some time, and have recently returned to after
many weeks, has a private area. Admittedly this 'problem' on the
site in question has now been sorted but the damage was still done at
the time. Some members who feel they are being persecuted or have
dislikes of others, who are non members, can and do use the private
areas to stoke up animosity. They do this in the full knowledge
that the 'target' is unable to see or defend themselves against by
virtue of it being done behind closed doors.
I am not saying this would happen on this site if a private area was
introduced...I personally think Killian and the other mods run a tight
ship and this behaviour would be jumped on immediately...but the
opportunity would be there and sometimes the staff aren't on the site
to stamp it out straight away and if any nasty or offensive posts stay
put for even a matter of minutes, the damage will have been done.
The temptation to use a private area as a personal retribution area is
very real and it does happen. This site is a very friendly one
and I for one wouldn't want that to change. Open sites like this
leave no room for unpleasantness, even if some might feel they are
being got at, nothing on here is in any way derogatory cos its all out
in the open and on the odd occasion it does become nasty, then its
sorted very quickly. Private areas can cause resentment,
ill-feeling and to a degree, paranoia amongst people. Least here
everything is in the open, for all to see and for all to comment on or
deal with.
A 'them and us' syndrome would come about if this site had a private
area, and that would bring the site down eventually. We are one
big happy family and as with all families we have arguments amongst
each other, but at least its in the open.
Edited by Goldryder
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Members Only forum section