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It's your Club, So make the most of it!


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Hi All,

We would like to understand why there is a lack of people who engage on the forums and attending events.

There are currently 489 paying members on here, and not many of you contributing to the club / forum, or wishing to take part in the events / shows that we run.....

If you have "purchased" a product, you generally make use of it, same goes with Memberships / Subscriptions etc....

So, in order to better understand what our members want, and to find out where we are going wrong, I have some questions for you :) please be honest, and lets get some constructive discussions going.

1) Are we doing anything wrong?

2) What is preventing you from contributing to the forum

3) What is preventing you from attending our events

4) How are you making the most of being part of a Club?

Thanks :)

Pete

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Well thought l would fill it out ;)

1) Are we doing anything wrong? - Nope

2) What is preventing you from contributing to the forum – I do on occasion, but a lack of knowledge prevents me for the most part offering advice ect..

3) What is preventing you from attending our events – Funds! I would love to hit up more show events ect. But just cant afford it :(

4) How are you making the most of being part of a Club? – getting helpful advice (when needed), using the discounts and enjoy reading some of the post :)

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I left the first 2 out because I don't think there's particularly anything wrong and I visit the forums at least once a day really.

3) What is preventing you from attending our events

Apologies in advance for my long answer.

This one for me is, much as I would like to attend every motor show event etc that's on, the points for me are money, time and distance, all of which I wish I had more of, (less distance though lol) but its not easy for all the planets to align and its possible. I mean I really wanted to attend the rolling road meet, and apart from it actually being impossible due not being able to drive and the car actually being SORNd at the time due to wrist surgeries, its a 3+hr drive each way so makes it an expensive day out. This is the prohibitive factor with lots of shows and events in general for me. I just want to say that there isn't anything that I expect VR6OC to do about this, I am just one and most members are a lot further down, I just want to say that if it was easier for me, I would probably attend as many as I could.

4) How are you making the most of being part of a Club?

I make use of the knowledge vault on a fairly regular basis on various tasks, and I try to help other members out where I can to sort their issues, and that if I have issues I can rely on others to help me :)

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thought id take part in this too

1) theres nothing wrong with the club

2) i try and offer advice on what i know but on the other hand i try to get involved in discuccions to find things out

3) i'm much in the same boat as lukey, its all down to funds time and distance for me too. As i live way up in Newcastle some of the club events are just too far to go just for the day. i had planned on having my car ready for GTI this year but to put on our stand but its not gonna happen :( plus the way my shifts fall at work this year means i cant get down for the weekend.

4) I try to make the most of everything on our club, I'm on here every day near enough. i also try and help out here and there where i can with my limited knowlege

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1) Are we doing anything wrong? - No

2) What is preventing you from contributing to the forum - I like to think In my short time here I have contributed a bit ;)

3) What is preventing you from attending our events - 2 things... The lack of a running VR6 and family commitments ( 2yrs and 5yrs) very demanding children!! And all the very rare spare time I get is spent in the garage.

4) How are you making the most of being part of a Club? - using the forum and getting great knowledge from the few that post in here

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Here's my input:

1) Are we doing anything wrong? Not that i'm aware of!

2) What is preventing you from contributing to the forum? Lack of knowledge I suppose!

3) What is preventing you from attending our events? Like most people i suppose, lack of money and time! I was really up for going to the RR, but typically work crept back in, Looking forward to another national meet if its going to happen this year!?

4) How are you making the most of being part of a Club? Im on it at least once a day, just keeping up with the news, and trying to help out where I can!

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1) Are we doing anything wrong? No

2) What is preventing you from contributing to the forum- My own perceived lack of helpful knowledge

3) What is preventing you from attending our events? Work, lack of own awareness in what events are happening

4) How are you making the most of being part of a Club? I feel i am

Pete, firstly i'm glad you've raised this point. I think you deserve a pat on the back, its obvious you put a lot of hard work and time into this forum keeping things going.

Of the forums i go on most days, this is the least active but has some of the best quality in terms of knowledge and information. I like coming on here, but often find a lack of new posts to comment on.

Some feedback I have on the website itself is that it feels a little less refined than most other forums i use, for reference include detailing world and the BMW e36 forum (bmwowner.com)

One reason why I think there is a lack of activity on here, is because a number of subscribers don't bother posting in here because they have noticed a lack of activity. Also, there is probably fewer and fewer vr owners as years go by, let alone those committing to an online forum, leaving just a core membership base. I understand there is 489 paying members alone, but how many unique visits is the site getting a day?

One theme i've noticed is around the location of events and the frequency of them. Is there a provision to organise regular regional and/or county meets?

Pete, I hope none of what i've said comes across negatively, please keep doing what your doing :)

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Ok so I'm not a premium member but I thought I'd offer my feedback.

1) No

2) Nothing I try to post here and there. I guess I just read a lot more than I post.

3) I've only recently come back into vr6 ownership, and it's been a long time since I've been to any shows/events. I would have come to the RR day if the car was back together.

4) handy to have somewhere to come and chat vr and get advise etc

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I've been a member for a long time I like being part of a club but unfortunately for me life has changed as my syncro is a hobby now more than a daily and having a family it's hard for me to attend shows and meets as have to put family first also have a work van that I pay for and a sensible car for family and going to places etc i do try to make more of an effort but sometimes don't have enough time but the club is perfect nothing wrong it does what I need it for

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Yeah one thing have noticed is more people bring their kids to our events, we are a family orientated club, so do bring the whole family along :) I wouldn't want it any other way, if they get bored, time to whip out the iPad.

Mine are 4 and 6 so ideal ages for getting them hooked ;)

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Well ere we go!

1) Are we doing anything wrong? - NO YOUR NOT times have just changed slightly and so have vehicles there is diesels out there packing as much punch as a standard VR with cheaper TAX, Insurance & Running Costs. People seem to be heading that way. We are on the next gen of members now I think! I think some of the long time members see new members joining daily and asking the same questions that have been asked time and time before. There is only so many questions that can be asked about one engine so to speak. Although its a new member it does get repetitive for the lads with the wider knowledge Gethin, Tony, Lukey, Kevin and the others repeating themselves. Especially when new members would rather start a new thread than reading through what people have already asked!

2) What is preventing you from contributing to the forum - I think I do but life is the main one! Government is taxing and screwing the working man into the floor and lives have become more prioritized people have had to put hobbies on a back burner as the UK is becoming one of the most expensive places to live!

3) What is preventing you from attending our events - It use to be my family as I work mad hours all be it for myself if I want to make bills like VAT, Corporation Tax I need and have to work as many hours as I possibly can. So when I did get time off I would rather take the family off to an aquarium, museum etc something to interest my girls 5, 7 & 14. Not be selfish and have them looking at engine bays all day. I was wrong to think this as they had a ball on the RR Day and everyone asked on the way home "Why didn't we do this sooner Dad". My daughters love the VR and loved this years Fathers Day.

4) How are you making the most of being part of a Club? - I enjoy reading more than posting if I am honest. I have met more people in person from the Club in the last 2 months than I have in my years of membership lol!

Sorry for the long rant but these are just my opinions..

Pete hat off to you for the effort mate.

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The daily posts come from "So what did you do to your VR6 Today" of Peoples build threads However I feel its becoming can I afford to do anything to my VR this month and build threads are taking longer! I really don't think its through any fault of the club more a sign of the times. Facebook doesn't help either!

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I think 90% of the reasons for lack of attendance is the cost of living and the cost of fuel I have 3 cars to Tax, Fuel and insure and a Mk1 tucked up in my garage. The VR is now on a limited mileage insurance policy so cant use it as much as id like .

I enjoy reading what everybody else is upto and help out if I can.

Need to save some more cash and maybe start up a build thread.

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1) Are we doing anything wrong?

No

2) What is preventing you from contributing to the forum

I do try, but i also help run a local forum and much of my spare time is taken up doing stuff with them.

3) What is preventing you from attending our events

VR's not totally finished yet, when it is i will at some of them, missed players, most probs going to miss Inters :(

Moneys alot tighter for alot of people these days, so builds and progress takes longer. Not to mention fuel prices going through the roof!

I'm a newish member to posting on here, but i've only owned my VR for just over a year... but i've been reading and gain knowledge on here for years.

it's a brilliant forum, and some top guys who really know there stuff! and some even better builds :)

I also use quite afew different forums, and help run my local VW club, alot of other forums are also slowing down these days, and not as many people attending the local meet. So it's not just the VR6 Owners Club.

Personally I like going on forums, reading builds, and finding out how the owners gone about building there car. But it's more reading than posting.

But these days alot of people can get there car fix many other ways, on facebook, instagram. loads of different social networking sites, rather than forums. I especially see the younger generation using social networking more, and i'm not that old i'm only 26!

So are forums becoming kinda 'Old Skool'?? if they are... as the generation get older and have more commitments wife, baby, kids, mortgage etc, the cars and spare time become less, and if the younger generation don't replace them... it could be bye bye forums :(

Our local VW club has also seen a huge decrees in active members, if that's attending meets or on the forum.

We've now opened a facebook group. (we've had a page for ages) and quite often the FB group is more busy that the forum.

Admin could kinda check this. Check the stats on facebook, and how many people saw 'your opinion matters' post on there. Then check the stats of the forum, and see how many people clicked on the link from facebook to the forum. you can then cross reference and see how saw the post to how many actively clicked the post. You can also see how many people actively posted in this thread to how many just viewed it.

That's just my two cents :)

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