MX-5 OC Forum

 Went to the rally and anticipated good things but I have got to say guys that other than the track it was a little disappointing, its a common problem when not everybody is catered for, the trader area was the same as Elvington I think you need to have more traders there,for example a few alloy wheel suppliers,exhaust system suppliers its not just MX5 parts who supply these things, an area were MX5 owners can talk about their car, you need a guy with a mic and an area to drive up to, I,m sure there are lots of owners who  want to talk about what mods etc they have done to a greater audence but never get the chance,you need to have a problem/advice  area where owners can talk to one another about problems or tips regarding their car in person how often do we get the opportunity, the catering was also, considering the amount of owners  dismal, also you need some other 'best' awards for example if cool car means how much money you spend on it, i.e lashings of chrome lexus lights etc then you really are missing the point I saw a lot of cars which in my opinion where cool even though they may not have been pristine, its about originality, it seems to me the average MX5 owner misses out, also where were the area rep,s to talk to?

Sorry guys I don,t mean to moan and I know its not easy but I have got to say it could be a lot better

First of all jb, are you a club member? If so why not offer your expertise at the planning stage and make these things happen, if not why not join and offer your expertise and make these things happen. 

It's impossible to please all of the people all of the time. I think I would get iritated by someone with a mike prattaling on all day. I spoke to loads of people about their cars just had to wander up and say hi, like you said most folks like to chat about the cars. Catering wasn't great but then I wasn't expecting Gorden Ramsey at a car rally. We took butties and had a meal when we got home. I think the lack of drinks outlets was poor, I don't think mallory were expecting so many. I have to agree about a class for original cars.

I have taken time to reflect on my day at the National so this is not a rant.

I also recognise that the whole thing is run by volunteers who give their time and efforts to arranging these events and I really do not like being negative. The efforts put in by volunteers on the day were obvious and much appreciated.

This was the 15th Anniversary of the club and the 20th anniversary of the car. The Club has I believe over £100,000 of members cash and if it hadn't been for the MOT track events I really don't think there was anything special or different by way of celebrations.Surely some of this money could have been invested in the day.

When I had finished my morning track time I went for a wander around and could find nothing significantly different to any other National. The people and their cars are always the main interest but this show had really been hyped up as a celebration ....where was it. Maybe I missed something.

I also feel the Club managment team should be more visible on the day and perhaps have some "formal" response on the forum..I know there are some who regularly contribute. There must have been many non members attending...it was a fantastic turnout... but I wonder how they were encouraged to join the Club.

I actually feel rather sad that more was not made of the special occassion..there can't ever be another 15/20 anniversary.

It does seem that the track time was an essential element of making the attendance so high and I suspect literally hundreds took part.{Drivers and passengers} Clearly many of the spectators enjoyed the track action as well. Well done MOT. Hopefully it can be included in future Nationals.

Just my thoughts

 This was my first national rally so I have nothing to compare with really, although I have been to another rally of classic cars (by accident). My view is that these things are as good as the people taking part. There is only so much an organising committee can do. The track sessions were excellent and my cheque book was prised out of my pocket in the MX5 parts tent. The rest of it was really about going round and checking out other peoples cars and chatting to owners. Overall and excellent day and very cheap at £8.00 entry.

jb:

area were MX5 owners can talk about their car, you need a guy with a mic and an area to drive up to, I,m sure there are lots of owners who  want to talk about what mods etc they have done to a greater audence but never get the chance

I had a full spec list, sponsor details and contact information in the window of my car specifically so I didn't spend all day saying the same five things over and over again. People with a real interest could and did find me to talk about it, people who would have been bored by it didn't even notice it was there.

If someone went on a mic to tell me about the chrome they bought I would have left. Those cars that interested me got looked at and those that I found dull I I ignored.

jb:

need to have a problem/advice  area where owners can talk to one another about problems or tips regarding their car in person how often do we get the opportunity

That would be this forum, right here. I'm here in person right now. Also local meetings do a lot of this kind of stuff, but if 1100 owners wanted to discuss which tyres to buy it would have been rediculous (and the people with knowledge would have been swamped by the people with loud voices).

That said: there was a handbrake set up demo going on which drew a large crowd.

jb:

if cool car means how much money you spend on it, i.e lashings of chrome lexus lights etc then you really are missing the point

Kev Allen got 2nd or 3rd place in a car that really had very little spent on it other than time and thought. Nothing pointlessly shiny on his car, but it is cool.

jb:

where were the area rep,s to talk to?

Mine were walking about with regional T-shirts on, and I talked to them. Easy.

Captain Muppet:

jb:

area were MX5 owners can talk about their car, you need a guy with a mic and an area to drive up to, I,m sure there are lots of owners who  want to talk about what mods etc they have done to a greater audence but never get the chance

 

I had a full spec list, sponsor details and contact information in the window of my car specifically so I didn't spend all day saying the same five things over and over again. People with a real interest could and did find me to talk about it, people who would have been bored by it didn't even notice it was there.

If someone went on a mic to tell me about the chrome they bought I would have left. Those cars that interested me got looked at and those that I found dull I I ignored.

jb:

need to have a problem/advice  area where owners can talk to one another about problems or tips regarding their car in person how often do we get the opportunity

That would be this forum, right here. I'm here in person right now. Also local meetings do a lot of this kind of stuff, but if 1100 owners wanted to discuss which tyres to buy it would have been rediculous (and the people with knowledge would have been swamped by the people with loud voices).

That said: there was a handbrake set up demo going on which drew a large crowd.

jb:

if cool car means how much money you spend on it, i.e lashings of chrome lexus lights etc then you really are missing the point

Kev Allen got 2nd or 3rd place in a car that really had very little spent on it other than time and thought. Nothing pointlessly shiny on his car, but it is cool.

jb:

where were the area rep,s to talk to?

Mine were walking about with regional T-shirts on, and I talked to them. Easy.

 Well said Captain, and as a member of the committee I back that 100%.

 In hindsight (it's a wonderful thing!), maybe the carbon-fibre-winged Camouflaged Learning car could have been put on as an exhibit - showing one of the possible avenues of things that can be done with a 5.

A little late now [sorry], but perhaps next time there could be a display section for the completely non-standard cars ~ these could include V8 engine swaps, after-market body kits, 4x4 conversions, etc...

 As suspected guys you are taking this personally which is a shame because its constructive criticism, if you are happy with what you are doing fine, if you dont want feedback fine, you can continue as you are,  but you are missing the point, why bother having a rally if we can do everything on this website just have a vertual rally! its about interaction meeting the people who we banter with on line,, you talk about you would be bored if someone talked about the chrome they bought for their car so you must be bored looking at all the cars in the show area!! with all the chrome on them, you really don't get it its asking people about their cars what they have done what they like about it where they have been in it as well as the mods, its about making people feel that they are part of a group of like minded people, disturbed that you find any MX5 DULL! but hey your choice,

as I said carry on as you are and good luck to you I just wanted to help.

 You will never please everyone (especially in this club). For everyone that would like to a section for modified cars you will get 10 members that think that all modified car owners should be arrested at the very least.

Yes madam this is aimed you taking down our No. plates as we arrived from JAE. So sorry we offended your eyes thus ruining your day.

 JB, I don't think anyone was "taking it personally" all we have been doing is putting how we see things. Of course things can be improved and we require constructive criticism but to make it worth while it needs to be discussed otherwise it becomes the view of one and not the view of the many.

As a committee member I would like to try to answer the point about the £100,000. Well you have to remember although the balance sheet many show £100,000 in the bank that does not mean we can spend it all just like your bank balance may show for example £2000 after you have been paid but you can't blow all that on bits for the car can you? It requires alot of money to run the club at this level. Just looking at my own area which is merchandise, yes we may make a small profit but all the items you see at the rally have to be paid for up front, then they have to be transported there, it all adds up. On top of all that Mallory Park with marshalls, first aid etc. does not come cheap.

I as a committee member can assure you this rally has not ended for those involved, leasons will be learnt and recorded for future organisers to draw from so please keep the comments coming.

Drew 

Guys can I suggest for the next event you have an area on the website dedicated to ideas,suggestions and brainstorming, this way everyone can get involved for example having been chief designer at MRE in Germany I have a close contact to the designers there and could have arranged for Nige Ratcliff to come over to talk about the current MX5 which he designed even a full presentation, I am sure there are other guys who have contacts with all kinds of companies that are relevent to MX5,s who could also assist, people can be shy lets make them feel part of what is a great product, and lets cut some slack to the guys who drive an MX5 because they just love them  wether they are standard, tatty, ratlook or modified because at the end of the day these are the guys who make any club a great club!

nuf said 

 A minor thing but with major impact, potentially. Can we not spend a little money on some professional looking signage for the competition classes and the car parking. The home made efforts and the hand written car parking signs may have plugged the gap short-term but they were embarrassingly tacky when compared to the efforts put into the cars by the owners entering the competitions.

JB - I'm not taking this personally, I'm not even in the MX5OC.

I turned up mostly because I've never been to Mallory, and there were a couple of people on the Forum that I've been meaning to meet for ages.

I found walking round the pits interesting enough for an hour, then I had a go on the slarlom (had a nice skid about, but a terribly slow 43 seconds), then I crossed the from the MOT bit to to the club bit. The car park was mostly full of standard MX5s. I've seen these before, they did not interest me. I went back over to say hello when the DriftWorks guys turned up and had a nice long look at the S15 (the first time I've managed to get close to it). I stayed with them for the first demo and had a laugh. Then I went through all the stands (bought a few things and also rejected a few things I would have bought on-line) and went up to look at the show cars. Most of the chromed cars didn't interest me (Shiny Steve's has so many clever little touches that it always impresses), but the various V8/turbo/SC and modded cars I spent a lot of time with. I chatted to friends, met the guys I wanted to and lent my spare wheel so someone else didn't have to drive home on a space saver (just had it hand delivered back to me).

The forum is for exchanging information, the rally was for looking at cars and meeting people.

We may have the same cars but we are not the same people - I don't care if someone has been to Africa in their car, but I do care very much if they have worked out a nice neat way to fit a hydraulic handbrake (did anyone else notice the wheel nuts on Kev Allen's car? you need to see those if you're interested in light weight). I got more than I expected from the event, and there was a lot more that I could have got if I'd wanted.

It's not my club, or my rally, yet I had a good time.

I'm sure the organisers are making notes from all of the comments, positive and negative.

jb:

Guys can I suggest for the next event you have an area on the website dedicated to ideas,suggestions and brainstorming, this way everyone can get involved

nuf said 

there was exactly this idea on the 15/20 section of the forum for months before the event where as you say people could have & did offer suggestions. the fact that there were not more companies represented is because they did not want to at the time. maybe next time "Someone" can do the legwork if they have time & resouses chasing potential companies for sponorship & stalls.

i still think it was great as was..........

 I don't usually get involved in discussions like this but here goes ... my thought are from a MX5, trackday, and OC rally first timer, but car event regular.

All are valid points, but lets remember what we have just done/seen 1100+ MX5s at a single meet (anyone know actual visitor estimate?). Any car related company would have jumped at that as a PR/marketing opportunity, but ask them a few months ago, in the current economic climate, and I don't think you would get many takers.Let's get those numbers out for next year along with some "professional" photos to prospective sponsors. More professional goes without saying, now we know there is an "audience" for it.

So as far as "tips for next time", lets simply use what we have just experienced as a basis for a bigger and better event. Keep suggestions coming, but keep positive, and keep promoting the car and the club. Bigger and better can only be good for both. Lets not let the enthusiasm drop, which is easy to do after an event.

Does anyone have any idea about numbers attending other single make owners club annual events? I bet there are many clubs jealous of the weekend we just had.

I was mainly there for my first track outing, but was impressed simply by the people there. I kept forgetting this was a single make event.

Just my thoughts on what I saw. Justin