Monstro

[seacow]

It's great to get feedback on Monstro and good to hear views on the club and current plans even if disappointing that it's negative in some cases.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my copy of Monstro and the plan is to make the annual version a bumper one with 'service bulletin' newsletters in between. Given the time and resource available to produce Monstro this seems the best way forward for now - but let's see how it goes and get feedback - there is nothing to stop us changing the format but someone needs to write and edit it and that's all voluntary!

We are currently redeveloping the website and hope to be able to house the vast archive that has been built up and hopefully it will be easier to use and a more valuable proposition. We are also looking at regalia (although again needs support) and parts remanufacturing.

Like many on here I like the forum and don't use Facebook much - it's great to see some activity and chat on here so Monstro has driven that too! I would say let's keep the feedback coming - it's the only way we can make the club meet the needs of members. We can't please everyone all the time but we will take on board any and all feedback so keep it coming!

In terms of the parts that was done before I joined the committee so will leave someone else to comment on that.

We are very aware that we need to make the club worth the membership fees and are working to that aim. Again feedback is most welcome. In terms of new committee we were elected at the AGM that all members were notified of so there should be no surprises on that front.

[Russ]

It's a real shame the club has come to this.
The articles in monstro by Mike humble are excellent, I've only met Mike a couple of times so he probably won't remember me.
But he loves the connection between BL and BR just as I do being a proud employee of the latter in close proximity to mike's old stamping ground

[Russ]

As I said last year, I'm not on here to cause trouble. BUT there seems to be a lot going on that normal members don't know about.
Surely when a new chair is appointed members should have had some input?
I'm sorry but I really can't see how we can move forward. The best thing about this forum and the club is Gary ( G Force) having the club in practical classics doesn't help a normal member when a car doesn't run.... Gary does!
Now can the committee tell the forum :-
What happened to the spares
Why the previous leadership wasn't good for the club
Why by by having a presence at big classic car shows enhances the members being in the club

I look forward to responses from above

[maestro dave]

Who bought all the spares and can we all buy them from the person who now owns them ? . I didnt know monstro was only going out once a year thats a real shame because its so good . Im like Russ i dont do face ache or kindle and dont like spending to much time on my pc so I will be missing out on the news letter oh well thats , that .

[G4GLM]

Received my copy yesterday, very good so far, about 1/2 way through. I find it nice to sit down and read a magazine / book, I could buy my magazines in e format for a fraction of the price but it just isn't the same.

Also re the photo of the pick up, they do know it's a maestro van which has been cut down into a pick up with a Montego front end? It reads as though it is a Montego pick up??!!

[G4GLM]

As regards this forum, it's been said before that there is more chatter on Facebook, but I know I'm not alone in being totally adverse to that particular institution

Here here, a large part of my job (and a charity I am involved in) involves child protection. If everyone knew how that site works in relation to secret groups (which are used for a multiple of criminal activities) then I believe no right minded person would sign up. In signing up and posting you are giving them revenue from their advertisers. That money goes to make the owners of the site very rich and all the time it is being used for horrendous crimes. I have never been and never will be a member, I am not going to promote a site which is actively used by paedophiles, terrorists and the rest. They are not even helpful in catching these vile people, in my opinion it should be closed down and never seen again. I will also say that there are numerous other sites which provide a platform for similar illegal gains. Right, I'll jump back down off my soap box! PS if this club goes down the fb route I will crush my Montego in protest!!!

[Russ]

i havnt got a printer!

[Hobby]

Then download it and print it out!

[Russ]

Im sorry but I really cant stand reading much on the computer , I refuse to have a kindle or anything like it. I may be old fashioned but so are our cars

[E_T_V]

I've seen both sides of this challenge. Whilst I certainly agree the latest monstro is very good (and I know how much hard work goes into them!), I also was a bit mortified to see only one publication a year. However the content of the e-newsletter will really determine whether the change is an acceptable change. E-publications are certainly easier to manage and cost considerably less to produce. This doesn't please everyone but it probably pleases the majority so long as the content quality is good.

[Russ]

The spares have been SOLD! When did that happen? It may have been last year when I was ill but it still checked here now and again.
So what did selling those finance?
Well it seems to me what was brought up so time ago when it was proposed to limit this forum to members has happened.
The club has become focused on becoming a show club for members who are lucky to live with reasonable driving distance of big shows.
To be perfectly honest I think there are now too few of our cars left to support a club, what is really needed is an Austin rover car club covering all models from 79-05
I have had some good times with this club but as I stated earlier £18 for one magazine!
If I'm missing something please let me know but I can't see any other advantages in being a member.
As regards this forum, it's been said before that there is more chatter on Facebook, but I know I'm not alone in being totally adverse to that particular institution

[Sussex Pete]

As a follow-on from my large post above, it would be interesting to know (though may not be possible due to data protection) who/where there are members within let's say a 50 mile radius of where I live, who have been active in the last 6 months on here. Then we could try to have a few local gatherings once every 3-4 months?

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, for your comments above. Rather succinctly put and a recognition of where we are as a club, right now. In response to those who queried why we sold our spares stock, and also why we don't have any regalia emblazoned with the club logo, the answer is simple. Space. To find anyone who has space to spare to store these items, potentially long term, is nigh on impossible. To find a manufacturer who is willing to either store stock on our behalf or make to order, with a quick turnaround, is equally difficult.

That puts the club committee in a very difficult position. We hear the requests to provide spares, get NLA parts - particularly body panels - remanufactured, to have club clothing, but putting it into practice has beaten us so far. Having said that, the committee have started the process of finding what and how we can remanufacture. It will take a while and we will certainly need a willing member to come on board and assist. The same also applies to regalia.

Please be assured that we are trying to make membership of the club worthwhile to everyone. As Andrew has pointed out, we are coming from a poor place, with a very small segment of the classic scene and with a comparatively small membership. In our new chair, Tanya, I think we have someone at the helm with the right amount of enthusiasm and vision to get things happening.

For those who criticise that only having one colour magazine a year, thinks that it is a poor return, please remember that we are moving in to the regular newsletter program to "fill in the blanks". Wherever possible this will be emailed to members - having found the problems with sending out issue 1, this should all be resolved come the next one in the middle of the year. So we are still aiming to keep in regular communication with the members.

Finally, and in part answering Andrews last post, I set up the map of Maestros and Montegos around the World to try and help in finding other members in your locality. Why not use it and make contact with those members and then set something up - even if its only a noggin 'n' natter.

[Hobby]

I agree Andrew, and as one who has edited a newsletter in the past I know how much work is involved, I'm afraid it's something I wouldn't do again!

There is a map showing the location of cars somewhere on the forum.

[Yorks-MGZS180]

Local members

As a follow-on from my large post above, it would be interesting to know (though may not be possible due to data protection) who/where there are members within let's say a 50 mile radius of where I live, who have been active in the last 6 months on here. Then we could try to have a few local gatherings once every 3-4 months?

Andrew

[Yorks-MGZS180]

A view from the rank and file

This is a difficult one for smaller clubs like this one.

My local car club moved way from printing and posting a newsletter because of the cost of ink cartridges and postage.

We now receive a monthly newsletter by e-mail (still some members ask for a printed copy but thankfully only a few)

I tried to persuade them to use a forum (like this one) but some of the committee were against it, and so the club has a Facebook page instead.
Our website is just an advert for the club, giving some updates on forthcoming events the club is hosting or is involved with.
I don't use Facebook (and from what I hear of it) have no intention of starting. I get my contact with other members through our monthly meetings (easy when you're a local club)

Our club is geographically dispersed and our interest - the Maestro and Montego - are a tiny fraction of the 'classic' car market. Apart from the couple of larger events the club attends/organises each year, we don't necessarily see each other in the real world. Other clubs (with larger memberships) can sustain regional groups who do their own thing on a more regular basis throughout the year.

We obviously have an enthusiasm for the cars, but without this club, life would be very much more difficult for we enthusiasts, and many more Maestros and Montegos would have gone to the great scrapyard in the sky.

Comments from previous posters suggest a frustration with recent developments and the way the club seems to have gone. What are we paying our subscription for? I think it's mainly for the contact with each other - a mutually supportive and interested network of owners and enthusiasts. I (and my Maestro) have certainly benefitted from the support - parts, advice and help, of other members and my car would not be where it is now (essentially finished) without this club and its members.

Clubs succeed or fail on the basis of the active participation of their members and having enthusiastic and active committees. Having served (briefly) on the committee of my local car club I know how frustrating, political and thankless a task that can be (so I am not criticising our current representatives)

I feel that this club needs to keep the profile of our cars on the radar of the classic vehicle community. I have read in various classic car mags that there is a growing interest in 1980s cars - people like me (in their 40s) are of an age where they think back with fondness to the cars they drove when young, what their parents etc. drove. These 40-somethings may be of age now where they can indulge this nostalgia by buying a 1980s 'classic'. There's no reason why that shouldn't be a Maestro or Montego, but unless we as a club keep plugging away, then more of the cars will disappear.

What it needs is for more of us to be active and supportive of the club (put our money where our mouths are). Are we interested enough to do this?

Just my ten penneth

Andrew