TOP TEN REASONS WHY CAR CLUBS ARE WONDERFUL

This could have so easily been a ‘Top 50’ or a ‘Top 100’, but here is just ten of the reasons why car clubs are wonderful:

10) Advice. When you embark on classic car ownership, the experience can sometimes be akin to entering an elaborate network of caves. You start to ask questions as “How can I improve the engine”? “Where can I find the chrome trim for the rear offside door?”, and “Where are the best sources of parts”. The answer is joining the marque or model club, which always helps with –

9) Spares. Your car might be one of just five on the road in the UK, but a club will direct you towards a supplier with a replacement front grille in stock. This is but another example of their –

8) Expertise. The knowledge found within a club often seems to exceed the content of The Encyclopaedia Britannica. When embarking on a daunting restoration programme, their input will make all the difference, as will their –

7) Encouragement. Let us be frank; older cars can be prone to various maladies that can put the owner in a gloomy mood. Not as gloomy as being forced to watch a double-bill of Casualty and EastEnders, but still pretty glum. At such moments, having the support of a club is vital, for so many members are happy to donate their –

6) Time. Just think of the hours, days and months club officials can devote to staging an event. Then, consider the membership paperwork, the newsletters, the in-house magazines, the rallies and assisting with magazine features. Without such dedication, this country would not have a classic car movement. And this is due to –

5) Passion. This is possibly an unfashionable word, but passion fuels the clubs; a passion for older cars, maintaining them, driving them and showing them to the general public. And it is at such times that club members often display quite vast amounts of –

4) Patience. After hearing the observation, “my dad/mum/goldfish/small furry creature from Alpha Centauri used to own one of those”, for the 1,533^rd time at a show, an owner would be forgiven for running amok. But instead, they manage to keep their composure, for the club world is of –

3) Generosity, For the reasons listed above, which makes the club world –

2) Inclusive. There are many classic enthusiasts who can no longer drive, who have difficulties in leaving the house or who find engaging with the outer world very challenging. Belonging to a club means being part of a group united with your common interest, which can open new avenues. For perhaps the essential aspect of the club world is –

1) A sense of community. Long may it flourish.