MCA membership - Reasons for not joining

[CharlesTurner]

I recently sold all of my old mustang magazines, which included about 500-600 copies of Mustang Monthly and Mustang Times (were just taking up space in a closet.) The fella that bought them was real happy to get them and has been interested in cars and Mustangs for a long time. He had no clue who I was and that I had been a head judge. I asked him if he was a member of MCA and his response was "I've never had a car good enough to join MCA." This statement really got to me as it was something that I've heard in the past, but it hit home because I realized the same thing applied to me back in the late 80's/early 90's when I was getting involved in cars. I had my first Mustang in '87, but don't think I joined MCA until around '96, which was about when I was finishing up the restoration of a concours '65 fastback.

Just got me thinking about this and how many other enthusiasts are out there, but don't join MCA for reasons like this. Seems a shame that they don't feel compelled to join because their car isn't good enough. Guess I would like to know if others have had similar discussions and what was said. I personally do not feel a need to "sell" MCA as I think there are many different ways members enjoy the club and my benefits of being a member may not apply to someone else.

[bluemustang57]

myself , coming from long island n.y. have also heard this many times.here the club i belong to is always doing car shows, but when i invite members to come to an MCA show with me ,most feel that they are not good enough. i know that it is hard running a nationwide/ worldwide organization but...these really is are the thoughts and feelings of alot of n.y mustang owners that i talk to.food for thought.

[FastDad]

MCA has the deserved reputation of being a "car show" club. The problem is that a lot of enthusiasts don't want to go to just car shows, or are only marginally interested in car shows. A lot of Mustang enthusiasts want to do active events with their cars (autocross, cruises, track events). We lose those folks to the active event clubs like the SVT club, the Shelby club, etc. The question is, does MCA want to change to attract those folks?

[Ranger]

The group I hangout with locally for cruise-ins falls largely into the younger folks who are into driving, drag racing and such, or are around my age and think their cars are not good enough.
Only one friend has traveled with me to national shows. We have three MCA affliated clubs within 150 miles who have excellent annual shows each year - two of them due to size, sponsorship issues, etc would have difficulty sponsoring a national show. I wonder if there is any merit in having a club sponsor something like a cruise-in at a local drag-strip or a track. Participants could get some runs on a strip or laps on a track which might draw the younger owners. It would allow non-MCA members of all ages to get to know about the organization
There would not be any judging, trophies, etc. Maybe a MCA dash plate could be handed out at some point to each participant during the day by an MCA official (Regional Director?) who could use the meeting to talk about the MCA to new members, handout memberships forms to those interested and also communicate to current MCA members news about what is going on.

Its always easy to come up with ideas and this one probably has alot of "holes" in it but if it was a one day or less affair, at a reasonable entry fee to cover costs - it might give the exposure to groups we are not currently attracting. It would not in anyway affect the current national shows.

[gtpony94]

Guys, you are right in that the image many have of MCA is a car show club. The fact is we have been working very hard to dispell that image by promoting and providing insurance for up to 15 track events each year hosted by MCA Regional Clubs. If yours or an MCA Regional Club near by wants to host a track event they need only apply to the driving committee and we can set them up with the insurance for no cost. The cost of insurance to do a track event is probably the biggest killer of a club holding a track event. It can be staggering. Two of the National Shows in 2013 will also have track events as part of their shows. And you are also right in that more and more MCA members are buying, driving, and showing newer Mustangs. The Classic Mustangs showcase the beginnings but the new cars point the way to the future. As the ads say, "It's not your father's Mustang Club anymore". We have to continue our efforts to get the word out in order to grow.
Steve Prewitt

[jacostang]

myself , coming from long island n.y. have also heard this many times.here the club i belong to is always doing car shows, but when i invite members to come to an MCA show with me ,most feel that they are not good enough. i know that it is hard running a nationwide/ worldwide organization but...these really is are the thoughts and feelings of alot of n.y mustang owners that i talk to.food for thought.

Same here in Arizona, parking lot shows are losing traction.. Our next show has a driving contest and poker run to go with it.. We learned alot from going to the Rocky Mountain Mustang Round up, one of the best events I have ever been to, and we have been to over 100 shows...

[33800]

To get new people out to show their cars, they need some motivation. How about giving away say 10 MCA memberships to the first non-members to bring their car to a national show? just an idea.

[shelbydave]

Thats why I try to feature a "Project" in a Magazine I have been trying to get started, "TALLAHASSEE CRUISING". I think it is very cool to go to Car Shows and see the same cars that start out as someones Project and I see it evolve into their Dream. I have been a Member of MCA for many many Years and attend the Show in Pensacola every Year and I get to see the Kids Mustangs change over the Years as they work on them. MCA should think about featuring Not so perfect Mustangs in the Mustang Times once in a while to show that it does not have to be perfect to be cool.

[CharlesTurner]

Another car club that I am a member of has 70k members. They have the national organization and then there are multiple regions, each with multiple chapters. Joining the national club automatically makes one a member of the local chapter. The local chapters get a portion of the national membership and decide how the funds get used. There is one big national event per year and then multiple chapter events throughout the year, including driving, track, shows, etc...

Seems that if MCA wants to grow, a model like above would make the most sense.

[fastlane65]

Another car club that I am a member of has 70k members. They have the national organization and then there are multiple regions, each with multiple chapters. Joining the national club automatically makes one a member of the local chapter. The local chapters get a portion of the national membership and decide how the funds get used. There is one big national event per year and then multiple chapter events throughout the year, including driving, track, shows, etc...

Seems that if MCA wants to grow, a model like above would make the most sense.

How much are the dues? Seems like MCA barely gets by with our $50, so there would be little to trickle down to the local club.