Nothing stopping you mate. Looks like it is just going to be a camping weekend for Cougar enthusiasts.
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proposal for 2013
- Thread starter JJ
- Start date
Nothing stopping you mate. Looks like it is just going to be a camping weekend for Cougar enthusiasts.
I think the fixation with Cougar ownership at shows may have to end or there will be 2 people at shows soon 
Perhaps become more of a general car club rather than a Cougar club? It seems newer members these days tend to be less interested in the social side of the club which is a shame but you can't force them to get involved!
Perhaps become more of a general car club rather than a Cougar club? It seems newer members these days tend to be less interested in the social side of the club which is a shame but you can't force them to get involved!
I think the fixation with Cougar ownership at shows may have to end or there will be 2 people at shows soon
Perhaps become more of a general car club rather than a Cougar club? It seems newer members these days tend to be less interested in the social side of the club which is a shame but you can't force them to get involved!
The fixation with being a club member needs to be addressed
I still come to event's but I doubt now I'll have another cougar, the good ones are all sold and the rest are too high mileage/maintenance/priced for whats in effect a model that went out of production 11 years ago (9 year's almost for my ownership) yeah it looks a damn site better than everything else on the road today that aint £40k + but like John says the newer bods ain't interested in the show scene otherwise they would come to shows, I personaly think this will be my last year of shows unless I get a better looking car, just cant be bothered otherwise. 
Don't let it grind you down folks. Probefest was probably put to bed several years ago.
I think the concept of a 'fest' this year is out of reach given the change in attitude towards the car. It's not something that's happened over night but the show car people have always been relative loners through the years and irrespective of which type of car you're talking. It's only ever the lightly modified cars that came to Fest.
This club, like it or not, is evolving and will continue to do so. The car is less an enthusiast's coupe these days and increasingly just a disposable, cheap banger to run until it fails and MOT then chop for something else equally cheap and these people just aren't interested in meeting up to discuss perceived looming MOT failure points.
On the plus side though, the Minifixswapmeet thing has gone from strength to strength and I think the club is probably as active now as it ever was, but the owners are generally less well off and the cars generally in a worse state than years gone by.
I think of the situation as the current owners being keen to get together in 3s, 4s and 5s to keep each other on the road with their spare money and spare time which is great. The penalty is that fewer people have time, money or working cars left over to all get to the same location for a whole weekend to shoot the breeze.
I don't think that a cancellation of future Cougarfests should be viewed as a failure. It was impressive that a pokey little club like this could ever pull it off in the first place. It was a good thing while it lasted but perhaps it's time to acknowledge that the appetite isn't really there for it any more?
I think the concept of a 'fest' this year is out of reach given the change in attitude towards the car. It's not something that's happened over night but the show car people have always been relative loners through the years and irrespective of which type of car you're talking. It's only ever the lightly modified cars that came to Fest.
This club, like it or not, is evolving and will continue to do so. The car is less an enthusiast's coupe these days and increasingly just a disposable, cheap banger to run until it fails and MOT then chop for something else equally cheap and these people just aren't interested in meeting up to discuss perceived looming MOT failure points.
On the plus side though, the Minifixswapmeet thing has gone from strength to strength and I think the club is probably as active now as it ever was, but the owners are generally less well off and the cars generally in a worse state than years gone by.
I think of the situation as the current owners being keen to get together in 3s, 4s and 5s to keep each other on the road with their spare money and spare time which is great. The penalty is that fewer people have time, money or working cars left over to all get to the same location for a whole weekend to shoot the breeze.
I don't think that a cancellation of future Cougarfests should be viewed as a failure. It was impressive that a pokey little club like this could ever pull it off in the first place. It was a good thing while it lasted but perhaps it's time to acknowledge that the appetite isn't really there for it any more?
Fair post Jamie. I agree its still as active as ever with members likely seeing each other more than ever before with various little fix meets and parts swaps etc. Maybe a rethink is on the cards for next year and we have a few camp weekends in various places that are less "proper"
JJ
JJ
It is good to see the majority of us still kicking about after 10 years or so of the club forming
No !! I cant agree with what you said Jamie, lets not start to belittle the club or club members. Yes cougars are worth a lot less these days and yes they are starting to show their age, but lets not forget that to many club members their cougars are their only cars and they will and do put every thing in to keeping them on the road in a best as possible condition. To say they are Bangers is a bit low, you know very well there are still a lot of nice examples out there and I'm sure their owners wouldn't be happy with the banger tag. Members spend a lot of hours and money to keep their pride and joys not only road worthy but in show condition.
I dont think it maters what car you own, or how much it costs, you can still be an enthusiast. Whether its a 10 year old £800 car or a 10 year old £10,000 car its all the same, just one costs more. To call a club that you've been a long term member of " Pokey " just isn't on, what is any prospective members going to think when they read that ?
This club is evolving, and it will take time to find it's feet. I realise and completely understand ex cougar owners wanting to continue being part of the club, but maybe if they could be a bit more supportive though. You don't see any of UKC going on to TVR forums and telling their members that its a pokey little club with everybody driving over priced bangers !!
Cougar fest I agree will have to be rethought if its to prosper in the future, maybe we should seek advice from our German friends who seem to excel at producing fests ?
Mean while the shows and meets still go on, I was fortunate to attend scotfest, just like yourself, and it was a really cracking weekend, ( but you left after the first night, I didnt get a chance to say cheerio but I do have your hand wash noodle mitt ) everybody had a good time and I honestly think that this years event will really promote next years scotfest and it will grow to become a prominent date in the UKC diary.
There is so much talent, skills, knowledge and just down right nice people in this club to let it slip away. We need the new and fresh ideas and maybe a change of basic mind set to move on and grow, yes grow !! Why not !!
We also need to retain the friends and family we've made over the years to share their experience, knowledge and wisdom with the newer owners and members. Lets embrace social media, other forums have chat box's on their forum home page and very vibriant facebook pages, why not use Facebook ( like a lot of us do ) but to chat instead of post ?
I dont believe this magnificent UKC club is going to end any time soon, but we should also realise that change and growth is not going to come to us, we've got to grab it , give it a big shake and make it work for us !!
And Jamie ....... lol :beer:
I dont think it maters what car you own, or how much it costs, you can still be an enthusiast. Whether its a 10 year old £800 car or a 10 year old £10,000 car its all the same, just one costs more. To call a club that you've been a long term member of " Pokey " just isn't on, what is any prospective members going to think when they read that ?
This club is evolving, and it will take time to find it's feet. I realise and completely understand ex cougar owners wanting to continue being part of the club, but maybe if they could be a bit more supportive though. You don't see any of UKC going on to TVR forums and telling their members that its a pokey little club with everybody driving over priced bangers !!
Cougar fest I agree will have to be rethought if its to prosper in the future, maybe we should seek advice from our German friends who seem to excel at producing fests ?
Mean while the shows and meets still go on, I was fortunate to attend scotfest, just like yourself, and it was a really cracking weekend, ( but you left after the first night, I didnt get a chance to say cheerio but I do have your hand wash noodle mitt ) everybody had a good time and I honestly think that this years event will really promote next years scotfest and it will grow to become a prominent date in the UKC diary.
There is so much talent, skills, knowledge and just down right nice people in this club to let it slip away. We need the new and fresh ideas and maybe a change of basic mind set to move on and grow, yes grow !! Why not !!
We also need to retain the friends and family we've made over the years to share their experience, knowledge and wisdom with the newer owners and members. Lets embrace social media, other forums have chat box's on their forum home page and very vibriant facebook pages, why not use Facebook ( like a lot of us do ) but to chat instead of post ?
I dont believe this magnificent UKC club is going to end any time soon, but we should also realise that change and growth is not going to come to us, we've got to grab it , give it a big shake and make it work for us !!
And Jamie .......
lol :beer:
Good to see the sence of humor is still here too lol
I feel a bit lost at events now in the fiesta with all the cat's around but I still try and give out any assistance I can thanks to my extended cougar ownership....yes I would like another one or at least something to come to shows and keep the fiesta for work
I feel a bit lost at events now in the fiesta with all the cat's around but I still try and give out any assistance I can thanks to my extended cougar ownership....yes I would like another one or at least something to come to shows and keep the fiesta for work
Ali you've always been a sensitive soul haven't you?
Don't read "pokey" as a dig. UKC has always been small compared to all the forums for more common cars. Ever looked in on the Mondeo club, or VXR club or Mini club etc? BMW forums? They're all huge and nobody really knows each other.
Pokey could be taken the wrong way if so inclined but the small size is the reason why UKC is/was close-knit. The bigger forums have organised meets and events but the percentage of members who turn up is still very small. It makes past achievements of UKC all the more impressive.
Now get back in your Audi and cut someone up.
Don't read "pokey" as a dig. UKC has always been small compared to all the forums for more common cars. Ever looked in on the Mondeo club, or VXR club or Mini club etc? BMW forums? They're all huge and nobody really knows each other.
Pokey could be taken the wrong way if so inclined but the small size is the reason why UKC is/was close-knit. The bigger forums have organised meets and events but the percentage of members who turn up is still very small. It makes past achievements of UKC all the more impressive.
Now get back in your Audi and cut someone up.