MARINA and ITAL OWNERSHIP.

Clan Chieftain · Post by **Clan Chieftain** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:15 pm

On another thread there is the beginnings of an interesting topic namely
we all have enough cars to be going on with and how can we encourage more people into taking up ownership.
I regularly get phone calls from people in England either wanting to buy or sell a car or parts and I give them the MMOC contact number and I am sometimes asked about the website as they would rather offer to the MMOC first than advertise on ebay. The problem I see ( tell me to bugger off if you like) is that no one can offer a car for sale or wanted as they cannot access that particular section without a password.
Just an observation.

Post by **MarinaCoupe** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 8:17 am

Hi Larry,

I know what you mean, we have been round the houses a couple of times with this. There are two opposing trains of thought;

1. Give everyone access to everything on the internet for the greater good.
2. Restrict access to some things and people will have to join to find out/utilise the services - access becomes a benefit of membership.

Argument 2 fails when a non member has something to sell through the club; the only access wanted is to sell to our members. To balance that though, with the advent of EBay etc. there is a ready market available to all people selling marina/ital cars & parts, so in practice on-line members will get to see the cars/parts anyway.

We still do get cars and parts offered, I put them up on the For Sale pages and they appear in the magazine. We still have a very significant number of members without internet access, so the absence of easy internet listing only affects those who are in the 21st century.

~Sam~ · Post by **~Sam~** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:25 am

I didn't want to reply until Chris did as he is the expert in these things!

And I agree with what he says, it's a tough one. I think that you need to ensure that members enjoy a benefit of getting first refusal as it were however as mentioned in the other thread if members have enough of their own projects they may not need anything. Perhaps another section could be added that is open to everyone and after x amount of time offers are moved there?

On a side note, I will try and get you that other website stuff as soon as poss but I've been a bit manic recently! Weather is supposed to be rubbish on Saturday so I need to catch up on all my electronic jobs

Post by **MarinaCoupe** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:53 am

Thanks Sam,

I checked out quite a number of car clubs websites early last year and found that there was about a 50/50 split in whether Cars & Parts For Sale/Wanted was accessable to non-members. I guess that it comes down to the committees' preference at the end of the day.

I know it's off subject, but the BBC Weather 5 day forecast says

Saturday - 17 degrees some rain
Sunday - 17 degrees some rain

Anyway Ben and I are doing the car run, so it will be sunny and we'll have the windows down cos it'll be so hot.

RobChe · Post by **RobChe** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:31 pm

It's ok to let them be accessible by all if there's no phone numbers on them... If people are putting items for sale with telephone numbers then you can expect the banger boys (and worse still, the Minor boys ! [size=0][joking of course][/size])and everyone else chasing you down...

I think I prefer it inclusive.

If I was serious about buying a car (for example recently a Volvo 121 took my fancy) - I joined the board and got asking questions...

Rob

Post by **MarinaCoupe** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:38 pm

Ah there's the rub, because we post non-internet members details for them, we have to post telephone numbers for direct contact.

RobChe · Post by **RobChe** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:28 pm

Ah, yeah.. good point !

JUD2L · Post by **JUD2L** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 8:10 pm

When i posted my wanted add for a coupe, prior to buying TEC of ebay i got 2 replys

The first was from a very helpfull person on the island in the middle of the solent who gave me full details of a car for sale up north i made contact with that owner but went for TEC instead.

The second came via the forum email from another helpfull club member who new of a car that was for sale from another club member, all was ok until i said i was not in the club at which point i was told that the owners details could not be passed on without there permission as the oner was concerned that the car could end up with a non enthusiast.

If non members are unable to veiw a full selection of club cars that are for sale before joining the club, then what chance is there for the club to entice new blood as i will always buy a car i like before i consider joining the relvent club i dont do it the other way around.

The General · Post by **The General** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:02 pm

it's not to say that the car advertised is as it is described, hence you could waste money going to view the car, or on the other car it is not as bad as the seller has made out. At the end of the day each club member from whatever club or an individual can only have so many cars hence cars appear on ebay and in magaines etc. The alternative to it onlg being sold to another club member is simple, it lies and rots away.

Clan Chieftain · Post by **Clan Chieftain** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:34 pm

I think that Sam has come up with a reasonable solution whereby it is advertised in MMOC magazine then after a certain period it goes on the forum.That to me seems sensible as not everyone has access to the forum but they get their magazine. It is only fair that a club member should get the first option.

Clan Chieftain · Post by **Clan Chieftain** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:38 pm

But if you want a quick sale then Ebay or the forum is the answer.You are not going to wait 3 months on the next magazine issue.
Ebay is really the best way of attracting new members quickly.