Citroenian Magazine.

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tom
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Post by tom »

Costly Churlish Clique.

There is a far better club and it is here. I wouldn't waste money again on this outfit. They do not want anything we have to offer except our money.
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

ren16tx wrote: if you are not in the CCC, why not??
Because £35 is a rip off quite frankly and I've yet to hear of any convincing reasons to join.
In fact the whole sodding place could be dedicated to BXs and I still wouldn't pay £35 to join, it's just too much money. You look round on the web and most joining fees are around £15.00 and, in my opinion, you get a decent deal out of them.
Tim, you got the job then I take it? Good luck and don't forget to post up what you write on here as it doesn't look like too many people are going to be joining up, not for fucking £35 anyway.
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Terry
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Post by Terry »

Roverman, just go for it.

I was a freelance writer for 28 years, writing general stuff for Radio 4, magazines and newspapers. Like many people at the time I got started by writing letters to the editor for £5 (That's over 30 years ago) I worked when I wanted to, met many interesting people, had experiences I couldn't have otherwise had. It was a good spare time job!

Some people I knew went on to a full time business and are now well known and well respected writers.

Take it Roverman, you don't know where it will lead.

And the very best of good fortune to you mate.
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Tim Leech
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Post by Tim Leech »

Thanks Terry, my first article has to be in by thursday ready for Decembers issue so it will be just a brief introduction to start with and things will get moving in the new year.
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toomany2cvs
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Post by toomany2cvs »

jonkw wrote:so on reflection, £35 (or whatever it is) for the Citroenian probably ain't bad value.
<wanders in briefly>
Just a small correction - the CCC's membership is £30/year, not £35. Yes, a lot of that is spent on the Citroenian, but not all of it.

There's a stack of other things funded by the mag - yes, including rallies, but including a stack of other expenditure necessary to help support our cars through the future.

The last few years have seen "traditional" car clubs struggle badly with the rise of the web-based forum. Some - and I'd like to think the CCC's amongst 'em - are doing a good job to adapt. Others aren't, and will disappear. Is that a good thing for classic cars as a whole? I don't think it is.

Without that membership income, events are very difficult to organise - the site at Wood Green that the CCC uses for the National Rally costs a couple of thousand pounds, and that's got to be paid out way in advance of any income from the gate. Then there's the public liability insurance which is legally required - not cheap. Membership of the MSA - required if you're going to be organising any kind of activity which includes cars moving around. Membership of the FBHVC - assuming you want somebody to be fighting any legislative moves to restrict use of older cars.

Then there's the marketing side... Interest in the BX is growing rapidly - but is it growing solely from WITHIN the ranks of those already interested in the BX? No, 'course not. You've got to reach them. A stand at classic car shows, like the NEC? Not cheap. Talk to those already interested in older Citroens? Tim's come forward to fill that gap. Let's support him.

I know that many here will never be anything other than downright hostile to the CCC. <shrug> I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise.

But let's not let that stop the CCC and the BXClub working together with the rest of you guys to get the BX the recognition it deserves. It's one of the last _real_ Citroens.

Both 2cvgb and the TOC split from the CCC in the past - but all three clubs are bloody good friends now, and are working together to help organise the 2012 ICCCR. There's no way that could happen without the finances of old-fashioned "proper clubs". 2cvgb are investing tens of thousands of pounds in remanufacturing parts, run a small warehouse to stock parts, and are discussing purchasing larger premises - because the 1,000+sqft they've currently got just isn't big enough.

Let's put all the negativity behind us, and just work together. Surely, the BX deserves it?
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

Fair comment toomany2cvs, hopefully all Citroen related clubs can continue working with each other.
£30 IS still too expensive though, I'm a member of other (make) clubs which are £15.00 per year and you do get a lot for your money including shows and some very good parts discount schemes etc.
I'd also suggest this forum (and another BX one) are doing a hell of lot for current and potential future BX owners, so there's not a shortage of BX places if you like.
Just my two pen'orth mucker and like I say if the CCC is working together with other Citroen clubs then it can only be a good thing but I believe they have some work to do to make it appeal to others than those already signed up.
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Philip Chidlow
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Post by Philip Chidlow »

I know it's easy to complain, but I hope I'm being constructive here.

The first entry point for many new comers or those contemplating returning to the fold of the CCC, is the website. I would take issue (in a friendly way lol) with the assertation that the CCC is "doing a good job to adapt". I beg to differ. The interface is old fashioned without being cool retro or even quaint.

I think attention and money needs to be spent in getting that first page 'right' and grabbing the attantion, making it much easier to find what you are looking for and so on.

Examples?
Good? Couldn't find any... the search continues.
Interesting? Well, at least simple to 'get involved' in: http://www.audiclub.co.uk
What not to do with an opening page- http://www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
A crazy mess: http://www.hoc.org.uk

CCC has an opportunity to present a face which will quickly entice and inform. I would have a go, but I don't think I have the HTML skills - anyway, I'm not still a member.
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

Well you're talking to the right person... ;)

Mark.
toomany2cvs
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Post by toomany2cvs »

cavmad wrote:£30 IS still too expensive though, I'm a member of other (make) clubs which are £15.00 per year and you do get a lot for your money including shows and some very good parts discount schemes etc.
I know they exist, but that is very cheap. 2cvgb are one of the cheaper clubs TTBOMK, and they've just gone up to £25. I've also got a Saab 900 - and not bothered joining the SOC, in part because of the (IIRC) £32 membership, providing not much more than a thin bi-monthly mag.

If we look at those clubs Philip provided links to - Audi, £29.50, six mags. BMW, £45. Honda bikes, £20, four mags.
I'd also suggest this forum (and another BX one) are doing a hell of lot for current and potential future BX owners, so there's not a shortage of BX places if you like.
I'm explicitly not suggesting that there is. Just that a forum alone may not be sufficient to help to promote the BX to those who don't - yet - appreciate it's many merits. And that's where having that framework can really provide benefits.
Philip Chidlow wrote:I think attention and money needs to be spent in getting that first page 'right' and grabbing the attantion, making it much easier to find what you are looking for and so on.
You're right.

Whilst I do run the club's website, I've never made any pretence to be a graphic designer or marketeer. I'm also spending a fair amount of time at the moment on a major re-work to the site, re-building it from scratch around a new content management system which should allow more to be done.

As ever, though, getting those amongst the membership with the skills to put the time in is an issue. It all comes down to volunteers, to having people willing to put in what they can if they want to take out what they want.

Which, I think, is where this all started, right, Tim...? <grin>
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Philip Chidlow
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Post by Philip Chidlow »

Well, although I'm extremely busy, and I do have the BXagon Challenge going too, I might be able to offer some design pointers. E-mail me :D
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toomany2cvs
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Post by toomany2cvs »

Philip Chidlow wrote:Well, although I'm extremely busy, and I do have the BXagon Challenge going too, I might be able to offer some design pointers. E-mail me :D
eMailed.
Adrian
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M

Post by M »

Some people get a lot out of the club thing, others dont - I always enjoyed reading Citronean, but it saddened me that for a long time popular cars like the AX and BX and even ZX were seemingly ignored or had very little collum inches in comparison to say the DS or Traction. I did feel that I got more out of 2CVGB than I did the CCC (and I dont own a 2CV).
I dont really do the club sceen thing, so I jacked in my membership of both, I did make contributions, some made it into print too. Any club though is only as good as the sum of its members and how much they are prepared to put into it ( I learned that many many years ago when i ran a Venture Scout Unit).

I have emailed some bits to Tim already and will endeavour to contribute some more - I may even get my arse in gear and do something else for the waffle page on teh site to replace the carbon clog print bilge that currently sits there! (thats a year old now....)

But as regards the club, I like it here and it suits me, I dont see me renewing my CCC or 2CVGB membership anytime soon, but then Im a tight arse!

Between us all though, there must be enough annecdotes to keep Tim & Justin going for at least a year.
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

toomany2cvs wrote:
cavmad wrote:£30 IS still too expensive though, I'm a member of other (make) clubs which are £15.00 per year and you do get a lot for your money including shows and some very good parts discount schemes etc.
I know they exist, but that is very cheap. 2cvgb are one of the cheaper clubs TTBOMK, and they've just gone up to £25. I've also got a Saab 900 - and not bothered joining the SOC, in part because of the (IIRC) £32 membership, providing not much more than a thin bi-monthly mag.

If we look at those clubs Philip provided links to - Audi, £29.50, six mags. BMW, £45. Honda bikes, £20, four mags.

Fair enough, not trying to pick an argument or anything but one of the clubs I'm a user of offer Halford's trade cards with (£15) membership: I've probably saved getting on for about £300 easily so far with that card alone.
I'd also suggest this forum (and another BX one) are doing a hell of lot for current and potential future BX owners, so there's not a shortage of BX places if you like.
I'm explicitly not suggesting that there is. Just that a forum alone may not be sufficient to help to promote the BX to those who don't - yet - appreciate it's many merits. And that's where having that framework can really provide benefits.

Which can only be a good thing but my understanding (I stand to be corrected here) is that you have to be a paid member of the CCC to view the forum. Now, if that's the case then surely only anyone who is already a Citroen owner is going to see any info on the BX? No bad thing in that it might attract other Citroen owners but I doubt it would tempt people to pay £30 to read articles about the BX. Type BX or BX Club into an internet search any my bet is it would throw this place up which is visible, free* and easy to access.
Any way of promoting the BX has to be a good one that should never be forgotten and fair play to you for trying to raise the profile.

*Though I reckon all of us would be happy to pay should it be required.
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