Clubs

[landroversforever]

I recon it is time i got involved with a club... but which one?

I dont have Land Rover yet sadly, although Dad has a show-room-shiney Disco II that doesnt get muddy .

Which clubs would be good for getting involved other than on forums?

I'm in Oxfordshire - SN7 - so what is around, list below are ones i have thought of:

Shire LRC

Phoenix

S3, 90 & 110

Discovery owners club

I just want to get out there, and muddy... i dont think a 206 will do it

I could get hold of a ratty old 90 with work to do, I am longing to learn, but i dont have access to the tools or space. Or the money to insure it being almost 18.

sorry for my usual 'rant'

Thanks in advance

[FridgeFreezer]

You could always start with a ratty old Series - cheaper to insure, you can find tax exempt ones, and a higher class of vehicle

Oh yes - a vote here for ShireLRC

[lrfarmer]

i started of with a S3 as it was all i could aford at the time i only got my 90 because i was at a farm sale and it was cheap so much so i got this one and tryed getting the next one too

as for clubs i'd join, you can allwes do mashaling or you may find someone who needs a navagater.

[will_warne]

I'd also vote for the Shire LRC but then I would say that

P.S. I technically also don't have a Land Rover - just a pile of bits that may at some time form something that looks a little like one. Therefore you'll fit right in!

[Rightfoot]

You could also try BORG 4x4 - Bux and Oxon 4x4 Resposnse Group: www.borg4x4.org. We're usually out once a month, and we meet in Bicester. If you don't want to do the response stuff thne there's no need.

[andyb]

Well before the ShireLRC mafia take over ....I should recommend Southern Counties Off Road Club to you.

'We' stage competitions in the area pretty much south of you...really anywhere south of the M4 largely.

If you would like to get into RTV trials then we are the club for you

I would however say that ShireLRC are probably one of the best for playdays.

A S2 or S3 LR are cheap enough to buy and insure and look after. They are also basic enough to put up with a few scrapes will you are 'learning'.

[Daan]

I was 17 when I bought my first landrover, a series 3.

18 years later, things have moved on massively, and guess what I drive these days.....

same old series 3.

I vote for shire as well, although I have only been there once, it seems a pretty good bunch, and lots of people on here are member with them.

Daan

[reads90]

Well i would vote for Shire LRC

Although i have not been to a meet or event in a bit for the Obvious reason

[Guest WALFY]

Why do you HAVE to get involved with a club? Why not look out for events that are local to you and then tag along or help out. I offroaded for years under that philosophy and it served me well. Make friends with locals and have a laugh with them, you don't need a club for that. I've tried the club scene and it wasn't for me. The puffing of chests and the heirachy within some clubs is outrageous. Yes you need a committee to sort some things out but they get so full of self importance that it ruins the atmosphere. I think it comes from being in non important jobs where they have no power as such or they were picked on at school, wore glasses etc, give them a position of importance in their own little world and they change so much it's scary.And clubs by their nature are VERY cliquey. You either fit in with us or bugger off atitude. For that fact I would have to seriously consider joining another club for whatever reason.

[Ivan]

Just MHO but don't bother with the Series 3, 90 and 110 club and don't bother with the Discover Owners club. I have been a memebr of both clubs and they do very little offroading. The Phoenix Club started out as members of the Discovery Club but they parted company due to some political issues within the club. That's also one reason I'm not interested in joining a club. The Shire Club do seem to be very good and there is a part of the Shires Mafia who make good contributions to this forum as well.

BTW I wear Glasses does this make me inadequate

HTH

Ivan

[will_warne]

Why do you HAVE to get involved with a club? Why not look out for events that are local to you and then tag along or help out. I offroaded for years under that philosophy and it served me well. Make friends with locals and have a laugh with them, you don't need a club for that. I think it comes from being in non important jobs where they have no power as such or they were picked on at school, wore glasses etc, give them a position of importance in their own little world and they change so much it's scary. I've tried the club scene and it wasn't for me. The puffing of chests and the heirachy within some clubs is outrageous. Yes you need a committee to sort some things out but they get so full of self importance that it ruins the atmosphere. And clubs by their nature are VERY cliquey. You either fit in with us or bugger off atitude. For that fact I would have to seriously consider joining another club for whatever reason.

The same could be said about forums

Seriously, though, we've had many people who've complimented the Shire LRC as being very friendly and open - this is what we aim to do. However, you do get people occasionally who'll complain they turn up to a meeting and that no one talked to them. Unfortunaly, unless you make an effort to talk to people at these sort of things then you won't get very far. Most of the people who turn up to meets know each other and will, naturally, go and talk to each other first rather and will probably not notice the new guy.

I can accept clubs aren't for everyone but as long as you go in with the right outlook you're unlikely to have a bad experience.

[Guest WALFY]

So there you go. Someone admitting that they left clubs because of the politics . It doesn't need to be that way.

As for the glasses only you can make that decision . Are you a member of any committee ?

[Guest WALFY]

The same could be said about forums

Seriously, though, we've had many people who've complimented the Shire LRC as being very friendly and open - this is what we aim to do. However, you do get people occasionally who'll complain they turn up to a meeting and that no one talked to them. Unfortunaly, unless you make an effort to talk to people at these sort of things then you won't get very far. Most of the people who turn up to meets know each other and will, naturally, go and talk to each other first rather and will probably not notice the new guy.

I can accept clubs aren't for everyone but as long as you go in with the right outlook you're unlikely to have a bad experience.

If you knew me at all then you'd know that I'm not the shy retiring type who'll sit back and hide away. So not sure where that was aimed at. I'm not out for a fight. I was voicing my opinion of some clubs out there and they are not the be all and end all of offroading. There is the bunch of friends who go out and enjoy themselves with likeminded people

[will_warne]

If you knew me at all then you'd know that I'm not the shy retiring type who'll sit back and hide away. So not sure where that was aimed at. I'm not out for a fight. I was voicing my opinion of some clubs out there and they are not the be all and end all of offroading. There is the bunch of friends who go out and enjoy themselves with likeminded people

Certainly not aimed at you, just a general point I've seen from complaints from memebrs in the past.

[FridgeFreezer]

So there you go. Someone admitting that they left clubs because of the politics . It doesn't need to be that way.

So the fact that a couple of clubs suffered from politics / poor running proves that all clubs are carp?

You can't have a club with 100's of members and expect everyone to get on all the time, some cope better than others and I think any organisation you'll get outbreaks of politics from time to time. You certainly hear stories about clubs which get split up by political arguments etc., you're right that sometimes the sort of people who want to run a club are not in it just for the love of the sport.

You also have "cliques", both in the club and also groups of friends within the club who tend to always play together or hang out. I don't think it's such a horrific thing though, everyone has a group of friends and as long as everyone's friendly I can't see that it matters who hangs round with who. Often it's people who live near each other and therefore are naturally in and out of each other's garages on a regular basis.

You do get people who turn up, don't talk to anyone or introduce themselves and then grumble about things being cliquey. That approach doesn't get you very far in any field, it's not specific to clubs. There are also those who just want to pay their £20, drive around in the mud and go home again.

[bishbosh]

I joined SLRC, initially becasue I was asked to Marshall for them at an event a couple of years ago, subsequently I have renewed my membership each year because I was extremely impressed with the club - there has been no evidence of cliques and in fact quite the opposite with a big effort made to involve newbies in what is going on.

Once Will pulls his finger out and sends me a renewal notice I shall be renewing again this year.

Oh, and I live in North Somerset!

[reads90]

I joined SLRC, initially becasue I was asked to Marshall for them at an event a couple of years ago, subsequently I have renewed my membership each year because I was extremely impressed with the club - there has been no evidence of cliques and in fact quite the opposite with a big effort made to involve newbies in what is going on.

Once Will pulls his finger out and sends me a renewal notice I shall be renewing again this year.

Oh, and I live in North Somerset!

Well i live in Brisbane , Australia and i am a member of Shire's

[andyb]

You also have "cliques", both in the club and also groups of friends within the club who tend to always play together or hang out.

<snip>

Often it's people who live near each other and therefore are naturally in and out of each other's garages on a regular basis.

HOFS?

[Bowie69]

HOFS?

HOFS isn't a clique, it's a religion.

And no idea, as I am not a member of any club at present

[dollythelw]

HOFS?

would have to be an international Club Andy - the Team is spread over 6 countries at the mo

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

SLRC

AWDC

SCOR

All worth a turn up as a spectator, and the AWDC christams DRD is a hoot and a cult almost now

Nige

[will_warne]

I joined SLRC, initially becasue I was asked to Marshall for them at an event a couple of years ago, subsequently I have renewed my membership each year because I was extremely impressed with the club - there has been no evidence of cliques and in fact quite the opposite with a big effort made to involve newbies in what is going on.

Once Will pulls his finger out and sends me a renewal notice I shall be renewing again this year.

Oh, and I live in North Somerset!

Someone should give that Will a slap

[landroversforever]

Thanks everyone

Time to decide I think:

either Shire, SCOR or BORG... or a combination.

Currently thinking Shire, apart from being a bit of a treck to Southampton.

[protoprincess]

Go for Shires

[FridgeFreezer]

Currently thinking Shire, apart from being a bit of a treck to Southampton.

Check the club calendar online, see if the events are where you can get to. Although Southampton based, SLRC run events across Hants, up into Surrey, and potentially down to Dorset. And of course Wales.