FMCA By Law Change: attention FMCA members

[wa8yxm]

Well Political as this thread is I'll give my position. Squarely atop the fence.

[docj]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

I guess I will check them out again in 2022 when my tires become the magical age of 7 years old.

At one time I thought the tire discount was worth keeping the membership. However, after driving Hankook tires on my steering axle for the past ~10,000 miles, I'll never buy Michelins again. Smoother, quieter ride and 60% the price! Now I have one les reason for remaining an FMCA member.

[chindog]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Well Political as this thread is I'll give my position. Squarely atop the fence.

I knew you were on the fence when I saw where you put your statement. On a post.





heh heh

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

Not outrageous @ $720/yr for a family??? FMCA ASSIST is included in the $50/yr dues. Comparatively it is not only outrageous it is ridiculous.

I agree, $720/year ($780 the first year) is a bit steep for something that is probably covered by your health insurance anyway.

Anyone travelling outside the country would do well to purchase 3rd party travel insurance due the the total blanket of coverage it provides (not to mention that Medicare and most private health insurance is invalid outside the US).

[docj]

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

Anyone travelling outside the country would do well to purchase 3rd party travel insurance due the the total blanket of coverage it provides (not to mention that Medicare and most private health insurance is invalid outside the US).

This is far too broad a generalization. Many employer-provided health plans provide some emergency out of the country coverage as do several of the Medicare supplemental plans (Medigap plans). I know my Plan F provides $50k of coverage outside the US. Not a lot, but enough to get you stabilized and shipped to the US in most cases.

[rgvtexan]

I voted NO. I belong to a Chapter I really enjoy, Don't know if I would remain a member, if they change, just to keep the Chapter affiliation or try and convince them all to defect. We could still have our monthly MH rally without the FMCA, and extra dues.

[deaton]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

I joined FMCA in 2013...to get a tire discount! It was worth it.
The magazine had nothing to teach me that I didn't already know, or could easily find it online from other sources.
Rally stuff doesn't suit us at all, with the cost to be in a crowd and not be with hookups. The usual mud and dirt are not favorable.
So, I will join again....for the tire discount. That is the value that means anything.
If FMCA needs more members/revenue, so be it.

Glad you are a member of FMCA. I understand that you might not like the idea of joining a chapter and attending chapter rallies, but you are wrong to think that means parking in a field with no hookups.

Our chapter - South Texas Renegades - has over ninety member coaches of all types and ages including everything from 25 year old class C’s to a one year old Newell. There is no age or type discrimination. And each of the nine rally’s we hold each year include full hookups for everybody. Our Christmas rally last week was at Buckhorn Lake RV Resort in Kerrville which is hardly roughing it.

Of course there are affinity chapters within FMCA that specialize in certain brands or interests, but the majority of the chapters take all comers.

The DW and I also belong to other groups that take all types of RV’s and those are a lot of fun to. The FMCA slogan you hear the nonstop at regional and national rally’s is, “its all about having fun”.

[deaton]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

The problem is the FMCA wishes its average member age were just over 50, in fact the average member age is over 70. Now personally I think the FMCA has problems, but I don't think this is the solution. I feel that motorhome owners need their own association, that there are enough differences between motorhomes and towable to justify this, and it has nothing to do with cost of the RV. It does not matter if one is driving a $500,000 new Foretravel, or a $10,000 20 year old Holiday Rambler,, ...

Isaac-1

I’ve been looking around and have seen a whole bunch of those 20 year old Holiday Ramblers for $20,000. Some for less. But I’m still trying to find one of those new Foretravels for $500k. Can you let me know where I can get one of those?

Just kidding.

[Isaac-1]

Ok, maybe newish for $495,000 how about Foretravel Motorcoach - 2012 Foretravel ih-45 Quad Slide

[Smitty77]

Have not posted, but popped into this thread along the way.

My wife and I are FMCA members.

We have a class A DP.

Before this, we had a Class a Gasser Bounder.

Before that, we had an F150 with shell.

Before that we had a VW Diesel Pickup with shell. (Note: We had to leave the tailgate down to sleep in that bed!

Before that, we had a 1968 VW Camper.

Before that, we had a tent.

===

We've never had a 'Trailer' or "Fiver" or "Class B" or "Super B" or "Class C". But you know, we've always enjoyed ourselves in whatever vehicle/camper/tent we were in.

And we've usually enjoyed those we were camping with - regardless of what they were camping in.

So we have no problem with the changes of the rules...

===

A few other thoughts:

-We currently own a CC. And are now welcomed into the Winnebago family.

-Many other clubs, of orphan RV's, welcome other members.

-I do wonder, if the Airstream Club (Of which my Grandparent were members of in the late 50's. And did caravan's to Canada, and to Panama as well...) - would welcome owners of Shasta's, Revcon's, Bounder's, VW Camper's, etc.? Or, if it would be Poltically Correct for them to not want the owner's of SOB's to be member's?

-And what about those without Full Body Paint coaches. Are those with gelcoat'd coaches, trailers invited too. What about Aluminum vs Fiberglass? Oh my...

====

My point is, that it is the 'Member's of a Group/Club' that makes a difference. Even if a person driving (Fill in the blank here.) has never even owned a Class A previously, to make the FMCA 'authorized'. IMO, as long as they respect the hopefully soon adjusted rules/bylaws allowing membership - I'm good with them being member's. Will gladly shake their hands, and if they have good vino - oh yeah, they're OK with me!

MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON...

Or, we could hold out. Keep this club unique to Class A's. But look what happened to the Wagon Train Club of the Midwest... Very little turnout, if any, for their rally's!!!

Good people, are always welcomed...

Best to all,
Smitty

[deaton]

We went to the FMCA South Central Area Rally in Texarkana, Arkansas last month. From talking to many folks there, I came away with impression that the bylaws revision is likely to pass. I guess we’ll see.

That said, it should be understood that within FMCA, each member chapter has it’s own unique set of bylaws which, so long as they don’t conflict with FMCA rules, will allow any particular chapter to continue to specialize in a particular type or brand of RV should they choose to do so.

[WDW]

Post #80 said it very well! It’s about the bigger picture. No one else is speaking for the citizen RV community. If likeminded groups wish to affiliate in smaller communities of interest, then more power to them.

We’ve not yet found one of those groups that fit our schedule or life’s situation, but we value the membership in the larger group for the benefits, advocacy (FMCA got Jeep to recognize and fix the Cherokee issue which affected us and why we joined) and identity.

We VOTED YES. And I’m not ashamed to say it. If you voted differently, thank you for participating in a free process. And that we should all be thankful for!

[tizzyfit]

What I find interesting about this thread is more than half of the people posting comments on this irv2.com website are NOT irv2.com supporters. Charity begins at home folks.

[snowhawk2]

Originally Posted by chindog

I've already mailed my NO vote. It's a Motorhome club, not a recreational vehicle club. There are plenty of clubs that encompass all types of RVs, and if FMCA changes to that direction, they will likely lose more members than they gain.

Agreed. The issues, learnings, RV accessories, etc. of a motorhome are different than that of a TT or a Fiver. I know, I have owned all three. I joined FMCA to be in a community made up of motorhomes, not TT or fivers. I don't like the idea of allowing TT and Fivers in and if that vote passes, I will likely leave FMCA and wait for another MH club to be formed.

The issue really is about membership and marketing. Why is it we were at a park a month ago and the there were 30 MHs and only 4 FMCA members? That is the problem. More creative marketing and recruitment methods need to be deployed to increase membership. My thoughts are to go after every single dealer that sells MHs and create a program that each dealer sell or include a 1 year membership with every motorhome they sell if the buyer is not a current member. I'm not suggesting it is free but the cost of the membership be included in the price of the deal, and dealers get a discounted rate for the membership that they eat or pass on to the buyer. Some variation of that idea will make every MH dealer a point of sale outlet for FMCA. Or, why not offer a free FMCA membership to every MH buyer for the first year, through the dealers? I don't want to debate these ideas in the forum but just throw these out as a few creative ideas on what could be possible to increase membership for new and current MH owners. I think the issue is how the memberships has been marketed and new methods and outlets are needed.