Thoughts on raising TLCA dues??? (1 Viewer)

[Mace]

Nope, never attended. Probably will not ever attend either, unless I stop what I do for a living to be a 'normal' person and work a 9-5 type job again some day. Flocks and flocks of people clogging up trails doesn't make a happy event for me. Several rigs on a trail, sure. Just not loads of people who you don't know, wishing you would 'hurry up' so they could get past you and bash the crap out of their truck etc., or get you to bash yours up to get you through quicker, only to take their own sweet time to make sure their rig isn't dented or scraped on the same obstacle.

In defence of my land rover, it has never had any problem in the 4 years I have owned it, and it is a very nice vehicle. Is it worth what I paid? Is a new 100 series Cruiser worth what they want (more than my rover)? Nope, but people do pay for them.

Most of the events in TLCA have runs that are perfectly suited for your wheelin. Personaly, I HATE having a bunch of people on a run. 5 to 8 rigs is perfect IMHO. BUt again, a lot of the TLCA runs is the nightlife and comradery..

They are a lot of fun.

BTW, don't mind me on the rovers. I have put way too much time into my fathers D90. IMHO lucas should be shot PLus the $150 spark plug change still chafs me



You go to any of the Lone Star LC meetings yet?

 

[TexasBadlands]

Most of the events in TLCA have runs that are perfectly suited for your wheelin. Personaly, I HATE having a bunch of people on a run. 5 to 8 rigs is perfect IMHO. BUt again, a lot of the TLCA runs is the nightlife and comradery..

They are a lot of fun.

BTW, don't mind me on the rovers. I have put way too much time into my fathers D90. IMHO lucas should be shot PLus the $150 spark plug change still chafs me



You go to any of the Lone Star LC meetings yet?

Yeah well one day when I have the time, I may actually have time to go to an event. I am reluctant to show up with my new FJ Cruiser as I am sure a name war might ensue. My 40 is in the process of me tearing it apart and restoring it with what little time I have when I get my 'vacations' home. I spend most of the year at sea.

 

[Chef]

Bring your FJCruiser, they rock. Toyota for this year has brought crews of FJC's to every tlca event, and they have been very well recieved....

 

[Dragon]

I just signed up a couple of days ago. I guess I need to wait for my TLCA number. For the record, if it cost $100 I still would have signed up. Support means "support". Not everyone is able to do it, but for those who can and wish to support the club, by all means raise it.

A suggestion (and forgive me if this is already the way it is or if the powers that be have already dismissed this type of idea).

Have levels of membership that are more than just speed of magazine delivery or location oriented.

Have a $30 sponsorship where you get a badge and the mag
Have a $75 sponsorship where you can give yourself a personalized title under your avatar and get some other trinket.
Have a $200 sponsorship that signs you up for 5 years, you get a custom "Elite" title under your avatar, a hat and a shirt.

....or something like that. Just thinking out loud and I'm a noob, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Chef]

Dragon: I like those ideas, and will think about them...thanks

 

[Romer]

Dragon - $20 to Ih8MUD and buying a silver star will allow you to create a personalized name.

Good ideas, I was thinking package deals would help move merchandise as well. Buy a $30 membership and a $45 fleece for $70. Something like that.

or

$40 and you get get a vintage TLCA T-shirt

 

[Dragon]

Dragon - $20 to Ih8MUD and buying a silver star will allow you to create a personalized name.

thanks for the info. I know it was that way at TTORA also. I looked at the TLCA for sponsorships, but not IH8MUD. Thanks.

 

[treerootCO]

The decline in membership could have been due to the website being out of service for so long. I really wanted to renew my membership and it took a lot of work to get it through. I know my dad got frustrated and didn't sign up for a long time because he thought he was doing something wrong.

Rates go up, I am ok with that. How much was a gallon of gas a few years back?

 

[Clutchee]

Well as far as cost going up $3-$5 no issues here at all.

Being involved in the TLCA & the events I have participated in are probably memories that will stick with me the longest. From running a trial with close friends, to the after hours stories that shall stay that way. The TLCA has & is a "family" we may not agree with each others views or politics but on the trail & in the camp ground were all family.

For TEXASBADLANDS......I want you to please feel free to contact me & talk
about the TLCA events...clubs & overall society of the entire gathering.

 

[fj40charles]

I belong to www.turbodieselregister.com for my cummins needs. My dues are $38.00 a year. The real benefit I can see is the wealth of information I get from their web site. I save more than $38 each year with the info. I get from the the web site. I do not consider the annual membership cost to be cost prohibitive.

Too bad TLCA does not have something like this. ih8mud and pirate4x4 fills the needs of getting info from the internet. Being able to attend TLCA sanctioned events and getting TLCA discounts from various vendors makes the membership worth it.

Texasbadlands, I'm sorry to hear you have not been to any of the TLCA sanctioned events. IMHO, you're missing out on lots of fun. You'll find that not all events are real crowded as you think and people are generally very nice. Since you're in Texas, I'd recommend you go to the Lone Star Land Cruisers Round Up event in Katemcy, TX. This place is wide open and there are plenty of easy trails if you're worried about body damage.

Too bad so many LC owners are so cheap... They're willing to spend $4.00/day buying coffee at Starbucks, but complain about TLCA membership cost.

 

[TexasBadlands]

I belong to www.turbodieselregister.com for my cummins needs. My dues are $38.00 a year. The real benefit I can see is the wealth of information I get from their web site. I save more than $38 each year with the info. I get from the the web site. I do not consider the annual membership cost to be cost prohibitive.

Too bad TLCA does not have something like this. ih8mud and pirate4x4 fills the needs of getting info from the internet. Being able to attend TLCA sanctioned events and getting TLCA discounts from various vendors makes the membership worth it.

Texasbadlands, I'm sorry to hear you have not been to any of the TLCA sanctioned events. IMHO, you're missing out on lots of fun. You'll find that not all events are real crowded as you think and people are generally very nice. Since you're in Texas, I'd recommend you go to the Lone Star Land Cruisers Round Up event in Katemcy, TX. This place is wide open and there are plenty of easy trails if you're worried about body damage.

Too bad so many LC owners are so cheap... They're willing to spend $4.00/day buying coffee at Starbucks, but complain about TLCA membership cost.

Land Cruiser owners are not cheap, just thrifty lol...... My FJ 40 never broke, never left me stranded, and I was always rescuing Jeeps. So the LC is a good investment. TLCA is also a good investment from what I can see. I just got my first TT magazine, and I must say I am impressed to say the least - stitched pages, wow. Ok a raise in cost isn't bad, just let it not get out of hand

 

[JuttyShabango]

I'd still pony up the coin for membership at 50 bucks per year. I can't see owning a LC without being a member. It would be like eating a peanut butter sammich with no jelly..

Awesome Mag
Great Staff
Vendors that care and want to help
Organized Runs
This Message forum for the Clubs
The Trail Advocacy
History
Swag


It goes on and on

 

[Ian Rogers]

I think that when contemplation a dues increases the member ship needs to see a rough budget of where the funds are going. This way we (the TLCA) member can understand what the income and expense of the organization are and better grasp where are hard earned coin is going. I am all for a dues increase as long as I can see that the TLCA is not frivolously spending my dues. Alan could you post up the 10 biggest expenses and the 10 biggest incomes.

Thanks

Ian Rogers

 

[PVCruiser]

Here's my $0.02....


Raise member dues to $40.

Raise Business dues by $20 ( I think they are $200 currently)

Also, allow member businesses and clubs, only ( no google ads), to advertise on the tlca.org website with web banners (for a fee).

That should help generate some money.

Time to get creative for sure....

I have a couple of Land Cruisers I am selling and would love to advertise them on the tlca.org website...

Perhaps you could run a vehicle for sale section, for businesses, and charge a fee for that as well.

Check out www.cruizers.com.... Vintage off-road runs that site and charges a fee.

Alan, I'd be happy to talk with you or Todd on the phone for further brain storming.

HTH.

Thanks to all the guys who run the TLCA.

 

[Benson]

I am a sucker for merchandise and have spent more than a few years worth of membership dues on stickers, shirts, posters, and other stuff. Right now the merchandise section on the tlca website is meager at best, and never seems to change. Why not update the merchadise and expand it?

Along those lines I believe selling information would be useful. It can be difficult to get specific info from MUD, the LC mailing list, or other internet sources. Why not come up with project specific ideas and make it accesible to paying members of the tlca? Each club could contribute a "how to" each year on something common, like suspension upgrades, electrical issues, de-smog, etc., have it edited/reviewed by another club, and post it on the tlca site. Eventually you would have a fantastic resource that would draw interest to the organization. Vendors could even sponsor some of the content to encourage use of their stuff.

Just thinking out loud. Love the tlca and am grateful for those who work so hard to make it happen.

 

[JuttyShabango]

I am a sucker for merchandise and have spent more than a few years worth of membership dues on stickers, shirts, posters, and other stuff. Right now the merchandise section on the tlca website is meager at best, and never seems to change. Why not update the merchadise and expand it?

Along those lines I believe selling information would be useful. It can be difficult to get specific info from MUD, the LC mailing list, or other internet sources. Why not come up with project specific ideas and make it accesible to paying members of the tlca? Each club could contribute a "how to" each year on something common, like suspension upgrades, electrical issues, de-smog, etc., have it edited/reviewed by another club, and post it on the tlca site. Eventually you would have a fantastic resource that would draw interest to the organization. Vendors could even sponsor some of the content to encourage use of their stuff.

Just thinking out loud. Love the tlca and am grateful for those who work so hard to make it happen.

I'll second the merchandise comment. It would be cool if MOST cruiser swag could be found at TLCA web site or at least links to find it and couldn't the club get some $$$ for linking another vendor if they don't sell it direclty?

Just an idea, but there's a ton of potential for expanding the merchandise for sure.

 

[Land Schmoozer]

TLCA 2006 Budget

Ian,

Casey Campbell here, TLCA's Treasurer...

A P&L is run every month and as of June it is compared, YTD, against the budget. It is fowarded to all the BOD folks for discussion at the monthly meeting. I can see no reason not to post it somewhere (website) so that everyone can see it...

let me do some checking and i'll get back to this thread...

I think that when contemplation a dues increases the member ship needs to see a rough budget of where the funds are going. This way we (the TLCA) member can understand what the income and expense of the organization are and better grasp where are hard earned coin is going. I am all for a dues increase as long as I can see that the TLCA is not frivolously spending my dues. Alan could you post up the 10 biggest expenses and the 10 biggest incomes.

Thanks

Ian Rogers

 

[KOWBOY]

Time to stir thangs up again Folks.

Add a $20 surcharge to ev'ry membership. At each sanctioned event you attend (for the first 4) ... you get $5 back. Attend 4 events ... then there ain't no additional charge to your membership for that year. Don't want to attend events .... just want to read the club magazine .... gonna cost you an extra 20 bucks to support it.

PAR-TI-CI-PA-TION.

 

[Ian Rogers]

Ian,

Casey Campbell here, TLCA's Treasurer...

A P&L is run every month and as of June it is compared, YTD, against the budget. It is fowarded to all the BOD folks for discussion at the monthly meeting. I can see no reason not to post it somewhere (website) so that everyone can see it...

let me do some checking and i'll get back to this thread...

cool thanks I would look for your responce

 

[pismojim]

Time to stir thangs up again Folks.
Add a $20 surcharge to ev'ry membership. At each sanctioned event you attend (for the first 4) ... you get $5 back. Attend 4 events ... then there ain't no additional charge to your membership for that year. Don't want to attend events .... just want to read the club magazine .... gonna cost you an extra 20 bucks to support it.

PAR-TI-CI-PA-TION.

Kowboy you may be on to something. I've been thinking about this thread, not just about raising the dues, but increasing TLCA membership numbers. I've been planning on writing an intelligent essay when I get a chance, which hasn't happened - so here goes...

Basically, the theme evolves around face to face participation.

I've come to the conclusion that the Internet is hurting TCLA membership. (thanks a lot Mr. Al Gore) It started with the Win 95, 56K modems and the LCML and has led to broadband, Google and streaming video. In the "old" days cruiserheads needed the TCLA to find each other and to keep in touch. They needed it to advertise and coordinate trail rides or events, share tech info and find cruiser oriented vendors. Now days you don't need TLCA to do all that. All that is available 24/7 for free, anytime, anyplace.

It's a strange dilemma.

The TLCA was/is an association of local cruiser clubs (plus individual members like me.) In the "old" days when a cruiserhead (like me) found the TLCA or a local cruiser club at the neighborhood pizza parlor they would experience a euphoria. Suddenly they would find out they were not alone, they found others with the same problems that had been there and done that. They shared their parts hordes for the benefit of the cruiser lineage.

Now, with broadband Internet, IH8MUD, Pirate4x4, LCML, vendor websites, and Google, cruiserheads don't need the the TLCA.

Its no surprise that many people identify the paper and ink of the Toyota Trails as the best perk of being a TLCA member. I mean, (thankfully) most people haven't figured out how to surf the net for Cruiser Tech while perched on the porcelain throne. Fortunately, the tactual feel of paper and ink hasn't been fully replaced with liquid crystal displays yet.

OK, so I'm depressed now. And, I'm not giving up my DSL.

The TLCA needs to offer something different, ADDED VALUE if you will.

What can this be? Well, I'm thinking it is face to face meetings at events and real life tire kicking. (You think Kowboy is a trip on-line, you should meet this guy face to face!) Making new friends in real life not "virtual" friends with phony screen names. I'm talking about real cruiserheads directly sharing tech info with one another. I'm talking about an experienced cruiserhead standing next to your rig or you next to his. Hey, 640x480 jpegs are great but nothing beats running your fingers over a sweet fillet weld or dimple die punched plate.

In case you haven't noticed just about all the vendors and clubs have their own websites, often with forums, and almost always with pictures, trip reports and tech write-ups. Now days, it's not just the computer geeks who have websites or blogs for trail reports. Let's face it, everything you need is on-line and FREE for everyone and anyone at any time.

The TLCA needs to re-define itself in this brave new world and I think the answer will be going back to its roots. I think TLCA's salvation is dependent on people touching flesh (and no I don't mean spooning Georg), crawling under rigs and looking under hoods.

So... Kowboy you're my hero.

Attend events people. Form a chapter. Have local meetings. Get together, go on a trail run. Help your neighbor install those lockers. Eat some pizza.

Sorry for rambling, looks like the ice is melting in my margarita, gotta go...

Oh yeah, raise the dues all you want, I'm still in.

Cheers,