Should we have a register for non uk Mk1s?

Stuff like the german 'pirelli', french oettinger 16s and 'plus' spring to mind, though I don't know much about the different versions overseas. What about US spec stuff?

Cheers,

Drew.

Goop point Drew, and a tricky one to answer !!!

My view is that why shouldn't the club be open to all, after all it does say "MK1 Owners Club".

Also, it would create a very very LARGE community - probably one of the biggest in the world.

Never know, with such a large list of MK1's still out there, it might make VAG sit up and listen about producing panels again   and other useful items  

There is a massive impact going overseas. Huge markets in North and South America. Plus South Africa of course. How do you propose to manage it if loads of people sign up?

There is a LOT more engine/transmission and model variations to set up than the few Special Editions you mention which are peanuts in terms of volume!

Cheers
Rajan

There is a LOT more engine/transmission and model variations to set up than the few Special Editions you mention which are peanuts in terms of volume!

+ More members potentially
- As you say, how to manage it!

Personally I'm quite interested in European stuff
Moderately interested in US stuff
Not that excited about the rest of the world

Cheers,

Drew.

I am interested too, but I generally think let's walk before we run and get the club up and running.

Cheers
Rajan

Agreed.

I do know the question will come up at the AGM though, so I thought it might be interesting to canvas some opinions beforehand.

Cheers,

Drew.

Hmm, good question.  There is always the question of what about foreign models in the UK too - I am aware of two GTI 16-S's and a handful of Pirelli spec cars over here.  I've seen a USA spec "Rabbit" over here too.

I would suggest we make a club open to overseas members for a number of reasons.

Firstly - spares and parts availability.  In Germany you can buy ATS cup wheels brand new.  I'm sure spares support for the Mk1 is fantastic in S.A. because its a current car over there.

Secondly - overseas production is part of the history of the Mk1.  The US market "Rabbit" started as a Wolfsburg produced car but then production was moved at the end of the seventies to the USA based factory - the different production techniques over there produced some very interesting variants.  It would be a pitty to exclude these.

Thirdly - we are a web based community so 90% of activities will not exclude overseas users, indeed the non-UK perspective would add to the experiance.

What it would mean though would be either construction of an "Overseas" register which included all models such as the Citi, 16-S and Rabbit or possibly adding these models to the Series 1 and 2 registers.

I think the best way to do it would be to produce an "others" register which included these cars AND the Caddy - thus killing two birds with one stone…

Well, here's some further interesting info.

I've just downloaded the web server stats for our site.. This one is particularly interesting. Looks like we're a global club already!



Cheers,

Drew.

Looking at all that US traffic should we become a .com . Interesting so many hits from the US, is a big country, but the mk1 wasn't even called a golf in the US. Typing VW Rabbit into google doesn't bring up the site in the first couple of pages?

I agree would be a big task managing registers for all golfs. As an interim measure could have a separate register for non-uk spec golfs/rabbits that are currently registered and located within the UK?

Also have to think how would we define overseas golfs? Would we include early imports? My GTI's is a rhd german import, but is exactly the same as the UK spec model bar mars red inetrior, dashboard stripe and rear seatbelt retainers?

Cheers

That is a very good point - many of the Mk1 GTI's in the UK were personal parallel imports because the ? was so strong in the 1980's.  Many of these appear to be legit UK cars and some were even sold out of UK dealers but they may have slightly different trim or specification such as lack of tinted glass.  In many cases the owners of these cars woulnd't realise these were imported.

I wonder if it is worth haveing just one register for non-uk cars which simply asks where in the world you car, such as Europe, Americas, Africa, etc…

I reckon go for it! At end of day we already of oeverseas users signing up to the forum. To handle increased traffic on the forum may only be a case of more moderators - easily sorted.

Main issue may be if there is a different membership fee for overseas users depending on what they'll get for their money as may not benefit from say discounts from garages and insurance companies!

Obviously All Golfs in the UK are imports! It is just that most were imported by VW UK. As most people will not be in possesion of the original build manifest sheet that mentions the country destination code it is going to be impossible to tell a VW import from a personal one (don't think it mentions it on the log book?). The reason is that you could order a UK spec car from Germany for example. Plus of course many cars will have different parts on by now anyway so you cannot tell from even a non-UK spec.

Cheers
Rajan

don't think it mentions it on the log book?

Mine does, says something like 'imported from overseas, first registered in the UK 1982'. Might only be personal imports that DVLA picked up on though?

Cheers

Interesting as I am pretty sure mine doesn't. Will have to check it!

Cheers
Rajan

A lot of cars were imported by HM Forces people when they were postedback to UK- I personally 'imported' an Audi 100, and know of 9 other old pals that did the same with VW / Audi cars.
The Mk1 was a VERY popular car with squaddies, and could be ordered RHD, with all the extras you wanted, for a LOT less than they cost over here, and collected in Germany.
The cars got registered here with the appropriate year of manufacture plate.
Just realised that this makes the figures that VW are sending me rather incorrect !

Yes - the first owner of mine address was in Cotishall, Norfolk - which has an RAF base. May have brought it back from Germany with him?

Interesting as I am pretty sure mine doesn't. Will have to check it

Dubboy - might have been down tp whether owner advised the DVLA at time of registering?

Cheers

Read all the reply's on this topic, I agree with the parts issue!! A club the size that this one could be would provide an axcellent captive audience for a reliable internet based spares company (If one exists!!) Just think of all the possibilities….Maybe it would then be worth someone making some of the old, now obsolete items, even maybe cloth for seats..Anything!! Lets face it the crazy prices now being charged on ebay, there is a market!
        Should we allow overseas members etc… Of course…The site could be split into two sections from the main page so that the new overseas members will have access to this site without cluttering up our info with irrelivant info about overseas models. However we can then also get access to their info for use by the few of us who need it …. Also, in the future if cars are imported as was with the beetles and campers we will already have info and cars, maybe even spares sorted for the future…Who knows! Some of the topics however can be shown on both sites and remain as an open forum (keep the club together)
        Have faith in VW… They must know how many VW enthusiasts there are out there and they must be quite proud of it, because lets face it this forms the basis of their advertising campain for the golf full stop. so I think we should help them to help us… Let's show them a market they forgot about!! Cheers…Walt!

Hi all
Have been reading posts and I am of the opinion that yes it would be great to open it all up to the 'Rest Of The World', but I also agree with Rajan–that we shud get the 'club' up and running properly first….we don't even have a club sticker yet!!
If it is going to be 'Worldwide' thats going to take some running….
Is Drew, our Leader/Webmaster/and totally nice guy ready for it!!
Eventually it would be great….VW UK already know about us and it would definately make them sit up and listen (power to the people and all that).
TC

"Power to the people"

maybe,

Peoples Car then?

Dan

Drew,

On your webstats, does this take the origin from the email address? If so, I think that generally .com addresses are listed as US so would skew your stats away from the truth.

Having said that, am all for as wide a membership as possible.

Andy