FMCA ballot to abandon motorhome only requirement

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chindog

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The September digital edition of Family Motor Coaching magazine is now on line.  In this edition is the ballot to change the FMCA constitution to abandon the motorcoach only requirement for membership.  The entire change in wording is published in the magazine. 

https://www.fmcmagazine.com/
 

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I can remember when Class A drivers were pissed over Class C's being admitted.. This .. May be a fireworks display.. I have no comment beyond that at this time.
 
John From Detroit said:
I can remember when Class A drivers were pissed over Class C's being admitted.. This .. May be a fireworks display.. I have no comment beyond that at this time.

Me too!

Concur


However, with the current (RVing )trends they need to adapt or be relegated to increasing irrelevance
 
I agree.  I'm not sure where I stand yet but I think they are looking at shrinking numbers with only motorhomes and trying to attract additional revenue.  Seems like many people aren't attracted by some of the offerings such as mail service, coach relocation, etc as in years past.  Wonder what, if any, benefits will be changing if they allow towables.

Mike
 
My concern is this will take the emphasis off motorhomes, and motorhome specific issues, and turn it into another Good Sam's style RV club, just one that is inferior to Good Sam's.  While there are commonalities between Towables and Motorhomes, there are also significant differences, and I feel it is important to cater to those motorhome specific needs.
 
Isaac-1 said:
My concern is this will take the emphasis off motorhomes, and motorhome specific issues, and turn it into another Good Sam's style RV club, just one that is inferior to Good Sam's.  While there are commonalities between Towables and Motorhomes, there are also significant differences, and I feel it is important to cater to those motorhome specific needs.
I would agree.  I would probably drop out if they allow towables. 
 
Isaac-1 said:
My concern is this will take the emphasis off motorhomes, and motorhome specific issues, and turn it into another Good Sam's style RV club, just one that is inferior to Good Sam's.  While there are commonalities between Towables and Motorhomes, there are also significant differences, and I feel it is important to cater to those motorhome specific needs.

These are my thoughts as well.


Edit fixed quote
 
My concern is this will take the emphasis off motorhomes, and motorhome specific issues, and turn it into another Good Sam's style RV club,

I think that is a given if it is opened up to the entire RVing community. Whether it would be inferior or superior remains to be determined, but there is a fundamental difference in that FMCA is a non-profit owned by its members while GS is a for-profit business operated for the benefit of its stockholders rather than for RVers.

For FMCA, it boils down to survival. They cannot afford the infrastructure and services they want to provide with the declining membership. If they have to cut services, they lose even more members. They have not been successful attracting younger MH buyers, so hoping to do better with towable owners. Widening the market is bound to help some, but may not be sufficient for the need. If many MH owners don't feel the need for FMCA services & benefits, why will towable owners feel any different? Especially since their demographics are much like the MH owners who do NOT choose FMCA (younger, family-oriented, etc).

FMCA has also suffered a major financial setback with the declining revenue from their excellent magazine. It used to provide a strong revenue stream that was used to fund extra services, but advertising is way down as buyers flock to the internet for info and the manufacturers concentrate their ad budget on interactive media. FMCA's print magazine is probably doomed, just like most other print media.

Since we no longer own an RV or belong to FMCA, our dog isn't in this fight. In my opinion, though, adding towables won't really solve any problem for FMCA. However, it might be good for RVing to have an honest competitor for GS, and RV owners surely could use a voice that speaks for them rather than for improved profits in the RV industry. The latter, however, means that FMCA would have to become much more proactive in RV affairs, a role they have previously shunned.
 
Roy M said:
You don't want to rub shoulders with us peasants? ;D

I never thought that way when I owned a trailer.
I would think they should start a separate "organization" for towables. I thought that before I owned a motorhome, and still think that way. Also, I am not a member, so my opinion really doesn't count.
 
For what it's worth, we own a motorhome but never felt any desire to join FMCA.

Membership is down in all the clubs. More people are buying campers, but fewer are joining camping organizations. That's unfortunate, because clubs are a great source of information and fellowship, especially for newbies.
 
Too bad you have to be an FMCA member to view any of the magazine articles. I would have been  interested in seeing how they presented the reasons for admitting towables.
 
Paul & Ann said:
Would it be unreasonable to ask why you voted "no"?

Sure

The information on the purchase, maintenance and operation of Class A motohomes is diluted enough due to the huge number of makes and models.
Accurate and concise information from any rv website is akin to finding small gold nuggets in a bucket of gravel due to the number of anecdotal posts and post replies.

If RV's of all classifications were included, FMCA would become a muddled mess, as are some other generic RV websites and clubs. This is not snobbishness on our part, it's that we don't have the time to read, listen and absorb information pertaining to poptops, campers, TT, fivers, hybrids etc. The brain is too full of info now.

We would support membership fee increase to sustain this association as it is now.

 
I can see from some of these responses that I would not be welcomed at all so with that, I would never join. I didn't know that some peoples crap doesn't stink and that they put their pants on differently than me.
 
kdbgoat said:
I would think they should start a separate "organization" for towables.
There may be some merit to that idea!

I remember some comments in our Montana owners club about the "arrogance" associated around the FMCA, especially at the gas pump for some reason.  I never understood it.  When we had 5ers and trailers, I never gave another thought to the FMCA, because I knew I didn't belong in it.  I don't have an airplane so I don't belong in the AOPA either.  Now that we have a MH it was fun to join and be a part of it.

I enjoy the FMCA history and charter, and I would support thinning the program benefits before trying to make it fit everyone.  If it just can't be done, let the FMCA die and reside in history and start a new group.  We can store the podium out in the scrap yard with Stonewall Jackson's and Robert E Lee's statues.  The young are forming the world how they want it and I'm too old to care.
 
Mile High said:
There may be some merit to that idea!

I remember some comments in our Montana owners club about the "arrogance" associated around the FMCA, especially at the gas pump for some reason.  I never understood it.  When we had 5ers and trailers, I never gave another thought to the FMCA, because I knew I didn't belong in it.  I don't have an airplane so I don't belong in the AOPA either.  Now that we have a MH it was fun to join and be a part of it.

I enjoy the FMCA history and charter, and I would support thinning the program benefits before trying to make it fit everyone.  If it just can't be done, let the FMCA die and reside in history and start a new group.  We can store the podium out in the scrap yard with Stonewall Jackson's and Robert E Lee's statues.  The young are forming the world how they want it and I'm too old to care.
:))
 

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