Kirk Yonker wrote:
> P.S. Now if entry to VTR National and Regional 2002 events to be halved,
or
> dare I suggest, cut to a third of full price for those Triumph
owners 21 > y.o. and younger? Would we see greater participation by
a younger
> crowd? Anyone know the policy for clubs in other countries on
this
> subject and the results?
As the instigator (recently) of rather controversial topics, I find myself
rather angered at the above statement. Why should one recieve a show/club
discount based on their age? Especially, those under 21? Clubs and shows
are an auxillarly expense to owning a Triumph.
I personally actively discourage all young admirers from becoming interested
in Triumphs, or any British Car. Those of you with children will know that
a child's interest in a particular object or subject matter may be piqued
for a while and suddenly dwindle and then a complete loss of interest
follows. EVERY person has had that experience about one thing or another.
I view young admirers of my Triumph as potential future DPOs, who will
purchase a car for all the wrong reasons without thought about future needs
and become dissuaded with the car in a short amount of time.
The argument that if we (the current Triumph owners) do not bring in new,
younger blood into the ranks that our cars will disappear is simply not
true. Those of us with the ambition, resources, and the least limitations,
will fill the void of fewer owners by purchasing and housing greater numbers
of Triumphs. Dare I say that the majority of the list membership is headed
towards retirement, or early retirement, age within the decade (or shortly
thereafter)? What hobby will these new retirees persue while enjoying their
vast amounts of free time? Again, I believe many will end up purchasing and
restoring Triumphs... possibly in addition to the ones they already have.
There is one exception to my argument, and that is of young enthusiasts
whose parents (or close family members) are already afflicted with British
car ownership, and thus the cars have been present throughout the
influential periods of their young lives. A father, grandfather, or an
uncle will offer the needed "roadside" support to keep a young relative from
becoming a future DPO. I honestly believe that the only way a young person
(under 21 or so) should be involved in the hobby is if they have had
exposure to the cars over a LONG period of time, and not from just a stop
light or parking lot meeting.
Two years ago, if I had read this email that I was writing now, I would have
been angered at myself. It was at about that time, while I was a freshman
at Ithaca College, that I read a classified ad on the VTR site for a GT6
also located in Ithaca being sold by a Cornell professor. I had already had
my TR6 for about a year, and my MGB for 4 years more, so wasn't new to the
cars. But the seller of the ad decreed he would not entertain any offers
from any minors. Perplexed and angered I emailed him, and fortunately he
didn't ignore me but wrote a nicely detailed email in return explaining his
stance of which you can see has affected my outlook on the topic since that
day.
Financially speaking and reasoning? Well, young people do not give much
thought to car expenses after the intial purchase of the vehicle unless it
is to buy vinyl stickers and a F1 style spoiler. Maintenance costs? What,
you mean the car needs work after I buy it? Then they get into wanting the
club discounts and stuff... I am surprised no one has suggested Moss
institute young owners discount pricing! Again the exception being those
introduced to British cars through family and over a long period of time.
If you need any further proof of the matter, drive your favourite Triumph to
your local movie theatre and sit through The Fast And The Furious (currently
showing). Upon your exiting the theatre, and entering your car you will be
bludgeoned with praise and questions about your Triumph and you will also be
asked to race 31 one flavours of Honda Civics. You will bear whitness to
the shear stupidity of young male "sports" car owners, and why it is
necessary for them to drag race from stop sign to stop sign in the parking
lot and drive at 9000RPM in first gear. Would you want them to have a
Triumph? Keep them in their Civics, do not taint the ranks. The above
movie theatre scenario is readily repeatable with similar results. Although
it was especially rampant on opening night of the movie, when I happened to
be there with my TR6 - not that I engaged in any of the behaviour which I
spoke of above.
I ask every list member from here on in, to discourage new (but not
inherent) interest in the Triumph marque.
I myself am a case where British car ownership was instilled in me through
family (mother and her brother, my uncle). Between us there were at one
point two MKI MGBs, two TR6s, one TR4A and one Austin Healey 3000. At the
present time the count only differs by the lack of one of the MGBs.
I suppose that is all for now...
Kai
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