We all know about car clubs, especially those dedicated to exotic cars. Members of these clubs share their love of automobiles and sometimes even share a garage of exotic cars. However, car clubs are not always dedicated to exotic cars. Many car clubs are now dedicated to more mundane cars as well.
On example of a car club for a more run-of-the-mill car is the Aztek Fan Club, dedicated to the unpopular Pontiac SUV that was discontinued in 2005. Jack Egan, founder of the Aztek Fan Club, is a real estate agent in Strongsville, Ohio.
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“When the Aztek came out in 2001, I liked it right away,” Egan told the New York Times. “I thought everyone would.”
While not everyone loved the Aztek, it generated a great deal of attention. Some people fell in love with the car, despite negative reviews. This sort of dedication is what causes people to form car clubs.
“Car clubs are a great way to meet other people who love what you love,” says Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental business. “Some do see the beauty of the Aztec. and organizing a car club is a great way to meet like minded auto enthusiasts.”
For others, the car that makes their pulse race is more along the lines of a Lamborghini or a Dodge Viper. Bob Carroll is a lawyer in Point Pleasant, NJ and also the president of the Viper Club of America.
“Maybe it’s a buy-American thing, or a remembrance of the heyday of Detroit,” said Carroll in the New York Times article. “But when you find someone who likes the same car as you do, then maybe they also have other similar interests.”
Exotic car clubs as well as car clubs dedicated to more mundane models do a lot to bring people together. A common interest means that there is always something to talk about with other car club members.
“When you find something you really love, whether it’s exotic cars or Ford Escorts, it’s just fun to share that interest with other people,” says Sturgeon, who also founded an exotic car club in Dallas. “It’s just nice to have a chance to drive your dream.”
So even if your dream car is a Honda Accord or a Pontiac Vibe, it’s kind of nice to know that there are other people out there who love it as much as you do.
Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.
