Fmca

Fish and Dear · 02-28-2019, 10:35 AM

Any FMCA-ers out there? What do you like and dislike about it? I really know nothing about it.

blw2 · 03-01-2019, 03:24 AM

I'm a member....but have never been active in any of the meetings or chapters. From what I've seen looking at pictures and stories about chapter events and such, it seems to be mostly or perhaps all a bit older folks...not exactly my demographic...I'm on the older side but still have a young family....
It seems like it's kind of in an odd place... sort of an orginazation/model for a different time...a time before today's social media, and our having anything and everything at our fingertips.
I could be very wrong about all of that.

Anyway, I'm not completely closed about the idea of doing more, just haven't seen anything of interest there.
I'd imagine that it's good folks...and if I had time on my hands I have no doubt that there would be friendships to be made at meetings and outings.

Pete'sMH · 03-01-2019, 03:29 AM

I’d be interested because of the tire discount program....does anyone know how much savings there might be. My local truck tire shop quoted me right at $2,500 out the door on goodyears and I’d like to know if I can do appreciably better.

SuperD · 03-01-2019, 09:44 AM

I’ve been with FMCA since the early 80’s, recommend them to everyone who has an RV. The monthly magazine is great! I’ve never used any of the discounts but there is one benefit I think could be very useful in an emergency. What would happen if you had a medical emergency, could your wife drive? If you are stranded somewhere there are volunteers that will drive your coach and help you or your wife get home. This is a service I SINCERELY hope no one has to use but it’s there if you need it.

FMCA also has several get togethers around the country every year, many local chapters you can join. Cost to join is minimal and in my opinion worth it!!!

Fish and Dear · 03-01-2019, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperD

I’ve been with FMCA since the early 80’s, recommend them to everyone who has an RV. The monthly magazine is great! I’ve never used any of the discounts but there is one benefit I think could be very useful in an emergency. What would happen if you had a medical emergency, could your wife drive? If you are stranded somewhere there are volunteers that will drive your coach and help you or your wife get home. This is a service I SINCERELY hope no one has to use but it’s there if you need it.

FMCA also has several get togethers around the country every year, many local chapters you can join. Cost to join is minimal and in my opinion worth it!!!

So that is pretty interesting. I know our roadside service supposedly provides return of RV to home, but I've never known if that means towed or what. Would be nice to know a fellow RVer was helping out. Good to know.

The Gritz Carlton · 03-01-2019, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blw2

I'm a member....but have never been active in any of the meetings or chapters. From what I've seen looking at pictures and stories about chapter events and such, it seems to be mostly or perhaps all a bit older folks...not exactly my demographic...I'm on the older side but still have a young family....
It seems like it's kind of in an odd place... sort of an orginazation/model for a different time...a time before today's social media, and our having anything and everything at our fingertips.
I could be very wrong about all of that.

Anyway, I'm not completely closed about the idea of doing more, just haven't seen anything of interest there.
I'd imagine that it's good folks...and if I had time on my hands I have no doubt that there would be friendships to be made at meetings and outings.

I've looked into it as well. Can't quite put my finger on why it doesn't excite me, but your definition comes close. I remember the days of kid's birthday parties turning into graduations, turning into marriages, turning into baby showers, turning into grandkids, etc... Haven't been to many of those lately. Seems now, you only need one dark suit for funerals. Jeans and T-shirts everywhere else. Haven't put a swing set together in over 50 years (those were always good parties). Every funeral I go to ends up in a debate of who takes the most prescriptions, how many parts of your body hurt...and those horribly long stories about running over the mailbox. FMCA seems like this kind of crowd and for some reason, I would only give the old alcoholic portion (those that drink till they just start yelling things you can't understand) someone to talk about when I went to bed at 9PM. I haven't read any reviews of the emergency evacs or MH return feature. What little I read seemed to have a lot of exclusions. Had anyone here had any first hand experience in these benefits?

Bob Denman · 03-01-2019, 12:43 PM

We're members... They produce a pretty nice magazine, offer some decent sources for products...

... and we have no interest in going on any of their "Jamborees"...

Ron1Z · 03-01-2019, 12:45 PM

I joined a few months ago and will be going to the Perry, Ga Convention and Rally 3/13 to 3/16. This will be our first event with FMCA.

The Gritz Carlton · 03-01-2019, 12:53 PM

Perry is just a short, 2 hour drive for me. I wonder if it's acceptable to ride down and join the group for a day and see what's what as a guest? Anyone have the agenda in a format they can post here or a doc they can email?

Bob Denman · 03-01-2019, 01:37 PM

Tell them that you're interested in seeing what all of the fuss is about, and you might want to join up... They'll let you in!

Ron1Z · 03-01-2019, 01:38 PM

Sure you can come for the day, the scheudle of events is on there web page.

Bob Denman · 03-01-2019, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron1Z

Sure you can come for the day, the scheudle of events is on there web page.

Yup!

https://www.fmca.com/fmca-perry-2019-learn-more

dlbeck27 · 03-02-2019, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blw2

I'm a member....but have never been active in any of the meetings or chapters. From what I've seen looking at pictures and stories about chapter events and such, it seems to be mostly or perhaps all a bit older folks...not exactly my demographic...I'm on the older side but still have a young family....

It seems like it's kind of in an odd place... sort of an orginazation/model for a different time...a time before today's social media, and our having anything and everything at our fingertips.

I could be very wrong about all of that.

Anyway, I'm not completely closed about the idea of doing more, just haven't seen anything of interest there.

I'd imagine that it's good folks...and if I had time on my hands I have no doubt that there would be friendships to be made at meetings and outings.

I am a member of FMCA. I have not been to any of their rallies yet. Mainly because I belong to two local RV groups and don't have time for FMCA rallies yet. The benefits of a monthly magazine, travel and emergency services, windshield and tire discounts and several other benefits are why I joined. I look forward to participating in a chapter outing in a couple of months.

I think that the older folks demographic is not just an FMCA issue. Many organizations are dealing with this issue. Elks, Moose, American Legion, VFW, Lions, conservation groups like Mule Deer, Ducks Unlimited, Wild Turkey Foundation, etc., all have an older membership and are looking for younger members to keep them from folding.

For whatever reason, younger people (45 or less) don't seem to have the time or desire to belong to social groups. They don't even have time for their immediate family in many cases.

What you must remember is that many of us older folk joined many of these organizations when we were in our thirties or forties or younger. We took our kids camping, hunting, fishing, travelling to family events. Our kids were welcomed at our social gatherings and still are. When we were children we often didn't have a choice as to whether or not we were going. We went because we were told we were going. Eventually we came to enjoy the activities and friendships with other kids and looked forward to next time. Eventually when we got older we joined these groups.

Today, even though we may have included our children in these activities, as they grew older social media, pressure to work, work, work and other stressors have kept them from joining and taken away their desire to continue in the "old" ways.

I feel that many organizations are doomed because there aren't enough younger members to keep them going. Escapees recognized this and has created a spinoff group, Xscapers, for the younger crowd. FMCA recognized that they needed more members and opened up membership to all RVers, not just owners of motor coaches.

I like FMCA because it provides many services and benefits that are as good as or better than Good Sam and similar organizatins.

The Gritz Carlton · 03-02-2019, 12:39 PM

Pretty accurate assessment...especially of today's youth. When I was typing my life away in above post, I remembered my father's heavy involvement in the Jaycees. We used to go to all kinds of things, like Christmas Tree sales, charity benefit outings..lots of things. Didn't really understand as a kid but I remember some of that stuff like it was yesterday. I also remember having dinner EVERY NIGHT together as a family...and it was always on glass plates cooked in our kitchen...by our mother...not wrapped in paper and delivered to our door.

SuperD · 03-02-2019, 01:10 PM

My stepfather and I joined at the same time, we asked for sequential numbers and were told we could have the same number except mine ends with an S for son. I went to one Jamboree several years ago, crowd was much older than my wife and I, didn’t matter because we still had a GREAT time!!!

I very proudly display my FMCA plaques front and rear! I’ve stayed at parks where I’ve gotten to meet some really great people, seeing the “goose egg” was the ice breaker that led to some great conversations and making new friends.

Maybe FMCA isn’t for everyone but I would join again, if nothing else just for the magazine!

**16ACE27** · 03-02-2019, 02:05 PM

We looked at FMCA when we first got our MH but couldn't see the advantage to joining at the time. Now, as our free Good Sam roadside assistance is expiring next month, and getting fed up with the GS renewal games:

Email me with one discounted price
Snail mail me with a better discounted price
Neither price close to what a "new" member's discounted price would be
Log in to the site and no discounts are avaiable

We looked at FMCA again and the cost of an annual membership plus the cost of their roadside assistance is still cheaper than the best GS roadside assistance plan, and cheaper than Coachnet.

So we'll be joining next month.

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