Deven

I was wondering if I have to manually join PCA or am I a member automatically once I buy the car. I bought the 997 about 6 weeks ago, and have not received any welcome package or anything yet. For some reason I remember getting such package when I bought my Boxter years ago, and I think the 1st year membership was 'free'?

OCBen

Manually??? .. As opposed to automatically being a member once you buy a P-car, I presume.

No, sorry to burst your bubble, but you must actively register and pay your membership dues to become a PCA member. I think memberships run like $45 per yr. Sorry if you were checking your mail all this time hoping for a welcome package from PCA.

Hey, as a consolation prize, we'll welcome you with open arms here!

baboou

Some dealerships are active in their local PCA region and include a one years membership when you purchase your P-car. Others include a PCA membership application with the rest of your junk paperwork. Best bet is go to www.pca.org and sign up. Best $45 you'll ever spend.

PDQ PDK CAYMAN S

You get 10% discount at the dealerships with membership, and that can make it worthwhile alone. But you also get a great publication from national and one from your region as well. PCA has a bunch of fun activities from picnics to track events. You may also go to the PCA website and join on line. Welcome to PORSCHE and have fun.

MrBonus

I've met some great people through the PCA. I highly recommend joining.

NVRANUF

PCA membership dues are; $42 for 1 year, $82 for 2 years and $120 for 3 years.....
I just received my renewal statement this week . It's a great investment for all the reasons mentioned above.

The only thing I received as an extra bonus from my dealer, "after the fact", was the laminated, signed "Certificate of Authenticity", from Peter Schwarzenauer, showing birth date, and listing factory installed options as well as engine and chassis serial numbers . It's kind of neat and would have looked great framed IF it also hadn't included the MSRP on it,... which isn't something I personally wish to flaunt on my wall.... so it sits, appreciated, in a file folder in my desk.

drbf

Join PCA it is well worth the $$$.

LVDell

If nothing else, you get a pretty good mag.....PANORAMA....by becoming a member. And we all know, you can never have too many P-Car mags

Deven

I plan on joining as it seems that the Arizona/Phoenix chapter seems to be quite active. I was 'hoping' that I would "automatically' get enrolled/registered as a new car owner, but alas, this is Porsche we are talking about, nickel and dimming everything, so it is not surprising that I would have to 'manually' (go to the PCA site, and fillout an enrollment sheet and pay the dues, which I feel should be free for the 1st year).

The salesperson at the dealer seems to think that I should be a member already (but we all know how reliable salespeople can be) so that is why I was enquiring. Thanks for all the responses.

Fast40th

Join it is worth it. It has enhanced my P-car ownership experience. And you must know that you can choose which region you prefer to belong to. In my case I was automatically assigned to the Los Angeles region, which is unfortunately quite dormant, and opted for the Santa Barbara region instead which is much more active and have alot of fun activities, including road trips, backroad excursions, AutoX events and more.

MJones

I too am a member of the Los Angeles region, and they quite frankly are an embarrassment to PCA, they do little in the way of driving events and their newsletter is a joke.
Being a member allows you to participate in activities hosted by other regions. San Diego is very active in Autocross which I participate in regularly, as well as AX with OCR, Santa Barbara.
GPX has now expanded their "Monday, Day Away From Work Autocross" held at Streets of Willow (with continuous lapping) to twice a year.
Most recently I attended a DE at Spring Mountain hosted by the Las Vegas region.
I've also attended a DE at Road America hosted by the Chicago Region.

Did a "Porsche Treffen" tour to Germany ....factory tour, "hot laps" at Weissach, and driving a 997 on the Autobahn Amazing!

There are acivities for everyones taste ...Driving,Tours, Rallies, Concours sometimes you just have to search them out.

Texas993

Deven,

Sent you a PM about a local pcar drive next Sunday.

LVDell

Ease up there. Do the researach before you start going off on Porsche. FYI....Porsche is NOT nickel and diming you. PCA is an independent club/organization that was started and is for members that have a passion about the marque and is not a part of PCNA/PAG.

Typical salesman. They will tell you whatever you want to hear. There was a thread recently that was SEVERAL pages long discussing all the "facts" and "stories" salesmen will say assuning you are just the most ignorant and naive person to walk in off the street.

Paul S.

PCA is worth it, IMHO. I've done dozens of DE's I wouldn't have been able to get into but for being a member (they give preference to PCA members and always sell out); if your local chapter is active, there's lots of other social activities too, for those who want to hang out with fellow Porsche nuts; Panorama, the monthly magazine is a good read each month; and every so often it pays to be a member--10% parts discounts at dealers; the $1000 rebates they gave in 02 on Boxster S's (I bought one of those); and the Club Coupe (got one of those, too) was only offerred to PCA members selected in the order lottery. So my PCA membership's paid for itself and then some.

Deven

My intent was more of a joke/jest/sarcasm so if you took offense to my comments I appaulagize. I am fully aware of the independent nature of PCA and its non-profit organization status. I am more than happy to pay the dues, as I have in the past when I was a member 1998-2001. Though PCA is 'independent' from PCNA/PAG, I am sure that using the marque/brand name is not without PAG's blessing. The reason for my original post was/is because I distinctly remember getting a welcome package in 1998 when I bought my Porsche. The package included a video tape of the Boxster (similar but older to the videos that they have on their website), a keychain with a return address on the back (it said something like 'drop in anymailbox' and 'postage will be paid by' (so if you loose you key, and someone finds it, it gets sent to PCA and they send it to you as their was a serial number on it) as well as the last few issues of Panarama. I am confident that I did not pay any dues the 1st year (and I remember the Northeast chapter had their own newsletter the 'Norester' that had a list of New Porsche owners and welcome to the PCA letter). I do remember paying dues the following years.

If membership to PCA was 'free' the 1st year for new owners in the past, and now it isn't, I am sticking with my original comments of Porsche 'nickel and diming' as I am sure subsidizing membership for new owners will not adversely affect the profitability of PAG. If someone payed the dues on my behalf without me knowing (?dealer, ?Northeast chapter) then I am greatful to them.