A car club or automotive enthusiast community is a group of people who share a common interest in motor vehicles. Car clubs are typically organized by enthusiasts around type of vehicle (e.g. Corvette

Chevrolet Corvette

The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...

, Mustang

Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...

), brand (e.g. Jeep

Jeep

Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...

), or similar interest (e.g. off-roading

Off-roading

Off-roading is a term for driving a vehicle on unsurfaced roads or tracks, made of materials such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, and other natural terrain.-Off-road vehicle:...

). Traditional car clubs were off-line

Off-line

The terms "online" and "offline" have specific meanings in regard to computer technology and telecommunications. In general, "online" indicates a state of connectivity, while "offline" indicates a disconnected state...

 organizations, but automotive on-line communities

Virtual community

A virtual community is a social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially crossing geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goals...

 have flourished on the internet.

Traditional car clubs

Historically, car clubs refer to off-line entities, typically organized as non-profits

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

 and run by volunteers (who were most often elected). Some clubs were large enough to be run as a paid business with salaried employees; in the 1960s, some were sponsored by car dealers.

Many car clubs charge membership fees in exchange for benefits, such as publications and events. The publications typically contain photographs, messages from other members, service and parts advice, items and vehicles wanted and/or for sale, and historical material of interest to the membership. Car clubs often host gatherings (called "meets") which often also welcome interested non-members. Car clubs also may engage in other activities of various types, including races, cruising

Cruising (driving)

Cruising is a social activity that primarily consists of driving a car. Cruising can be an expression of the perceived freedom of possessing a driver's license. Cruising is distinguished from regular driving by the social and recreational nature of the activity, which characterized by an...

, shows, "mod" days when garage equipment and service tools are available for members to perform and assist each other with DIY work, or community service

Community service

Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....

 activities. Meets are basically a time for the club to hang out with one another and to talk about cars and do normal stuff, such as bowling, eating, movies, etc.

Many (if not most) traditional car clubs have now added online presences, although most of the content typically resides in a walled garden for members only. Most clubs have an online presence mainly through their car forums relevant to their car of interest. Some clubs also have their own website. They usually use the forums or their site to organize their meets and gatherings. For instance, before a big event, they would organize to see how many people are going, where to meet up, and how to caravan to their destination. Many car club members consider what they do, more than just a hobby, it is a lifestyle that they live by.

Internet communities

The internet accelerated the growth of participation as online communities attracted large numbers of members. The internet encouraged and fostered the development of many clubs centered around specific vehicles, including niche

Niche market

A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact...

 makes

Brand

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...

 and models.

Unlike traditional clubs, the content of most online communities are open to all for free. This has facilitated their growth, and made them a resource for potential owners or newbies. Larger online communities report registered members in the hundreds of thousands.

Internet communities typically provide features such as forums

Internet forum

An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...

, content databases (which include vehicle specifications, driving characteristics, repair information, and car tuning advice), Instant messaging

Instant messaging

Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...

 services, photo-sharing, and commercial services (such as for sale by owner listings, part supplier directories

Web directory

A web directory or link directory is a directory on the World Wide Web. It specializes in linking to other web sites and categorizing those links....

, and referrals to mechanics

Auto mechanic

An auto mechanic is a mechanic with a variety of car makes or either in a specific area or in a specific make of car. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly...

 and car dealers).

Most automotive communities were founded by individual enthusiasts/entrepreneur

Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...

s. In 2006, Internet Brands

Internet Brands

Internet Brands is a new media company based in El Segundo, California that operates online media, community, and e-commerce sites in vertical markets. The company also develops and licenses internet software and social media applications....

 began acquiring these types of websites and the company has become the largest operator of automotive communities in the world.

As with traditional car clubs, some internet automotive communities sponsor or operate off-line meets. Many of the leading internet communities feature active directories of regional meets.

International

In some countries, notably in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, some car clubs are run as a way of regulating street races

Street racing

Street racing is a form of unsanctioned and illegal motor racing which takes place on public roads. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. Well coordinated races are planned in advance and often have people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and...

 and to race against people they know, therefore reducing the possibility of an accident; the best known being the Mid Night Club

Mid Night Club

The was a Japanese street racing gang that hosted illegal top speed themed races on the Bayshore Route of the Shuto Expressway between Tokyo to Yokohama...

. Also clubs are used to enter team drifting

Drifting (motorsport)

Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally over steers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed...

contests.

External links

• Nancy Marshall and John McWilliams, "Low Country Travelers: An African American Car Club of Charleston County, South Carolina", Southern Spaces, 21 October 2010.
• Indonesian Automotive Community Portal