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Are some events just not affordable?

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Norrie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Norrie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Are some events just not affordable?
    Posted: 12 Jul 2017 at 12:15pm
I think it is very generous and spirited of you to make sure an offer to club members. I did my "one off" trip for 50 years of ALPINA down to Buchloe and the who BMW Munich sights, but it cost around 2K for the whole trip, no accommodation sharing.

If someone has the money and has not done it before it is a super experience, but it will be a few years until I am tempted again.
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mjn77 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mjn77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2017 at 11:29am
I do a Euro Alpine trip most summers, staying in hotels costing ~€100 a night for a twin/double room.  The route is all planned out in advance over 8 days, multiple countries, with some activities thrown in.  This year, it is BMW Welt and an Ice Grotto at the Furka Pass.

Anybody is more than welcome to tag along.  We usually take two cars, sharing a room, including food / beer / diesel / tolls / Eurotunnel for about £1150 / car.


Edited by mjn77 - 12 Jul 2017 at 12:37pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AndrewE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 10:24pm
Originally posted by Mike Fishwick Mike Fishwick wrote:



I have visited the Historique a couple of times, and know Laon very well, so would not dream of staying in such an expensive hotel as that at Soissons which  has been chosen by the tour company.  



I've always found the Banniere De France to be an excellent hotel with a very good restaurant for not much money. 
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Norrie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Norrie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 5:52pm
Mike, interesting response. I was rather referring to UK based events. However to take your point a number of us went to Buchloe(ALPINA) and arranged our own hotels, booking as individuals with the normal protection one might get from their credit card company or booking platform. Indeed, we stayed at the Campanile at St Avold and also at a cheaper hotel close to Olympic park in Munich. It was summer, it was hot, we only needed a clean bed and shower, plenty of restaurants and bars nearby.

However, lets for example take an event like the Silverstone Classic 2017. One can get a 3 day early bird ticket for 99 pounds. The hotel suggested by the Club(Holiday in express, lowest grade ) is to be fair it is not dearer than some others and cheaper than most is 99 pounds per night. Depending on where someone is coming from lets say 2 nights there, by the time fuel, food and a small drink is involved it is a 500 pounds weekend. Not fault of the Club, but there must be a limit to how many events one can attend in a year? Even more difficult for families, of course one can mitigate it by either camping (not for me thanks) or attending perhaps one day.

Goodwood Festival of Speed and revival even more expensive, I live in the area and Hotel prices 250-300 pounds per night not unheard of, nearly 100 pounds for a budget hotel and those are booked well in advance.

It does not matter which you choose inc Gaydon for both days, it can only appeal to a limited number of people. That does not mean it is wrong, not good, should not happen it just means some miss out?
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Mike Fishwick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Fishwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 4:49pm
I have long since found many of the Club's overnight events are far too expensive for normal people (wait for the usual negative comments) being clearly aimed at the more well-to-do members.  A good example is the trip to the Laon historique, which for a couple works out at £700, or £550 for one person - totally out of reach for any normal employed of pensioned person.  Even if one can afford it, to pay such prices for three nights of B&B and a £110 ferry trip strains one's sense of value for money!

I have visited the Historique a couple of times, and know Laon very well, so would not dream of staying in such an expensive hotel as that at Soissons which  has been chosen by the tour company.  Neither would I want to be trapped into circulating around the old city all afternoon, preferring to spectate with a cold beer nearby!

I feel that the problem lies with the use of a tour company, who maximise their profit by  use of an expensive hotel, rather than a perfectly adequate establishment such as an IBIS or Campanile, for example.

We have therefore reached a position where the BMWCC tours are beyond the reach of ordinary members, and are aimed at the relative few who can afford such exorbitant prices.  No doubt they will enjoy the experience, but it is obvious that the prices are raised as high as possible without discouraging the nuber of entrants which are required  to make the event work.  Fine for them, but the event  cannot be labelled as  being for all members.

I know - the excuse is that a tour operator must be used to satisfy legal reqirements, but no effort is made to assist ordinary people in planning their own visit, which is not difficult in a city such as Laon, with an excellent campsite (oops - showing my poverty again!) and sensible hotel prices.  One has to book in advance, which I am sure that this is not beyond the capabilities of our members, but of course such assistance may be seen as competing with the 'Offical' event.




Edited by Mike Fishwick - 19 Jun 2017 at 4:51pm
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Norrie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Norrie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 2:17pm
I have been wondering if the costs of attending events, especially those which are over a couple or three days are getting out of the reach financially of some people, in fact perhaps the majority?

When I first joined the club in 2011 I was very eager to attend events and took the opportunity to go to as many as I could and to as many locations as possible. I don't even want to think about how much I spent on hotels, tickets and fuel. I am not complaining, in the most I enjoyed the events and look at them positively.

However, now having done this, I find myself looking much closer at costs and evaluating the benefit of attending any events to which I have been 2 or 3 times before.

How does it work for you? Are there events you would love to go to but cant justify the spend, what can be done to make it easier, if anything?   

Edited by Norrie - 19 Jun 2017 at 2:18pm
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