Motorhome and Caravan Club - Worth Joining?

[Stumbleweed]

Question as title - do most people feel they recover the membership costs in savings, or reckon it's good value in other ways?

 

[Lenny HB]

Convince that person that they are something else, a “member of a club” in this case,

Chating to my daughters neighbour who are tuggers, I happened to mention I nealry always use the Newhaven to Dieppe crossing, she put on her Hythcent voice "We are members of the CC and get special deal on ferries". After restraining myself from throwing up & laughing I didn't bother telling her I get 20% discount by phoning them direct compared to her 5%.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Chating to my daughters neighbour who are tuggers, I happened to mention I nealry always use the Newhaven to Dieppe crossing, she put on her Hythcent voice "We are members of the CC and get special deal on ferries". After restraining myself from throwing up & laughing I didn't bother telling her I get 20% discount by phoning them direct compared to her 5%.

I would have told her and laughed

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I guess they must prefer that to a council or pub car park, or 'wilding' on an industrial estate.. ?

Or possibly enjoying one of the many beautiful aires that poor old deluded tuggers can’t use

 

[2657]

Or possibly enjoying one of the many beautiful aires that poor old deluded tuggers can’t use

Who sez!!....I have used plenty when we had a 5'er.....if it would fit, seen plenty of caravans too.

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[Charlie9038]

Mostly use C&mc, as allways good standard and no wrong uns. Also c&cc but becuse of their inflexibility in booking sites some 4 nights min will probably not renew.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would have told her and laughed

Had to restrain myself (not like me) they are good neighbours to my daughter they recently had the front of their house weatherboarded and paid for my daughters house to be done as well.

 

[Podney]

Had to restrain myself (not like me) they are good neighbours to my daughter they recently had the front of their house weatherboarded and paid for my daughters house to be done as well.

The house next door to me is for sale.........would you arrange for them to move in ASAP...............Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaase!

 

[TUCANO]

Yes. For CL’s.

Same here

 

[Larrynwin]

Call it a business, call it a club , call it what you like, if those that pay to use the service use it again and again it must be a service that is getting it right and appreciate quality rather than car parks etc with no services.

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[Deleted member 29692]

Yes. For CL’s.

agreed

You don’t need to pay the retainer to the company to be able to access that product.

The people who actually provide it generally couldn’t care less as long as you pay them.

 

[DaveandJen]

So they call their customers “members.”

Basic marketing, nothing more.

If someone views themself as a customer they will naturally always be on the lookout for a better deal. Convince that person that they are something else, a “member of a club” in this case, and they will regard the product as something to have loyalty to or even ownership of and so are less likely to take their custom elsewhere. Supermarkets and petrol stations do exactly the same thing albeit on a different level with their reward cards.

Nick you are not correct in your thinking. The Caravan and Motorhome Club accounts are openly published each year for all to see and the profits made are used to update the existing sites or purchase new sites - and not paid out as profit to any single or group of people.

 

[2657]

Nick you are not correct in your thinking. The Caravan and Motorhome Club accounts are openly published each year for all to see and the profits made are used to update the existing sites or purchase new sites - and not paid out as profit to any single or group of people.

Made this point several times........head, like, banging, wall, on.........rearrange into a well known phrase or saying

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Nick you are not correct in your thinking. The Caravan and Motorhome Club accounts are openly published each year for all to see and the profits made are used to update the existing sites or purchase new sites - and not paid out as profit to any single or group of people.

I am correct. You’ve just fallen for the marketing.

Just because they don’t pay dividends doesn’t change anything.

And anyway the profits aren’t used to update anything. They hold colossal cash reserves that grow year on year as published in their accounts, far far more than a genuine members club would be permitted to hold.

 

[2657]

I am correct.

Oh no your not

You’ve just fallen for the marketing.

Oh no we haven't........we've done a little research

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[scotjimland]

You’ve just fallen for the marketing.

 

[shirl250]

I am amazed at the unbelievable snobbery on here concerning The Clubs and caravanners ! Being an ex caravanner I have used the Club sites (mainly in winter) and the CL network and find good and bad with all of them as you would with any commercial sites or even the nasty, noisy car parks and laybys next to main roads that some motor homers seem to prefer ! For goodness sake, live and let live !!!

 

[Podney]

I am correct. You’ve just fallen for the marketing.

Just because they don’t pay dividends doesn’t change anything.

And anyway the profits aren’t used to update anything. They hold colossal cash reserves that grow year on year as published in their accounts, far far more than a genuine members club would be permitted to hold.

@NickNic. I think you are right in saying you don’t need to be a member to use CL’s,at least I think that’s what you said. We haven’t been asked for membership card or details,but quite honestly I don’t want the worry of turning up and then being refused entry. Yes,I know I could ask at time of booking if they allow non members,but if I want to go to a specific CL I may as well follow the system.
You are also correct that they hold large cash reserves,but that may be better than profligate spending....mightn’t it? Perhaps they have a reason for that........it’s not as if they are going to pay themselves a dividend out if it.
I think you should consider getting elected to their Council (I think that’s what they call their governing board),as you would bring a refreshing approach to the status quo.

 

[Podney]

profligate

 

[Podney]

Don’t know why a perfectly proper word has been turned into laughing boy! It’s p
r
o
f
ligate.

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[two]

R O F L autofills as roll on floor...

 

[The Welsh Wizard]

Used to find them really good . The site staff are excellent, in general, BUT it is now a profit making "organisation" and you don't have to be a member to book their prestigious sites up to 12 months in advance needing only to give 72 hours to cancel without any real penalty. Incidentally, anyone tried to book into the Baltic Wharf site in Bristol? seems that by booking 12 months in advance the site is constantly full.-There, that's my gripe.
They have been good in the past I just hope they return to some of the traditional values and dump the idea of glamping etc. It should be a club for Caravaners and Motorhomers. Maybe that's where Funsters have an edge. I've finally found the light

 

[Larrynwin]

Private sites are also profit making , doesn’t make them or CMC aliens. If customers buy their product don’t see the problem.
Many CLs insist on membership .

 

[two]

But private sites are no more expensive than CAMC
And don't require a 'membership'

 

[DBK]

I've found their travel insurance very good. We were previously with SAGA but this limited us to 120 days a year outside the UK. The CAMC travel insurance allows up to 180 days although no single trip can be longer than 66 days which is a tad annoying but we'll just take three holidays a year now instead of two. Signing up was easy too, very simple medical questions. I searched everywhere for an alternative policy but could find anything as good and it was a lot cheaper too. A comparison site suggested about thirty alternatives but not one allowed much time outside the UK. This restriction wasn't obvious, in most cases I had to call them to be told that the single trip limit was say 30 days or something like that.

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[joka250]

I've found their travel insurance very good. We were previously with SAGA but this limited us to 120 days a year outside the UK. The CAMC travel insurance allows up to 180 days although no single trip can be longer than 66 days which is a tad annoying but we'll just take three holidays a year now instead of two. Signing up was easy too, very simple medical questions. I searched everywhere for an alternative policy but could find anything as good and it was a lot cheaper too. A comparison site suggested about thirty alternatives but not one allowed much time outside the UK. This restriction wasn't obvious, in most cases I had to call them to be told that the single trip limit was say 30 days or something like that.

Have to say I echo this 100%, I have difficulty getting travel insurance, CAMC charge me just over £400 including European breakdown, next cheapest over £600 no breakdown and lots of restrictions.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I think you should consider getting elected to their Council

That would involve first accepting the concept that it's a "club" and then joining it.

Never gonna happen

You are also correct that they hold large cash reserves,but that may be better than pigate spending....mightn’t it? Perhaps they have a reason for that........

A genuine members club, operated for the sole benefit of the members, would never even contemplate holding that much cash. If they can't find anything to spend it on it should be returned to the membership. If they can't or won't do that they should use the money to finance discounted or even free products or services (pitches I suppose) for the membership. That's not going to happen either because it would be terrible business and the business comes first because it's a company not a club.

All of the cheerleaders on here love to tell us how "all the profits" are "reinvested to improve facilities for the members" This is demonstrably not happening if they can increase the cash reserve each year.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Many CLs insist on membership .

I've yet to find one that does, either CC or CCC. CCC ones tend to ask if you're a member and then when you say no shrug and take your money anyway. I've never even been asked at a CC one.

The only membership card they're interested in is a kind of brown colour and has the Queen's face on it.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Question as title - do most people feel they recover the membership costs in savings, or reckon it's good value in other ways?

Bet you are glad you asked

 

[jdk62]

We are members of the C&MC and have found it very beneficial..

Some lovely sites, good standard, some great wardens, some miserable ones (heys that’s life...), the members benefits in terms of discounts is very good. Not only on clothing (Cotswolds, Mountain Warehouse, Go Outdoors etc..), but entrance to attractions, discounts on toll rereads etc., and the Volvo Affinity programme.

On the Beauty Terrorists new Volvo, we had played 2 dealers off against each other and got what I thought was a really good deal... Then realised that the Club membership means a further cash discount, free metallic paint and 3 years free servicing, plus 10% of all accessories. The saving alone on the Volvo has paid our membership for the next 68 years!!!!

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[Gellyneck]

The saving alone on the Volvo has paid our membership for the next 68 years!!!!

Do they have a cash back policy if you don't last that long?
If not, that's, obviously, a con as well!