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Auto brotherhood gave away a special wedding
(eastday.com)
Updated: 2004-06-29 09:47
Everyone wants their wedding day to be extra-special, and Tan Ming was no
exception.
The 35 cars
of the online Kia Car Fraternity Forum members, all decorated with the red
Chinese character for "double happiness," cruise down the road to attend
Tan Ming's wedding.
[eastday.com] | Racking his brains as to
how to make it as grand as possible and still stay within budget, he was
suddenly hit with a brainwave: Tan, a member of the online Kia Car Fraternity
Forum, posted a message asking for a Kia car to serve as his bridal car.
Replies flew in thick and fast, and in less than a week, more than a dozen
car owners volunteered. Tan had himself a wedding motorcade.
It was quite a sight to see. Thirty-five Kia cars cruised down the elevated
highway, all decked out in bows and decorated with the red Chinese character for
"double happiness."
"I'm so thankful to have all my Kia buddies today," Tan said on his wedding
day on June 12. "I had no idea that they would be so helpful to me on the most
important moment of my life."
Car fraternity clubs are now booming in Shanghai, as more and more people
enter a stage in their lives when they no longer want to be at the mercy of
public transportation.
The city's continued two-digital GDP growth and improved standard of living
have encouraged an increasing number of people to consider the convenience of
having their own set of wheels. The advantages are obvious: no need to squeeze
yourself into crowded buses; no more hellish treks from the subway.
According to the Shanghai Statistics Bureau, car sales in 2003 reached 71,100
in the city, an increase of 30 percent over the previous year, and online car
fraternities have seen a commensurate rise. The car fraternities, unlike car
clubs organized by automobile sales agencies, are non-profit and don't charge
membership fees. At present, there are close to 20 such groups in Shanghai, all
equipped with their own Website and BBS (bulletin board system). Some take the
names from the car's brand, while others are categorized according to the
purpose of the car, for example, racing or cross-country.
Chen Lichen, 28, one of the founders of the Kia Car Fraternity, says, "our
club is more than just a group of people who happen to own the same brand of car
- it's an animated socializing circle."
Shen Haiying, 26, who joined the club early this year, says it has expanded
her social life. "All day long, I'm sitting in the office dealing with documents
and papers. Except for old schoolmates, I knew almost no one outside the
office," she says. "Now I'm one of the BBS hosts for the club, and as a result,
I have become more outgoing."
Club membership includes a wide variety of people from all walks of life. The
entire group is social, which contributes to an atmosphere where an interest in
the cars is a way to make friends. They have more than 1,000 registered members,
with currently 160 cars participating in various events organized by the club.
"Our fun ranges from racing to rallying, hill climbing and scenic touring,"
says Chen. "It can be as simple as dining and singing karaoke."
Car fraternities may cite fun as their main purpose, but, as Wu Jiming,
executive of the Bora Car Club, points out, the core purpose is more practical.
"A car can be more of a headache and a nuisance than an actual godsend," he
says. "Buying and then maintaining a car is one of the biggest expenses we face.
When a new car model is launched, customers are often not prepared for the
technical problems that may pop up. It's a complicated business with plenty of
potentials for problems. Every year, car sales and maintenance sectors generate
tens of thousands of consumer complaints.
"These car clubs and their BBS forums provide a public space for buyers who
have the same model to put their heads together and solve problems. They can
pick each other's brain to find the best place to decorate or revamp their cars,
or to maintain or repair their cars at the best, cheapest price," Wu adds.
In addition, the car clubs are also working as a union to protect customers'
interests and help them to avoid the pitfalls.
This is important, adds Chen, because the auto maintenance market is still in
disorder. "Some places are really rip-off joints. Customers need to be warned,"
he says. "We often suggest that, for purchases of auto parts, a group of people
buy in bulk so that they can get a good discount."
Zhao Yi, of the Mazda Motor Club, notes that there is plenty to learn after
getting that coveted driver's license. The club offers some mechanic training
classes, which teach car owners to deal with emergency situations as well as the
basic know-how of keeping cars in shape.
"We take our members to car-repairing factories or automobile manufacturers
and ask professional mechanics to teach them simple, helpful tips on vehicle
diagnostics, like how to maintain the engine, how often to change the oil, how
to remove scratches, how to prevent automatic transmission from damage, and the
factors that can make your car unsafe to drive," Zhao says.
For 22-year-old Tang Shuyan, a third-year student from Shanghai Jiao Tong
University, the car club fuels his racing ambition.
Gone are the days when a student's extracurricular activities are confined to
piano lessons and swimming classes, says Tang. From his first car at 18 years
old, he has made it his goal to be a professional racer. He remodeled his
Mitsubishi Lioncel and joined the Shanghai Volkswagen 333 Racing Club, one of
the China's most prominent racing clubs. He spends fully one third of the year
on the racetrack.
"There are more and more motor racing opportunities on the horizon in China,
and more and more young people like me who will show their talent on the tracks.
My ambition is to become a professional car racer," he says.
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