|
Home>News Center>Life | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Auto brotherhood gave away a special wedding
Everyone wants their wedding day to be extra-special, and Tan Ming was no exception.
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. |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
