I'm kind of surprised such an enthusiast car doesn't yield more community involvement. Something I loved about sportbikes was it seemed you could always get some folks together at a coffee shop, restaurant, etc, to hang out and "shop talk". With bikes you had to put leathers on, helmet, etc, and then there was a lot of people didn't wanna have to ride in traffic, weather, all these things that come up as excuses, yet people still turned out. So my point is, cars, all we have to do is hop in them, and drive. How come there isn't some bi-weekly, or even weekly meets? I'd love to get together with not necessarily just Z owners, but people like Chris S and his S2000, 350z and other Z owners, and other nice cars. Maybe start out every other week, or whatever, and meet on say a Tuesday or Thursday, at xxxxx restaurant or coffee shop and get some food or something, and yak it up. I don't know about you all, but I go out to eat at least a few times a week as it is, and then you aren't required to get food anyhow.

So how about it? I know from posts like my blue daytona post a ton of people came out of the wood work. The monthly Z meetings are few and far between, and it doesn't seem like 1/10th of the 350Z owners show up there that are apparently in Austin, but hiding. This would be a no pressure, no requirement to stay for any period of time. It would just be car people gathering and talking. What this wouldn't be would be a bunch of punk kids looking for races and to talk trash.

So, would anyone actually show up? For those interested, chime in what places sound good, and what days of the week sound good, and what times sound good.

I'll start it out with my first thoughts. I am up North, but I will try and think centrally:

Rudy's on 360, almost down to where Mopac meets up with 360. Good cheap food, so-so parking.

Fuddruckers at 360 and 71, right there just on the other side of Mopac. Good parking, average food pricing, great food.

Now here is my vote for up North, probably not practical, but damn it has a lot going for it. Cheddar's. This place still amazes me. Great food, insanely cheap (Bennigans, Frida's, Chili's type food for literally half the price), and massive parking lot. We could get a whole front section and the cars would all be on display for the I-35 traffic If we go up North, this should be the place.

So there are 3 ideas to get t he ball started. I know of a couple things that happen on Wednesdays, so I say Tuesday's and Thursdays. People never seem to show for Monday stuff, and of course Friday's are bad. I don't mind weekend days either, but turnout seemed to always suck on weekends for motorcycle stuff. I like Tuesday, early in the week, something to help get us through, and restaurants aren't real busy.

Time, 7pm sounds like a good time to me, doesn't have to be set in stone either.

So I will do all I can to get this rolling and promote it if people want it to happen. I personally love an excuse to get together and talk with other car enthusiasts, so hopefully this happens.

 

Hey Rob, I met you at the COTZ club on the 31st. I think Rudy's and Cheddar's is a good idea. I'm always up for place to sit and talk about cars, especially Z's You should have showed up last Wed. at Rivercity Raceway, or driven down with me, deviousz, or rick. Where were ya?

 

I am up for some meets. Cheeders seems the best, just because the amount of parking.




Dmazyn

 

Rob,

The Austin 350Z folks met many times last year with the local S2K folks (including Chris S, Jeff and Sondra) after we got our cars. I went out for Hill country drive with S2K several times and invited them to join the Capital Z club drive in February. I suggested to many of the 350Z owners I met to join the Capital Z club, but a limited number did, and only a few show up on a regular basis lately (Mark, Anthony and myself; you just did last month). Seem like you got your car right after the activity slowed down.

If we gonna meet and socialize, my preference and suggestion is to involve some driving activity through Hill Country. I seem to enjoy that more than pure dinner and car talk only. I think we can get the S2K folks interested in this regular activity.

 

I think for sheer time constraints, I'm going to stick with the dinner and socializing thing as the primary goal, unless a lot of people agree with you. Taking off from dinner to go on cruises, is far from out of the question though. I think this is the best way to go. Committing to drives would scare a lot of people away I am thinking.

Anthz, I really really wanted to go with you all, but I had missed some work that week, and was on antibiotics to boot (shouldn't be driving, nevermind drag racing, hah). I couldn't afford to show up to work after 10pm that night, since I had already missed work. I will be going next time, and showing you all how to dip into the 13's in the quarter mile

More input from others, don't have to commit to any dates, not going to be like that, but just post if you think you would at least come a few times to give it a shot.

 

I'll probably be in for meeting up. I live up North, so something up North would be better for me.

 

18 hours and a $100 speeding ticket later (F.U. Oklahomo Troopers!), i am finally here.

i too, am surprised by the lack of z meetings in the austin area. in chicago, we had a group of regulars that would always make it out for a meet and a short drive afterwards for a few beers.

anyway, that said, i'd like to meet up with some of you guys/girls. i'm assuming this cheddar's is the place off of 35? i'm in the south austin area, if that makes a difference to any of you.

mike

 

Rob,

Like Al said, we used to get together pretty regularly.

I have been extremely busy lately so I haven't been able to egg everyone into meeting up. I am definitely up for one. Cheddar's sounds good...'course I am a little bias living up North and all.

How many owners do we have from the South side?

Maybe we make this one up north and the next down south.

Before I got distracted with work (crazy people want me to do something for the money they give me) I was trying to find a way to run a mailing list. Obviously not trying hard enough. It looks like Rodel and them have set on up for CZOT. This has always been a good way for the MR2 group to get the word out quickly for get togethers.

I am going to be in LA this weekend but anytime other than that, just let me know.

Mike,

Welcome to Austin! Now we definitely have a better reason to get together.


Al,

Do you know the S2K site the local guys are using now? Is it still the Atlanta site?
JD

 

Never been to Cheddas (thats new england talk for cheddar's) so I don't know where it is. I'd be up for going, just depends on when, since I haven't met a whole lot of other Z drivers yet and would like to have some shop talk with my Z bretheren! I'd prefer somewhere more central or Arborteum since I live downtown, but driving isn't a problem :-)

 

I've been meaning to get into the Austin Z scene, but have been pretty busy since I got the car (late Dec). I'm on the northwest side, but am willing to drive anywhere as long as we pick a time when traffic isn't bad (7pm or later).

 

Most of you know and have already joined, but there is a local Z club in Austin. Check out our website for the latest on what's going on with the club.

We would love to have more of you join the club and become part of one of the best Z clubs around. Besides the monthly meeting, we always have several events throughout the month for you to participate in. Almost every week there is something going on.

Like Derrick said, we do have a mailing list set up for the club so you would always be kept up to date with what's going on. You'd also be able to use the list to comunicate to the rest of the membership if you wanted to setup any informal get togethers.

Anyways, enough rambling. Come check out the club if you haven't already. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you soon.

Rodel Bautista
2003 President
Capital Z of Texas

 

JD,

Yes, they are still using the S2000 Atlanta. Not very active lately. Here is the link http://www.s2000atlanta.com/forums/f...php?forumid=44

BTW: You are MIA'ed (club meeting and here) for a long while now, I thought you moved to the jungle.

 

Mike,

Welcome to Austin. Looking forward to see you at one of the Austin meet. We have regular meets, just not very frequent in the last 2 months. Many of the folks, like me, work long hour and have family obligation, so free time is hard to come by.

 

Ok, seems like quite a bit of interest from just here. Cheddar's seems to be a popular idea, so we'll try it first. We have a lot of folks up North (I am also up North)!

Nobody really said if Tuesday or Thursday is better, so we will again try and start with a date I'll pick. I would ask and wait, but then we are looking at having to wait another week.

So here is the plan. 6:30pm, this Tuesday, the 22nd, at Cheddars. Cheddars is on I-35 Northbound side. Exit Wells Branch, one exit after Howard Lane, two exits after Parmer, just for reference. Just exit, stay on the feeder road and it'll be on your right after the light. It's right before Tinseltown on the feeder road. It's real easy to find.


p.s. - I am going to try and let some more Z owners know about this, and s2k owners. Feel free to let some more people know and bring any friends you'd like.

 

Hello,

I will be there I live down south but I love to drive the Z so I don't mind going up north!! I have off work this Tuesday but most of the time I will have to work Sundays or Mondays would be better for me but no big deal... I look forwar to meeting you guys! Are you going to be there Anthz and Drrick???

 

I'll make the drive. See you there.

 

Excellent guys. I think a fair number of people are going to show up. Lets try and make this a good showing, the more the merrier! I went ahead and reposted this with the details in the subject so nobody misses it.

 

I'm defininitely guilty of being an Austin 350z lurker. My biggest problem is that I check this forum on an inregular basis.

I live Central (Koenig@Lamar area) and am certainly up for meeting up sometime.

Let me just say that I've been put off going to the Tres Amigos meets, not so much because it's in East Austin as I have nothing against East Austin and used to live East, but because every time I drive on I35 (Cheddars) or East of I35 (especially around that 183 / 290 area) I always almost get into a wreck, get cut off, or confronted in some way by stupid aggressive drivers etc etc.

That being said, I've been intending to break my vow and attend one of the CZOT monthly meetings in spite of its location!

Anyway, not just because I live central, but because it's centrally located and therefore better for those that are geographically spread around Austin, it would be most excellent to take advantage of one of the very cool Austin establishments for an informal meeting sometime.

Sorry, I missed the whole Cheddars thing, since this is the first time I've checked the forum in about a month.

 

You should definitely get more involved. It's tough for us, Austin is not that big, so we need a high percentage turn out if we want to keep having good showings! We did really good for our first time last time. I'll have to come up with a date for the next one, been real busy though.

 

Yup, I'm another lurker. I got my 350Z just days before y'alls first meet, so I guess that's my excuse! I'll keep checking for more info about the next meet.

In the meanwhile, gotta study for the last final exams I'll ever take in my life! YAY!!!!