3ma09 - Update

[Thotos]

At the time of this posting there are just 86 Days, 16 Hours, 50 Minutes and a few seconds to go for the 3ma. Fun time is approaching fast!

For 3ma09 we have reserved several rooms at our chosen hotel, the Pacific Hotel Fortino, which were held until the end of February 2009. We have now managed to extend this deadline but rooms are limited and time is short so please book your rooms as soon as possible. To book at our special agreed rate please contact the Pacific Hotel Fortino? directly. Contact details and details of the offer can be found at http://www.131mirafiori.com/travelacc.htm. If you have any problems booking your room(s) please contact us at travelacc@131mirafiori.com and we'd be very glad to help. Don't forget that any booked rooms can be cancelled without penalty up to two days before the start of the 3ma so if in doubt book your room(s) now while they are still available.

So far we have 22 people booked for the event in 9 cars (eight 131s and one BMW!).? Personally I believed that by this time we would have had a lot more so if you are planning to join us please do not delay and make the necessary arrangements and let us know you'll be joining us by completing the form at http://www.131mirafiori.com/3ma09Registration.htm.

We are still finalising the itinerary and there are some changes to the original provisional announcements. Our static display on Saturday 30th May is most likely to be held in the Piazza Vittorio Veneto.

We are waiting on our Italian member effe131 to confirm this soon.

The Fiat factory visit is booked for a maximum of 48 people and we are waiting for confirmation from Fiat. Due to the current economic downturn, there's a remote possibility that the factory visit may not be possible due to temporary closures at the factory or limited staff availability so Fiat are delaying in sending us confirmation.? We are of course hopeful and confident that the factory visit will go ahead. While I said above that I was hoping for more registrations by this time, the factory visit as mentioned will be limited to 48 people.? We are expecting 20-25 attendees from Italy to join us which means we are getting very close to the maximum allowed so we may have to limit attendance to the factory visit on a first come first served basis; another reason why you should let us know soon if you intend to join us.

The photo below is of Piazza Venetto Vitorio when the Fiat 500 club had a display there in 2007.

[kev131]

Great write up Theo - I can't wait to be in Italy again ... especially in my classic Fiat. 

[miro-1980]

Thotos,

Will you post at some point  at least a generic list of participants (so people can find out if  there are other travelling similar routes  or needing a co driver / pilot (cost participant)

Miro 

[Thotos]

Hello Miro,

I am not sure that people would be happy for their details and plans to be posted here. In previous years we started several threads for different convoys heading to the 3ma meetings and several people teamed up using those posts. If you'd like to join a convoy to the 3ma or even join someone else in their car then I'd suggest you start a post with details of your location and planned route and hopefully that will find suitable convoy partners or available passenger seat near you.

So far the 9 cars known to be joining us are:

3 from Germany
2 from the UK
1 from France
1 from Austria
1 from Ireland
1 from Spain

But there should be a lot more! So, come one guys, what's keeping you back?? Get booked in and let's start setting up some 131 convoys to Turin.?

 

[kev131]

From looking at the Italian 131 site I believe that there are 3 Italian cars committed so far but expecting more.

There are also some rumblings about attending in numbers from the Spanish Seat 131 club and the French 131 group.

I think it should be at least 2 cars from Ireland and possibly more.?

On the basis of 2007, at least 50% of the people who attended did not register beforehand.

[mirafioriman]

Unfortunately I assume it is the current economic climate that is holding people back... Too many people unsure as to whether they will have a job in the future. Also the trip is a large financial undertaking, one that I for example cannot afford to make. Looks like a great trip though and I hope many members have a great time!

[simon131]

Hi Dave (and everyone),

Yes, I'm sure that virtually everyone is feeling the current 'Credit Crunch' in some way or other, and we as the 3MA organisers are all too alive to the fact that times are hard. I myself have work only for one day a week at the moment, but have booked my rooms at the Fortino anyway. At the risk of repeating myself, this particular trip is the 'once in a lifetime' type of event that as a 131 fan I personally do not want to miss. If I have to sell my Racing to fund it then so be it, but not all people are going to do something like that and we respect that.

All I would say (to everyone) is if you want to come, and there's even the slimest chance that you can, then please book your rooms at the hotel now so that you can benefit from our "special rates". They wont be around for ever and we'd love to see you all in Italy with your 131s.

Cheers

Simon

[bellamacchina]

And pretty sure 1 from Holland

[Thotos]

Unfortunately I assume it is the current economic climate that is holding people back... Too many people unsure as to whether they will have a job in the future. Also the trip is a large financial undertaking, one that I for example cannot afford to make. Looks like a great trip though and I hope many members have a great time!

I am sure you are right Dave; the current economic situation is affecting a lot of people.

We've tried to keep costs as low as we could but there's no getting away from the fact that Turin is a long way for most people and there's a large cost for which we cannot do anything about associated with such a long drive. Unfortunately our beloved cars are not very economical and the price of fuel is still very high. Add to that the cost of tolls for motorways and tunnels and 3ma09 is looking expensive before we'd even started enjoying ourselves in Turin.? But as Simon has said, this is simply a never to be repeated event and the chance of a lifetime for any fan of Fiat's 131. While having as many Fiat 131 cars as possible was always the main objective of the 3ma meetings (Maximum Mirafiori Mobilisation) we also want to have as many 131 enthusiasts as possible even if they cannot join us in their 131s. There will be many 131s travelling to Turin with space for passengers and cheap flights to Turin are very affordable so for anyone who cannot join us in their 131 for whatever reason, please consider joining us as a passenger in someone else's car or fly to Turin and I'm sure we'll find you passenger space in one of the many 131s that will be there.