Death of a Forum

lough3969 · Post by **lough3969** » Mon Aug 21, 17 8:55 pm

The forum seems to be a ghost town these days as I'm sure that most members lurk on FaceAche... not being a fan of social media, I had a week on face book as I thought I might be able to at least follow the MMA stuff,ticked all the 'anonymous buttons, no access to my contacts etc. thinking I could go stealth... took FB a week to start letting people from my past, that I have no interest in speaking to, get in touch with me! Scary stuff...

Anyhow as the title suggests, this forum seems to be dwindling in the amount of people contributing, I may be completely wrong about the numbers but it feels that way... I'm fully aware that there has been a lot of work done recently to get the website and forum running well with a good revamp etc.

What I'm wondering is if there are any plans to try a sex up the interface for the forum? I'm aware of apps such as TapaTalk that make interaction via mobile devices a bit more intuitive but I've never actually used them... my thinking is that those who are not inclined to use the forum may be encouraged back if such an app where used. I just think it would be a shame if we lost everyone to FB...

ScottyDave · Post by **ScottyDave** » Mon Aug 21, 17 9:37 pm

I check in mostly every day, haven't added anything new lately as not done anything, although I have been re-linking the the photos in my workshop thread after the Photobucket thing, halfway done now

A lot of folk maybe busy doing things but winter is coming and means more time indoors so would expect things to get better over the darker months.

latil · Post by **latil** » Mon Aug 21, 17 10:10 pm

Yes it is very quiet here. UK Mopars on FB seems quite lively,with several regulars from here on there.
Me,well,I'm busy moving to Wales with very little spare time right now.At least I've got the Belve and Series 1 L/Rover down there in one hit.Cost me 600 squids though! Both on one truck on the day I wanted.

Johnny Dart · Post by **Johnny Dart** » Mon Aug 21, 17 10:14 pm

Yep me too, I have a look every day.
I've had the gearbox out , of my Dart,on my bench since last Christmas!
I've just been too tied up with other stuff to get it apart.
When I do I'll be writing it up and adding it to my thread.
But at the moment nothing Dart related to report.

Lincrafts.com · Post by **Lincrafts.com** » Mon Aug 21, 17 11:03 pm

I'm a bit of a passive on here, visit most days but rarely post, unless I have a problem that hubby needs help with. Lots of problems with the love hate cuda, I love it he hates it. Latest one is, needs new carb fitting.
We are having building work done at the moment, like the last 12 weeks, but for the Mopar Nats hubby climbed out an upstairs window onto the scaffolding to loosen up the bolts on the diagonal support pole that was sat across the garage door so we could get the cuda out. It sat on the driveway ticking over nicely but when he opened the bonnet fuel everywhere ðŸ˜°
Carb bought but not yet fitted as we are up to eyes in it. The car is a total bitch but I still love it â¤ï¸

drewcrane · Post by **drewcrane** » Tue Aug 22, 17 3:39 am

I will say this,with a pay forum it certainly weeds out the shenanigans ,and makes or a cleaner more educated forum,that we can all rely on for support, accuracy, and knowledge . I am more than happy to pay for this service and I friggin live where these cars were driven,so yea book face has its place and I have left almost all the so called "clubs" , they are all the same,they really are, alot of people with great credit, and go buy a "muscle car" because they never had one,you guys here in the U.K., different story. when some one here(there) buys a yank car ,I watch follow, because you guys get it, it is not about what you can afford, you simply buy a Mopar ,and love the $hit out of it,keep this forum alive, yall are my daily news paper,you really are

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Tue Aug 22, 17 7:30 am

Blimey I was just thinking about this when I logged on this morning! We are at the point where we need to take a long hard look at where we are I think. Is it that we've been so successful at educating each other we no longer need the forums help? are we too busy/ lazy to contribute? Are we still relevent with our annual subscription and membership when there's the free for all that is facebook? I too hold the view that having to pay keeps the messers away which is a good thing.
Daily facebook users no doubt prefer that, and yes the UK Mopars page gets some traffic, smaller membership than us and often the same few posters making up that traffic, similar to here. Also most of the traffic is event and meet up organisation not hardcore tech or historical which is this forums strength IMO.
Many of our members won't use facebook because of it's invasive nature, I understand that point of view.
Assuming our membership is not falling, there is something people continue to like, wether they post or not.
I'm sure none of this has escaped the commitee and they may well have it all in hand but I think we should have a healthy discussion here to air peoples take on it, thier likes and dislikes and any ideas they might have.

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Tue Aug 22, 17 8:29 am

Gosh. We are all having the same thought. I check in most days for a lurk, say the odd welcome, but the forum feels 20% of what it was somehow. Its core uses for me are still valid so I can only assume 3 things -

-Everyone is elsewhere (facebook)
-Because my car is largely in 'tickover' (the big stuff is done) I dont spend as much time lurking, researching, asking dumb questions.
-The scene itself is dying off (the value of the cars and the meetings I go to would suggest it isnt)

This forum has been AMAZING. I can honestly say (teary eyed moment) I could not have owned this car or done what I have done without it. Best car club I have ever been in. (seriously, I lurk on an RS focus forum for my daily and what a bunch of, well, lets just say the attitudes are different).
Facebook does represent a problem for me - not going to do it. I know its me that misses out but I just see SO many people i know zoned into the damn thing morning noon and night. They miss life as they are too busy voyeuring everybody elses. The privacy and contact thing freaks me out. So no, not for me.

I hope its not the end. I mean, we are all getting older and I am not seeing a new influx but... it seems a little soon.

Anyway. I'm still here. Dont turn the lights out yet.

Lincrafts.com · Post by **Lincrafts.com** » Tue Aug 22, 17 8:58 am

I'm on Facebook as well and I find it easier to use, I could just click like for this instead of replying :-) but not informative stuff as everyone with or without brains or knowledge adds their 2 pennies worth. The info given on here is straight to the point and in my case accurate and fixed my problems.

It's funny that we can join in here but not start our own topics on the forum. We meet people at shows and chat away about anything and everything but feel different waffling away in print.

I always think who's really interested in my news or problems but I'm interested in theirs, go figure.

My Facebook profile is public so I only post stuff I don't care that everyone sees, as you say if you want privacy don't put it up there. My Mopar pics are visible to anyone whether you are on Facebook or not but I don't feel inclined to share with Mopars UK but I do with UK Mopars past and present. Weird aren't I !!!

But anyway, please keep the forum :-)

andyrob · Post by **andyrob** » Tue Aug 22, 17 9:13 am

At least we are still here.....
this forum is one of the very few dedicated car forum that still survives

latil · Post by **latil** » Tue Aug 22, 17 9:13 am

Another problem seems to be that the market place for cars is non existent right now. Hardly anyone is buying "our" type of cars.

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Tue Aug 22, 17 9:14 am

I wouldn't worry too much, just post up the sort of stuff you enjoy reading here, chances are so does everyone else even if they don't comment, perhaps we should have a "like" button too, I know some people have said they have stopped posting stuff 'cos they get no reaction.

Dom66 · Post by **Dom66** » Tue Aug 22, 17 9:20 am

In the past I've started the 'show us yours' and 'random pics' threads in the hope of generating more regular input, which seemed to work for a bit. I guess the downside of a serious and useful forum is folk only use it when something more significant happens rather than posting a load of frivolous or non car related chat like on rods'n'sods. Given the membership though, it does seem to be a small core of more regular posters that keep it going. How to encourage more input ?

For me, I've been busy extending the house so somewhat sidetracked. I did pop the car in to Alders to have the exhaust realigned and a few other minor bits. (Lots of other Mopars moving through there, anyones on here?) Still drive her most days, passed the MOT with an advise on one lower ball joint and she's been accepted for the Firle/BoPeep hill climb next month, which could be a giggle....

Lincrafts.com · Post by **Lincrafts.com** » Tue Aug 22, 17 9:20 am

Blue wrote:I wouldn't worry too much, just post up the sort of stuff you enjoy reading here, chances are so does everyone else even if they don't comment, perhaps we should have a "like" button too, I know some people have said they have stopped posting stuff 'cos they get no reaction.

My thinking is.....no reaction = no interest so don't bother. Don't want to bore the ass off folks.

Dom66 · Post by **Dom66** » Tue Aug 22, 17 9:25 am

Lincrafts.com wrote:
Blue wrote:I wouldn't worry too much, just post up the sort of stuff you enjoy reading here, chances are so does everyone else even if they don't comment, perhaps we should have a "like" button too, I know some people have said they have stopped posting stuff 'cos they get no reaction.
My thinking is.....no reaction = no interest so don't bother. Don't want to bore the ass off folks.

This is a problem, I'm often interested or amused by a post, but don't tend to reply unless I have something to add. I like Blue's suggestion of a 'like ' button for that reason !