Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Uncle Joe]

This topic turns up here from time to time, so I thought that it was a bout time to start it again.

Does anyone have any suggestions that might improve the forum?

Heres two for a start.

When a member, new or old, posts, lets try to make sure that several people answer them. This should make everyone feel more welcome, and generate discussions.

If someone sends a pm, and its obviously not spam or anything bad, answer it!

[Penman]

Hi
Re-
The little file icon which is yellow when there are new posts.
Is it meant to take you to the first unread post? Because in my case it only takes me to the top of the page.

[Uncle Joe]

I've never actually seen a yellow file icon. Where is that?

Maybe I browse the forum in a different way to others?

[Scotty]

Hi UJ,

With regard to several members responding to posts, I feel there's a deeper issue to your reasonable suggestion - could it be there's not enough people joining this forum and staying?

Now why that is I'm not certain, some obviously just join and never participate, spammers join to harvest e-mail addresses if they can, some don't like the site and some just don't have much to say. The key question to me is why numbers are not growing, both in membership and / or participation?

In my case, to be absolutely honest there's just not enough time to answer many of the posts, and some I just don't want to add my comment, be it because I don't know or I have reached a point where I've answered the same question so many times I leave it for the more enthusiastic members. I'm not saying that's right, however its how I feel after nearly 10 years on various web sites.

Hopefully I'm in the minority, but looking at the traffic in this forum, its a very small number of members who regularly participate. Perhaps there are issues with the layout, the tone of the forums, how easy it is for surfers to find the site - who knows? I look forward to reading the views of others, especially from those who don't normally post.

Scotty.

[Uncle Joe]

Part of what prompted me to start this topic is the fact that what quite often happens is that new members come on the forum, get a welcome from members. They then post again, but get either no replies, or just the odd one. So what happens? They think, hey, nobody is interested in me and my project, so simply dont bother posting again.

Some of these are first time restorers as well, who if anything, should be especially encouraged.

The other thing is that odd ones have joined, and sent me pm's asking for advice. This has even happened with older members. I've always answered as best I can, which is NOT what I know some others have done. No names here!

I fully agree with you Scotty. Lets see the views of others!

[Rick]

Having looked at many forums over the last few years, I think the most vocal/active section of old-car fans when it comes to forums are those interested in the later, 1970s/80s/90s retro cars, perhaps because they are generally younger and spend more time online? not sure.

If this is the case, the obvious question is - try opening things up to later cars and their owners (70s/80s/90s), or leave things broadly as they are, steadily creeping up and keeping the talk to pre-1980s cars for the most part?

For my part, I prefer the theme of the forum to remain centred around pre-1980ish cars, and related subjects, even if this means the forum doesn't steamroller in terms of visitor activity, numbers and so on. I'd rather see a steady number of posts and activity, about vehicles of a 'proper age', where posts are usually polite/interesting/relevant to this era of coverage, than things get diluted with talk (or 'noise') about much later cars that I have no interest in. After all, there are plenty of forums about if you want to read about the latter.

Although the number of active posters may not be huge, those that do regularly contribute are generally polite, helpful, erudite and amusing, and attracting this type of contributor is not at all easy. Quality, not quantity, comes to mind for me. I'd like to thank all the posters for supporting this forum to date, and if you can think of any ways to spread the word, by all means do so

R
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

[Uncle Joe]

As for the age of vehicles on the forum, and I've said this before, its ok in my opinion. If later vehicles start being allowed, then I for one would probably disappear...

Rick, can you change the text/layout back to the way it was please? This new one is quite hurting my eyes....We are looking for improvements....

[Rick]

I'd only increased the font size by 1, but I've dropped it back again now

R
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

[Uncle Joe]

Rick, I go on quite a few few forums, but I've always thought that the layout of this one was the best. Although maybe thats because I'm used to it...

[buzzy bee]

Hi

The car age has to stay the same in my oppinion! No modern classics with a couple of exceptions, as there allways are!

In my oppinion it would be great to have a few more members interested in the veteran era, but if and when they come, they will come, I supose alot of veteran car owners tend to be older, so maybe they are not in the internet much!

Leave the forum as it is for the foreseeable future in my oppinion, as it seems to be working, and is fufilling my needs!

Cheers

Dave

[Uncle Joe]

I agree with you on that buzzy, but the point is, if more members take the effort to reply to as much as they can, encourage the new ones, then this will encourage more to join.

I just dont feel that it is good if someone joins, and members more or less ignore them after the intro.

So lets all make newbies happy by posting replies to them, and encourage them to join in!

[Greeney in France]

Forums are full of people and everyone has their reasons for coming along, I personally, being a total classic car fanatic use it as a "meeting place" like a car show or the "Ace Cafe" but some will only use it to ask maybe just one question if they have a problem. I look at it as though if I can help I will, I cant even drive passed a broken down car
personally I think it works very well with the "few" that regularly help and it will remain our cross to bear for the future I expect
_________________
www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us

[buzzy bee]

Something seems different tonight, can't put my finger on it though!

Cheers

Dave

[Giggles]

We have a new banner at the top! I like it.

I agree with Buzzy Bee and others about the age thing, if you want to join a forum and chat about newer classics or retro's: join Retro Rides or the like.
_________________
1953 Humber Hawk
1955 Ford Fairlane
1960 & 1963 Humber Super Snipe's

[Greeney in France]

The listing logo has changed too 'the one that goes red when there are new posts
_________________
www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us