It appears a few of us feel the present name of car4play is both counter-productive and at times embarrassing.
It has been suggested that it could be renamed if we can come up with a good enough name, so please post your suggestions below!
Pat
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>>>mydrive.co.uk
For me that couldn't be bettered alluding both to both a current car and cars of the past that have been on the drive. Snappy and memorable.
Google brings up a couple of MyDrives... online storage and a music site so currently no other car sites to be confused with.
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your-car.co.uk is available.
Pat
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The Car Forum.
Simple and to the point.
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fulloppositelock.co.uk
4wheeldrift.co.uk
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>> Oldfartslivehere.com
>>
NO..................one lives here..............
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>> mydrive.co.uk
This domain went in 2004
FYI we have read these posts (thanks Dave) and noted comments.
Just a few comments:
- getting a new domain name is important. Finding a new one isn't easy. If you are on a Mac, launch terminal and do a whois and see if it is registered. If you find a good one (short and summarises what we are about) then email me. If you post it here without letting us know first it could get registered by a cyber squatter.
- it has needed motoring content since day 1. Alanovic makes a good point.
- redevelopment has always been on the cards but with everything that has gone on it always gets pushed down the list of things. But, we have completed the platform that we would use now.
- when we do change things we can expect a barrage of "we like it the way it was" posts. That seems to be the way with anything that is altered.
- is the down mood just because the nice weather is over? SAD? ;-)
- the very thing you like can also the thing that kills it IMHO. i.e. The intimate community is lovely, but it can lead to cliqueiness. It;s hard to get the balance.
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I'm quite happy with keeping it as Car4Play - perhaps we should have a vote on it :)
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>>>I'm quite happy with keeping it as Car4Play - perhaps we should have a vote on it :)
That's the problem Dog... unless we want to keep this as a small private club we are the last people to decide.
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As I say, most reasonably good domains have gone. mydrive isn't available for example.
One I have just registered which I feel summarises what we do is wheelchat.co.uk
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>>unless we want to keep this as a small private club we are the last people to decide
I don't quite get your point Fenlander, newbies usually pop by here after carrying out an internet search on a car-related problem I would imagine?
>>One I have just registered which I feel summarises what we do is wheelchat.co.uk
That'll do nicely ;)
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>> >>One I have just registered which I feel summarises what we do is wheelchat.co.uk
>>
>> That'll do nicely ;)
Thanks. Any others have an opinion on this?
Last edited by: car4play on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 16:51
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>>
>> Thanks. Any others have an opinion on this?
>>
Wheelchat is quite good, although mydrive would have been better. As long as it doesn't get confused with the somewhat shady chatroulette of course. Genuinely, don't look it up if you don't know what it is already - you probably don't want to.
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Fiords those of you who appreciated the pun in wheelchat, another possible name which sounds a bit more masculine is wheeltalk.co.uk. Of course this also has a double pun.
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>> Fiords those of you who appreciated the pun in wheelchat, another possible name which sounds
>> a bit more masculine is wheeltalk.co.uk. Of course this also has a double pun.
Like it.
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>> >> Fiords those of you who appreciated the pun in wheelchat, another possible name which
>> sounds
>> >> a bit more masculine is wheeltalk.co.uk. Of course this also has a double pun.
>>
>> Like it.
+1
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>> >> >> Fiords those of you who appreciated the pun in wheelchat, another possible name
>> which sounds a bit more masculine is wheeltalk.co.uk. Of course this also has a double
>> pun.
>> >>
>> >> Like it.
>>
>> +1
>>
+2
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>> I'm quite happy with keeping it as Car4Play ......
I'm quite happy with keeping Car4play as well. I can appreciate what the 4play part of it might conjure up for some members, but it's obvious to me that I personally don't dwell on it to the same extent as what they're doing. I'd sooner see Car4play than the attempts to outwit the swear filter that some members indulge in.
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Le's, (and Perro) it's not that we disapprove, it's all about making it commercially viable to advertisers and search engines.
Attracting more traffic in the motoring forum and some younger contributors.
There's a wealth of knowledge on here and it's to a great extent, wasted.
Car4play can easily be misconstrued and a lot of people wouldn't even risk clicking on it.
I like the wheels one!
Pat
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"4play is both counter-productive and at times embarrassing"
Really, Pat? Really? I once performed 4play with a woman sitting next to her in restaurant whilst talking about cars to her clueless, ignorant husband opposite.
It's a multi-tasking, 21st century, Pat.
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Yes Dave.
I know that, you know that but the prospective investors who may choose to advertise and keep this site running won't approve.
Nothing in life is free....
Pat
PS, You should know by now I'm completely unshockable and you won't tell me anything I haven't already heard.
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How about 6th Gear.
Or Rack'n'opinion
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Spare Wheels. There's a sparewheels.com, a minibus firm in the US, and a car club like Ted's that uses sparewheels.org.uk, but no .co.uk that I can find.
It's unmistakably car-related, while carrying a nice subtext (that the casual visitor might not spot) of how we live in the twilight between relevance and nostalgia. And it's snappier than Change Your Oil Like Normal People Change Their Pants.
}:---)
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I like the innuendo. But if we HAVE to rename it, I propose we go for either "Hard Driving" or "The Body Shop".
Deep down, I'll always be 15. *sniggers*
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stroppyjalopies&general.com
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This has all the makings of a coup. Spread seeds of dissatisfaction with the leadership and create factions within, and then promote a breakaway party.
And all because it was raining and pat was bored.
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>> This has all the makings of a coup. Spread seeds of dissatisfaction with the leadership
>> and create factions within, and then promote a breakaway party.
>>
>> And all because it was raining and pat was bored.
>>
Isn't this basically how we ended up on C4P in the first place?
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>> Carsnstuff.co.uk
Good one but gone my friend.
... Unless you registered it!
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How about 6th Gear.
Two gears is all you need, one to go up hills, the other to come down them. Or at least HFS Morgan thought so.
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'I don't give a toss.com '
Ted
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What about Car4rum? Car forum. Geddit?
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Having given the matter grate fault I'd like to put forward one of my motions:
The United Kingdom Independence Party And Anti-Zionist Conspiracy Therorists Motoring Forum.
(*_*)
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How about Coupes, Landrovers, Interesting Trucks Or Refreshingly Intelligent Seminar?
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Leave it alone. It's all right, quite clever, nicely ambiguous.
But I can't help liking Tyro's "Khoo Kar Klub".
It has louche connotations of something in Soho or Beirut, where the literati meet and the doorman gives a knowing wink. AC ensconsed in his usual corner with a bottle of ouzo already half empty.
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Quality of content is more important than name of site.
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>> But I can't help liking Tyro's "Khoo Kar Klub".
It has a ring to it, but somehow I can't help thinking it'll get mistaken for Ku Klux Klan which could lead to a whole heap of trouble.
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You haven't seen my white pointy hat have you?
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A bit better. Which suggests this needs some thought and your interest is key.
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Why, thank you, Cliff. That is very kind of you.
The most amusing thing about your comment is the reference to the city in the eastern Med. It rather startled me, because I'm pretty sure that I've never mentioned it here or over in HJ's place (I keep quiet about certain things), but it is, in fact, where I grew up.
My suggestion was, of course, put forward as a terrible joke, and the thing that the Dynamic one noticed was quite intentional.
p.s. And it's not ouzo in AC's bottle. It's arak.
Last edited by: tyro on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 11:59
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The existing name causes me the problem of embarrassment.
I haven't dared tell anyone it's name for fear of the expected comments which I would then need to justify. Of course that could be easily done, but by that time I'm sure I would have bored and lost a potential contributor.
Not even the Mrs knows its name.
Call me a sad old prude but there it is.
Please get the pressure on to change it.
My money is on My Drive.
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I suggest we call it the 'Front room' .....
......@ 'Honest Stephen.co.uk'......
A picture of Stephen sporting a dodgy tartan pork pie titfer and fake Raybans would appear on the home page.........
On second thoughts..... who would come up with a stupid idea like that ......
Last edited by: helicopter on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 13:04
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>> I suggest we call it the 'Front room' .....
>>
>> ......@ 'Honest Stephen.co.uk'......
>>
>> A picture of Stephen sporting a dodgy tartan pork pie titfer and fake Raybans would
>> appear on the home page.........
>>
>> On second thoughts..... who would come up with a stupid idea like that ......
>>
Now mopping coffee off keyboard. :-D
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>> I suggest we call it the 'Front room' .....
I always saw this place as the back room, a place where all the naughty people defected to, a kind of Pitcairn Island from Mutiny on the Bounty. And about as hard to find for newcomers.
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>> >> I suggest we call it the 'Front room' .....
>>
>> I always saw this place as the back room, a place where all the naughty
>> people defected to, a kind of Pitcairn Island from Mutiny on the Bounty. And about
>> as hard to find for newcomers.
I for one am not getting involved in the subsequent inbreeding.
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>>Call me a sad old prude but there it is.
You are a sad old? prude D/E, I've told plenty of people about Car4Play over the years AND lived to tell the tale.
Perhaps you could consider trying a small bottle of mind bleach :)
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One thing that I like about this website that I would not want to change is the layout.
I don't know who designed it but they're a genius. A combination of good font choice, darker stripes running through the text and darker borders makes it very easy on the eye. If you want to spent a while on here you can without going cross eyed.
Other forums I find are harder to read and tiring somehow. Pistonheads in particular. Although I enjoy reading and contributing, it's too one dimensional and bright to stay on for long.
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"I don't know who designed it but they're a genius."
Hear, hear!
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I did not appreciate the sexual innuendo of the name until I read this thread. I'm either slow or naive, you can choose.
Quite like MyDrive but I suspect the name will not change, time = money and all that, someone's got to trawl through the code changing hard-coded references etc.
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I didn't notice it either until someone pointed it out in the early days, and I am under the impression that the person who came up with the name didn't spot it until after the forum was up and running and someone else pointed it out.
It didn't and doesn't bother me. I still don't think it is a great name, but to be honest, I couldn't care less what the name is as long as it isn't obviously impolite.
Last edited by: tyro on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 17:56
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Likewise actually... it dawned on me very slowly that Car4Play has a double meaning, one pointlessly saucy and the other suggesting that one can play with cars and they are fun.
Does anyone really think people are put off from even looking at the site by the name alone? What filthy minds they must have. Surely the Car bit is what really stands out.
I haven't been able to think of a better name. Of those suggested so far, StroppyJalopy has a certain appeal.
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If they are put off by the name A.C they must live a sheltered live.
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>> I haven't been able to think of a better name. Of those suggested so far,
>> StroppyJalopy has a certain appeal.
It was only meant in jest AC, as you probably know, and it was partly aimed at the forums' inhabitants.
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Yep.... wot tyro said.
Count me as another who didn't notice (or care about) the double entendre, intentional or not.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 18:49
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If you don't like Car4play, why don't we just go one better and call it Car5play?
Last edited by: L'escargot on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 20:16
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As we talk about cars, why not Car Oral?
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 20:18
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>> If you don't like Car4play, why don't we just go one better and call it
>> Car5play?
I thought you preferred 6 gears :)
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The comments about the current name are self selected and obviously not random. Those not put off by it are here already - we'll never know about those that are turned off.
Why run the risk of losing even one new potential visitor.
I respectfully suggest that those supporting no name change might have been involved in the lovely naming of that Rolls Royce Silver Mist. Who cares if the Germans didn't want to buy it.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 21:10
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I like wheelchat too, not least because it's inclusive of other wheeled road users.
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>> I like wheelchat too, not least because it's inclusive of other wheeled road users.
I was pretty ambivalent till this point. Don't want to be thrown in the pot with a bunch of cyclists.
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Let's tie this one up then shall we, Steven Khoo, for those that don't know, is the owner of Car4Play.
He has suggested wheelchat.co.uk as a possible new name for this forum.
Pat and I are okay with that name, Crankcase could be on board too with a little gentle persuasion I'll wager.
Any more for any more?
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It's an improvement on the current name.
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WheelChat is quite clever. I'm in.............
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Its ok.
Wheelbase?
Edit - No good .co.uk and .com already bagged.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 22:22
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I still think it's only better - and we've had this name for a bit. It depends where Khoo Systems want to move on to.
I didn't sign up for the 'future discussions forum' because if I had such a good idea... I'd use it myself :-) Not thought of one yet but not tried.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 22:27
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Since there is no Telegraph column driving viewers int his direction, I'm guessing its going to be Google.
Whilst I don't like the name Car4Play, I do understand how a search would find it and how, at a quick glance, the title would be enough for a click. I'm not sure what searches would find WheelChat, and if they did what would make someone click on it to find out more.
Presumably the goal is not to find a name that people here like particularly, it is to find a name which will attract more traffic.
This place is frequently compared to a Pub, in particular a local. There is a reason why so many locals close down and become theme pubs, or Beefeaters; there's no money to be made from a group of idle drinkers holding up one end of the bar for their two or three halves of Stout a night, however friendly, knowledgeable and interesting they are.
You need people buying scampi and chips by the bucket and drinking cheep lager, or somehow funding the locals.
I think it needs to start with what, if anything, Stephen wishes to achieve; that'll help with the understanding and determination of what needs to be done.
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I don't see wheelchat as an improvement really. A bit like wheelchair too.
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mydrive.uk.com is available
as is themotorclub.co.uk
Last edited by: Roger on Fri 20 Sep 13 at 23:30
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>>mydrive.uk.com is available
But not .co.uk and .com so no point pursuing that.
Unless Khoo Systems have bigger plans (and they have been in no rush... let's be honest) then why bother with a change?
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how about carchat? petrolmotion? discwheels, cars??? eurojapmotors
or just plain motor
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Howls about Subaru4Play.
:}
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>> as is themotorclub.co.uk
>>
That's a goodie, Rog.
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Whilst I don't like the name Car4Play, I do understand how a search would find it and how, at a quick glance, the title would be enough for a click. I'm not sure what searches would find WheelChat...
I don't think finding the name in Google is the problem. Most first-time visitors will follow a hit they got by searching for subject matter, not a forum name. Google won't have a problem displaying any name, but I know I'm cautious about which hits I investigate, and a suspect or awkward URL is one thing that'll stop me clicking. It's especially true at work, where (a) I'm being watched, however discreetly, and (b) I don't have the benefit of BT Netprotect Plus and its McAfee Site Advisor. Like some others here, I never even read C4P on my work computer, even when it's not connected to the corporate network.
And RTJ is right: domains that aren't from the 'proper' top-level range - .com, .org, .co.uk and a select few others - will be ignored far quicker, so no .biz or .tv please.
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Does a name change have to happen overnight? Why not give it a few weeks to see if anyone comes up with brainstorm that the majority like, then decide.
CarTime.com
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In this day and age of low moral standards (compared to when I was a youngster) I can't see that Car4play would be a problem for anyone. When I worked for Chrysler UK Ltd, the pentastar logo was widely referred to as resembling a cat's anus, but the company didn't see that as being a reason to stop using it.
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>> When I worked
>> for Chrysler UK Ltd, the pentastar logo was widely referred to as resembling a cat's
>> anus, but the company didn't see that as being a reason to stop using it.
Well it should have been!
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It's quite okay to read or rite it as it tis: car4play but, when for instance I suggested said esteemed forum to the postie and others, their lugholes hear car foreplay!
:o)
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>> It's quite okay to read or rite it as it tis: car4play but, when for
>> instance I suggested said esteemed forum to the postie and others, their lugholes hear car
>> foreplay!
I would have thought that most of the younger generation (who text a lot) would hear "4" as being "for" not "fore". Car for play.
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People hear what they want to hear - like my dog who is quite deaf - until I mention dinner :)
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>> People hear what they want to hear ...........
No, people say what they want to say. Car for play or car foreplay.
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>> It's quite okay to read or rite it as it tis: car4play but, when for
>> instance I suggested said esteemed forum to the postie and others, their lugholes hear car
>> foreplay!
That would be a prelude to Dogging then, Dog?
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It appears that the controversial element of Car4play is the 4 ~ I say "car for play" but others say "car foreplay" ~ so why not just delete the 4 and make the name Carplay?
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>> It appears that the controversial element of Car4play is the 4 ~ I say "car
>> for play" but others say "car foreplay" ~ so why not just delete the 4
>> and make the name Carplay?
Good suggestion.
Better check it isn't the title of the magazine of the Guild of Carpet Fitters:)
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>> ~ so why not just delete the 4
>> and make the name Carplay?
>>
Carp lay?
Cowboy carpet fitters?
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Naturalmente Señor Manatí
:)
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It's not the sexual hint - which is very faint anyway, although it may be enough to deter newcomers - that bothers me; it's the sheer inanity of the name. It conveys nothing, either of us or of what we discuss. Carplay is scarcely better. We're not here to play, silly as we get from time to time.
Wheeltalk seems a viable alternative. (I withdraw my earlier suggestion since the good domains are taken.) Or how about Loose Wheelnuts, which seems to be available as a .co.uk? Hints at the off-piste nature of some of our discussions.
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Sat 21 Sep 13 at 13:36
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>> It's not the sexual hint - which is very faint anyway, although it may be
>> enough to deter newcomers - that bothers me; it's the sheer inanity of the name.
>> It conveys nothing, either of us or of what we discuss.
At least it contains the word car. HonestJohn could be a forum about anything.
Incidentally, I bet that when he reads this thread (as he undoubtedly will do) Honest John will be laughing his socks off at us discussing something as trivial as wanting to change the name.
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I thought one of our esteemed contributers might have suggersted "Carpounds galore.com" ;-)
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HJ's site is fed from other places than its name, one of the more significant of those is his name. Equally HJ's site is not just a forum, this is.
Its difficult to see how this site could generate money beyond ad revenue per hit. So the only real avenue is to increase hits, and I don't see that happening to a sufficient degree it make anybody a noticeable profit.
>>I bet that when he reads this thread (as he undoubtedly will do) Honest John will be
I would be amazed if he read it and stunned if he cared. Why would he?
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HJrejects.com ?
Last edited by: pmh on Sat 21 Sep 13 at 17:24
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eurika i think ive got it...... how about Carb-Uncles? its got that silly old sod pottering about the garage / shed in a cardy, warm friendly feel about it
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"Drive on the Right"
Reflects the political views on here but with a pro-European undertone.
Nicely balanced.
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>>Reflects the political views on here <<
Some, and maybe the majority, but does by definition, alienate any others surely?
Pat
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I thought CG and zookeeper were both being droll. Those names might alienate a fe already here too!
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The problem isn’t the name, although IMO it’s not a good one, it’s you. Why would anyone do an internet search for some of the topics discussed here? Rattle’s latest bump along the road he calls life, won’t feature in the results of an internet search. Neither will castors or free school dinners. The analogy with the local pub is spot on; 20 or so mates discussing the day’s news.
Do a Google search for anything motoring related (especially technical) and chances are HonestJohn will be on the first two pages. The link may be to a Forum post five years ago, but the advice may still be correct and even if it’s not, the searcher will have been introduced to a site containing masses of information. And that’s the reason it pops up and this one won’t – there’s nothing here that anyone would need to read unless they are looking for the mostly non motoring chat of a handful of people. The HJ website is a success story whether or not you like the Forum.
Don’t get me wrong, there are a number of posters here who I always enjoy reading, pda, GB and AC to name just three. Perhaps the reason is that their posts don’t offend, they may have an opinion, but it’s an opinion not a demand that you must agree with them. Some here could learn a lesson.
I’ve been looking in here almost from the start. This is, I think, my third post. The reason is possibly because quite a few of those that left HJ in the early days were the ones I wished would leave. One or two of you are still here. A forum should cover all views and perspectives, but posters should not be made to feel unwelcome and that’s how I feel newbies would feel looking at this site. Some of you obviously don’t want that, hence this thread and Pat’s other one, but some of you may just not be able to change your ways. That doesn’t particularly bother me, I’m happy over on the other side, but it should bother those here that want to maintain this site.
It will be interesting to see what reaction this post triggers. I haven’t written it to wind anyone up, least of all Rattle, as he seems like a nice bloke. It’s just that I imagine there are many people who just view this site without having the balls to stick their head above the parapet. By all means argue with what I have said if you feel I’m wrong, but think carefully about how you express yourself as you may just be encouraging others to walk on down the road to Wetherspoons.
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Good insight Chris, and sound reasoning.
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It's all true, Chris, but does it matter? The meandering nature of our discussions here is part of the pleasure. We can't hope to be a cover-all-bases motoring forum because we have no employed specialists to answer the technical questions that people put into Google; nor do we have the depth of experience found in the one-make forums; nor, finally, are we interested in helping drivers to avoid paying their speeding fines.
We should aim to appear welcoming in our off-beat way, and to make clear that it's not all simplistic rightwing politics (although that lot seem to have taken themselves off into their own little UKIP corner today.) We like experiences, and points of view, and people who can think and talk about more than cars - which, let's face it, are only machines and often pretty dull ones.
}:---)
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>> We like experiences, and points of view, and
>> people who can think and talk about more than cars - which, let's face it,
>> are only machines and often pretty dull ones.
>> }:---)
So if the majority of people on this forum are of that opinion WDB, then maybe the forum name should be about something else, with motoring as a sideline. Then the forum loses it's whole raison d'etre.
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I was being gratuitously controversial, Corax. What I mean is that our strength as a group lies in our ability to discuss experiences as drivers, travellers, consumers, rather than our knowledge of the posterior truss grommet of the Standard Eight. (Although I did learn here - and wish I could forget - the term 'gland nut pliers'.)
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Don't get me wrong, this forum has it's place, but you can't expect the topics discussed here to pop up on an internet search and therefore serve as a way of attracting new posters.
As has previously been mentioned, HJ has the Telegraph to draw people in but also has a vast library of technical help. Those posts were made by practicing mechanics and engineers - there's no hired help there, it's just people with knowledge drawn to it because it's a motoring forum discussing motoring topics. This site doesn't have any technical experts as far as I'm aware, just a number who do little more than change their own oil. The Technical section is almost dead and the motoring section lags behind the non motoring. On HJ, the non motoring section is dead, but the other sections are alive and reasonably well. That's why it will continue to get the internet hits and draw in new blood. Searching "Fiesta misfire" gets you HJ. "Rattle hits a parked car" gets you C4P. Which search do you think is likely to be the most popular?
There's nothing wrong with discussing politics, but I don't see it having a place on a motoring forum, unless it's motoring related. A lot of the political chat here has nothing to do with motoring and politics is guaranteed to divide opinion. So maybe the soft touch moderating has something to do with the lack of membership?
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>> This site doesn't have any technical experts as far as I'm aware, just a number who do little more than change their own oil.
Not so. A number of people here can do quite a lot more than that. Even I can (although I am less hands-on than I used to be. An age thing).
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Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. Is there anyone here who currently earns a living from repairing cars?
Such a person may know the weak points on a particular model e.g. a relay that fails or a wiring connecter that causes problems - things that only first hand knowledge and experience provides. Anyone posting such a query here is likely to get a generic reply and the thread will likely drift into an irrelevant discussion about a vaguely similar problem someone had on their 105E in 1965 and what they got up to after hours on the back seat. Interesting maybe, entertaining maybe, but not much help to the OP who needs his car for work the next day.
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>> Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. Is there anyone here who currently earns a living from
>> repairing cars?
>>
>> Such a person may know the weak points on a particular model e.g. a relay
>> that fails or a wiring connecter that causes problems - things that only first hand
>> knowledge and experience provides.
Yes, Carmalade posts on here and he does.
>> Anyone posting such a query here is likely to get a
>> generic reply
Generic replies are sometimes ok. For example, we all have experience of failing coil packs, know what the symptoms are, and how it feels. A problem that is still very much with us today.
Some of us know how to obtain the diagnostic cds for various models (all the VW range for example)
Experience of servicing and fixing cars (coupled with 40 years of fixing electro mechanics for a living for example) in general is a skill not to be taken lightly, and alas a skill that is sometimes lacking in the main dealer (where the "computer says no" attitude prevails)
>> and the thread will likely drift into an irrelevant discussion about a vaguely
>> similar problem someone had on their 105E in 1965 and what they got up to
>> after hours on the back seat. Interesting maybe, entertaining maybe, but not much help to
>> the OP who needs his car for work the next day.
I am here for entertainment. If i came here to find out how to fix a problem on my Lancer, You would hear from me for 10 years* - it never goes wrong (and when it does I can fix it)
*Yes Yes I know, three cheers all round, beat you to it.
Fully agree with you tho, this long thread about the forum name is nothing to do with why the numbers here are not huge. Its just an irrelevant side show. Actually that describes the forum as well as the thread about the name.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 22 Sep 13 at 14:18
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>>I am here for entertainment. If i came here to find out how to fix a problem on my Lancer, You would hear from me for 10 years* - it never goes wrong (and when it does I can fix it)
Hahaha! - I like it, and how very true :)
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>>Such a person may know the weak points
You raise an interesting point Chris, but, I would say that method represents the weak method of fixing faults. It works well if, and only if, the car does have "the common problem".
In my responses to technical questions, I'm more likely to discuss how to diagnose a problem from first principles, which is, in my opinion, much more helpful, for not all problem cars suffer from "the common problem".
I suppose this type of response does place the OP in the position of either having to do something, or to ask their garage to do something, rather than just having an answer given on a plate. So, perhaps my answers won't suit lazy people. But, I would rather that, than giving an answer which could very easily be wrong if the car doesn't have "the common problem".
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As an addition to some of ChrisM's points, do you know why HJ's site has a Non-Motoring section?
It didn't want one. It didn't see why it should have non-motoring stuff at all. It was mostly because it was easier to contain it in one place than it was to get rid of it. It was also less controversial since a valuable techie might object having his non-motoring thoughts deleted, but wouldn't object to them being given pride of place in their own section.
It was the least valuable part of the site, from a business perspective, and was only there to both limit the damage to the motoring side by littering it with pointless stuff and to keep regulars comfortable.
HJ's site is a business, not a non-profit club and thus everything drove towards that.
The puritanical approach to swearing? Because one piece of swearing might put off one advertiser or one new visitor whereas banning swearing didn't drive away anyone that the site wanted to have.
The very strict naming & shaming? Ditto, not to offend, put-off or deter any traffic or revenue.
The splitting out and limiting of stuff? All for the same reason - control it, limit it, box it in, and stop it bothering the main point of the site.
And so on. And it worked very well. HJ and I discussed the future and the plans for that site in a pub. I can't remember exactly when, but I was still living in Rio full time so it was before 2002. And as far as I can see he has achieved everything that he set out to do.
Those things might not make it your favourite club, but they are what make/made it a successful business.
This site ONLY has that part that HJ's site didn't want, that nobody would pay for or pay to be part of. And nobody could work out how to make money from it. And only trickle was from ad revenue depending on the number of hits from people who *only* visited the non-motoring forum, and that was peanuts, as it would be here.
So, what do you want to achieve? Presumably 1 of 3 things;
HJ the II.com ? Because I don't think you can get there from here. And this site woudl have to stop being what it is.
Increased revenue? Well, that's Ad revenues and I'd guess all you can do is get the traffic up; but I'm not sure you'll be able to achieve much.
Make it a better / nicer / different club that you prefer? Well in that case the preferences of people here are relevant since emphasising those will likely appeal to like minded people, if any at all visit. But *how* will you attract them and then get them to stay?
You may need to accept that everything in life has a time, and one day that time passes. And that passing is almost impossible to stop. You may think that changing would stop or delay the end, but that change is in itself a stop.
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>> Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. Is there anyone here who currently earns a living from
>> repairing cars?
>>
There are several others here who, while perhaps not professional motor engineers/techs know a huge amount about particular makes and models. RichardW has provided lots of useful advice re my old Xantia for example.
Other users chipping in with 'mine did that too' type responses can also help as their garage may have had better diagnostic skills than that used by the hapless inquirer.
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>> I’ve been looking in here almost from the start. This is, I think, my third
>> post.
Fourth post. do try to get it right!
;-)
>>but think carefully about how you
>> express yourself as you may just be encouraging others to walk on down the road
>> to Wetherspoons.
Excellent news! I may just join you.
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If I were involved in running this site, I think I would be most concerned at the number of people who post once and then never appear again.
Imagine if you were running, say, the church table tennis group and new members showed up, stayed one evening and were not seen again. I think you would consider that to be failure - to some degree.
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'The way I see it' is that the site owner had the software etc. anyway from their HJ days so the cost of maintaining and running Car4Play is hopefully funded by the ads - which I don't see btw being I use Chrome + AdBlock.
Their main source of income comes via Khoo Systems Limited so we should be thankful that they keep this forum up 'n running.
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And when you get illiterate idiots posting stuff like this you are glad they only come to the site once!
"hope you understand this better.
ive given you all a heads up about a garage. im not winding no one up. what difference does it make what school i went to i pay alot of taxes more than most.
i payed for the first car cash.
first car owned first years insurance as ive only just passed my test. so it was expensive enough without forking out for a brand new car. or getting into debt for a car like the most out there.
ive been to the garage that takes all the work on and been told the diagnostics is a sham at the place. they turn off lights and send the cars back tobe sold if your not going to take the advice go and buy a car from the guy and see what happens bet you cant get a decent testdrive out of him. any questions welcome and ile try and answer with a
paragraph or two"
Null GCSEs!
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He maybe illiterate, but I'm not sure that necessarily makes him an idiot.
And sometimes even illiterate idiots have good ideas, points to make and things that they know.
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>> He maybe illiterate, but I'm not sure that necessarily makes him an idiot.
+1
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Well let's say it will limit his employment choices!
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>> Well let's say it will limit his employment choices!
Doesn't seem a good reason to hope be glad he doesn't come back. Seems like more of a reason to help/advise.
And honestly, reading his note it seems well intentioned and written by a sensible lad.
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He never was here. It was an example of a very poor result of a full UK education. taken from a Ford forum,
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"And when you get illiterate idiots posting stuff like this you are glad they only come to the site once!"
And that's exactly what puts new posters off. Being judged. Many people will agree that your example post is less than perfect use of our written language, but the thing is, they will keep their thoughts to themselves. Perhaps before pressing the button to post, a box could pop up asking for confirmation that you got a 1.1 from Oxbridge or a Red Brick university. That should keep standards up.
I'd fail as I'm the product of a 1970's comprehesive and only went to the uni of life.
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Sometimes I will look at the HJ site but do not have an account but some of the family have done in the past. All the males in our family are interested in motoring, some more than others, but when we discussed websites that one was mentioned from time to time. The common thread was we all read the Telegraph and the small motoring section on Saturdays.
I made a New Years resolution that I would spend less time on the internet and more time outside, in order to achieve this I made a rule that if I joined one forum I would leave another. I came to this site mainly by a google search but also partly recommendation.
It would be interesting to see stats on how many new members join and how long they remain active members. I doubt the figures are different to many other sites, people come and go on all forums but maybe its more noticeable here as there are less newcomers and there is no commercial feed. The reason HJ is successful is that many read the Telegraph, that’s certainly how my family found out about the site.
I have not found this site to be in any way unwelcoming. There appear to be some people who are more abrupt than others but that happens wherever you have a group of people. The facelessness of the internet may assist with this. It’s only an internet forum, if someone winds me up or is rude I just ignore them.
There are ways to boost search engine rnakings, it depends how much effort, time and money website owners want to through at the problem.
I am not sure why this site is compared to HJ, it’s clearly not a commercial site in the same way, what nofm2r says is interesting, it appears that he or she had input into it. Why does this site have to achieve anything, presumably KHOO are happy to use this as a front to their bigger business priorites as long as it covers hosting costs.
One final comment is I always find comments such as “I popped in but didn’t see anything of interest” a bit circular. It reminds me of the AGM at the sports club, people complain about some of the things going on and the decisions made but never can be bothered to turn up and vote!
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Although I dont post on HJ the site does contain a lot of useful information such as reviews, real MPG register etc.
This site offers nothing other than a few new posts every day in the forum, and as others have pointed out, there is more activity in non motoring. I see no reason why someone who stumbled across this site would be driven to post / hang around
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it here, but in its current form it offers nothing for newbies
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I've thought a lot about the recent posts overnight and I have Chris's initial post to thank for that...then I get up this morning and find NoFMR2 has posted my thoughts!
I don't think this forum should be seen as competition or a clone of HJ, we are both what we are and entirely different.
The lack of moderation is a delight so many enjoy and that in itself does encourage people to stay if they find us in the first place.
However comfortable we are here things do get a bit stale and newcomers add to the varied posts and posting styles.
I've always tried to suppress any ideas that spelling and grammar are an essential for an internet forum, and simple good manners should prevail upon us all to ignore them and enjoy the content.
It is intimidating and the reason I don't post when I'm busy...I have agonised for ages over whether a comma is needed or not, and waited for someone to point out my error.
The outcome is that I have learned a lot, however I have not learned anything that I wouldn't have written grammatically correct had I have been writing one of my courses or doing a PR for the PDF.
The downside is that quite often I have wanted to add a quick post but haven't bothered because there was a word I wasn't absolutely sure how to spell.
Now, I don my hard hat!
I was persuaded, much against my better judgement that the PDF needed a Facebook and Twitter page and buttons on the forum page where anyone reading a good post could press to tweet a link to it, or post part of it on our Facebook page.
Our traffic has increased considerably since I was out voted and certainly nothing bad has happened!
If photo's will never be allowed on the forum posts, then they could be posted on the Facebook page, including Z's excellent train video's;)
It would attract another sector and after all, trains have wheels.
There are so many of us here who have motorbikes and again, a my bike gallery would be good.
'spose we could have one for bicycles too!
All of this on a Facebook page would draw in people to the forums and then all we have to do is embrace the different type of people there are in this world instead of dismiss them if they are 'different' to us.
*off to hide now*
Pat
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 14 Oct 13 at 00:59
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I have just entered 'motoring forum' into Google. There were 14,300,000 (I think) results.
From memory.
RAC was first.
Car4Play was fifth.
Honest John was sixth.
What does that mean? I have absolutely no idea!
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It means we should stick with Car4Play, Shirley.
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With regard to the recruitment of new forum members; do the panel think that placing a few small adverts in motoring magazines, etc, might bring new blood to Car4Play?
This could be funded by voluntary donations from the plutocrats, topped up with a few shillings from the rest of us.
It seems to me that quite a few of the old school are departing, with few coming on board to replace them.
*Belated thanks (well, sort of) for Zero’s response when I mentioned this a while back.
;-)
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But the results with
car forum
motor forum
are wildly different!
SEO gurus earn their money or are complete con-men - please discuss!
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New Forum Name - Duncan
