aggravation

do you envy his ignorance or fear his anger if he loses the engine next week to IMSB failure and finds out it is a big deal in 'the forums' and you didn't mention it? 😛

roadsession

I completely envy him.

It is pretty well established a very small percentage (under ten percent) of new car owners actually join car forums.

The percentage goes up as cars get older and second/third/fourth hand owners seek solutions to common problems.

The percentage of car owners on forums in Europe is a fraction of the US.

For the majority Porsche remains one of the more reliable cars - both in the new and used car market.

Rubik

But seriously, I wonder what's the % toast cars among RL members vs. folks in total oblivion which we will never know cuz they may not decide to suddenly join RL after loosing $20K or the car for that matter. So we may experience some insomnia but are we better off at the end?

aggravation

This forum is going to be the end of me. Now I have to figure out how to explain to the wife that I need a window in our kitchen/garage door!

JD ARTHUR

You could just ask her to go look in the garage every few hours to see if the Porsche is alright, after that it shouldn't take long before she installs the window!

DTMiller

This man knows how to solve problems.

johnireland

This is actually a fairly quiet thread so I thought I'd post these thoughts here.

The best forum I ever belonged to was in the late seventies/early eighties, the Alfa Romeo Owners of Southern California. We met face to face once a month, swapped stories, bought and sold used parts, had a tech trouble shoot session, heard an informational presentation, made announcements about track days or rallies or concours, went out for beer and pizza, and got home around midnight.

The next morning (usually a Saturday) we read the paper and had breakfast with our wives, then we went out and washed or worked on our cars... lavishing just enough love on our particular piece of metal to make sure we could drive them to work on Monday.

Each generation of Alfa had its fans and critics. We had mechanics and businesses that offered various solutions to various issues. We had falling values and rising values. We had "old timers" and "newbies." And we had typewritten newsletters that arrived in the mail box sooner or later.

But because our meetings were once a month and face to face, time was more precious and good manners were mandatory. As all of this relates to Rennlist, has immediacy and anonymity made us forget civility? Are pictures of big **** and rants of ridicule how this forum defines itself? Yes there are technical discussions here but I'm not sure they merit the rest that goes with it.

dporto

John,
All fair points - well (and politely) made ! You seem to have a fairly thick skin, as is needed on internet forums. Unfortunately, this is the price we pay for instant gratification - you have to take the good with the bad. Just ignore the silly stuff and enjoy the boobie pic's for ***** saek !

JD ARTHUR

Manners and civility are ok but should never be mandatory. If you don't have thick skin a forum of any kind is not the best place to spend time. Since there is no possibility of a physical altercation anything and everything will be said. I like seeing all the different personalities that start to show the more I read the posts. The only thing in common is the likelihood that all the members own and drive similar cars and even that isn't a given. If in the event someone actually does need some kind of help and not an opinion than the forum finally becomes worthwhile. The guys that own the cars and never join the forum usually fall into two groups. Group one: the car is nice but its just a car and if it starts, runs and looks good thats enough for them. Group two: Guys that are way to busy to devote any of what little free time they have to sitting on the computer and getting involved with a forum.