THEY were going to try and insult and pick on YOU?!? Be thankfull we have the opportunity to belong to such a great forum. I seemed to overdo it and join several motorcycle, RV, and car forums. Most are very good and fun. This station wagon forum is outstanding. The best site I've found with many friendly, knowledgeable members. As others have mentioned, it's like coming home to visit family and friends. We learn, we share non wagon infornmation, jokes, and get along great. I'm writing this because I recently joined another car forum and have had many mixed feelings and experiences in a very short time. I'll admit, it's my fault to a point. I've already posted more comments than some old members who have been there for years. I was told by several that I should have been a lurker for awhile then only commented a few times until I got my feet wet. As a kid, I didn't wade into the water, I jumped in head first. I have a lot of things. But I don't have a lot of time left. I don't comment to rack up points. I get involved because I like to share my memories and little bit of experience with others. Yes, and to have some fun. I also disagree when I feel it is necessary. There are so many on that other site that threads are buried almost instantly with new ones. I found out that many don't comment because several members are quick to badmouth and belittle newbies. I even mentioned this in my introduction. Nothing like starting out stirring mud. On that site they call it something else. I even mentioned that I wasn't made fun of or picked on. Believe me, I must have scratched a few old wounds because the perverbial Sh*# hit the fan. So I guess I am now initiated. But knowing that when I write something or debate what one of THEM has written, makes me hesitate to comment. So, be thankfull that we have this station wagon forum to call home. What are your feelings about this and other forums you are on or were on? Why did you delete other forums and why don't you join more ?
There are a couple forums that I'm still a member of but never login or post on. One is the "Ford Forums", it was cool then it was all the same people posting about the same stuff. Then the "sub" fourms, that were meant to be for specific models went off the handle. It became to where any one could post off topic stuff and it would be okay. So I kinda got over that place.. Another is the "Focus Fanatics" forum. I thought it would be cool, and since I just acquired my Focus I would join up and see what I could learn about. Well I didn't post much, cause it was the same stuff over and over. The same questions that could have been easily searched. Also it seemed like if you didn't mod yours in some way you couldn't fit in. Then when it came time to ask questions you got the most ridiculous answers and some were real dicks about it. Those are my two that I rarely go to anymore. But this and few others I go to are really good.
wow...this is interesting, Cat. I sure know what you mean. I have been on other car forums where the members seem to delight in flaming everyone with the worst language possible. I was beginning to think that all car forums were like that. You couldn't say hardly anything without getting jumped. I was SO happy to have found this forum. First of all, I'm a wagon guy, but, MOST of all I found that most wagon people are NICE people. If there is a disagreement here...members chime in with their ideas and experiences and it becomes a discussion and a learning experience. And it NEVER gets personal. No one flames anyone here even if they disagree with the poster's comment. Only the subject is discussed. Flamers don't last here because our members don't tolerate them so they soon leave of their own accord. I keep referring to this forum as the wagon family because that's what it is. No one upmanship or I'm better than you or my car is better than your car kind of stuff goes on here. This place HAS turned into a family of wagon lovers and because of it we can joke and kid with one another. Truly, I have never found another car forum online that has been as pleasurable as this one. I've said it before and I will say it again....most people that appreciate the station wagon seem to be nice people to begin with. We are lucky to have such great people that make up our wagon family here. I know of no other car forum online that has such a friendly and cohesive group.
Thanks for the input. I was leary of posting this topic since it is not wagon related. Yet I was curious. Curiosity and being too the point is what got a few members rilled up on the other forum. But even those who got nasty seem to be coming around. Anyplace we go, the local cruise in or the local bar, a few want to rule the nest. I find there is always room for another dirty bird. I'll be watching my mailbox for the check from Steph for patting him on the back!
I belong to a Mustang forum but spend way more time here, honestly haven't really given that site a good chance though. A couple bike forums I belong to it seems a lot of people want to a good bit. If we do any here its always done in a good way with respect it seems. is ok if its done in good fun with no harm meant which I think/hope goes on here. I enjoy sharing other old(and not so old) codgers memories/recollections of wagon glory days gone past and hope my input is helpful as well. Feel free to me if its not. There, I've gotten to use this cool smiley 6....oops! 5....... times now in one post so I'm happy now!
Yeah, that forum that Cat is talking about is really touchy..... I'm over there a bit (mostly lurking, very few posts), and I'll swear it takes very little to set off the grenades. One of my peeves is that they warn you about getting 'counseled' (my term), but don't explain real clearly in their 'intro' section what they want you to keep your topics confined to. Certain types of vehicles are 'OT' but I'm not real clear on it other than don't dare post up something about a '67 VW...... The design of the site itself is also not friendly to normal forum browsing, since most everything is lumped in together in one section. For example, take our forum here, double or triple the active membership, then throw all the threads except for the classified stuff into one section. Imagine trying to find something.......it literally takes about 5 minutes for a thread to go from page one to page 2....... I'm on Focus Forums as well, since I had my Focus for 5 years. Still a bit involved over there, but not too many posts. Up until recently it had been frequented (mostly) by (IMO) young males with lots of desire to turn their inexpensive DD class early Focus into a street machine (with virtually no money). Lately, since the new 2012 Focus has come out, it's been getting a lot better. Less from the modding crowd, more from the 'experienced driver' crowd. Ian's got a new Focus, and he's been over there a bit. Here? Here is HOME. Marshall
Yes, using this smiley six times is exciting! I'm so happy! Krash, I never did get any clear answers what can or can not be posted or what kinds of cars are approved or not. Even the thing about the STICKY to read before joining is all Greek to me! I sort of know what kind of cars they are referring to since I lived in that period. Yet there are posts on later so called OT vehicles and parts. And like here, topics having nothing much to do with actual building or driving those type vehicles. Some are well recieved while others don't get over it. I've sent and recieved private messages to a bunch already and it's sad the way many were, and are treated. Gutter talk and bully nonsense. But I love the vehicles and stories for the most part so will hang in there till they love me or hang me! Ha! I used the eight times and feel so good!
Awhile back we were having a similar discussion here. We were talking about how some forums are so filled with trashy comments and members attacking other members etc. Stef (wagonmaster) chimed in on that thread and said that if it had turned out that way when he started this forum he would have simply shut it down and walked away. So, yeah....we SHOULD be thankful that we have such great members here. Otherwise, it wouldn't even exist. Funny thing, too...Stef has VERY few rules and generally lets the forum run its own course, yet, there are few problems here. That says a lot about the kind of people that are members of this forum.
I know what forum you are talking about as well. I WONT post, but read as the info is great for the subject matter. Guy
Then there are days like today when I can't leave this forum because of all the interesting comments and discussions. I am an old hotrodder at heart and didn't think a boring thing like stationwagons would have much to offer. How wrong I was. But I was wrong once before!
I never was a big wagon guy until a few years ago and really wasn't looking when I found mine. I really wanted something older because all my projects have always been '60's or older but when I seen my '83 caprice I had to have it and took sevral months for them to figure out what they wanted for it. After joining here I was really happy with my choice and the members here. I joined a Tundra forum posted a intro and looked a few days and just wasn't HERE. People are like that everywhere in the hobby not just on forums. This past year at Crusin' the Coast I spotted a clean tan and woodgrain '85 caprice wagon. I walked to see it and it was parked next to a couple with a '55 bel air. When I inquired about the wagon and asked if any of them owned it I got a look like I insulted them. The man quickly replied " No indeed, that is MY '55 " I told him it was nice and was just curious about the wagon since I was working on one. He laughed and said " Yeah guess if you want to get into the car thing CHEAP that is the way to go!" So that brought the Redneck out in me but played it cool and inquired about his car that all he seemed to know was it was a '55 chevy, blue and had a V-8 in it according to the guy he wrote the check to for it. Now nothing against buying a car already done because I would love to but for me half the fun is working on it but the look was priceless when I fired my little roller small block '55 up and drove past him and couldn't help feel like I was a little better knowing my dad and I built not bought it. So I agree with fox, I think wagon people are generally nicer people and WE BUILD WAGONS BECAUSE WE WANT TO even though that is hard for some to believe.
There are a few other forums that I play on from time to time. One in particular has grown in leaps and bounds, and is full of great people and great information all very relevant to my other hobby. Sadly, there are always a few who take issue with everything and anyone who does not subscribe to their views on pretty much every subject posted. I've had a few chastising private emails, to the point where I don't post much now (I was in the 4K posts range), I just read and learn and bite my tongue (fingers?) from time to time. Still a great forum, great people, and I get together with some of them on a fairly regular basis, but the loud mouths (loud fingers?) I ignore on line and in person. I don't have enough life left to waste on them. Stef put this forum together with the hope that mature individuals with a common interest would share their knowledge and talk about their hobby. It has grown to much much more, and credit goes to Stef for his stewardship. But also, much credit goes to the members who have come onboard and respect the intent of the forum in general, and their fellow forums members. Sure we get a little silly sometimes, but we are just having fun. As Fox states, no one intentionally makes another feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. We are lucky. Stef is quietly in the back ground doing what it takes to keep this up and going, we have great members, good information to share, and it is just a fun place to come and relax for a while.
I have been a member of two other forums prior to finding this completely by mistake. I drove Chrysler products for years, so I was a member on a popular forum for them. I found it to be mostly good people, also quite informative. Where I drove a less common model, sometimes coming up with model specific answers was tough, but I can't fault that forum for that. I do look in from time to time now out of curiosity, but don't really contribute anymore. The other one is a GM site where my wife had a Buick, and now all Chevies in my driveway. I didn't participate there as much, did see more trolling and flaming, but still with helpful people. I did post two questions there and never got a reply on either, which was a tad disappointing. Noticed new threads got buried quickly as well. I must say, this has become like a second home for me as well, and I have come to appreciate the personalities, different varieties of relating events, not to mention some of the fantastic posts, however they may turn out.
Okay it's time I put my 2 cents worth on this thread, I think it's an awesome subject and I want to first thank Model T for posting it. I for one am very thankful for my new family and a forum that has an abosolute community feel to it. I used to belong to a minitruck forum and experienced the same kind of hostility that others have from verbal abuse and knit picking to down right belittling. My first experience here was so postive I almost couldn't believe it. I thought being a wagon freak was like being a fan of root canals at one point. It takes a special kind of person to love the longroof and to find a group like this is one in a million in my opinion. The friends I have found here have made me feel so welcome and encouraged me to finally get off my a$$ and tackle my interior, I have been sitting on my hands for 6 years just kinda looking at it. I am very very thankful I found you all. Much love, Dewey.
Posting Thanks everyone for posting on this subject. i get some silly ideas and almost didn't post ihis one. But I guess I was sort of venting because of the other forum. Don't get me wrong, I love that forum too. In fact have been getting some amazing feed back lately. I guess I am not the only member, new or old, fed up with a few. As for dewey, I was beginning to feel bad for picking on him---you! But that's what real friends and family do. Just shows we care. Hope we all keep finding things to post and keep having a good time here. it's true, Stef has few rules and if needed, he does comment if one of us goes astray. Can't thank him enough for this forum. Been out.|Temp here is 100+. First time I drove the 55 wagon in two years. Forgot how hard non-power steering is. Glad I have the 59 Impala wheel. Still don't have AC lines crimped but temps stayed 180 on the road and under 200 in stop and go traffic. Two speed lectric swap meet fan. Can't believe it with that tiny narrow radiator and AC condensor plus tranny cooler in the way. Still don't have all the shrouding back on either so lookin good.
