I reckon that the Backroom (Martyn's idea, not mine) has become the biggest and best website motoring forum in the UK. We've got everyone from Mark in Brazil to Chrissama Bin Lada in Whitley Bay. At 22.20 today, the 4car forum had not seen a single new thread posted. So are we the biggest in the UK? Does anyone know of a more active website motoring forum. If not, and if we are the biggest, it could save this site from extinction. So please let us know.
HJ
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It's the main car forum that I use. Occasionally I go to the volvo owners club one if I get a problem with volvo a/c, but that's it.
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"The whole point about the car by car breakdown is that it assembles the experiences of Telegraph readers and visiters to this site. It's not merely one opinionated bloke (me)'s point of view. .................... It's how the car performs for the public."
HJ
Where have you actually publicised this unique selling point? It's not on the home page, nor on the breakdown page. Shouldn't it be!
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There seems to be some threat to the website from HJ's posting. Shame. I hope that the site goes from strength to strength. It performs a valuable service in the Back Room and in all its other services, it's always satisfying to see something which exposes the makers' puff for what it is. I always find something of interest in the BRoom, indeed it's sometimes hard to keep up with incoming replies. All the best, TGW
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T.G.Webb wrote:
> There seems to be some threat to the website from HJ's
> posting. Shame.
I'd agree with T.G. - I'm new around here, but quite like it. The Back room has a good atmosphere, and it's the first place I've been motivated to post to since getting into the internet way back in it's Janet and Mosaic days.
I know there's a lot of people who visit here but don't necessarily post (I'm sure your stats tell you that) - I've recommended to a few friends who do just that.
If we're looking for more traffic/postings, why not try approaching the Institue of Advanced Motorists? A lot of the stuff that comes up here is similar to what seemed to come up at their meetings, and I'm not aware of any forum of their own. Just don't have too many postings, it's hard enough keeping up!
Did HJ/Martyn mention re-designing the site in an earlier thread? Would this be what is threatening the extinction of the backroom? Either way, I hope it stays around, it's an excellent example of how the internet can be useful.
Lee.
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thumbs up for the backroom!
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three cheers for honest john and the back room. hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray. (and now tunefully sing) for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, and so say all of us :-)
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" It's an excellent example of how the internet can be useful. "
... precisely, as a frequent web user this is the only site which I make a point of visiting every day, and the only one I ever post to.
S.
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Me too. It's got something for everyone from everyone.
It was my home page but the demands of works etc etc ....
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This the only motoring site that I, as a non-technical ordinary motorist, bother with.
The willingness of contributors to do everything they can to help is unique, and the (generally) relaxed atmosphere with a mixture of expertise, comment and occasional zaniness makes it a real pleasure to visit.
There is a critical mass at which a site gats a life of its own. Below that and you get insufficient new threads and contributions to make regular visits worthwhile. The Backroom, aided by sensible Moderation, is well into the "alive" category.
May it live forever.
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Agree.
There are other sites with more postings. (egoup type ones l think) but navigation is awful and it tends to be full of single-manufacturer obsessives with lots of immaturity and unnecessary aggression thrown in for good measure.
This is the only site l post on because it is a welcoming and balanced site populated by what seems an excellent cross-section of the motoring public from (as HJ said) all over the place.
You're all wonderful... group hug.
The only prob's with the back room are how popular threads still sink (covered already l know) and how older threads aren't browseable....i.e. A thread will say it has 14 threads but will only show 3 etc...
dan
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HJ
I think we have discussed the future of the site in a previous thread. I seem to remember backroomers suggesting ideas to keep it going.
Please tell us if there is a threat and what we can do to minimise same. I for one don't want to lose the only site I visit dailyHonest John wrote:
>
> I reckon that the Backroom (Martyn's idea, not mine) has
> become the biggest and best website motoring forum in the UK.
> We've got everyone from Mark in Brazil to Chrissama Bin Lada
> in Whitley Bay. At 22.20 today, the 4car forum had not seen a
> single new thread posted. So are we the biggest in the UK?
> Does anyone know of a more active website motoring forum. If
> not, and if we are the biggest, it could save this site from
> extinction. So please let us know.
>
> HJ
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Alyn Beattie wrote:
> Please tell us if there is a threat and what we can do to
> minimise same. I for one don't want to lose the only site I
> visit daily
Several others wrote in the same vein, and it's great to have such support. A big thank-you!
As far as I'm aware there is no immediate threat, either to The Back Room or to HJ.co.uk as a whole, as they exist at the moment. However, none of us makes a living out of doing this (indeed, I think I'm probably the only one who makes anything at all, apart from the development team members who are paid for the work they do as and when), and this is not a situation which can be maintained for ever. If we do make the break and become commercial to some degree, I think it's fair to say that the traffic attracted to the site by visits to the forum will play a large part in establishing our credentials. So the continued presence of Back Room visitors (and, wherever possible, their movement further into the rest of the site) is crucial to our long-term survival. What makes it so much more rewarding for us is that people want to keep coming here!
Once again, thanks for the votes of confidence. We appreciate them.
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Yes, I think that this forum is the best and biggest because, it seems to me, even if you run a £200 Lada or a £20,000 Mercedes, somewhere among it's contributions there will be questions and, many helpful answers, to your particular problem. Also, which is quite refreshing, the professionals are not above making their contributions to assist us many amateurs and other sites are geared up to particular makes/types of vehicle
I participate in another excellent site and this is, intentionally, aimed at the British Toyota Spacecruiser vehicle and includes much discussion about the imported Townace & Masterace MPV's. I have learned much from it and it has been of great benefit. It is busy and it does attract a lot of contributors. However, the HJ site is not aimed at one particular make/type and, it's ability to attract such a wide range of topics is, I am sure, a big factor in it's success.
Long may it continue.
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Myself too
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Soory, posted in the wrong place. Meant to say that this is also the only site i amke a point of visiting regularly.
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Is Martyn (back room moderator) anti commercialisation of HJ's site and HJ pro commercialisation?
Really I feel this is an opportunity for Martyn to resurect some support in his quest to keep the site non-commercial.
Who knows which way you will decide to go, but you cannot afford to put your time and effort into this without seeing some form of return for it. Maybe Martyn is more of the charitable types around today!
I think HJ's site is excellent but could become better if open to commercialisation look at the comparison Match of the Day against The Premiership on ITV The Premiership wins hands down!
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Add my support, this is by far the best site on the web, certainly the only one to which I bother to post.
The best point about the Backroom is that we get such a wide cross-section of postings from the comic to the serious, the well informed to those who know little but want to learn. Best of all we all seem to be able to agree to disagree (most of the time!!!).
Long live HJ!!!!
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sell me some shares in this web site ?
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We have to commercialise the entire site. All of it has to make money. If The Backroom is Britain's biggest and best website motoring forum, then that's a selling point to get sponsorship for the site which in turn helps to save the site from extinction.
HJ
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HJ:
Approach venture capitalists for funds and sell some shares in this site.
You are missing out on a great opportunity to make money.
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hey i asked for shares 1st
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I love it almost as much as I love women and beer/cider/Guiness/ale.
What more could a Man want than a pint of Natch, a young filly on his lap and the Back Room in abundance?
Although knowing jack-**** about the really serious stuff I'm more than willing to stand my ground over LPG conversions and tar barrels.
I have to say it's the D.Woollards et al who make the site. People like myself and Chrissama Bin-Lada (nice one HJ!) are just wannabes!
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HJ - before it's turned all commercial and full of pop up windows and crap like the main Telegraph site has, can we vote on some new software? It is hard to keep an eye on threaded messages and I have to trawl through all the posts inc those from our prolific Geordie to check whether I need to address a reply to someone on a previous message?
Loads of boards use the UBB software, and although not bullet proof, offers easy navigation than the back room has at present.
Good luck in the expansion!
Colin
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More power to you and all of the correspondents HJ. Bigget and Best, I think.
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I find this site uplifting, rewarding, stimulating, sympathetic, considerate, dynamic and humorous. Presentation of cars and issues on BBC's Top Gear has become increasingly banal along with its presenters; I guess Channel 4's equivalent is not much better.
May I congratulate all of you contributors; your efforts to provide intelligent questions and replies, mixed with good humour, provides this site with a great deal of credibility. One thing for me is missing - I would like to see a greater influence on the site from the ladies!
I can live with increased commercialisation of this site, but not if it diminishes quality and content.
Julian
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Julian Lindley wrote:
> One thing for me is missing - I would like to see a greater
> influence on the site from the ladies!
We ladies come when we need help with something/have time to browse - at least I do. And it's been very educational, worthwhile etc. Although I still want someone to get their hands dirty for me, I would like to know what they are getting their hands dirty doing. If someone tells me something, I want to know if it is likely to be true.
And you need to recognise that we may have a different agenda: who cares about doing 0-60 in 2 seconds - can I fit the buggy and a week's shopping in it? Who cares what its torque is (one day I will ask that question, but not today) - can I reverse park it without breaking into a sweat?
Also, we can be intimidated by extreme sexism. Fortunately it's not the norm, just the occasional lapse!
Biggest? Best? I don't know, I'm no expert. Certainly the 'car by car breakdown' is better than anything I found anywhere else.
But 'friendly to newcomers' - yes. 'Easy to use' - yes. And on the technical side you feel you can have confidence in the answers - one person confirms another's suggestion, or adds a thought, or explains why the first answer is unlikely, or ... It just goes on!
I'm hooked, anyway. More power to your fingertips HJ and MBRM.
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I can only echo Julians sentiments.It is a highly authoritive & educational site
that has certainly benefitted me & members of my family, thanks to stalwarts such as David Lacey & John Slaughter, to name but two! It is the default site on my browser. It would be very sad to witness its demise.
So what have you got in mind HJ???
regards
Simon.
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This is the only Forum on any subject that I've found useful and interesting enough to revisit regularly!
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Old posts are impossible to access on 4car as you only see the latest 30 or so on the page with no way of looking at older ones, or am I missing something?
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If your right click on a question, left click on copy shortcut, then paste it into your address box you can go to the "page" for that question (number).
But if you change the (question) number at the end of the url, you can go to the page for the "new" number, even if it is an "old" number, if you get my drift ;-)
EG 799: Thanks for your help 4car! (still showing)
Is: www.4car.co.uk/jsp/main.jsp?lnk=611_2&id=799
If you change 799 to 699 you go to:
www.4car.co.uk/jsp/main.jsp?lnk=611_2&id=699
699: What is the best option
Well off the bottom of the list!
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The Back Room is all too addictive! I must check for new posts at least five times a day, probably more, easy to do with the permanent internet connection at work.
I'm with Sue on the 'who cares about...' issues, but I read them all the same. From time to time there's even a post I reply to, but I don't have the knowledge to contribute to a technical debate (not that that stops some other people I could mention..!)
I found this site when I was buying a new car. Now it's bought and running well, I don't use the rest of the site so much, just the Back Room. I do recommend it to others though.
Is the site advertised anywhere apart from the Telegraph?
U Go HJ & MBRM! (Trying to recapture lost youth there)
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So few women, so much work...... I agree with the other two (though actually I think I might quite like to do 0-60 in 2 seconds once in a while). We women do visit for a range of purposes, but our priorities probably are different up to a point. Personally the sexism doesn't bother me overly, unless it's really offensive, because it's usually done very tongue-in-cheek and as I know I've said before, the banter is part of what makes this site appealing.
The other thing is, I think reading a lot of the debates on this site actually makes you think a little bit more about your driving habits. I read most of the posts- well I did till recently: not enough time and certainly not a permanent internet connection at work. Obviously in the wrong job!
Anyway - does anyone know whether the geodesic splange crimpling rod has a left hand or right hand thread?
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Depends which side of the car it's on....
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A Geodesic splange crimpling rod is (usually) a grey post with a nasty box of tricks on top which robs you and steals your means of livelihood. They can hag right or left or straight up and sometimes hide behind direction signs. But you can spot them a mile off with a Morpheus GEODESY speed camera proximity warning device.
HJ
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