Sunday Brainstorming Jam Session - Increase Member Registrations

[Ron Vogel]

I’m more of an idea guy, than an implement guy though

 

[Turk]

Why do we just automatically dismiss the younger crowd? They are the ones that could make a forum thrive.

Maybe some sort of partnership with chitown Subarus?

 

[Mook]

Why do we just automatically dismiss the younger crowd? They are the ones that could make a forum thrive.

Maybe some sort of partnership with chitown Subarus?

Because in the 15 years of TCG existing, we've basically never converted the young folk to forums.

 

[Mook]

Because in the 15 years of TCG existing, we've basically never converted the young folk to forums.

That statement is inaccurate, because we all started off young on here. Since IG became huge, I should say.

 

[Turk]

That statement is inaccurate, because we all started off young on here. Since IG became huge, I should say.

Was just going to say, we were young when this started.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

At the end of the day I think far less people are actually building projects. Younger kids finance shit and put wheels on them. The older guys, even members on here sold off their builds for a new hellcat or Vette or just about anything else out there they can put a DR on and go beat their personal best their old ride did on its best day.

That’s not a dig at them in the slightest, just how the times change.

IMO modern cars price per performance killed the builds.

Spend 40k on a 10 second custom build....

Or spend 40k on a 10 second factory car with a warranty and modern conveniences....or 11-12 second car stock and spend 1k aftermarket to get it to 10 sec.

90% of people will go the second route nowadays when 15 years ago, you had to build to hit those numbers.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

drop buisness cards and decals in the parking lot of a local HS with an auto shop?

jiffy lube and ntb did that shit back when i was at palatine HS

do any high schools have autos anymore?

 

[jason05gt]

I think seeing where the car industry is going, maybe more EV content. EV’s are going to keep expanding and most legacy car manufacturers are going to shift a good chunk of production to them by 2025-2030.

 

[Gone_2022]

I think seeing where the car industry is going, maybe more EV content. EV’s are going to keep expanding and most legacy car manufacturers are going to shift a good chunk of production to them by 2025-2030.

Without trying to sound “negative” I have tried to do that in some of my posts, as well as my road trip threads and honest reviews of EVs. Unfortunately most of the member base of this forum is not interested in that stuff, and most of those threads just get derailed in about 5 posts.

That’s not a knock on people, it’s just not who the current majority of TCG care about or even want to consider reading about.


Edit: your idea is a good one though. EV tech is everywhere and it probably would drive a lot more people to the site, along with members not shitting on people and derailing threads daily (myself included)

 

[blue-sun]

I was thinking the other day, that a video podcast/youtube channel of TCG members and their garages/car stories would be cool, kind of like vinwiki.

Kind of shoot the shit about cars and our car history, kind of like The Smoking Tire in studio podcast.

Maybe that would drive more users to the site, IDK.

 

[Gone_2022]

IMO modern cars price per performance killed the builds.

Spend 40k on a 10 second custom build....

Or spend 40k on a 10 second factory car with a warranty and modern conveniences....or 11-12 second car stock and spend 1k aftermarket to get it to 10 sec.

90% of people will go the second route nowadays when 15 years ago, you had to build to hit those numbers.

This^

I struggled with this a lot when building my trans am. The entire time I kept asking myself, why am I building this old car, taking out all the comforts to make it go fast and not really drivable, when new cars are running close to similar times with AC seats and 15 speaker stereos?

 

[Turk]

Imo, TCG was never about car builds. It was more about community. A diverse group of cars where people could discuss their hobbies.

I think people still want that, but they want extravagant car meets. How do we do that?

CACW succeeded in the car meet area, but their online presence is pretty much dead now.

 

[Kizzlebizz]

I came when the sloppy section was created, and liked what I saw. However; I am mid 30's, and back when I really started building stuff, circa 2004, all that existed were the forums. I had already been actively moving from facebook, deleting people I haven't talked to in 10 years, and was basically looking for an alternative. I guess Matt and Mook struck up a conversation and the sloppy section was born...and then despite the efforts, looks like it's fizzling out. I was, and still am a member of thesamba.com for vw stuff, and was very active on camarov6, so the forum is like coming back home.

What is that for the, and I hate to say it, younger generation? What can TCG supply for people who are content with the way facebook works, content with what they see in groups, and don't actually build shit? I think TCG provides a nice combo of general discussion and is why I have mostly replaced facebook with this. That dude and the farming thread is quite a good read. I like the different content.

I am still one of those folks building shit. I tried a shower remodel the other day and fuck me if it wasn't the most miserable shit I ever did; however it seems I could wrench for the rest of time. There may become a time when I decide to buy something with amenities that isn't a steamy pile, but that isn't this time.

 

[Gone_2022]

Imo, TCG was never about car builds. It was more about community. A diverse group of cars where people could discuss their hobbies.

I think people still want that, but they want extravagant car meets. How do we do that?

CACW succeeded in the car meet area, but their online presence is pretty much dead now.

I think covid as well is a lot to blame. Hell pre covid I was going to iron gate condos on the regular, super car Saturday’s, some TCG diner meets etc. all that shit is gone now or at least it was. It feels like a lot of the car scene is gone.

Would love to see it come back, I would love to expose my son to viewing some cars. He loves all that stuff. (Trains, planes, things that go vroom)

 

[Lead Pipe]

I 2nd the podcast or vlog idea. That would just require Mook to not be lazy.

 

[jason05gt]

Without trying to sound “negative” I have tried to do that in some of my posts, as well as my road trip threads and honest reviews of EVs. Unfortunately most of the member base of this forum is not interested in that stuff, and most of those threads just get derailed in about 5 posts.

That’s not a knock on people, it’s just not who the current majority of TCG care about or even want to consider reading about.


Edit: your idea is a good one though. EV tech is everywhere and it probably would drive a lot more people to the site, along with members not shitting on people and derailing threads daily (myself included)

I like your EV posts and I learn from them. I will give you some honest feedback in that sometimes you've come across as an EV fanboy outside of that thread. There's a few that do on here. I get it, but it also turns off some of the hardcore ICE guys. Not everyone is willing to suddenly switch over to EV's.

 

[blue-sun]

I 2nd the podcast or vlog idea. That would just require Mook to not be lazy.

I have video editing experience in the past, nothing crazy or special though. I did it in school and for a short time at a job I had where they had a quarterly staff meeting and the VP of Operations wanted "skits" from each team and there were 3 of us that shot and edited pieces for those meetings. I don't have a modern computer (I have an iMac I bought in 2008, an ipad and a iphone) that isn't work paid for, but I'd be willing to try and help Mook with it if he wants to give it at try!

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

I need to have Cody put on the GoPro helmet again and come hang out to update this.



As soon as I get my hands on my old man's new Kia hybrid I'll be looking at what is moddable on it I'm going to guess not much

 

[Mook]

I came when the sloppy section was created, and liked what I saw. However; I am mid 30's, and back when I really started building stuff, circa 2004, all that existed were the forums. I had already been actively moving from facebook, deleting people I haven't talked to in 10 years, and was basically looking for an alternative. I guess Matt and Mook struck up a conversation and the sloppy section was born...and then despite the efforts, looks like it's fizzling out. I was, and still am a member of thesamba.com for vw stuff, and was very active on camarov6, so the forum is like coming back home.

What is that for the, and I hate to say it, younger generation? What can TCG supply for people who are content with the way facebook works, content with what they see in groups, and don't actually build shit? I think TCG provides a nice combo of general discussion and is why I have mostly replaced facebook with this. That dude and the farming thread is quite a good read. I like the different content.

I am still one of those folks building shit. I tried a shower remodel the other day and fuck me if it wasn't the most miserable shit I ever did; however it seems I could wrench for the rest of time. There may become a time when I decide to buy something with amenities that isn't a steamy pile, but that isn't this time.

The whole sloppy "partnership" had promise but it died after like 48 hours. That honestly could have been the smoking gun for us.

 

[Gone_2022]

I like your EV posts and I learn from them. I will give you some honest feedback in that sometimes you've come across as an EV fanboy outside of that thread. There's a few that do on here. I get it, but it also turns off some of the hardcore ICE guys. Not everyone is willing to suddenly switch over to EV's.

I try not to, but I guess sometimes since I’ve lived with an EV for years now I can see how good it can be. I feel like I try my best to give the most honest feedback especially on teslas. I give the good and the bad. Instead of just saying it’s all rainbows.

I had a big role in the EV department in my last job. So much stuff I could have posted. As someone who was actually doing it for work I feel like I have some of the most knowledge. But I just never bothered posting any of it because most stuff would just get shit on or derailed. I have since left that job, but there was a lot of interesting stuff.

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

I don't have much to offer as TCG is localized due to the name, and a "general interest" forum for the most part, so it's hard to market it. You joked about themetagarage.com before but I think if you want to expand membership, you might have to change the name and go nation-wide, and prob also restructure the site to cater to that.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to how SVTP has so many members?

 

[Mook]

I don't have much to offer as TCG is localized due to the name, and a "general interest" forum for the most part, so it's hard to market it. You joked about themetagarage.com before but I think if you want to expand membership, you might have to change the name and go nation-wide, and prob also restructure the site to cater to that.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to how SVTP has so many members?

Their marketplace is still the main draw afaik.

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

Is there money in having an active forum? If so it might be worth paying a marketing guy to provide some advice.

 

[blue-sun]

I don't have much to offer as TCG is localized due to the name, and a "general interest" forum for the most part, so it's hard to market it. You joked about themetagarage.com before but I think if you want to expand membership, you might have to change the name and go nation-wide, and prob also restructure the site to cater to that.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to how SVTP has so many members?

TheCarGarage.com, keeps it TCG, but you gotta talk to the shop in the UK and see if they'll go to

https://www.thecargarage.uk

 

[Mook]

Is there money in having an active forum? If so it might be worth paying a marketing guy to provide some advice.

If I stick ads everywhere, yes.

As it stands, the only "ads" on the site are from my Amazon affiliate account and so far I've only made $20ish bucks lol.