Do we need some sticky threads?

[2into1]

I follow the forum everyday and generally have a good feel and knowledge about what is going on with the T5 Cali, but note that the same questions keep on popping up. It appears (unless they are hidden in the VIP section) that if you want to know about :
1. Problems with the central computer, you have to read an 8 page thread
2. Roof rot problems, you need to read a 100+ page thread. A search for roof corrosion bring up 191 hits
etc etc to include:
Portable toilet solutions,
Bike Rack options,
Roof Topper options,
Mattress Topper options.
and I'm sure many more.

I note that many other forums deal with these common issues with 'sticky' and 'closed' threads that summarise the issue, the options, and the latest advice. These are updated as new information or new products come to light.

Would it be possible to organise something similar? Perhaps access to a 'Cali Bible' (Containing all of the above subjects) could be made available to just VIP members, which would drive income for the site?

Just a thought............

 

[GrannyJen]

I saw this thread title and thought " another topic about removing wheels"

goodness,

Specsavers here I come

 

[BerndRos]

These are all 'sticky Qs'

 

[motacyclist]

Good idea

I never did finish reading all the "roof rot" threads

 

[Martin]

If anyone wants to help us combine a Cali bible into a PDF we will happily do this.

In regards to sticky threads, we did do this on the old forum, but we had so many stickies it went onto two pages.

We are always open to suggestions to make the forum a better place..

.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Hotel California]

I find that some just post questions in a new topic while there is already a tread on it sometimes bit irritating....
The "search" function" needs to be promoted....so people use it more often!
Sticky's are good but only if people actually read them.... Otherwise there's no use
It's the forum user who needs to change his way of browsing the forum.

Think i'm gonne get some nasty reply's on this but this is just the way how i experience this forum.
Ps. been visiting forums for at least 15 years now and it is not easy keeping everyone satisfied.
But on here seems the mods doing pretty good job!

 

[GrannyJen]

Too be honest, experience from other forums suggest that the last thing people read when having a problem are the sticky threads.

Also, as with my ongoing problem with 240v charging, I would never have dreamed of looking at "Earth shunt" when asking around for a possible cause yet according to the latest straw being grasped at by VW technical this could in fact be the problem. Now I've had it mentioned I've searched on "Earth shunt" and found similar experiences but it's taken me 12 months to get there.

It is a fact of life that those of us that have been around for a while are going to see the same topics come up over and over again whilst those that are in the first flush of cali youth may not know their way around.

 

[rippers]

I find that some just post questions in a new topic while there is already a tread on it sometimes bit irritating....

Really? you couldn't tell

Not a fan of stickies they just make the site messy for regular users. If the info is there and searchable, as Hotel says promote the search..

One forum I use has a FAQ above the new thread box so before they ask why the table is rattling or what the rubbers buffers are that they have just found they have a link set up for them as the point they are about to ask.

 

[2into1]

Each to their own but I bet the promise of a constantly updated 'Cali Bible' as a pdf, included in the VIP membership would be a useful encouragement to drive revenue.

Do the points above (Stickies don't get read / you can use the search) really justify that a prospective or new owner should read 100+ pages on roof corrosion.
That's assuming they know that roof rot is an issue in the first place.

The forum seems to have a commercially run feel to it, so any improvement in the way it can share information must be useful.

Granny Jen's Earth Shunt problem would clearly be dealt within a page on "240v FAQ's" or similar, which covered the common problems and fixes. By GJ illustrating that currently you need to search on 'Earth Shunt' to find the answer seems to me like an argument in favour of a bible rather than against it.

If the forum doesn't do something along these lines, someone eventually will (taking their input from the existing threads!).
Thought it best that the forum benefits from all it's efforts, rather than someone external.

 

[GrannyJen]

Each to their own but I bet the promise of a constantly updated 'Cali Bible' as a pdf, included in the VIP membership would be a useful encouragement to drive revenue.

Do the points above (Stickies don't get read / you can use the search) really justify that a prospective or new owner should read 100+ pages on roof corrosion.
That's assuming they know that roof rot is an issue in the first place.

The forum seems to have a commercially run feel to it, so any improvement in the way it can share information must be useful.

Granny Jen's Earth Shunt problem would clearly be dealt within a page on "240v FAQ's" or similar, which covered the common problems and fixes. By GJ illustrating that currently you need to search on 'Earth Shunt' to find the answer seems to me like an argument in favour of a bible rather than against it.

If the forum doesn't do something along these lines, someone eventually will (taking their input from the existing threads!).
Thought it best that the forum benefits from all it's efforts, rather than someone external.

If it was a "bible" culled from forum posts in this forum I would have found nothing.

As it was I went to another forum and had to go as far back as the original earth shunt problem in the 2006's cali's before I found similar experiences of fridges turning on and off and lack of leisure battery charge. Most of the "Earth shunt" threads that I have read in this forum relate to auxillary heating problems, something that I have never experienced.

We still do not know if replacing the earth shunt has fixed my problem. It is the latest "fix" to be pulled out of the hat by what appears to begin yto sound like an increasingly frustrated VW technical department and the SMG service technicians.

 

[Martin]

There is a feature we can activate on the forum as a trial.

What it does is when you create a new thread, it will give you a list of similar threads that have already been previously posted based on keywords.

Let us know what you think ..


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[motacyclist]

Sounds useful.

(Only problem is we might have nothing to talk about because we'll see it's already been said! Like, my missus would have nothing to say if she didn't say the same thing over and over again only joking of course I'm as bad myself!)

 

[2into1]

If it was a "bible" culled from forum posts in this forum I would have found nothing.

But if the bible was kept up to date, we would now

 

[2into1]

Only problem is we might have nothing to talk about because we'll see it's already been said!

I wouldn't want the forum to dry up, but I can't see that happening !

 

[Martin]

Sounds useful.

(Only problem is we might have nothing to talk about because we'll see it's already been said! !)

Good point, and this is why I left it disabled, we could just close the forum and replace it with a bible lol


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[GrannyJen]

I think, and sorry to wee wee people off, leave it alone.

We don't want this forum to be a handful of people who have seen it, done it, and got the bible.

We want this forum to be full with people with that injection of youth, people who haven't seen it till now, who want to do it, who want to find out and who are not intimidated because "it's all been discussed before - read the sticky".

We want new opinion, not the grumblings of the wise that have done it all.

 

[larrylamb]

Couldn't have put it better Jen.

 

[motacyclist]

I think, and sorry to **** people off, leave it alone.

We don't want this forum to be a handful of people who have seen it, done it, and got the bible.

We want this forum to be full with people with that injection of youth, people who haven't seen it till now, who want to do it, who want to find out and who are not intimidated because "it's all been discussed before - read the sticky".

We want new opinion, not the grumblings of the wise that have done it all.

I guess you are right, sometimes when you try to improve things you make them worse. Maybe, like T5 to T6. ....

I'll shut the door on my way out and duck down behind the wall ...

 

[GrannyJen]

The T6 sounds fantastic.

I really do like the "remote closure" for the blinds option appealing.

 

[motacyclist]

The T6 sounds fantastic.

I really do like the "remote closure" for the blinds option appealing.

Can you really do that? I don't want to miss out on that, must get down and put my deposit down straight away.

Hang on, I can just get Marg to shut them

 

[2into1]

Well in the end it is something for the forum's owners to consider. I'm happy with that. One last tap on the nail though.....

Despite the rather exaggerated forecasts of doom above, my contention remains that for a forum representing a single, specialised and complex vehicle, largely bought by busy, highly paid, professional folk, the crucial information is too dispersed. That creates a need which the forum is best placed to fill. I don't doubt at some point that need will be met, most probably here.
It could however happen elsewhere - as perhaps witnessed with the recent magazine feature on roof rot, which is the exactly the type of summary I believe there is a market for. Contrast that illustrated and authoritative (sounding) 10 minute read with our 150 page thread (and it's 8 spin offs).

The magazine may well be penning the 'roof computer' one as we speak.

If the forum owners want to further their leadership of Cali-land, simple 2 pagers like that, kept up to date with the latest info would be a way forward.
(I understand it is a more journalistic approach compared to the 'build it and they will come' forum model).

Finally, VW are more likely to respect and respond to the publisher who carries the market leading 'go to' information, which would benefit all of the forum's users.

 

[andyinluton]

I think this needs to be made a sticky otherwise its going to slip off the front page

 

[Huey]

We want new opinion, not the grumblings of the wise that have done it all.

Not pointing at you, GJ, but using your positivity accompanying the questions from that fresh perspective comes a need to resist the temptation to shout "use the search function" each and every time (and in most cases, folk have already seen that/done that/got the t-shirt on the search front leading to their question, often in speed read the same question, but more often with a unique perspective on what has not gone before).

Coupled with that, I see no issue with batching up/consolidating the information in numerous threads into select FAQ threads (especially by those who know the problem(s) well or have been able to resolve a problem because of that information). This serves a two-fold purpose of an easy repository, and also give a handy source of links to those who like to point out the search function (supplying a link to a useful thread is so much more constructive).

YMMV, but I agree with T4WFA's initial premise and target audience he has identified. As many have been witness to, chipping up at your friendly local (and in some cases not so local or friendly) dealer and asking a 'dumb' question does not necessarily yield the answer or come for free.