NEW California Surf

So pay for trade advertising !!
Where does it say a Trade Advertiser cannot use the the main forum for relevant announcements. Tom isn't just using them to promote his products. If you don't like his content there is always the ignore button. Or flag the post and let the admin decide if it contravenes some rule.
 
The long term way to evaluate a poster like Breeze is to see how consistently they post during periods of tight supply as well as more plentiful supply. If it"s more the later, you know its out of professional interest rather than personal, but I suppose that's still OK if they pay for the privilege.
 
The long term way to evaluate a poster like Breeze is to see how consistently they post during periods of tight supply as well as more plentiful supply. If it"s more the later, you know its out of professional interest rather than personal, but I suppose that's still OK if they pay for the privilege.
Just leave the guy alone he’s perfectly entitled to post. If you don’t like it don’t read it. Seriously…..he’s just trying to help and so what if he sells the vans.
 
Just leave the guy alone he’s perfectly entitled to post. If you don’t like it don’t read it. Seriously…..he’s just trying to help and so what if he sells the vans.
Why are you so sensitive? I wonder if your anger should be directed at other posters. I just suggested a way to weigh a situation up. Members are free to make their own decision. I've no skin in the game, I'm 300+ miles away.
I think the excellent vw tech who used to be an amazing and generous source of information (vwguru??) might have been from Breeze. He's much missed.
 
Why are you so sensitive? I wonder if your anger should be directed at other posters. I just suggested a way to weigh a situation up. Members are free to make their own decision. I've no skin in the game, I'm 300+ miles away.
I think the excellent vw tech who used to be an amazing and generous source of information (vwguru??) might have been from Breeze. He's much missed.
Breeze are an amazing company keep in touch please
 
The love Breeze hate Breeze debate here is super interesting, with I think points on both sides.

IMHO someone from Breeze (or another dealer/VW), sales person or tech, giving impartial advice, is great, as some have mentioned. All power too them and any "insider" who can help, guide and support members is great.

But I would tend to agree that some of the more recent posts are not advice, guidance or general good forum member behaviour. They are advertising behaviours. Replying inline to another thread asking about dealers, I’d say, is harvesting the forum for free leads.

So it's really up to the admins I'd say - are they happy for Breeze to advertise with "free posts" on the forum. If they are under the "Buying a VW California" members area is it allowed? If so, why just Breeze, and is this the start of any advertiser that is linked to forum sponsorship being allowed to promote themselves in the guise of an information post? Does their sponsorship negate the need to pay the same price a paid up forum member would have to if they wanted to advertise their Cali? Maybe the answer is yes, in which case it would be nice to have an admin clarify.

At Nissan we collaboarted with forums and their admins all the time. Never once were we allowed to post, and in fact I banned my team and all European dealers from ever posting on a forum as themselves or anyone else. We monitored all forums with sophisticated listening software so knew who was saying what and to whom.
 
Last edited:
Can we keep this post about the upcoming Surf?
Given the thread post is an advertisement by Breeze I think the active conversation is a valid one. Be good to know where the forum stands on dealers, even paid up trade advertisers, creating sales threads or harvesting other threads for free leads. It’s bad enough FB harvesting your data, but a paid forum? You can always start a separate and impartial non dealer thread to discuss the Surf?
 
To be honest I'm not that fussed on this thread as it was information about the Surf. Obviously there is a dealer connection.

However the 4x Brand New..... should be in a dealer section rather than "Buying a VW California "
 
To be honest I'm not that fussed on this thread as it was information about the Surf. Obviously there is a dealer connection.

However the 4x Brand New..... should be in a dealer section rather than "Buying a VW California "
I’d agree if it was just info but it also then give details for people to ring and order. Agree on the 4x new and a number of other posts recently selling stock. I’d also say dropping into other threads invited or otherwise to harvest leads is a little off piste too.
 
Last edited:
Breeze like any other business / trade partner pay for the privilege of accessing this forum to ply their trade as is normal practice on many forums (clues In The name) without the paid up trade advertisements your subscription/ membership may be far higher.

The ” Nissan” analogy is simply not the accurate, despite the direct implications otherwise.
Breeze are a franchised dealer Not a manufacturer, a single business whom pay the forum owner to access to this forum, not one whom employ sophisticated covert listening software, which is a far more clandestine Practice, nor do they have the ability to Harvest your information, unless you request it, the suggestion is clearly disingenuous, but you know that already

It’s a bit rich for someone who by their own admission has actively participated in using sophisticated listening software to covertly monitor forums, to make that Analogy and similarly have a problem with a franchised business paying to openly access a forum.

The reality is many businesses pay to access this forum Specifically to promote their business. Dropping into a thread “invited“ to harvest leads means that someone was happy to recommend that business in the first place to “invite“ them into the thread for the benefit of another person.

I think you’ll find that this thread was posted in direct response to several other thread posts where the “Surf” model was outed In the motoring press and where other forum members actively invited Tom to provide Further information on spec, costs etc.
 
There have been many posts over the years of members asking if anyone knows if any van’s available at dealers for immediate delivery. Liverpool have been quite often given as a reply. I personally do not have a problem with Breeze posting on here about advance information on models or 4x vans available as they are a legitimate trade member. I agree that VWGuru is greatly missed so maybe a way of balancing the sales lead part of their membership with the tech support could be to have a tech available to the forum to help with advice and support with our vehicles
 
Breeze like any other business / trade partner pay for the privilege of accessing this forum to ply their trade as is normal practice on many forums (clues In The name) without the paid up trade advertisements your subscription/ membership may be far higher.

The ” Nissan” analogy is simply not the accurate, despite the direct implications otherwise.
Breeze are a franchised dealer Not a manufacturer, a single business whom pay the forum owner to access to this forum, not one whom employ sophisticated covert listening software, which is a far more clandestine Practice, nor do they have the ability to Harvest your information, unless you request it, the suggestion is clearly disingenuous, but you know that already

It’s a bit rich for someone who by their own admission has actively participated in using sophisticated listening software to covertly monitor forums, to make that Analogy and similarly have a problem with a franchised business paying to openly access a forum.

The reality is many businesses pay to access this forum Specifically to promote their business. Dropping into a thread “invited“ to harvest leads means that someone was happy to recommend that business in the first place to “invite“ them into the thread for the benefit of another person.

I think you’ll find that this thread was posted in direct response to several other thread posts where the “Surf” model was outed In the motoring press and where other forum members actively invited Tom to provide Further information on spec, costs etc.
Some interesting points, well made and eloquently argued, but I respectfully disagree.

The main thrust of my post though was to pose the question, is it allowed, with some context for flavour.

I'd have no issues with dealers paying for and posting sales and model availabilities in the right area.

My question was, is this the right area? In what looks like a public conversation thread? If it is, fine. But are we about to see a thread a week in the feeds of Breeze offloading stock and making offers?

Same for someone asking for advice on what dealer to use - are we happy that a dealer is able to drop into those and send their details. If so, let's clarify, that's all. Personally I think it's intrusive, in a public forum, but as I said up front, IMHO. Most other forums ban this.

For the OP and conversation about a Surf. Buy a Ocean instead, unless your desperate for fast delivery, zero decent offers to get that delivery faster and less spec and options for not much less money.
 
Last edited:
The love Breeze hate Breeze debate here is super interesting, with I think points on both sides.

IMHO someone from Breeze (or another dealer/VW), sales person or tech, giving impartial advice, is great, as some have mentioned. All power too them and any "insider" who can help, guide and support members is great.

But I would tend to agree that some of the more recent posts are not advice, guidance or general good forum member behaviour. They are advertising behaviours. Replying inline to another thread asking about dealers, I’d say, is harvesting the forum for free leads.

So it's really up to the admins I'd say - are they happy for Breeze to advertise with "free posts" on the forum. If they are under the "Buying a VW California" members area is it allowed? If so, why just Breeze, and is this the start of any advertiser that is linked to forum sponsorship being allowed to promote themselves in the guise of an information post? Does their sponsorship negate the need to pay the same price a paid up forum member would have to if they wanted to advertise their Cali? Maybe the answer is yes, in which case it would be nice to have an admin clarify.

At Nissan we collaboarted with forums and their admins all the time. Never once were we allowed to post, and in fact I banned my team and all European dealers from ever posting on a forum as themselves or anyone else. We monitored all forums with sophisticated listening software so knew who was saying what and to whom.
I completely understand your point of view on this matter.

In reference to the post you say where I have commented and dropped my details in is a most that I am actually mentioned in, so that is why I replied?

I have been asked my numerous members in the past dating back to 2019 when I first joined the forum that could somebody from Volkswagen be on the forum to post questions to and I have put this to Volkswagen ever since and yet to no avail.

In reply to other members comment about a technician being on here to answer questions it’s something we are pushing for here within the dealership and in the coming months hopefully will be something that will happen.

Surely it’s a good thing to have somebody from the dealer network on this platform or am I wrong? Yes I may self promote to sell vans and make that post available in a buying a Volkswagen California themed page, but I have also answered a lot of questions to do with lead times issues, brexit price protection.

Kind Regards
Tom
 
I completely understand your point of view on this matter.

In reference to the post you say where I have commented and dropped my details in is a most that I am actually mentioned in, so that is why I replied?

I have been asked my numerous members in the past dating back to 2019 when I first joined the forum that could somebody from Volkswagen be on the forum to post questions to and I have put this to Volkswagen ever since and yet to no avail.

In reply to other members comment about a technician being on here to answer questions it’s something we are pushing for here within the dealership and in the coming months hopefully will be something that will happen.

Surely it’s a good thing to have somebody from the dealer network on this platform or am I wrong? Yes I may self promote to sell vans and make that post available in a buying a Volkswagen California themed page, but I have also answered a lot of questions to do with lead times issues, brexit price protection.

Kind Regards
Tom
As I said in my OP - "IMHO someone from Breeze (or another dealer/VW), sales person or tech, giving impartial advice, is great, as some have mentioned. All power too them and any "insider" who can help, guide and support members is great."

So we agree. To a point. For me that point is when it becomes overt sales in a non sales area.
 
As I said in my OP - "IMHO someone from Breeze (or another dealer/VW), sales person or tech, giving impartial advice, is great, as some have mentioned. All power too them and any "insider" who can help, guide and support members is great."

So we agree. To a point. For me that point is when it becomes overt sales in a non sales area.
Nail and head.... Impartiality.
 
Back on point, still no info on the Surf?
 
Maybe Tom/Breeze should consider upgrading to VIP Trade Partner and having his own dedicated subforum like Campervanbits. It would be listed on the main fourm listing homepage and would drive views. Just a suggestion if the sales promos start getting too invasive.

It would be good to get some clarity from the Mods at this point.
 
Back
Top