My observations of automotive discussion forums

[GenXer]

Since I own a few different brands, I peruse and post on a number different automotive discussion groups.

What I've noticed is:

- This BMW site is mostly about modifying and customizing your ride.
- A Mercedes site is about how much things cost and where can you get it.
- A Jeep site is all about where to go to push the off road limits of your vehicle and how much problems and defects you're having.

Is this a correct assessment? Which other automotive sites do you hang out on?

[Grumpy Old Man]

I'm not sure about all the other sites as I find I don't spend much time on them as they aren't as diverse as the forums here. The other sites are good if you have a specific question but I no longer have a BMW and yet spend most of my wasted internet time on this forum.

[Flacht3]

Originally Posted by Grumpy Old Man

I'm not sure about all the other sites as I find I don't spend much time on them as they aren't as diverse as the forums here. The other sites are good if you have a specific question but I no longer have a BMW and yet spend most of my wasted internet time on this forum.

What he said.

The other sites tend to skew more "specialty" with less enthusiasts and more brand-specific focus. But Bimmerpost is full of people who love cars, not just BMWs, and it's the best place to banter with like-minded people.

[SConn]

Coming from a Corvette forum where a good majority of the people are rude, judgemental, intolerant, right-winged, egotistical and many surprisingly uneducated (or just unable to spell and use correct grammar), this forum was a breath of fresh air!

[Humdizzle]

^lmao corvette forums

GTR forums were pretty good. They were all about everything fast (straightline) and ragged on anycar that couldn't cut a 10 second 1/4 out the factory which i didnt like. But they were guys in their late 20s and 30s. so it was a fun crowd.

Im hardly ever on ferrari forums. most have more money than brains and half the threads are about money (market speculation, trends in economy, how much x ferrari is worth now and in 5-10 years). Even if a car is better they will just come back to the ".... yeah but it doesn't have that ferrari magic"

[WreckerX5d]

Originally Posted by SConn

Coming from a Corvette forum where a good majority of the people are rude, judgemental, intolerant, right-winged, egotistical and many surprisingly uneducated (or just unable to spell and use correct grammar), this forum was a breath of fresh air!

It's why I don't frequent the Corvette forum. Ls1tech is about the same, although much less educated and more banter.

[Efthreeoh]

Just don't bring up Tesla

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by GenXer

Since I own a few different brands, I peruse and post on a number different automotive discussion groups.

What I've noticed is:

- This BMW site is mostly about modifying and customizing your ride.
- A Mercedes site is about how much things cost and where can you get it.
- A Jeep site is all about where to go to push the off road limits of your vehicle and how much problems and defects you're having.

Is this a correct assessment? Which other automotive sites do you hang out on?

Man this is why I really liked getting a BMW more than a Merc, even pushed me to go 335is rather than C63 AMG. The modding community and modding parts is much more there on BMW than Merc. And just the damn forum popularity. The Merc forum I found were DEAD. I would only get like 1 or 2 replies to my questions on the C63. On the other hand though BMW there is so muuuuuuch information and you can get the dealer software for free easily (ISTA-D) and do everything almost at home.

[Soterios]

Originally Posted by Chris_DM

What he said.

The other sites tend to skew more "specialty" with less enthusiasts and more brand-specific focus. But Bimmerpost is full of people who love cars, not just BMWs, and it's the best place to banter with like-minded people.

This is kind of surprising to read to me. Coming from other car sites to this, I felt the opposite.

While there is some technical discussion and resource, I feel like this community, much more than other generic car groups I've been in, puts value on BMW as a brand more than car enthusiasm.

[Captain Blood]

Originally Posted by Grumpy Old Man

I'm not sure about all the other sites as I find I don't spend much time on them as they aren't as diverse as the forums here. The other sites are good if you have a specific question but I no longer have a BMW and yet spend most of my wasted internet time on this forum.

Because of the rum?

[omasou]

Originally Posted by GenXer

Since I own a few different brands, I peruse and post on a number different automotive discussion groups.

What I've noticed is:

- This BMW site is mostly about modifying and customizing your ride.
- A Mercedes site is about how much things cost and where can you get it.
- A Jeep site is all about where to go to push the off road limits of your vehicle and how much problems and defects you're having.

Is this a correct assessment? Which other automotive sites do you hang out on?

I have previously owned a MB and glad that nightmare is behind me. I would say that your assessment is mostly correct w/these additions.

BMW - maintenance, modifying and customizing. The latter two have increased with the younger crowd thinking they can bolt-on and "tune" increases in performance b/c somehow BMW engineers don't know what they are doing, when in reality they are removing the built-in "reliability" and safety margins, but for them it isn't much of a concern b/c they do not have any brand loyalty and are chasing numbers and bragging rights.

In the past you would read of posts where a BMW owner was working in their driveway in the rain changing their brakes in preparation for an upcoming chapter driving event.

Mercedes - I found most of the owners did not know or want to work on their cars. Most posts, I read asked if the dealer would this or that like putting an AMG badge on their non-AMG car or similar nonsense. Also see comments about younger crowd above.

Jeep-no clue about the brand but would guess that you are right.

Am I generalizing about the younger crowd? Absolutely. Take a look at the classifieds if you don't believe me.

[shay2nak]

Here are mine...

BMW forum talk about ALL topics auto or otherwise. Members are shady when you ask to meet.

Lotus forum talk only about cars. Members are cool about meeting up.

[Soterios]

Originally Posted by omasou

I have previously owned a MB and glad that nightmare is behind me. I would say that your assessment is mostly correct w/these additions.

BMW - maintenance, modifying and customizing. The latter two have increased with the younger crowd thinking they can bolt-on and "tune" increases in performance b/c somehow BMW engineers don't know what they are doing, when in reality they are removing the built-in "reliability" and safety margins, but for them it isn't much of a concern b/c they do not have any brand loyalty and are chasing numbers and bragging rights.

In the past you would read of posts where a BMW owner was working in their driveway in the rain changing their brakes in preparation for an upcoming chapter driving event.

I'm in the middle of all that. I don't think it's healthy for the community as a whole to gatekeep BMW owners for not being the kind of owner that you like. And being open to that also allows an opportunity to get them involved in the parts of ownership that you do like. Tell the kid with totally stock suspension but 400hp of bolt ons to grab some fluid and pads and show up to a track day. Maybe you'll change his mind.

I know I joined this forum for one thing only : technical information about my latest project car. I have no brand loyalty, because BMW hasn't given me a reason to be. No brand has. The 135i was just a means to a good handling coupe that could get me back on the drag strip and have fun on the road course.

[Germanauto]

Have only been to forums of similar luxury makes and found that none of them are as active as Bimmerpost. This is the strongest enthusiast community because BMW is an enthusiast brand! I can't speak much to Porsche (Rennlist?) but I'd suspect their community is active but comprised of an older demographic and not as fun to be around.

Reddit (r/cars) is the other main site I hit up as it's always very active. There as some fun threads but a lot of BS as well. It's a diverse community so there's a ton of arguments.

[wdb]

Tacoma World.

/thread

[King Rudi]

I'm on Club Lexus also but it's a different crowd over there. Club Lexus also has a tendency to slow my pc down with all the ads and popup "Hi my name is Brad, can I help you find something" BS chat. This place has become an online home in my downtime at work. Lots of great people and personalities here.

I came here to get ideas on modding my E93 and learning to wrench on the damn thing. The car is gone now, but this is still the most frequented website during the day.

[wdb]

I've been on ClubLexus. As car forums go it is a waste of time, unless all you want to know is what size rim will fill the wheel wells. Technical information is near zero.

[omasou]

Originally Posted by Soterios

I'm in the middle of all that. I don't think it's healthy for the community as a whole to gatekeep BMW owners for not being the kind of owner that you like. And being open to that also allows an opportunity to get them involved in the parts of ownership that you do like. Tell the kid with totally stock suspension but 400hp of bolt ons to grab some fluid and pads and show up to a track day. Maybe you'll change his mind.

I know I joined this forum for one thing only : technical information about my latest project car. I have no brand loyalty, because BMW hasn't given me a reason to be. No brand has. The 135i was just a means to a good handling coupe that could get me back on the drag strip and have fun on the road course.

The primary reason that I too buy BMWs...is b/c of the community and the technical information that helps me maintain or modify my car.

Just to be clear, I didn't say, I didn't like anyone or that anyone needs to fit a particular mold. I just find some behaviors amusing.

[chassis]

clubtouareg is a good Touareg enthusiasts' site with a wide variety of mostly technical information. Many DIYers but not all.

Mercedes site is mostly not DIYers. Lots of talk about horsepower. Some technical information.

4Runners.com site is great. I'm trying to run our retired family truckster 4Runner for 300k miles. Great site for that.

This site is a good blend of technical and general automotive discussion.

On all forums I read very little that doesn't relate to the brand/model in question.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Originally Posted by Schwarzschild Radius

Because of the rum?

....tonight its whisk(e)y

[mirob]

Originally Posted by omasou

I have previously owned a MB and glad that nightmare is behind me. I would say that your assessment is mostly correct w/these additions.

BMW - maintenance, modifying and customizing. The latter two have increased with the younger crowd thinking they can bolt-on and "tune" increases in performance b/c somehow BMW engineers don't know what they are doing, when in reality they are removing the built-in "reliability" and safety margins, but for them it isn't much of a concern b/c they do not have any brand loyalty and are chasing numbers and bragging rights.

In the past you would read of posts where a BMW owner was working in their driveway in the rain changing their brakes in preparation for an upcoming chapter driving event.

Am I generalizing about the younger crowd? Absolutely. Take a look at the classifieds if you don't believe me.

In the past? What, like April of 2016 when you joined this forum? Yeah, those were the good ole days...

[omasou]

Originally Posted by mirob

In the past? What, like April of 2016 when you joined this forum? Yeah, those were the good ole days...

Yeah, other forums didn't exist prior to this one.