I just got my first Jag on Monday. I've been asking a ton of questions. I'm a member of a couple of other internet forums where we have about 50 or so "regulars" who probably have 5 to 10 posts per day each. We all know each other, and the forum stays pretty busy. I've been bumping old threads here, and I get the feeling that many people show up for a week or two, never to be heard from again. Is that the case? I've got about 5000 posts on my favorite forum, but the most I've seen here (other than a mod) is in the hundreds range.

I'm guessing that since this forum is devoted to a single narrow topic, many people come here to get their questions answered, then they never show up again. Is that the case?

 

Yeah, that is probably true. I'm not a very big poster at any of the forums I frequent, but this one seems to only have a handful of regular posters and many of them are mods The quality of those that post is great though.

 

In some defense (tho I don't really think any is necessary!), I read all the posts almost every day, learn a lot, post very few "useful" comments, and wouldn't leave unless i'm ejected. I'm not a DIY person, but the knowledge and understanding of the various issues has helped me a lot in making good decisions about routine service, tech requests, etc. It is not about the number of participants, but the quality of their interest and assistance, that I value. I too watch a couple of the other forums, but I always come here first! DaleD

 

I too noticed a difference in the forums dedicated to Jaguars in general and XK8/XKR specifically compared with other car forums that I was a member of. For example the Corvette Forum I frequented for the 14 years I owned my Corvette was really quite a vibrant place full of motorheads, raucous types, enthusiasts, and some casual posters. When I was considering buying an Infiniti G37 coupe, I spent some time on those forums looking for info and found the crowd to generally be a bit more juvenile than I was used to which helped convince me to be looking at something other than the G37 coupe since I was approaching 60.

When I started exploring used Jaguars for purchase I found this and a couple of other Jaguar forums. My first impression was that there was much less activity than I was used to finding and that the group seemed much more "stately" for want of a better term. However, the population of XK8/XKR owners is undoubtedly much less than most other cars, the average owner age is probably higher, and there are also fewer "motorhead" types. In fact when the occasional motorhead drops by here the types of questions asked (e.g., how can I get my exhaust to sound more like a Mustang GT) just seem out of place.

Nevertheless, this forum has a wealth of knowledge and knowledgeable people who can help out with the types of typical problems that will pop up with these cars.

Oh yeah--welcome aboard.

Doug

 

Yes they come back, when they have another problem!

 

Age doesn't make any difference to me. I'd like a G37 Coupe!!

 

I wish that the newer people would check back in with the final determination/settlement of their Jag's problem. Sometimes the answers are given in a bit of a Shotgun Approach (many times out of necessity), and it would be nice to see which answer(s) best resolved the problem. Like DaleD said, there is a lot to be learned, and we see many common problems. My mechanic is a great guy, but his knowledge of contemporary Jags is a bit limited. Any diagnostic support that I can provide will only help me, so even if I don't do the actual mechanical work on a specific issue, the correct answer is still of great interest to me. Many posters post a question, receive several potential answers, but are never heard from again. From now on, I plan to ask for follow-up replies anytime that I try to render assistance.
Brian

 

The personality of various auto forums is marked. About 2 years ago I became interested in a Hundai Genesis. The fourum I joined to collect info was most usefull in deciding the car was not for me--but most notebly it was dominated buy 3 or 4 self appointed experts who flamed any and all who disagreed and each other as well.

Now this Jag forum seems to be a much more mature bunch and the moderators keep boundries a bit better. Also we seem to have more Techs involved than other auto forums. Members do come and go. I particularly miss some of the folks who were active about a year ago when I was trying to select the Jag model for me. Some sold their cars and moved on, others just lost interest and dropped out. I try to emulate them with the newbys.

The members who raise the most sympathy are those who always wanted a Jag, can barely afford their high milage example and have no automotive service knowledge.

Certainly agree that the final fix to the the problems presented for solution need to be posted. I always wonder what happened.

 

Being still a NEWBY myself, I have used this forum for great info. Yes, newbys message problems we have and i thank all who helps out. But, being a newby I dont have a lot information to give back yet. My contribution to this forum is to keep reading, learning, and absorbing the info so when i do see a message of something i KNOW about I can help someone else out. For me , this is one of the BEST forums I have been involved with with the BEST people.

I'm NOT GOING NOWHERE.... except for long drives with the TOP DOWN!!

Enjoy Memorial Day!!!!

 

There are many different types of people that join forums as have been previously described. Some join right away when kicking tires and after they have made their decision, they disappear. Others come to simply lurk and learn but aren't really comfortable posting. And of course there are the ones that ultimately keep the forum alive by being active participants.

The other comparison with Jaguar forums vs. other forums is that the annual vehicles sold are much lower than the more common vehicles mentioned such as Corvette, Mustang, Merc, BMW, Audi, etc. This obviously limits the total number of members, and considering percentages usually dictate that a small percent of any population will actively participate, you are left with the small number of active members that you observe. A good example of this would be in the US the total number of registered voters is a fraction of the population that is eligible, and of the registered voters, you are lucky to get 50% of them to actually vote.

There is probably one other large contibuting factor and that is that most original owners of vechicles of this caliber are paying $70K and up, they are much less prone to join forums such as this. These forums tend to ultimately cater to members, such as myself, that purchase second hand and are looking for the reliability and maintenance information necessary to keep the new car on the road as well as generally hanging out with people that see the beauty in these fine automobiles.

This is just a numbers game, and I guess it leaves it up the members that truely see the value in keeping the forum interesting so that it will attract more of the membership to be active.

 

The most egregious example I found of this was, again, when I was exploring what car to buy to replace the Corvette. The competitors for new vehicles (based on my price limitations) were the just introduced G37 Coupe and the BMW 335i. The most trouble-free car I had owned was a 1990 Nissan Maxima and I have always been fond of Nissans and Infiniti. I came close to going for the Infiniti but, here in Los Angeles, it still had the aura of being a slightly upscale ricer-mobile and the forums basically reinforced that. As far as the BMW, we used to have a 1986 325es that was a wonderfully handling car but it was the ultimate breaking-down machine. I swore I would never own another one but the 335i caught my (and my wife's attention). So naturally I started exploring the BMW forums to see if reliability and maintenance costs had improved. What I found were a bunch of self-appointed, self-righteous, egotistical blowhards who devoted almost as much time to bashing other BMW owners on the forum as non-BMW. I did discover that there were significant flaws with the 335i and that reliability in general had not improved. But the real thing that steered me away was the sheer arrogance of that group.

About the same time I started exploring used XK8/XKR (my finances put me in the second-hand category for cars like this) and was gratified to find that the folks on this forum especially seemed to be a pleasant group of chaps (they were very helpful in commiserating with me while I was undertaking the not inconsiderable challenge of getting my wife to go along with me getting a used Jaguar).

Doug

 

Some great replies re forum membershp and participation guys, mostly all positive which brings a smile to my face for one

Jaguarforums.com is NOT the biggest forum by any means and may not be the best, in some eyes, but it strives to push forward and above all be friendly and welcoming as well as trying to offer sound advice.
BMW, Audi, Mustang, Ford etc etc will always be bigger forums I guess due to the volumes of Cars they sell and the segment of the population that buys them. Here, we do have some fantastic techs who give their time / knowledge freely as well as some really experienced and ultra helpful members.
Its for the most part frequented by mature individuals who understand the cars and their problems and the need for a forum like this. Being a mod and a member on several other forums, I am probably most proud of the friendly and helpful atmosphere projected by most who are regulars here. The mods and myself try to keep the place flowing and alive as much as possible and encourage people to join in as often as they can.
It doesn't have to be tech related or a problem....there's also other sections dedicated to just having fun, telling jokes, etc etc.....
We do suffer slightly, from a large number of lurkers who do not either feel comfortable or confident enough to post for some reason, as well as the new members who use the site for a particular issue and never return until the next one arises.....Unfortunately, thats forums for you!
I, myself, haven't had a Jag now for approx 2 years or so and still call this place home forum wise

 

Hey Jim, I had not realized that you did not own a Jag--isn't it time to get one? I too have still been visiting and contributing my (limited) knowledge back over at the Corvette Forum that I was a member of for almost 15 years (old habits die hard).

Doug

 

There are some that stay because they want to know more about their cars. Some just like the cars even though they don't currently have one. I haven't been a member that long, but I participate where ever I think I can be helpful. I'm not always right in some of my postings, but that's how we learn. I've learned a **** load of information here!

 

+1 on Hlgeorge's comments
Doug - I'm poor and can only afford to run 2 cars...hopefully anotherJag somewhere in my future as I love the brand and what they stand for

 

Ah yes, the good ol' days. Seems like a lifetime ago we were listening to your most entertaining stories as you test drove the cars with your wife. Good times.

turbor, great attitude, you'll fit in nicely!

I always feel like an idiot when I try to help beyond my level of understanding, or relying on my memory of certain facts. Thankfully, the members are often forgiving, and the tech guys go easy on me during their 'corrections' when I do put the proverbial foot-in-mouth.

 

I was very active for a while when I first got my Jag. There was the thrill of it all and I had a number of issues that I needed help with. My post count has fallen away dramatically now, as fingers crossed I have had had no issues for a while.

I am limited in what I can contribute, though I have tried with threads on using leather repair kits and problems with the remote key fob. I do think it is important to give back.

As you can see, I do still visit to see what is going on.

 

Delta, I know a way you can contribute, at least short term.

Can you help? -> go to the link.

 

I'm new as yesterday. I came to learn the various changes over the years to decide which year XK I'm going to pursue for purchase. (I'm Jagless at the moment) I put a shortcut to the forum on my desktop and hope to visit and learn as often as my small business allows me. After I find and get my Jag I'll post pics and ask a million questions about the things you find you didnt know when you were just working toward it. God bless the "Yodas" you find on many of these types of forums. My experiences with the Lexus, Ford truck, and MR2 forums have been positive and very long term, but in waves. I try to contribute, when I have a contribution to make.
There is no better way to learn a make and model than to join a forum on that model.
I hope I'm able to reach my goal and stay long term. That's the view from the newbie. Thanks for helping me learn the marque.

 

Haha, I don't know if it's the day I'm having or that I really need sleep, but I was pretty certain that link would lead me to the "Girls on Cars" thread in the Lounge