E30 Zone

Hi all, I can't believe we lunched the re-vamped Zone just over 7 months ago now.

I'm looking for feedback on the new site, how are all finding it? Is it easy to use? Anything you don't like or like about it? etc.. I've also noticed we have lots of new members, which is great, but we've seemed to have lost a few old members since the update, is this because you don't like the new site?

Do you like the new content? Would like to see more articles, more build threads, something else?

Any feedback, comments or suggestions will be gratefully received.

Many thanks

To be honest I was fine with the previous incarnation and even the runboard days before that! It's the people that make a forum, not the format and while you're right in saying there are quite a few new members recently, the revamp doesn't seem to have enticed any of the old faces back.

I think it is the facebook site that is doing the damage. Personally can't stand facebook but I had to sign up to contact a few folk that didn't reply to PMs on here.

Builds are updated on FB but not on here, things are put up for sale on FB in preference to here, even from long-standing Zoners.

Personally I like the site and the improvement in uploading photos was worth the change in itself, although like @Mr Saint I didn't have any issue with previous incarnation.

I’m a newbie and I love this Zone. Massive of info to read through, I like the threads, love wiki, . All good for me. Thanks.

Steve wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 4:08 pm

Hi all, I can't believe we lunched the re-vamped Zone just over 7 months ago now.

I'm looking for feedback on the new site, how are all finding it? Is it easy to use? Anything you don't like or like about it? etc.. I've also noticed we have lots of new members, which is great, but we've seemed to have lost a few old members since the update, is this because you don't like the new site?

Do you like the new content? Would like to see more articles, more build threads, something else?

Any feedback, comments or suggestions will be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Hi Steve, I think this site is brilliant. Very easy to use and so easy to get E30-related help and information which would otherwise be very hard to get. I like the articles on the home page and the event calendar is also a nice addition. I personally would love to see more build threads, events and pictures and possibly more parts for sale.

Thanks for your hard work.

It's much more user friendly when browsing from a mobile as I'm sure most do. One annoyance is when using the wiki there is no direct link back to the zone or homepage as far as I can tell. And also no view count on threads. Other than that its much improved, thanks Steve

Cloggy Saint wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 4:31 pm

To be honest I was fine with the previous incarnation and even the runboard days before that! It's the people that make a forum, not the format and while you're right in saying there are quite a few new members recently, the revamp doesn't seem to have enticed any of the old faces back.

100% agree that the people make the community but if the site is not usable, old, broken and consistently going offline, you will lose that community, which in a way we pushed people to Facebook because the old Zone was all those things, also we didn't move with the times.

A lot of the old members were asking for photo hosting & for the Zone to be mobile friendly, which we implemented.

flybynite wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:58 pm

I think it is the facebook site that is doing the damage. Personally can't stand facebook but I had to sign up to contact a few folk that didn't reply to PMs on here.

Builds are updated on FB but not on here, things are put up for sale on FB in preference to here, even from long-standing Zoners.

Personally I like the site and the improvement in uploading photos was worth the change in itself, although like @Mr Saint I didn't have any issue with previous incarnation.

Facebook is a necessary evil currently, a lot of car forums are suffering the same fate. I don't see the appeal of FB either, I gather in this day and age it's just a quick fix.

Build threads are a nightmare on FB so hard to keep track of anything, this where a forum beats FB hands down.

Ozu wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:08 pm

I’m a newbie and I love this Zone. Massive of info to read through, I like the threads, love wiki, . All good for me. Thanks.

Great, glad you're enjoying the Zone.

MyOtherCarIsAnE30 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 9:45 pm

Hi Steve, I think this site is brilliant. Very easy to use and so easy to get E30-related help and information which would otherwise be very hard to get. I like the articles on the home page and the event calendar is also a nice addition. I personally would love to see more build threads, events and pictures and possibly more parts for sale.

Thanks for your hard work.

Thanks

I've just added the event calendar but haven't pushed yet it as we're not really doing any shows this year, we're hoping to next year, I've focused more this year on getting the Zone up to scratch, but I can add general BMW shows / event to it if that helps.

I have an idea to try get more build threads on the forum and it's in my list of things to do, I'm hoping to implement it soon. As for more photos and parts for sale, is just down to spreading the word and getting more members posting.

tha881 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 11:03 pm

It's much more user friendly when browsing from a mobile as I'm sure most do. One annoyance is when using the wiki there is no direct link back to the zone or homepage as far as I can tell. And also no view count on threads. Other than that its much improved, thanks Steve

Yeah you're right more people use the Zone on a mobile than any other device. The Wiki link is on my list and I've also added view count to it, thanks.

i'll be honest this place (both old & new) has been a god send, it's helped me keep my sport on the road when there have been times i would've quite happily got rid of it.

then again i also blame this place for the car going from completely standard (when i first got it) to being a heavily modified one with a hartge 2.7 so this place is also a bad influence (on me at least).

i come on here several times a day & have done for nearly as long as i've had this car,

yes i use the zone FB page but if i need help/advise with something then most times i will post up on here & sometimes on the FB page as well.

as for the new lay out? works fine for me, nice & easy to use,

all in all this place is one of (if not the) best e30 sites out there, where most are slowly dying off because of FB this places keeps going.

so a big thanks to the team for all their hard work.

right, i'm off to fit my new smoked headlights & verneir pulley & set that up.

One of the most useful site's I've ever used, the wiki page is excellent and a big thank you to all those who reply to what must be the same question time and time again.

The newer members are great to hear from but they are also contributing sooooooooooooo much to the zone.

Mart.

I’m on here every day more or less. It’s an invaluable resource, but definitely not as active as before. When Ive needed a rapid response to a blunder I’ve invariably made I tend to post on the Facebook page.

That said, I hate the Facebook page and it’s really not a replacement for a forum like this - which has essentially become Wikipedia for e30’s.

Special shout out to Brianmoooore for his posts - they’ve consistently dug me out of a hole! Sunday was a steering shaft needing lube to get it to earth again, yesterday was a light switch suddenly dying.

Anyway, I think it just needs a few people posting a bit more often to encourage lurkers to start posting on the forum too.

Besides that I like the new content - it’s always interesting.

Just been over to the face book page! ......not agree with others, I'm not really a fan of FB as you have to trawl back pages and pages

I think it has died a tad......

I think the site is brilliant and couldn’t have done without it over the last few years. I don’t have Facebook and don’t intend to start using it.

Keep up the good work...

Regards,
Joe

I didn't see the old site so can't compare. I visit the site almost daily and always find something of interest. Some of the big budget rebuilds are very interesting but slightly intimidating in regards to a newbie posting anything that might be of interest to others. Though pleased with my rattle can resto of my alloys I'm not sure this would be worth posting?
Great site though and been an enormous help with the early ownership of my car. Thank you for being there.

ocde30 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2019 4:38 pm

I didn't see the old site so can't compare. I visit the site almost daily and always find something of interest. Some of the big budget rebuilds are very interesting but slightly intimidating in regards to a newbie posting anything that might be of interest to others. Though pleased with my rattle can resto of my alloys I'm not sure this would be worth posting?
Great site though and been an enormous help with the early ownership of my car. Thank you for being there.

Thanks for the comments neighbour , and yes we would all like to see anything that you do, thats could help others and give you a kick as well, lol

Mart.

I liked the old zone but love the new one, especially the ability to upload photos without the need for third party links.

I don’t do FB so this is spot on.

steve_k wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 20, 2019 9:59 am

all in all this place is one of (if not the) best e30 sites out there, where most are slowly dying off because of FB this places keeps going.

so a big thanks to the team for all their hard work.

right, i'm off to fit my new smoked headlights & verneir pulley & set that up.

Thank for your support Steve

Satan wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:11 pm

I think it has died a tad......

Maybe the old Zone but the new Zone is alive and kicking, we're busier than we've been in a long time.

kdevitt wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 21, 2019 8:41 am

I’m on here every day more or less. It’s an invaluable resource, but definitely not as active as before. When Ive needed a rapid response to a blunder I’ve invariably made I tend to post on the Facebook page.

That said, I hate the Facebook page and it’s really not a replacement for a forum like this - which has essentially become Wikipedia for e30’s.

Special shout out to Brianmoooore for his posts - they’ve consistently dug me out of a hole! Sunday was a steering shaft needing lube to get it to earth again, yesterday was a light switch suddenly dying.

Anyway, I think it just needs a few people posting a bit more often to encourage lurkers to start posting on the forum too.

Besides that I like the new content - it’s always interesting.

Yeah, Brian is like a human wiki, I don't know how it remembers it all.

Spread the word, the more active the site is the more the people visit.

Foe wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:40 am

Just been over to the face book page! ......not agree with others, I'm not really a fan of FB as you have to trawl back pages and pages

This is why forums should be still winning but Facebook is just a quick fix thing, people don't seem to want to spend time putting threads together these days, it's all photos and hashtags.

Etharla wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 23, 2019 9:41 pm

I think the site is brilliant and couldn’t have done without it over the last few years. I don’t have Facebook and don’t intend to start using it.

Keep up the good work...

Regards,
Joe

Thanks Joe, I'm glad you're enjoying the site.

martauto wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2019 4:43 pm

ocde30 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2019 4:38 pm

I didn't see the old site so can't compare. I visit the site almost daily and always find something of interest. Some of the big budget rebuilds are very interesting but slightly intimidating in regards to a newbie posting anything that might be of interest to others. Though pleased with my rattle can resto of my alloys I'm not sure this would be worth posting?
Great site though and been an enormous help with the early ownership of my car. Thank you for being there.

Thanks for the comments neighbour , and yes we would all like to see anything that you do, thats could help others and give you a kick as well, lol

Mart.

Totally agree, don't be intimidate by the big builds, we all have a budget, I'm always interested in any project.

jay1980 wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 27, 2019 8:26 pm

I liked the old zone but love the new one, especially the ability to upload photos without the need for third party links.

I don’t do FB so this is spot on.

Great

It's becoming more & more apparent that this the place for E30 owners that hate FB. ( maybe this should be our new tagline )