No-one but me online here. Wow...

[boxclever1753]

I used to use this site over 10 years ago when last in E30 ownership and the site was busy. Every post had loads of interactions daily and there was always something interesting to comment on or to read.

Fast forward to 2021 and I buy another E30 and rejoin. I put up a "hello" post and a few nice people replied. Great, nice start. Then I put up an opinion post and no-one replied. No-one, in 3 days. Obviously I'm not entitled to replies but no-one replied as no-one is here. Four times I've been here in three days and I'm the only one online. It used to be over 100 members concurrently online and a load of guests.

You can't plead "times have changed and everyone is on facebook' as virtually every other niche forum has grown exponentially over the last five years. And the pandemic has grown users for almost everyone over the past 12 months.

So why is no-one here? It took me 10 days to rejoin - I got "bad gateway" notices, username and password incorrect, i changed passwords and recovered usernames and it still failed. Who is responsible for managing the back end here? No-one?

Oh well, well done. How to kill a community. I'm posting this to see what happens - maybe a moderator will remove this post, if he can be arsed. Or if he notices a post has been made.

Just dreadful.

[ah]

I’m here, I know where your coming from it’s a bit different these days,but if you you want help or put a question up you will get a reply fairly straight the way.

[paultv]

I'm here every day...but it's -10C outside and lockdown prevails...so both me and the car are hibernating !!

I'm pretty sure there's plenty of people about...I always get and give help as do loads of others!

Going ice fishing later...but not in my E30

Paul

[flybynite]

Ironically the highest number online for the ‘new’ zone was in the first few days of the first lockdown!

You can plead "times have changed and everyone is on facebook' because that is what has happened. Especially for the generation who seem to need instant gratification. Even a couple of mods on here don't post any more but are quite active on FB.

I am on quite a few 'niche' forums because I have quite a few 'niche' bits and pieces and they have all suffered at the hands of FaceAche.

The Zone probably won't be the centre of your social life but it is the only place you will get a sensible answer to a problem without pages of 'clever' posts about 'flux capacitors', 'indicator fluid' and the need to 'stance' and 'stretch' it . Worth waiting a bit for an answer.

Its not perfect, but it was, still is, and hopefully always will be the most useful mine of information between the wiki and search of previous posts where most lessons have been learned. Still has no adverts

[boxclever1753]

Hey

I appreciate your replies, almost ironically! I'm beginning to realise I had unrealistic expectations of what the zone would give me this time around, a bit like meeting up with school friends 20 years later and having nothing in common... it's life, isn't it?

You're all right, use it for the knowledge that is probably already archived and if I happen to need pointers on something else then it'll be used as one of my options for assistance. It won't be my go to place anymore as the fact is people don't use it much therefore replies will be scant and untimely probably.

Thanks fellas.

[flybynite]

What you have to remember is, a lot of people have done what you did and disappear for years.

That is what killed it.

Having a hissy fit and deleting your posts is probably not the best way to get back into what is quite a small crowd.

The 'bad gateway' thing does need sorting and I don't know the cause but it can be fixed by deleting your cookies

[boxclever1753]

What you have to remember is, a lot of people have done what you did and disappear for years.

That is what killed it.

Having a hissy fit and deleting your posts is probably not the best way to get back into what is quite a small crowd.

The 'bad gateway' thing does need sorting and I don't know the cause but it can be fixed by deleting your cookies

Thanks for this. My hissy fit was exactly that, and at least I'm man enough to stay here and listen/answer this.

Yes, I deleted the one post I had made because I was disappointed. And I stand by that. I'm still disappointed but as you may have read from my previous post I've realised my expectations were far too high.

The bad gateway thing is a problem, it took me days of repeated persistent attempts to rejoin and someone new to the site won't do that - they'll just think it is broken and unmanaged so will go elsewhere. Hence having too few users to call it a forum. Rename it the "E30 database of mods, problems and fixes" and that will be where the value is moving forward.

It's so ironic that the only time in a week I've had any engagement with users is when I raise a complaint about lack of users. You couldn't make it up.

[Steve]

Hi all

First off apologies for all the issues everyone is having and let me explain the situation.

Like most people currently we’re all dealing with Covid. This awful virus is affecting many people in lots of different ways, for me currently it’s my job & my wife’s job as she works for the NHS. With everything going on I have very little time to spend on the Zone, I do pop in on a regular basis but behind the scenes doing maintenance.

I’m not looking for any sympathy, just understanding on why things are like they are currently.

I didn’t know about the gateway issue I will look in to this when I can.

Once again sorry of any problems caused, I don’t know when things will get back on track but please bear with us.

[BristolE30]

Think it’s only the home page that gives a bad gateway. If you jump straight to forums you can usually by pass it!

[Steve]

That’s great info thanks

[Be30]

Think it’s only the home page that gives a bad gateway. If you jump straight to forums you can usually by pass it!

I second this!

[HenryM3]

I blame the EU

[martauto]

I will stand corrected on this, but when people post on the zone, they may log off as they receive notifications when replies are sent, mainly on their phones so that could be why you seem to be the only guy on here.
The zone is monitored as much and as frequently as possible but we do have lives outside and this does cost Steve (the owner ) money as well as his time.

The zone has changed for the better and if you look at other e30 forums then you will see why the zone is still the best for information , if you want banter then this is not the place anymore like it was in it`s begining as you said, times have changed.

Thanks for your thoughts about the zone but please try and remember that Covid ( ) has tried it`s best to screw stuff up all around , especially for the two guy`s on here who can help us so much (Iian Steve)

Keep safe and well

Mart.

[flybynite]

That’s great info thanks

Yes it seems like just the home page, if you link the wiki or forum directly you can get in but I still cannot access the homepage.

I have set the browser to delete cookies from this site when I leave the page. That has solved it for me

[steve_k]

Hi all

First off apologies for all the issues everyone is having and let me explain the situation.

Like most people current we ‘re all dealing with Covid. This awful virus is affecting many people in lots of different ways, for me currently it’s my job & my wife’s job as she works for the NHS. With everything going on I have very little time to spend on the Zone, I do pop in on a regular basis but behind the scenes doing maintenance.

I not looking for any sympathy, just understanding on why things are like they are currently.

I didn’t know about the gateway issue I will look in to this when I can.

Once again sorry of any problems caused, I don’t know when things will get back on track but please bear with us.

steve, ive said it before & i'll say it again, you & the team (what's left of them) do a brillant job in keeping this place going,

as for folk coming & going? i've stayed on here since the first day i signed up, yes at times it's been a bad influence as i originally wanted to keep my sport stock but after a few weeks that went out the window.

members come & go it happens all the time but some of us stay, i log in each day, see whats being posted, join in on a few threads if i have something to add (& even if i dont),

as someone said about members being made mods/team members, giving the "i'll be here all the time" then after a couple weeks/months disappear only to come back the odd time & then go again, to me they should be removed from the team, let someone else have a stab at it, the main team members i see on here most of the time are mr moooooore & mart,

but at the end of the day steve aka the modfather aka riddy, runs this place off his own back in what little spare time he gets & we have to applaud him for it, how many in his position would've gone "**** it" & given up & walked away?

i for one want to see this place continue, it's been a god send when i've had a problem i couldn't suus out myself,

yes there's the FB page, but have you had a look on there lately? a complete shit show, you ask a technical question & end up with a pointless thread & still no answer to what you asked.

i'll finish the rant with a simple, long live the zone!!

peace out.

[paultv]

I blame Brexit !!

This is the view out of my Siberian window

Buggered if I'm getting under the car in that !!

Paul

[Bonymaenjack]

A couple of observations , site traffic is down in general from its heyday is due to the amount of owner ship has declined in keeping with the age of the model. I was a member on here 15 year ago on when I had a glut of spare cars and myself had one ( the one I have now ) and my wife had one as a daily driver. Nowadays I know of 3 in my area . The ones which are left and this is based on what I read on here are cherished cars and are in the main only used in the summer months , so not being driven and developing problems or questions raised .
There are many other social media outlets and forums in general have had their day . This site is probably one of a best of an decreasing list , I'm very much appreciative of the work that must go into and continues in keeping this the best E30 site out there and long may it continue

[Satan]

I miss Pony the windups and the throwing of toys out of prams days, they where errrrrr entertaining............ ;o)))))))

[steve_k]

I miss Pony the windups and the trowing of toys out of prams days, they where errrrrr entertaining............ ;o)))))))

same here, he had some pretty good stories, just a shame he blocked me on FB

[BenHar]

I miss Grrrmachine. He did a great job on the wiki but no-one seems to maintain it now.

Ben

[steve_k]

I miss Grrrmachine. He did a great job on the wiki but no-one seems to maintain it now.

Ben

he was always quick to deal with any mistakes that cropped up on there,
it would be good if we could get back to the glory days.

[spannerrash]

I've been a lurker on here for a long time, especially with my first E30 around 5 years ago, and now again with my latest project.
It's been a godsend. This forum is a brilliant place for E30 lovers and I for one prefer this to the Facebook group.

It would be a crying shame to see it go, especially as I personally think it has massive potential going forward. Even beyond the Facebook group. Facebook is unlikely to be the "be all and end all" social media platform forever. Infact, the younger generations aren't even into Facebook. They're on Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube.

These cars are definitely becoming less common, but I dont think they are losing popularity, they're just enjoyed by a different demographic.

Over the past few years we've seen E30s feature in popular culture, such as mainstream music videos and so on. I think we're going to see more of a comeback in the future too. My only reservation in saying that is electrification. But if that takes longer than anticipated E30's could end up in the classic band, making them even more attractive to own.

When I came back after not having an E30 for a long time, I noticed how quiet it was compared to before, despite the forum looking like it had been facelifted and freshened up nicely.

The main https://www.e30zone.net/ domain seems strong, and currently gets a good 5425 organic traffic (traffic from search engines) amusingly much more so from the US (not that surprising).


But the actual forum, https://www.e30zone.net/forum/ only 280 per month, which is way less than I'd expect when you compare it to a forum like m3cutters for example. Look at that graph and you can see that it only starts tracking mid Nov 2018. I would hazard a guess that this is when the forum got refreshed?


It may be that there was a URL restructuring that's seriously harmed the site from an organic perspective, and its never quite recovered from that. If this change suddenly caused all previously high ranking threads to fall off the face of the earth in terms of position on search engine results page, it could be a factor that's slowed down the number of new members joining and getting involved.

As for the long time members who were coming here habitually, they may have got fed up with the lack of action and moved on.

If Steve (the owner I gather) is paying for the upkeep of the zone out of his own pocket, he's probably stating to consider canning it off. But he's built a great brand here, with a lot of potential. He just needs to work out how to monetise it (not too aggressively, sponsorships, some low key ads) and it could be a wonderful asset as opposed to a liability for him.

[Cypriotgeeza]

I'll be honest I stopped posting on here for ages but have made it a conscious effort to come back on and keep my thread going!

I owe a major debt of gratitude to this site and the members who helped me both in advice and very well priced parts when I was doing my conversion and I don't think I could've done it without the zone!

I'd like to help others as I was helped hence me being back! That plus I cant stand the Facebook zone...its just a "who gets more likes" contest..

[kieran325]

Bring back RoyalRatch

[steve_k]

Bring back RoyalRatch

he did pop up on here last year,

[Satan]

I miss Pony the windups and the trowing of toys out of prams days, they where errrrrr entertaining............ ;o)))))))

same here, he had some pretty good stories, just a shame he blocked me on FB

The note that I left on his car from the "irate Mother with child chastising him for doing doughnuts and wheel spins in Chiswick" was funny and he reaction as well as when he got done for DD, shame they never made there way in to the classic posts section.

[march109]

I’ve just popped in! Usually just lurk the Facebook page now.

[steve_k]

I’ve just popped in! Usually just lurk the Facebook page now.

now there's a username i've not seen in a good while

[Cloggy Saint]

I’ve just popped in! Usually just lurk the Facebook page now.

Why?

[rix313]

I’ve just popped in! Usually just lurk the Facebook page now.

Why?

I have to ask the same question! What an absolute cess pit.


With regards the original post. I'm not sure signing up and trying to roast the staff who do their best and run this site purely on a hobby and for the love basis, helps anything? Times have changed, people are incapable of online searches and want 'instant' gratification by asking repetitive questions on Facebook. When I see the tripe posted on those groups I'm quite happy that those people do not grace our forum and clog it up with garbage.

Welcome back and we look forward to another old school member contributing again.

[Cloggy Saint]

I'm not on facebook and have ever seen the zone page but I guess there must be something about it to have taken pretty much all the traffic from here. It irks me when old school members pop up here now and again and helpfully inform us that they no longer post here. No shit, we're aware of that, that's why the zone is pretty much on it's knees right now.

[DanThe]

the Facebook page

What an absolute cess pit.

Some top quality turds on there, and im not talking about the cars!

[Cypriotgeeza]

the Facebook page

What an absolute cess pit.

Some top quality turds on there, and im not talking about the cars!

[Brianmoooore]

I inherited my lad's old smartphone a couple of years ago. About a month ago I had to look up something on my local pub's facebook page (something I normally do on my laptop), and when I did, his login details popped up, so I effectively hacked into his account.
I found the zone's facebook page for the first time. It will probably be the last.

[HenryM3]

I came back to here last year, hadn’t been on Faceache or anywhere else as I have no social media accounts. I feel guilty now as I used the zone to build the M3 I have now. I find the zone really good and have been helped with some issues since returning. There is probably less traffic as the wiki gives a mountain of info I mean things like central locking, there are just no questions left to ask but I still like reading the answer when someone does. I put it down to fading memory with age. As a complete computer dipstick and that’s unlikely to change I have great admiration for the people who make it possible for this site to exist and operate. There are some great threads running at the moment.