jamesm

If we could bottle the energy from this thread and spread it across the forum then there would be more activity than we could ever want. 7 pages and counting in a thread about the lack of activity in the forum? Picking up the points about moderation. I don't think over moderation is the problem, but the balance is wrong. It seems to prevent banter yet fails to prevent threrads being diluted and clogged with crap.

That is how I see that it could work hence I was asking if we had a page on another thread. As Baz says however, it is a very very fine balance as people may then start using Facebook rather than the forum. As others have said, it so easy to hop on and off Facebook as I do on my phone all day. If the SIDC Facebook page or a Scottish SIDC page was there promoting events, threads, news stories etc then it might just encourage me to the forum more. For example a post about an event, local run etc, with a link to the relevant thread on the forum to put your name down, find out details and engage in banter. Same with threads, if there is a particularly interesting thread then highlight it on Facebook and give folk the link to it. Same with news stories, for example there is one on Pistonheads this afternoon about a BRZ STI, highlight it on Facebook and say tell us what you think on the forum and give a link to a corresponding thread. I think it should be used reasonably extensively, both UK wide and at a regional level to try to direct people back into the forums. I accept that getting people into the habit of clicking the link to the forum rather than commenting on Facebook may be the difficult one. I agree that general banter should always be directed to the forums but they do need overhauled. Restricting the forums to paid member of the clubs will be the death knell of the place. However, I do think it should be a requirement to register before viewing the forums. As I said elsewhere, there is more to the club than the forums, but the website and forums are the shop window and that could be promoted very effectively via Facebook, and currently is isnt. This is a huge missed opportunity in increasing traffic to the forum. As Kevan said, it is a drivers club, yet there is a run for just that this Wednesday in Central Scotland for which there are only 4 names up for! Come on, lets get out and do what this club is about - driving! Incidentally, I found out about that run via Facebook! Ps - I have renewed my membership but still showing as non-member. Will raise a ticket.

Totally missed this first time round!

Welcome!

I wasn’t going to post on this thread but after some extra coffee this evening and the fact it seems to have moved past the earlier cp, here is my 2 pence worth. I guess the original question relates to ss.net and the Scottish Scoobies section of the SIDC. Firstly I don’t think ss.net and this place are a direct comparison. We are a section within a UK club, with a name which gives the impression of a club aimed at overseas owners. Ss.net are a Scottish club. A new owner looking for a Scottish club will find .net, not this place. Why also ask the question and then slag off the very person who can tell us! I can’t compare .net as I have not been on there for a long time. I tried to log in today and couldn’t, requested a new password but apparently my user name didn’t exist. Registered again with the same user name and I can’t get past the introductions section which I think is a feature of the site. Personally, I can’t be ersed with that so I still haven’t been on recently. There is more to the club than the forum but the forum is the ‘shop window’ of the club. When I joined the club there was great banter on here, now I feel there is a lot of c%&p and I do see a bit of trolling. Anyone who trolls should have their account deleted, no questions asked, no second chance. In terms of welcoming people, a designated new members section for the Scottish area may help get more replies. I am guilty of not going in the general new members section. Just searched out my first ever post in 2006 were I introduced myself within the main Scottish section. I got 18 ‘welcomes’ but the thread had 501 ‘views’. Bring back the ‘was it you’ for the Scottish area too. Having to sign up to read the forum my encourage people to go on and post. Are the thread ‘views’ actually real people or just bots? Can there be a Scottish SIDC page on Facebook? Ok, it might take away from the forum but it could be good for the club. I don’t get the unfriendliness at meets. I have never experienced it. When I joined, I knew no one at my first meet so turned up and introduced myself to everyone that was there. I didn’t lurk about and wait to get spoken to. Again, at this year’s Fling (the first one I had been to) there were lots of people I hadn’t met and the only way to get to know them is to chat to them. Everyone was friendly. The Fling is everything that is great about this club. Great roads, great banter, everyone rallied around those with problems to help whether it be with water, tape or fire extinguishers! Baz cleared my engine management light for me. You get out what you put in! There are a lot of great people in this club. In terms of inter club relationships in Scotland, can there not be a overall Scottish RO or ‘Scottish area’ committee member in addition to the current ROs etc that can be a contact for other clubs, rather than approaches getting ‘lost in translation’ with down south? Perhaps there could be a Scottish Subaru meet arranged across all the clubs where we can all share our common interest and have a big cuddle? My car might only be a near standard WRX, all be it one which has always gone very well, but the reason I have it, is to drive it. And the runs I have been on with this club have been immense! So most of all however, let’s just enjoy these fantastic cars we have and get out and drive them how they were meant to be driven. After all, as Dave says, it's a drivers club! I might even go and renew my membership now.

So what began as a potentially positive and constructive thread has decended into the usual c£$p. Having been in the SIDC since 2006 I have seen the good times and the bad. Having read the thread, I see little point in even trying to constructively contribute. Quite sad really and does nothing to make me rush out to renew my membership.

My biggest problem is trying to get home from work to get the car and get out on time. I could just manage Hillington for 7.30 but I fear the Showcase for 7.15 may be a step too far. I will try though. I know the location is chosen to be central and attract those from other regions, but not sure it has done that and it may well rule me out. I just don't know what the solution is.

Spotted a McD's on Streetview at the Showcase. That will be gourmet enough if I make it!

I nearly always run my WRX on Tesco 99. Occasionally I get the engine management light on (came on on the Fling). Fault code cames back as front O2 sensor. I just get it cleared and is normally ok for anything up to a year after that. Pretty sure Phil 1967 said the new Shell stuff is just a marketing exercise and it is no different to 'old' V power'

To the driver of the blue Blobeye(I think a WRX 300) on the B786 from Lochwinnoch to Kilmacolm this morning. Overtaking on a blind corner on a narrow B road is not big and is not clever. I was in the silver Corolla which you more or less forced into the hedge. Had someone been coming the other way, you would have had a head on collision. You then did the same thing to the Auris in front of me. I didn't get your registration, but it began 'FL'. If I see you again, I will getting your registration and passing it to the police. Should you browse these forums, you know who you are.

1. McTwistUK 2. Scoobywho 3. G4RY 4. Nipps 5. G1983 6. Riggers 7. Corsa 8.JamesM 9. To be honest, by the time I get in from work I will struggle to get to the Showcase for a 7.15 departure so don't wait for me if I am not there. Any good establishments there for a gourmet dinner on the run?

I have used Hypertech in the past too. Duncan knows his stuff. Tried GI Motorsport as they were just down the road. Gary really knows his Scoobies.

Expect to pay anything from £400 upward to £600 if you get the tensioners etc done with the belt. I have just had mine done at GI Motorsport in Kilmarnock. Great service from the guys there.

Excellent news, great two folks for the job. I can feel a renewed sense of enthusiasm around this place. If you ever need any help with anything, give me a shout. Does this mean that the RO will be baking cakes for members at each meet?

From a selfish point of view, Hillington is good for me as it just gives me enough time to get in from work to pick up the car and make it for just after 7pm. The further east we go, the more difficult it is. However, given the Glasgow meets at Hillington dried up, I agree it is time to try something different and as long as specific meeting points are clearly advertised (says me who can’t even get the date of the meet right), hopefully, it will bring some renew interest in the evening meets.

I beleive it was a surfing pose, but you would never know the difference I didn't even know there was a Facebook page. Found it this morning! Only two days after the event, but never mind! Cheers for the links, will get look when I am not in work.

Chris, hats off to you. You hve single handedly brought life and activity to this place. Keep up the good work!

What can I say, an absolutely fantastic weekend. My first Fling and I can't believe I have missed them all until now. A big thanks to all those involved in the organisation. Fantastic roads, fantastic scenery, fantastic people and the weather wasn't THAT bad, was it? Just adds to the fun! It really shows what the club is all about. I hope those who had to drop out get back on the road soon. Having been just two cars behind Sandy when the engine let go I got pretty much a front row seat and it was scary enough from where I was. Mine was certainly going well and it did surprise me sometimes that I could even keep up in the fast group in my wee WRX. Definitely need to look at the brakes however as I did really struggle with them. Big thanks to Barry for clearing the Engine Management Light on Sunday. Code was the front O2 sensor but it didn’t come back on so hopefully just an isolated issue asking too much going up one of the steep hills. Very glad the Smokey wasn't pointing a speed gun down down Glen Docherty as I was coming up. Weekends like that makes the expense of keeping it as a toy all worthwhile. A few pics from me below. If anyone has any pics of mine (black Bugeye WRX), particularly on the move, I’d love to see them. Until next year.........

Nitro is just a marketing ploy. The stuff is just normal V Power

Is there a plan for a wee convoy from the central belt?

Nice looking car I have a TSL Group N on my WRX and it doesn't look the same as mine.

Mine is on the bottom of the rear window. Not exactly up to date however.

Not long to go now until my first Fling. Car in today for a full service, timing belt and now even has working brakes courtesy of GI Motorsport in Kilmarnock (and a wee SIDC discount too ). All ready to go now.

Lived in Inverness for 3 years and seemed to spend half my life on the A9! Worked in Beechwood Business Park next door to Friday's Premier Inn. I would allow a good 3 hours from the Forth Bridge to Inverness on a Saturday, if not more. Like Dave says, 50mph for much of the way and only about a quarter of the road is dualled north of Perth. Be ready to curse caravans and Tesco lorries. Probably another 1.5 hours on to Ullapool. Most pensioners out for a day trip turn off at Bruar and A9 should be a bit better after that. Oh, and watch out for the kamikaze overtaking on the A9, and Northern Constabulary's (or what ever they are called now) camera vans! Welcome to Scotland

Heading from Ayrshire, whats the plan? 1,Scooby 222 2,G1983 3,The Bigfelly 4,Corsa 5 badbaz 6 JamesM