Would you pay for Fchat?

I stumbled across FChat during Google searches, read a few threads and followed along a few problems / issues before becoming a non-paying subscriber.

I have gotten alot of very good information, but had the forum been subcription only, I would probably have dropped it and went on my way, probably would have never bought my first FCar, and if I did, probably would have been so frustrated with problems that I would have sold it in a month.

I agree with DM_n_Stuff, I think it should be open, and those who want to pay, should pay.

Yes, we have to deal with trolls, and sellers posting to sell items then dropping off the planet.

I've only been on FChat for about a year, but I've learned alot and I would not want to hinder other honest people out there who want to do research and show a legimate interest in the cars.

But utimately, its up to Rob, its Rob's board.

James in Denver

 

The forum has been a fantastic place for me to gather information on the cars, seek help, and save money by doing many of the fixes myself (it pays for itself).

I pay, because I believe it is the right thing to do (much like tipping, but when there's no one there to collect, it's easy to stiff). Does someone make money on the forum? Well hell I hope so. This is a great medium for exchanging ideas and thoughts. And fortunately some pay for it or it wouldn't be here for all of us to enjoy.

Thanks~

 

I suggested to Rob that freebie memberships have a daily post limitation. Seriously I doubt that there's going to be any change here as pay only would limit subscribers and the perceived reach to possible advertisers and that's not going to happen.

 

Actually, regarding my earlier comments, I'd forgotten that people could still vew the site whether they were full members or not, so I think free viewing and paid account for posting will do the job perfectly. People could more than adequately test the site if they could look at it and then pay if they wanted to post. It's not often I feel I can make a contribution here because I'm not a Ferrari owner yet, but I get a great deal of pleasure from reading the things that are here, it's a great research tool for aiding my own gathering of information to help me make my eventual purchasing decision, and I'd be more than happy to pay the small amount mentioned for full access so I could join in when I felt able to. Anyone who wanted to make a nuisance of themself would likely stay away if they had to pay to join and it would keep the spammers away, so definitely free to view and pay to post is the way to go.

 

Sounds good but a lot of those users would get out of here...

 

No, I would never pay anything to post on internet forum

 

I concur. You can learn a ton, for free, by reading.

 

In favor of it, and probably won't subscribe again. Will keep my stupid postings to zero if I don't subscribe....

 

It's amazing how this forum runs so well it has to imagine its own problems. This is a great forum, popular, a few trolls that get pwnt quickly, great insight and knowledge ... why suddenly would anyone want to change the formula that works so well. Some forums actually have problems regarding trolling and spam ... not FChat! Maybe it's because the mods work hard, I dunno, but this forum sure is nice and self sustained ... no need to radically change anything unless you enjoy negative results.

I'd still pay a few bucks to post.

 

Yes, i have paid. I love it also.

Seems like the #1 problem poster here, Vic, is silver.

Banning non subscribers would get rid of the problem.

Just get rid of half of it at best.

 

EXCELLENT idea!

S

 

I would pay $15 just to see the pictures of "pretty girls with Ferrari's" thread. The collection of photos are unprecedented and would only be found on this site!

 

Some good ideas there about paying to post.
No-one should have to pay to view, but i like the idea of limited posting before paying for a levelled access.
If i was a Ferrari owner, i would happily pay the full amount, but i'm happy to pay for my current silver subcribed for the meantime. I see it as great value, and just rewards to the guys that maintain this monster site. Credit due to the outstanding efforts these guys go to to keep it running so smoothly. Our car club forum is only a 200GB a month bandwidth and i know exactly how hard that is to maintain.

 

the people who don't own Ferraris seem to be the same ones who love to come on Fchat and bag on everyone. The discussion gets so negative that I tend to stay away.

I am sure someone will bag on me for making a negative comment...but I beat you to it!

 

Bingo, You 'gotta pay to play'. Anything to rid us of these wise ass trolls, at least most of them. Funny, some are 30 not twelve and even subscribed but still haven't grown up.

 

I have learned some here and have contributed. I had purchased my 308 about 6 months prior to finding this site and as any normal internet site I believed it should be free . If the sponsors want to support it then good. If this goes pay for post I unfortunately will not participate with my findings while working on these cars. So I would continue to watch and capture usefull data. It would drive me to participate more on the other F-site. My 2 C . Enjoy the ride

 

Is the only reason to have a pay site to weed out the trolls? Or is there a monetary reason, like keeping the site running? I'm a member on many forums, this is one I'm not as active on, simply because I don't have much to contribute, but I love to read stories, sometimes pipe up on topics that I know something about. On the other forums I frequent, the trolls are actively "brought to justice", and banned. Sure, you'd lose most of the trolls, I tend to ignore them, but you might lose several valued contributers who just feel that information and discussion should be free.

 

Steve, I enjoy your posts. I suppose my question is whether you consider $15 for FChat a good value. My opinion is that the caliber of discussion/participants here is quite a bit higher than on most Internet forums, although we do get a few trolls and teens (and teen trolls), so that it seems money incredibly well spent.

I would even support a $5 membership level below silver (the "oxidato" level? ), just to weed out most of the idiots.