20 replies to this topic

[NickFST3]

https://www.focussto...mmends-by-area/

 

I put this in the suggestions area a while back but keep seeing more & more posts from people - usually newbie's - asking for garage/tuner/bodyshop recommends. I never heard anything back & there are obviously no new threads I can see so is it a possibility?

Or can we just start our own thread per area and get it made sticky? We might need a permanent post in the technical threads per type though to point people towards the 'recommend' posts?

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[kiemuloly]

I still like this idea as long as it doesn't devolve into slander when someone has a bad experience.

[NickFST3]

In this case we can simply report the offending post & get it removed? As long as it is stated in the sticky part that the thread is purely for recommending of garages etc. & nothing else?

[Alb]

It's a good idea but I've been scratching my head on how best to do it in a way that would make it easy to use without being onerous to implement.

A thread per region doesn't really give sufficient granularity of location but extending this to (say) county level would be too much work for too little gain.

The subject is generic and doesn't need a tie to Mk2/3/4 so I was thinking of a new dedicated section in the non-technical area which could be entitled "Vendor Recommendations". I choose the word "Vendor" because there is no reason why establishments other than garages shouldn't be included (paint shops and wheel alignment specialists are a couple of examples that come to mind).

Placing all recommendations as individual threads in a single topic area makes the implementation easy, but members still need to be able to filter for those relevant to their location (assumed to be at county level for now). This can be easiest achieved by forcing the inclusion of location in the thread title and perhaps making each thread subject to moderator approval before publication to ensure this is done correctly.

With this in place, a member will only need to search the topic for all instances of location x in the title and they will find all recommendations for their chosen area.

Thoughts?

 

[NickFST3]

Sounds like a plan Alb. I agree that we need to make it easy to moderate & control but given the numbers of posts I have seen by people asking for such recommends it would soon start to be worth it. Also by keeping it out of the technical section if non-members can see it then it might become an incentive for people to become members? Especially if we put a note on any recommends that the vendor might give discounts to members?

Either way it would be worth it. How quickly could something be set up - even as a trial period?

[PaulG]

@Alb another forum I use has one (it's a wiki type post)... the rules are quite simple. You name the garage, provide a number / email / link to it and then people can add their name to the "Recommended by" bit.

 

People are not allowed to add comments "the best ever respray" and such dross.

 

You can clearly see who uses which garages and you can then contact them for feedback. I've actually had people ask me why I've not recommended someone in the past... that forum has a "no name and shame" policy, hence I had not put anything.

[NickFST3]

If we did something like that we could use the existing 'Like' button for people to in effect recommend the named vendor? You could then easily see the most recommended vendor by the number of 'Likes'?

[kiemuloly]

So there would need to be a pinned thread in each region, where people posted name of garage, specialty, website/phone number

Have it moderator approved, then each like would be a recommendation.

Sounds like it could be fairly effective. And simple.

[Alb]

You haven't read what I posted Michael.

[Stocka]

I think it's a good idea I'm in Worcester and I travel far for all my big jobs to a well known garage. Can't seem to find anyone around here or even closer that I'd trust. But this could prove me wrong

[NickFST3]

Another post that would benefit from a thread like the proposed one?

 

https://www.focussto...e/#entry7118221

 

As stated I see these regularly across all sections - especially from newer members so i still think it would be a really good idea?

 

Any feedback or updates from the powers that be????

[Alb]

Before I commit myself to a pile of work, I'm looking for a bit more evidence of support.

At the time of writing this, the club has 45,163 members and the total number of people responding to my proposal is 4!

I'm not feeling overwhelmed here.

[NickFST3]

The problem is Alb that a lot of people asking are new members who haven't got the experience or knowledge of the cars yet. It will be the sort of thread that will probably get a flurry of activity once it is set up - hopefully! - and then go very quiet as people just use it as a reference thread.

Therefore I still think that it will be a very useful thread - again especially for newbies - and worth it. We have had a few more people 'like' the two threads for this as well as respond to it though? However as you say if not enough people respond to it then I will wind my proverbial neck in again!!

[Clive]

The biggest problem with something like this, apart from all the extra work for Alb, and it upsetting Sponsors who pay to have their name on the forum, is that it could look as if the garages, bodyshops, tuners etc are recommended by focusstoc.com, which would simply be not true. So we then have to start adding disclaimers, which probably nobody will read, it then starts to get confusing for everybody, especially the new Members who you might think would benefit from such a thread,

[mrt01983]

FWIW would be dead helpful for me. Had ST Fords for nearly 4 years now but only used the local garage as wasn't a super expensive car I wasn't too worried about. My new estate is by far the most expensive car I've ever bought and I want to look after it, that means a specialist, which I can't find anywhere - local / regional knowledge in this instance would be highly beneficial...

 

EDIT: why not just something simple like a pinned thread in each regional section that members can post in vs an "official recommendations list"? Best of both worlds - no incorrect affiliation to STOC but new users (or house movers!) can see where other local users use? And then it's down to their own decision.