GarrettM

iTrader: (6)

Seems like this forum has slowed dramatically over the last few years. What happened? Im still on here daily. See tons of facebook groups now and everyone talks about the forums bieng dead because social media took over. I just cant understand it. I cant search FB post, i cant look at a doscussion from years ago. Etc. Where has everyone gone?

jaxcam02

iTrader: (1)

Some of us are still here. What I imagine is that most of us that bought f-bodies at a younger age have had kids and either been forced to move on or upgraded. For some of us though, we've persevered and won battle after battle over wives (asking to sell the car), succeeded enough professionally to afford a nice Daily Driver and have the car for fun or just haven't had kids yet. I assume most of us that have been on this page over the years, grew up with forums being the precursor to modern social media. We're all probably over 30 years old.
Those youngins that buy these cars nowadays are so indoctrinated with social media that they probably don't know what a forum is.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

When im at work on a laptop I stop in. When at home and on the phone i don't, its too cumbersome to me, a lot has to do with the fact that i prefer the desktop view of the site.

fst100

iTrader: (5)

same here. plus one also on the other response of the younger crowd not knowing what message forums are.

NC01TA

It's definitely related to age. You think this site has slowed down, you should see the Mustang Forum site. Almost can hear a pin drop. On the other side there is the Corvette forum which is bristling with activity, especially the C6 and C7 categories. Who owns most Corvettes?? Yup, us older guys that don't even deal with social media. THIS is my social media. If this goes away I'll go back to square one with no computers before I do the social media stuff. Life changes. I sure enjoyed these forums, and still do. Excellent moderators like no other.

bammax

Here's a few reasons for the slowdown

1) The site is named after a performance engine that came out 20 years ago. That limits the number of new people who'll join to those who know what they're looking at. Most folks with a 2015 Express for example would never think to come here even though there's info they may find useful. People who buy an 01 Camaro will definitely come here, but how many new people will that realistically be a year.

2) Because of how long this site has been going it's easy to find the info you need without having to actually post anything.

3) Don't forget that most of gen y consider cars to be disposable goods. It's amazing how many don't even know exactly what they drive without looking at the emblems. It's the same way most people don't know what brand toilet they have even though they use it all the time. Meanwhile gen z is anti car at all. If you really need to go somewhere you call uber.

4) The younger generations that are into cars are in the tuner world. Pushrod V8's are for grandpas. This site is targeting an older age group that's slowly moving in a different direction while the Honda and VW forums are full of 20-somethings.

Basically asking why this site is declining is like asking why there's not as much traffic on the b-body forums. It's all just too old to be cool and too new to be classic.

Che70velle

iTrader: (6)

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

This site misses a lot daily due to low(er) traffic, which draws you away for a few reasons. FB has way more day to day content (the newest owners are posting their questions there not here), and sales of parts come a lot quicker for the most part. I advertise the same **** on multiple platforms and FB wins in volume. You can reach your buyer base better/faster. Sort of a snowball effect, as people move away, the content moves with them.

Which brings on another thought. I've been here a while, and I clearly recall how adamant they, i.e. LS1Tech staff, were about protecting sponsors here. The thought was without sponsors we have no site. I always contended without MEMBERS (traffic) you have no sponsors, then you have no site. Not sure how the IB buyout effects the whole scenario, but I have been waiting to see exactly WHEN the traffic has gotten so low that the sponsors start pulling out. Guess time will tell......not sure how much traffic is being generated but without new posting like stated above due to archived info. Be interesting to see the numbers.

MY_2K_Z

iTrader: (1)

For those that don't like the mobile site here, download the garagetalk app. I wouldn't even bother with this place without it. The mobile site is terrible with all the ads and navigation system.
And ya social media is definitely killing the forums, I don't do social media so once the forums die I'm not sure where I'll go for info and random entertainment.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Lots of great posts above, there is truth to all of it. Threads like this pop up every so often, same question and same answers.



There will be a place for LS1Tech and it's superior topic-focused, searchable data format as long as there are still folks who feel like us.

dr_whigham

iTrader: (49)

I have to agree.... Nothing more to add really. Great points above.

GarrettM

iTrader: (6)

Great responses by all. Think that really sums it up. Definitely right on about the age group moving up. Im 34 personally and my Fbody is my 3rd vehicle in the driveway. Ive had six and hoping this Formula will be the one i hold on to. Sure there are newer cars, older cars, faster cars etc. But these are what I fell in love with when i was a teenager. Even if I won the lotto you can guarantee I would still have a 4th gen in the driveway. Its "my" classic. I love this forum and all of you guys, spent more hours than i could ever count on here over the last decade.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Ive killed a lot of time at work reading/posting here.

Zmg00camaross

iTrader: (11)

Nathan C

I'm still here. I may not post every day but I check out things normally 6 days a week. And I don't do facebook.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I was at a car show last summer with my '98 Z28 when one of the guys in my usual group asked me which of my two "toys" was my favorite. He expected me to pick the '71, but I didn't. When he asked why, I explained that my '98 Camaro is the near-exact replacement for the '99 Z28 which was the first brand new car I ever bought, that for nearly 20 years I've had at least one 4th gen F-body in my possession at almost every moment, and that, although not my very first automotive love, they have definitely been my greatest. This is a permanent part of my personal history, and a connection which will always hold sentimental value.

To be sure, I really like my '71; there's something special about driving one of these old dinosaurs around. I've owned other cars from this earlier era before ever buying my first 4th gen, but my fondest memories were all made with my 4th gens.

I can think of several classic muscle cars that I would consider replacing my current '71 with, but there's really nothing I'd rather have in place of my '98 - it's been with me for 15 years and is the only car I own that I don't ever think about selling.

93Z2871805

iTrader: (5)

There's a whole lot of truth here in this thread. I agree with the comments above. 30-something forum user who won't touch FB with a 10 ft pole here as well.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

That's exactly type of well stated, interesting unique post I never encounter on Facebook but I often see on the better bulletin board/forums like this one.

FB has so much ill-conceived commentary comes from folks who should know better. A childhood friend blasted everyone in a FB rant. Several old friends who live far away offered condolences when her husband passed away unexpectedly. She exploded into a vicious tirade. She demanded ​apologies by name and rebuked by name their condolences. It was an epic spectacle of poor taste.

Completely understand the attachment to the 98 Z28 Camaro over the other cars, my 91 RS has a very similar history and place in my garage.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Im not anti-FB. Its a great tool to use and the platform has some awesome advantages. Info comes very quickly, and the activity and content level is high. I am anti-FB in the respect of sappy attention seeking people. If you've been there you know, 500+ people on their friends list, have to validate everything they do each day in some self absorbed grandiose look at me posts. All pretending there life is so good, their personalities are so good, etc etc. It's exposure that a lot of people are really pathetic. So, I simply limit that. Small friends list, and then if you post political or dramatic crap, you get unfriended or unfollowed so I don't have to see it. I basically see nothing I don't want to. Works ok for me.

AnotherWs6

iTrader: (17)

I am anti FB. I saw someone ask this same question awhile back with similar responses. So I joined a couple of FB f-body groups. And they are nothing but noise and nonsense. Can't find any content, just scroll through picture after picture and read post where people say they like the picture. WTF?