Is it time for an FAQ page ?

Scudder,
I was leaning toward sarcasm in that 'swamping' post.

However, you are making some good points and suggestions.

In your post below where you outline the need for questioning posters to provide sufficient info has been put forth to the powers that be on this site to no avail. (so far)

We've seen in the past that injecting info and common sense in a relative post goes practically unnoticed.

The subjects you covered concerning new questioning posters should (IMHO) be posted as a 'sticky'.

What I mean is that the required info that you posted here has to be inserted permanently at the start of original posting along with registering BEFORE any posts are made.

As we all know, there are quite few options that were left behind in the old forum we would like to see reinstated here, BUT after this length of time, I'm wondering if they will ever come to fruition.

Understood Roadrunner and I took your comment as tongue in cheek anyway.

Seems like some of the posts on this thread were flagged by an overly sensitive individual, I can hazard a guess who..

I agree totally with your comments regarding 'lost' features on the forum and my view is if the web masters want to make a public action forum work, they need to listen to their contributors.

Web design by attrition

I think these posts are getting at a weakness in the search link -- I know when I last had a question I searched everything I could think of to find an answer and found nothing, so I posted it. HEY CAR TALK WEB MASTER! Your community wants help!

I, too, started a discussion question and was told I should have used the "search function". I tried it and there were no topics that helped. I don't know if that is because it was never discussed, or if the search function doesn't work properly. If you'd really like to help someone and know the topic has been discussed before... why not tell them exactly where to get the information they are looking for without being rude? For instance, you could tell them the title of the question they are looking for.

I'd like to recommend rational discussions without the insinuations and outright accusations. How about some objectivity? How about coming up with actual hard evidence for your beliefs?

Seems like you don't attend the forum on a regular basis, otherwise you'd know, and no-one is making either insinuations or accusations. Read a few historical posts and you'll get the idea. As for 'objectivity', I believe that nearly all of the responders on this forum strive to provide objective answers to enquiries for help. There is the occasional Troll, but they soon obviate themselves and go away once they're ignored.

This is a pudding that doesn't need over egging, but as an example a page advising how to pose a question.

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- Always provide Year, Make, Model, Engine & transmission type (i.e. Auto / Manual) and estimated mileage.

- Don't use all capitals, it gives us a headache - known as shouting in forum speak.

- Provide as much information as possible, responders can only provide answers based on the information you give, the better the information - the better the answers you will get.

- Try to provide feedback of the fix for your problem, it may come in useful for future posters. Saying thanks is gravy.

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Other suggestions are listed above, an interference engine reference, Dino vs Synth oil discussion, maintenenace intervals among others. With an FAQ area the 'nuggets' from previous posts can be assembled into a single reference page, enquirers can then be referred to that page when they post - I'm not expecting posters to find the page themselves, though they should be able to. Those threads then become write once. read many times, the quality of that specific information can only improve since it is focal and objective.

Thereafter the question : "Should I be using synthetic oil in my 1998 Honda Accord V6 auto"

Can be answered : "This subject has already been covered in detail and can be references on "

Rational enough ?

Good advice. Especially this point "This subject has already been covered in detail and can be references (sic) on "

Don't worry about spelling. We convey information the best we can. BTW, what is wrong with "references"?

Just because many of the responses do not match your particular beliefs (i.e., that you can run a car on water) does not necessarily make them irrational, insinuating, or accusatory. If responses contain factual errors, they can be corrected. If someone is insulting and nasty, or a space and time wasting looney, they can be criticized and even moderated out (everyone knows who I'm talking about, and it's not you, sderekh). Granted, some responders need to be a little more civil, but when someone with an agenda keeps pushing an issue long after it's died,...

My point was that it is possible to argue with someone without questioning their motives, intelligence or by being outright accusatory.

I am curious... What threads have you enjoyed in the past? What is it that you do want to discuss?

I've already emailed them and asked that any post relating to these scams be instantly canned, and make sure the poster also becomes a cannee.

This site is supposed to be about helping someone with car problems, which are a pain in the neck even on a good day. It's not supposed to be about separating someone from their cash.
If someone chooses to go on any one of a thousand scam sites and get bilked then so be it but the ball should not start rolling here.

Interesting response... But, you didn't answer my question. What are you afraid of? What is so hard about answering this question: "I am curious... What threads have you enjoyed in the past? What is it that you do want to discuss?"

What am I afraid of? Certainly not you. Heck, many years ago I was extended an invitation to join an outlaw motorcycle club (not really my cup of tea) so you're not really contributing to my fear factor.

What threads have I enjoyed in the past? Just about every one of them I've read and that includes ones that I have not responded to. There are a large number of regular posters on this board and I fully enjoy reading their insight on automotive problems.

What is it that I want to discuss? Anything related to the repair of an internal combustion engine or whatever is attached to it; be it 2 wheels, 4 wheels, or winged.
What is it I do NOT want to see? Shills providing links to scam products which are designed solely to separate the naive and unsuspecting consumer from their dollars. At times posts appear where someone has very obviously been BSed or flat out robbed of their money on an auto repair and this honestly pxxxxx me off. (I'm a volatile guy).
I don't like seeing anyone getting screwed out of their cash; no matter if it's a fraudulent auto repair or one of about 8000 bogus gas saving gimmicks.

You've got a shill right now on another thread about yet another performance/gas saving scam; Pulstar spark plugs.

Are those answers clear enough?

"I don't like seeing anyone getting screwed out of their cash"

Your words ok4450 and probably the sentiment of thousands, make that millions, of other people. And yet one of the biggest scams being foisted on you, me and everyone else in this country is ignored either on purpose or through ignorance that it is even happening to them. I know that you want only discussions of "Anything related to the repair of an internal combustion engine or whatever is attached to it; be it 2 wheels, 4 wheels, or winged", but these internal combustion engines are useful only if we can afford the gas to put into them. Last time I looked it still took gas (or deisel, etc.) to run these machines, which to me, makes gas (and gas PRICES) relevent. Now some people, maybe you, maybe not, will have no problem affording gas at 5 or 6 dollars per gallon. I suspect most of us will be under a real hardship to do so. So if all Americans are being ripped off by unregulated energy speculators why aren't you and everyone else p****d off about that? What makes the ripping off of all of us at the gas pump any different than, as you put it "seeing anyone getting screwed out of their cash; no matter if it's a fraudulent auto repair or one of about 8000 bogus gas saving gimmicks?" Educate yourself to this rip off by doing your own "Search" on the Enron Loophole before you whip off a reply to me. Then we can talk.

It would help if you could explain what you are talking about. "You've got a shill right now on another thread about yet another performance/gas saving scam; Pulstar spark plugs".
Where are these accusations coming from? I don't know anything about these plugs and would suggest doing a lot or research before buying any product that promises increases in fuel economy.

Here is one for the FAQ - if ever there is one:

http://biz...amily-home

Being a regular at this site is a lot like retail sales. You get someone every day that is unfamiliar with your product and needs education. Look at it as an opportunity to help someone out, not an imposition on your time. If you've had enough of the watr-for-gas discussions, just ignore them.

and answering the same questions from the hip ad infinitum is preferable to a singular subject reference page ? Or should we just refer to previous threads on the same topic and copy / paste the previous dialogue each time that question arises ?

Perhaps auto manufacturers should omit the publication of owners handbooks and workshop manuals and simply have a help desk to answer owners questions using your concept ?

Where did you get that from? All I'm suggesting is that we should have a little patience or to ignore the stuff that you know will irritate you.