Why is the forums so quiet these days?

[Power_uP]

Ok, so for those that don't know, I was a fairly active member back in 2006 (under a different username) and I remember this forum being busy. There seems to have always been someone going to a show, or talking about the car they just bought.

So where is everyone now?

I obviously took a break from here due to selling my 86, I know that a few other users moved on from the scene (including JonT sadly). But the car has never been more popular so I would expect this forum to be busy. What happened?

[d3nso]

Well social media took over. Today everybody lurks around facebook or instagram...

[Power_uP]

Makes sense I guess. I never got involved with Myspace or Facebook so I never saw the change.

I hope fans still find this place.

* Edit, its kind of embarrassing I think. This forum moves at a pace that can only be described as glacial.

I'll still be hanging around trying to participate as much as possible, but this is definitely the quietest forum I've been a member of for quite a while.

[kazi]

Sadly that is where most things are going now and as a result a lot of information over the years will be lost as people stop the upkeep and payment of URLs etc. I would say that's facebook is the big contender for killing of forums but also Photobucket was one of the last nails in the coffin as, again, lost of build threads and information was lost. As for pace, this is actually one of the more active forums that I'm on. The other 86 forum (AE86irl) is almost dead.

[Power_uP]

I know of at least a few AE86 owners who don't participate in any forums or online communities at all. Car shows are always a strange one for 86s. You can always get 100+ Skylines or Supras or Imprezas or Lancers or Civics, but getting more than two 86s at a car show (in the UK at least) has always been impossible.

(04-13-2019 10:20 PM)kazi Wrote:  I would say that's facebook is the big contender for killing of forums but also Photobucket was one of the last nails in the coffin as, again, lost of build threads and information was lost.

From looking around lately I've also noticed that a lot of information seems to be getting lost. I've noticed that JonT's site has disappeared and that was a great source of info, a few of my favourite Japanese pages have gone too.

Here's a (perhaps) more relevant question then:

Is the AE86 scene dying?

Its a strange question but with some of the 86 specific garages in Japan closed or struggling, and with there being fewer cars now perhaps the scene is just dying off?

[Bean]

I think one factor is the fact that the cars got more expensive and we are getting older. This leads to less influx of new members and less posts of members due to priorities. At least the later is true for me. With job, further education, going back and forth two countries to prepare my move back abroad by the end of the year again. I struggle to free up time to work on my two projects. Though I do have to finish them before I leave.
Case in point I'll transport my Z to a friend who restores them for a living on Tuesday as I don't have the time to fix it myself. Once that is done I'll focus on finishing the Corolla with the little time I have to spare.

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[DJexor]

Totally agree with Bean. When I was young I had a lot more time to be on forums and internet in general. The AE86 became to expensive to just buy one for fun for most people. They rather buy a cheap car with a lot of power to impress other people. Which is not a strange way of thinking. The car with it's current value is nowadays more a collectors car than a use and abuse car.

[Power_uP]

So who do you think is buying 86s now? I agree that the average buyer has changed. I've pretty much given up on being able to afford another one.

[Power_uP]

This really is the quietest forum ever. I think sadly the car may be just too rare in Europe, maybe if the car had developed a following earlier in its life then more of them would have survived and there would be more members on here.

I think that the car's transition into being an expensive collectors item might not be a good thing for the community in the long run. Maybe if the members here were more active it would encourage new people to join the forum and participate?

[krullibull]

I think it's a case of social media and the fact that this is a very niche automotive forum. But if people start using the Project section more (I'm guilty I know) we might see this turning a small bit. And I think you're right about the price Power_uP, I wouldn't have bought one if I didn't get mine for a bargain.