Community Forums

08-25-2005, 04:05 PM

Is it possable to create a section for engines? This would be for Cat, Cummins, Detroit. Maybe each one having it's own sub-catagory. Then you could go down to the gas engines of GM & Ford and the other popular users. If really energetic could even have a section on just generators.
This would seem to help those that are looking for answers on engine questions that are being asked. There are other web sites and groups such as newmarowners on yahoo.com that go into some depth on engine problems but not like "one stop shopping" so to speak. Just an idea that might be of interest to the readers on the site.
Derek

08-25-2005, 04:05 PM

Is it possable to create a section for engines? This would be for Cat, Cummins, Detroit. Maybe each one having it's own sub-catagory. Then you could go down to the gas engines of GM & Ford and the other popular users. If really energetic could even have a section on just generators.
This would seem to help those that are looking for answers on engine questions that are being asked. There are other web sites and groups such as newmarowners on yahoo.com that go into some depth on engine problems but not like "one stop shopping" so to speak. Just an idea that might be of interest to the readers on the site.
Derek

Hitchhiker · 08-26-2005, 04:56 PM

Hello Derek,

Thanks for the question regarding adding another forum.

We've taken a look around the Internet looking at the big forums, sites with 50,000 plus members. Most of the successful large forums have 20 to 30 forums, we currently have nearly 60. It looks like over time we have diluted ourselves and instead of creating more posts, we may have lowered our numbers because people only go directly to a forum and miss topics that they may have posted in if only they had seen them. We have concerns that this may have negatively impacted our growth. There have been boards explode with members once they reach that 10,000 member level and iRV2 seems to have floundered along with a mediocre growth rate.

We've started looking at each forum to see if we can consolidate some of the related ones and currently have no plans to add new ones at this time. As long as a forum is active, it may be in our best interest to leave it alone. Each will be evaluated for effectiveness.

These contemplated changes will evolve over time and will gradually be worked in as our administrative team ponders the value and merit of each.

Hopefully I have cleared up your question about why we aren't adding an engine forum with sub-categories for Cat, Cummins, and Detroit. Motorhome engines can be discussed in the MH-Problems, Solutions & After Market or the MH-General Discussion forums.

We thank you for posting your suggestions and input.

Richard

08-26-2005, 11:43 PM

Richard,
One reason you speak of the mediocre growth rate I belive is that IRv2 is not keeping up with the times so to speak. Why do you have to look around to see what everyone else is doing? Be pro-active not re-active. There isn't any other sites that offer engine forums that I have found ( or I would be there too). <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Motorhome engines can be discussed in the MH-Problems, Solutions & After Market or the MH-General Discussion forums. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> ] Now do you really expect someone to search thru these forums looking for a engine problem that they may be having? I don't think it will happen. This is one of the reasons that the membership is stagnant and not growing and exploding as you would like. In one respect you want to look at the forums you have and see about combining some of the very slow ones with others. Why not try something that will bring more attention to this site? Isn't that the goal to have a larger membership base posting more topics for discussion to draw more members thus drawing more advertising $$$. I really think IRv2 is missing the boat big time....
Seems that the administration would be encouraging ways of enhancing the site to draw new members & keep the ones they have active. Would definately make an interesting poll of the members wouldn't it.
Derek

Hitchhiker · 08-27-2005, 02:16 AM

Derek,

Again, thanks for presenting your opinions and views on this subject. We'll review our current position and consider yours if ours isn't accomplishing our objectives.

Richard

Pat Z · 08-27-2005, 04:13 AM

Yahoo has a group for CAT Engines which is very informative. There is also a operson from CAT that get's direct answers to questions.
CAT Discussion Group

08-27-2005, 04:46 AM

Pat that is fine for Cat owners but what about Cummins and Detroit owners.
Derek

Pat Z · 08-27-2005, 05:42 AM

It was not my intention to slight Cummings or Detroit Diesel owners, only to point out that there WAS a site for CAT engines.

You can start your own group for anything you like at Yahoo, I did for Excursion Owners.

Excursion Owners

08-27-2005, 07:04 AM

Pat I agree I could. My sugestion was that it would be nice for the members to have a foruum here to discuss engines without having to go to other sites. Just a convience feature. They asked for suggestions for improving the site and I made one that's all. I have seen a couple other sites ( not rv ) that had a engine section and the site did tremendous. Very high traffic on the engine forum section. A lot of this sites operating budget is derived from advertisers. Advertisers are shown numbers *** x number of members on average per day, x number of guests ect. Goes all the way down to number of postings. More traffic equals more revenue.

Pat Z · 08-27-2005, 07:17 AM

Derek, your right it would be nice to have it here, this is a great site. When I had my Winnebago with the workhorse chassis I got a ton of information here. Since I changed to the Excursion on a Spartan Chassis, info on the coach is very limited. I did a search to see if there were any groups for Cummings and Detroit, all I found was a site for older Detroit engines.
If I came off as sarcastic, I apologize that wasn't my intent. If you read anything I have ever posted here, that's not my style.