It might not help him much, but at least it would keep him busy for a while.

Moke Head, try finding God, it may help


BIG AL

1963SV2 yea when you can NOT login in. you have been BANNED..same here.. indifferent  the werewolf is NOT gone..   just in drag.. these days..

The only thing that could save this forum is strong, consistent and constant, fair moderation. To:

1) Weed out the trolls and so-called "humorists" who don't just keep their BS in their own threads with their "buddies" but jump on other people's threads and pollute them too. 

2) When so-called veterans put down newcomers and people who start MINI threads, boot them too. I'll bet that's why some people have been booted recently. If they start up again after creating new accounts, send them packing again.

Telling MINI owners to get a "real Mini" doesn't help our hosts' business at all, and without new blood, most of the current audience will die off of old age within a decade or two, sad to say.

3) Prune out the spam ads for escorts, passports, and counterfeit money promptly, not to mention the phishing replies that stick around for days or weeks. (i.e. someone says on a thread "I agree - check out this <phishing/spam link.>")

It would be tough to revive this given the lack of young people entering the classic Mini world, but it could be at least kept alive if not growing if someone spent as little as 30 minutes a day once a day to check the forum for the above three problems, and clean them up.

If we are going there, the reason I left was Don began editing my posts or just deleting them. The deleting
didn't bother me as much as changing the content. I take it that after a 5 plus year absence my log in was deleted as well.
Of course it is his board and his ball his rules. And yes, if you are not happy here you, me or anyone else can
pack it in. Steve (CTR)

Nice to find out you are unique..... (although I don’t really believe it)

I once posted some data that showed MM was vastly overcharging for items that could readily be purchased elsewhere in the US.  Soon after any attempt to log in resulted in a message something along the lines of “that login is not valid...”

Perhaps I wasn’t “banned” ..just “excluded” ..or some other lawyerly term for “chucked out “

Cheers, Ian

You still think you know things that just are not so. Call Don and ask him, he will tell you only one person
has ever been banned. Come back and tell us what you found out. Steve (CTR)

Wasn't it the same time Don R. banned you from this very same forum for five years?
Imagine selling what you took and swapped or sold could be worth today.

The Lotus and Caterham 7 forums have been great for me, this one too ever since a troll left. I think it can be good again. What other options are out there besides in the UK?

I'm glad this came up because I have an opinion.  You see, since the 1990's - I was active on the old BBS systems around car fans alike....which then moved into standard forum activity from then on.  Safe to say that I have been active on many car forums which had a huge diversity of people and opinions.  Much of the positive in my past experience has been 1) most people are willing to help someone out with a question and 2) forum brethren has always been open to new people and very welcoming.  I got used to that over the years - especially with the Miata masses, BMW fans, Nissan nutters, VW gurus, etc....all of those I hold with high regard.

Now I am not going to sit here and say that was there any negativity on those other forums?  Sure.  Did anything ever get personal?  Sure.  Did I ever make mistakes and say things myself that were hurtful?  Sure.  But there is one thing that was always consistent - well run forums by people who give HOURS of precious time to allow a home for us to have conversations and gently police those conversations when needed.

So now fast forward to Mini Mania...I have been on the fence with this forum since I came here back in 2012.  On the good side - my Mini would not even be here today (and running) if it were not for several people I hold with the utmost respect for on this forum.  It simply would not even be a question to the support I have received and kindness shown.  On the bad side - it really was apparent when I joined and continues today.  Therefore I am not here as much (or even daily) because of some of the hard remarks I may have received from a simple question I was asking - or seeing that to others.  Couple that with the fact that the Mini I bought from someone on this forum (through a recommendation) was not what was sold to me and now I have to bare that burden going forward - much like a stain on a beautiful canvas - simply because I was naive and uneducated at the time - and allowed others to take advantage of what we call today a "n00b".  For that alone, I have made every effort to help other "n00b's" navigate this forum as well as other to get the correct info and a recommend place that embraces questions without someone cutting them down for asking....or a negative poster who continues to take over a thread with a fairly personal argument with someone else - and the thread just changes tone very quickly.

So it is my hopes that the MM moderators/owners take a look again at guidelines they have setup...review the posting rules...look at other forums/communities that do it great and improve upon where they are today.  I like MM - I buy from MM a lot and I also have a lot of posts here, but this forum just has something odd about it and maybe it is simply indicative of a classic car that is surrounded by experts who know the car well and over time, just loose the passion...I dont know.  But I am hopeful that things will get better here because it is such a wealth of knowledge here, sometimes stained by bad apples who continue to be a barrier for new people who share the same passion as all of us - the classic mini.

HA!    Thanks Brian = I know you do use your car! 
      but kind of ironic.. picture links failed...

 
My Vtec comment i think was sort of jaded... at CMU this past fall ~ 80 Total classic Minis gathered. TWO Vtec's were noticed by me.... had a  few great conversations with other participants and seems like every 3rd person was 'Building' a Vtec... 

Mabye one day vtecs will rule the miniworld! 
    Then we will really have conversations!

well. for us OLD folks.. I do NOT use facebook. utube or instagram.. or even have cell phone.. ( no cell service  here.. so I will deal with the trolls here on MM..very little interest in classic mini sales these days..

Me! 
 

Bit like the facts of life.  if you dont like what you're seeing,its on you and you can typically will move other places to get your fill.

  I feel MM board is very out dated, and has not kept up with the times of true forums.
    Yes it has been a staple of North American mini ownership... but being linked and nicely provided by a vendor has kept many activiites taboo or wrong.  Then with the past years of non moderation.. or control, its allowed open doors chased away longtime users.

Today there are just so many other platforms to 'forums' on with your hobby too.

There are MANY other mini owners in the world that dont touch this place at all.  Even today hanging interests in these cars.
  the Classic population is getting older in North America and the Use of these Minis is dwindling...  (collectors not drivers)

There are now numerous other places for your automotive banter that hold much the same information.

Facebook ( is the devil) but the user opts in or out of those groups.
Instagram , Pictures, but ALOT of instant discussion come about
Youtube = Produced videos' on topics of current relevance

Other forums
 
Mk1 - Forum = ( agreed is very nicely run/ Moderated) and is very clean.. Very Europe oriented
Restoration mini = spun off from the dislikes of Mini mania form...
The Mini forum = UK oriented
Turbo Minis'  = Quiet but knowledgable
North American motoring == Has some classic talk, but they also advise = check MM locally..North American needs
Pelican parts =WIDE variety of converstaion. also Moderated.
Vetcminis' == Seems everyone is building a Vtec mini these days... But who is driving them?

and i know there are others... Times change we all adapt   it sucks to see the good times go away .. Like having kids.. It never can be the same it was....

Actually there are buttons on the forum made for exactly this purpose when you post a topic, but nobody seems to know they exist. 

Well said, Doug.
Re your last sentence: it is a bit like "you can never go home again", meaning home is never the same as when you left.
This is still my "Mini home".

I do not presume to speak for Steve.  However, I read his post differently from what several of you have posted in response.

While Mini vs MINI was a thing 15 to 19 years ago, that has really died.  It is not what drove people from this board.  Over the years we experienced a decade of trolls who drove wedges between members of this community.  Some of those trolls also posted misinformation and dangerous advice without stopping when warned.  We experienced a number of flaming A-holes who sniped at people without justification or mercy.  

This board belongs to our host and they can run it as they see fit.  However, when no one in authority intervened with the behavior here many, many good board members left.  Some continue to watch from a distance but the spirit of camaraderie and friendship is largely gone.  

I hope some of the older members begin posting again in response to the questions posted by new owners.  I hope the Mini and MINI members here continue to get along.  However, I doubt the board will ever be what it was.

back and forth banter is fine - when it's one sided and harsh, that's elitism and that's "not nice"

 

be nice or be gone

*offenders will be removed*

hey mokehead.. interesting point. say about the year 2000.. 25 year rule takes you back to 1975.. not all that much to pick from as far as great, intriguing, unusual cars to import except Minis.. flash forward to 2020... 2020 minus 25 takes you to 1995.. lot of very interesting cars made in early 90s in Japan now legal here.