43 replies to this topic

[Dan]

Bit eager there Dan in my opinion. He didn't say 'go away, you own spawn of Satan'....

Nonetheless, the answer gave Minicat the impression they weren't welcome to be asking questions here, that's not what we do here. This has always been intended to be a forum for all Minis of both breeds, but the actions of what is frankly a very few members constantly rejecting and shunning owners of BMW MINIs has kept them away and forced owners of both to keep quiet. I don't think that's acceptable and I don't think it follows the spirit of the forum. Also, by jumping in quickly with a 'nobody will know that here, go away' answer you undermine and show a lack of respect to the 2-3000 other members who might know. And then the poster has left, discouraged, and won't be able to see any further answers that do arrive. If there hasn't been a good answer in a couple of days then a redirection would help but not immediately. As I tried to point out in my reply, technical queries might be best directed elsewhere because we really do struggle to say anything more helpful than 'go to a MINI dealer' much of the time but in other respects we can help a lot given the chance, after all several members used to work on the MINI line and in development of the car but they don't get a chance to answer.

[Dolly 89]

right im getting confussed here how do you direct someone to another forum then in accordance to the forum rules because reading what wolfie put it reads perfectly politely and is very helpful. also if you wait a couple of days to redirect someone it then could be too late for them to get the answer that they want so surely its better to redirect them straight away rather than leaving it too late for them to get the answer that they need

[Calman]

These topics are starting to get on my nipples now. Here it is, New Minis are allowed here although very few know much about them, so we direct questions to a more relevant problem. Then we get some people *Ahem* who miss interprate this and go off on one makeing an "Unwelcoming enviroment". So at the end of it the op never really get a real answer but instead 3 pages of mod warnings. So everyone get over it and dont bother looking in New Mini threads unless you have brain cells! Grrrrrrrrr

[Dan]

It would be different in every case. If someone is asking something along the lines of "help, my car won't start and I need to get to work/hospital/ a funeral" then even I'd probably redirect them straight away. I can't see a situation where it might be an emergency to know the contents of a 2007 Chilli pack or what to clean the seats with, where to buy a car cover or who makes the best roof rack though. Personally I don't think telling anyone to go away is ever polite, but in most cases you could easily give more than half an hour for people to respond.

[Dan]

So everyone get over it and dont bother looking in New Mini threads unless you have brain cells! Grrrrrrrrr

Or how about don't bother looking in new MINI threads unless you inend to answer the question or help? You will notice there are no Mod warnings here, just my opinions.

[Calman]

Fair enough i havent help as yet but then again, i dont see anything relevant from you either?

[Tanya]

Bit eager there Dan in my opinion. He didn't say 'go away, you own spawn of Satan'....

Nonetheless, the answer gave Minicat the impression they weren't welcome to be asking questions here, that's not what we do here. This has always been intended to be a forum for all Minis of both breeds, but the actions of what is frankly a very few members constantly rejecting and shunning owners of BMW MINIs has kept them away and forced owners of both to keep quiet. I don't think that's acceptable and I don't think it follows the spirit of the forum. Also, by jumping in quickly with a 'nobody will know that here, go away' answer you undermine and show a lack of respect to the 2-3000 other members who might know. And then the poster has left, discouraged, and won't be able to see any further answers that do arrive. If there hasn't been a good answer in a couple of days then a redirection would help but not immediately. As I tried to point out in my reply, technical queries might be best directed elsewhere because we really do struggle to say anything more helpful than 'go to a MINI dealer' much of the time but in other respects we can help a lot given the chance, after all several members used to work on the MINI line and in development of the car but they don't get a chance to answer.

Just rushing out the door to go on the Mile of Minis but I would like to say that I totally concur with Dan's post. While I am a mini enthusiast through and through, I want MINI owners to feel just as welcome on here as mini owners and that their posts are just as welcome and valid. From watching responses over the past couple of years, I am very aware that there are members on here who can and do offer help and advice to MINI owners, and usually post that help and advice reasonably quickly.

[mab01uk]

I have been impressed with the polite help offered recently to many first time posters who are clearly asking MINI related questions on TMF and not realising we are mainly a classic Mini forum. We have to accept this is going to happen more and more but it does say TMF 'your online guide to everything Mini.' So even if our growing pool of specialist MINI knowledge is still not enough and they eventually have to be advised to go somewhere like TotalMINI lets make sure they go with an impression that TMF is a helpful, approachable group of Classic Mini enthusiasts. They may come back one day with a classic, I know several MINI owners who found out about the classic scene this way.................

It also works both ways as classic Mini owners sometimes first post on say TotalMINI.com which has a good but more limited knowledge of classic Mini's than TMF...........so for the more indepth technical stuff most TM members would eventually advise they try TMF, as TMF has a good reputation on most MINI forums for being a more 'MINI tolerant' classic forum with fair & clear guidelines for all members, be they Mini or MINI owners or both.

Edited by mab01uk, 31 October 2010 - 07:57 AM.

[mike_mini_mad]

It's amazing all this comes from a simple question about a cars spec
while I don't see the new mini as a "real" mini I think all mini/MINI owners should be welcomed equally. I might joke about them but a part of me always seems to want a new cooper S for some reason

[maggies_minder]

not meaning to stir but if new Minis are welcome (as the rightfully should be), problems will arise.

theres far more new MINIs around nowadays, so if they all wind up here posting their problems/questions, as a opposed to their own modern MINI forum then theres not going to be much point in older Mini enthusiasts posting here as it'll will eventually get dominated by the BMW version.

like i said i think new MINI owners should be made welcome, but its a tough one, its not a case of excluding them, its helping find the answers they want which means sending them to a more relevant place.
i come here for problems on my little old Mini, if i had a new MINI i wouldnt come here.

(the above is an eventuality).

[geo]

Personally I wouldn't visit a predominately new mini forum for advice about my classic, and I would expect members of a new mini forum to direct me to somewhere more appropriate. So I don't see a problem with directing members of tmf, who own new minis, to a new mini forum where they will find a huge wealth of information that we currently don't have available. I do agree it needs to be a little more welcoming next time though, maybe something along the lines of "Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy your stay. While there are many members that can answer your question, this is a predominately classic mini forum, you may get a quicker response on a new mini forum....."

[wolfie]

Dan you are well out of order!

Getting on your soapbox trying to create an argument over me pointing out a dedecated Bini site might be better at answering a spec request where 99% of the members are owners.

Having admin under your name means you represent the site not sure that having a pop at people for trying the do something thats in the intrest of the owner good representation.

There was a long and heated debate a while back about some (not all the majority do an excellent job) staff being heavy handed, what came out of that was that rules are rules there black and white and set in stone, if thats the case you are contradicting that with your argument.

And for the record i have no issue with the bini or the owners just estate agents

Edited by wolfie, 31 October 2010 - 09:40 AM.

[mab01uk]

not meaning to stir but if new Minis are welcome (as the rightfully should be), problems will arise.

theres far more new MINIs around nowadays, so if they all wind up here posting their problems/questions, as a opposed to their own modern MINI forum then theres not going to be much point in older Mini enthusiasts posting here as it'll will eventually get dominated by the BMW version.

like i said i think new MINI owners should be made welcome, but its a tough one, its not a case of excluding them, its helping find the answers they want which means sending them to a more relevant place.
i come here for problems on my little old Mini, if i had a new MINI i wouldnt come here.

(the above is an eventuality).

The Mini Cooper Register forum have solved the problem by adding a small area for general New MINI related posts in the same way that TotalMINI have included a small Classic Mini section which seems to cover most peoples needs.
New MINI
Covers anything related to the new MINI
(scroll down)
http://forum.minicooper.org/

Classic Mini
For all classic Mini discussions
(scroll down)
http://www.totalmini.com/forum/

Edited by mab01uk, 31 October 2010 - 09:45 AM.

[project mini chris]

What a mess this thread has turned out to be! CHILL OUT PEOPLE...

No wonder on other mini forums that im on people always give a bad impression of TMF as being childish and argumental with people always getting into arguments all the time...
Anyone who registers on this site, whether BMW mini or classic mini related, should be welcomed to the site and not boycotted away due to thier first thread that others may disagree on.. altho to start with, when you register, people should read the rules and regulations in more detail to know what atmosphere they are coming into... I think this should be highlighted more by the admin when people join...

[mab01uk]

I understand Mab's point, but t'interweb search engines can't distinguish between Minis & MINIs - I use Bini purely because it's the quickest & easiest way to differentiate between the two.

I know many like yourself Ethel genuinely only use the term for differentiation purposes but unfortunately many MINI owners on first hearing, assume it to be an insulting term used by some classic owners and of course we know some do use it with that very intention. So all I ask is that we don't always jump straight in with the term 'Bini' when a friendly MINI owner perhaps mistakenly first posts on TMF only to be frightened off and go away with a bad first impression of classic enthusiasts like us as hostile & unfriendly...........