Is this forum dying a slow death?

Much the same as usual really - BF.com has always had more activity but this one keeps trundling along happily!

If we don't have something to say... we just keep quiet...

We had a similar discussion in the german part of the forum some time ago.
There is another German e31 forum where there is much more activity but most of it is meaningless chatter.
Here, most of the postings have a useful content and that makes the forum (in my opinion) more usable.
If one looks for some technical help, that can be found very quickly.
On other sites you have to page trough 20 pages or more before you get the info you want.
This way it is a very "efficient" and friendly forum but it means also that the buzz and entertainment factor is far lower than on other sites.

Cheers,
Steve

We've had this discussion before ;).

I don't think you should feel guilty for hanging around at other places. As you've pointed out already, many of us are member of multiple E31 communities - nothing wrong with that. Bimmerforums.com has the largest and most active English E31 user community while bimmerforums.co.uk is very right-hand drive minded. My post count over at bimmerforums.com is over twice as high as here, yet still I consider 8er.org the best E31 forum and my E31 home.

The closed nature of this forum makes it somewhat unattractive to newcomers and pretty much invisible in search engines. There's very little we can do to improve that because making the forum public is out of the question (not my decision). Does that mean this place is dying? I don't think so, but because of the relatively small user base there are times there's just nothing to be said. I'm definitely not the type of person to start a conversation out of the blue when there's an awkward silence. However, when people ask questions in this forum I certainly do not get the impression that there's no one to answer them. The knowledge in this forum and the quality of the replies is amongst the best in my opinion. Then again, even if Reinhard was the only member it'd still beat the other communities in knowledge ;).

This forum had a slight wobble when Sangwich compared an E31 unfavourably to a Bongo Campervan once, but survived an even greater scare recently when he revealed his plan to fill a potential E31-shaped hole in the garage at home with a Citroen 2cv.
I'd say its pretty much invincible.

I agree with Revtor, many of the members here are also members on bimmerforums.com and some of us were (maybe still are) on Roadfly too. Bimmerforums has a lot more chatter but this forum is in my opinion, better for technical input. Both forums have their place but I don't think this place is dying. There might not all that much appearing to be happening in the English speaking sections but don't forget this is an international forum with active sections in other languages - German is very busy and the French section also. For example, just checking this evening for new posts, there's only this thread in the English section but there are Four new threads in the German speaking area (I see both as one list as I have access to both and speak both languages)
I hang around mainly in the English and German sections, sometimes are quieter than others but there seems to be a reasonably steady flow of input.

This forum has been up and down over the years. Summers are slowest because everybody is outside. Winters get better.

I have been here when I was virtually alone and I was on Bimmerforums as the only regular 8 owner before Roadfly started irritating everybody enough to leave. This place still has people posting in vacation time so it isn't dead yet.

Some day OZ and US owners along with more "Brits" will appear again and liven it up but it will probably be a group of new owners that have not seen every answer a hundred times.

It was the same last year during the vacation season - it is such a valuable resource with incredibly helpful contributors - too valuable to give up on.

Zitat von anguswolfendale;114321

... it is such a valuable resource with incredibly helpful contributors - too valuable to give up on.

I entirely endorse this! Whenever you face a problem or need information, you get valuable advice from colleagues. I personally appreciate that contributions tend to be at the point rather then ending up in lengthy blah blah, taking into account that we have all in all less contributions.

Best

Peter

Zitat von revtor;114288

bimmerforums.co.uk

Oooo...this is a new one for me! thanks!

Summers are usually quite slow.
I have found myself logged in less this summer than usual, for various reasons.
actually I think various Facebook groups are taking a bit of the forum traffic.
There is a lot of traffic on the Norwegian E31 facebook page.

Think things will pick up in the winter when people will start their winter maintenance and the car is parked for the season.
I know I have projects this winter.