Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 10:43:30 -0300
Reply-To: Tim Smith <smithtj@NBNET.NB.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tim Smith <smithtj@NBNET.NB.CA>
Subject: My Great Exit....... at last!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Well folks,
It's been a slice, but after postponing my departure
by a month and lurking in digest mode/P-mail reply
I can't justify staying on this list. I can't remember
when I signed on first, early enough that Unca Joel and
I used to battle for 'most posts in a month' title, long
before the original list split into aircooled and water
cooleds. I signed on again recently just to find a copy of
the digijet FI manual, which I didn't get.
I bailed 2-3 years back because the list technical content
dropped waaaay off, while the spam content gained momentum
as more vendors discovered a captive and willing group with
free advertising. Neither of these conditions has changed.
In fact recent list content has been so far off VW content it wasn't
worth even scanning a digest. Vendors are still there pimping
as hard as ever. Case in point, the recent quote for a temp sensor
at $31US, while I buy them for $21Cdn ($15US) from a wizened up
VW factory mechanic who gets them from the local FLAPS wholesaler.
But I think what finally made me realize how futile this whole
scene has become was yesterdays post from "a 4 year VW employee, in parts
dept"
who had to ask if his vanagon had a sway bar. D'oh! Plus the fact that someone
with full access to a VW service techies/manuals has to ask why his vanagon
is running rich. I dare you to post the name of the dealership where you work,
no way would my wheels ever roll across that dooryard. This speaks volumes
about why the dealership network sucks so badly, total lack of knowledge
and little motivation to learn. And it shows me why the vendors can
make a killing off this list, the consequences of going elsewhere are
ignorance
and money. Sorry Dave, don't take this as a personal comment, it's more
a generalization ;)
Last time on here I made a pitch for the list community to get together and
produce 'our own' digital Bentley, based on the cumulative work and wisdom of
listmembers. I also suggested that a full blown FAQ be set up and new
members informed of it's location. It is easier to simply ask the list, so
the minimal effort approach rules. Shame. And like Bob Hoovers sermons, freely
published on V@L, some vendor will burn them onto a CD and start charging
for what was free originally. I won't even try to suggest that this list
organises into a cooperative unit, with suitable incorporation and tax numbers
to allow buying directly from wholesalers like Overland or in Canada, Altrom.
Or from KYB,Bosch,Mann,BFG/etc/etc. Want to guess what the wizened up mechie
pays Altrom for the temp sensors he sells to me for $15? Think about this
next
time a list vendors price seems so great compared to the dealers.
A few names amongst the din stand out, Frank Grunthauer (sorry, if misspelled)
for his technical posts, ditto Bob Lilley. For reassurance that there
is still a 'community' out there, Phaedra's efforts have been great, wish
I was near enough to enjoy her get togethers. That leaves about 99% wasted
bandwidth that I delete daily. The list has fragmented in 'focus groups',
where those with common interests, TDI, Subaru conversions, Syncro's, can
pick up a far higher amount of content. This explains the dropoff of tech
content on this list, members driven out to find their own groups, and
representing I suspect the more knowledgeable and resourceful members too.
And now that my $0.02 worth of non-technical (but somehow appropriate)
wasted bandwidth is over, so am I. List Meister Tom C..... thanks.
Tim
a bus driver since '71
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