I'm fed up with Alfaowner.com

[Joss]

I fed up with this place.

No no not the people but the way its run now.... or not run really. Since it was sold everything just seems to be well falling apart a bit. Shop is gone totally now. I know it wasn't here but there was hope for it with Jason on the case. Can't get hold of stickers, Premio lounges are half shut with no comps etc so what the point of being a paying member anymore.
It's just a total farse held together just by the good people of AO. What is going on with this new company that has bought it. Saw a couple of posts from said company saying all will be well but it just seems to be loosing it's organised edge which it used to have. All the little things that used to make you proud to be part of something special has gone. Maybe it's just me but that's they way it feels when I log on here now
It's just not good enough.

Please Ian. Buy it back for all our sakes.

[Hunter]

Hmmm, kind of saw this coming...hence my non-renewal...
Life goes on, things change though.

[Joss]

Originally Posted by Hunter

Hmmm, kind of saw this coming...hence my non-renewal...
Life goes on, things change though.

I renewed before I knew it was happening. I'm not sure I will next time unless the new owners pull their finger out.

[howell811]

When you lurk/do not log in adverts for Jaguar and Michelin are popping up on users posts. What's that about ?

[Joss]

who knows. Just another example of big companies taking control of a good thing, missing the point and ruining it.

[howell811]

On a plus note..............




nope, can't think of anything.

[VO2Max]

...the peasants are revolting!

[AlfaDrivingFan]

It has gone awful quiet on the forum lately Not sure it's going to be worthy of my money when it comes to renewal

[davidjwbailey]

hard to see why this would be a paid service
while I was happy to support it when I joined and paid, I would not say that this has proven to be value for money

[divadiva]

Originally Posted by Joss

I fed up with this place.

No no not the people but the way its run now.... or not run really. Since it was sold everything just seems to be well falling apart a bit. Shop is gone totally now. I know it wasn't here but there was hope for it with Jason on the case. Can't get hold of stickers, Premio lounges are half shut with no comps etc so what the point of being a paying member anymore.
It's just a total farse held together just by the good people of AO. What is going on with this new company that has bought it. Saw a couple of posts from said company saying all will be well but it just seems to be loosing it's organised edge which it used to have. All the little things that used to make you proud to be part of something special has gone. Maybe it's just me but that's they way it feels when I log on here now
It's just not good enough.

Please Ian. Buy it back for all our sakes.

Start a new site, Jossboy

[trashbat]

You could still quit at 9,999 posts

I haven't renewed in part because of the ongoing issues but mainly because I don't really understand what the model is now. It was a lot clearer when the owners were playing an active part - the money went towards keeping it running, organising events etc.

[David P]

Originally Posted by Joss

I fed up with this place.

No no not the people but the way its run now.... or not run really. Since it was sold everything just seems to be well falling apart a bit. Shop is gone totally now. I know it wasn't here but there was hope for it with Jason on the case. Can't get hold of stickers, Premio lounges are half shut with no comps etc so what the point of being a paying member anymore.
It's just a total farse held together just by the good people of AO. What is going on with this new company that has bought it. Saw a couple of posts from said company saying all will be well but it just seems to be loosing it's organised edge which it used to have. All the little things that used to make you proud to be part of something special has gone. Maybe it's just me but that's they way it feels when I log on here now
It's just not good enough.

Please Ian. Buy it back for all our sakes.

The future of the AO shop was decided a long time before the sale & Jason was long gone from that project AFAIK.

"Premio Lounges half shut" I haven't seen any changes in there apart from the Comps having stopped,
again this had happened a long time before the sale IIRC.


I remember reading a lot of negative comments when the news of the takeover originally broke,
not top mention a lot of scaremongering & promotion of doom & gloom by a few,
mostly by those with a vested interest to do so or by those with an axe to grind

but TBH I haven't seen any changes since the takeover, unless I'm missing something
yes there may be adverts if you aren't logged but as I don't surf AO unless logged in that doesn't affect me



As for the something special being gone, perhaps that's a rant for another forum & it's founders/staff

I really don't see how the change of ownership can be held responsible for the "changes"





All of the above IMHO for anyone who might be easily confused

[David P]

Originally Posted by divadiva

Start a new site, Jossboy

Yes great idea

because I'm sure it'd just be another mini-site to be used only instead of WOT for like-minded people & to be used in addition to AO not instead of AO, it wouldn't be in competition either as there wouldn't be a full blown forum containing Tech Sections, Organised meets etc


Or at least that's what some fairytale authors would like everyone to believe


As I said in my previous post perhaps the reasons for this rant aren't to be found on AO but elsewhere







Again all of the above IMHO for those same people

[Mitch916]

David you have to be kidding.

The site isn't managed at all now it just "exists"

There is no membership info, ie last member details (probably 'cos its too embarrassing) no shop, no stickers, nothing make you believe it is an actual club of any kind, which of course it isn't, but for a short while, with the enthusiasm of the members and the backing of the owners there was.

With out the tech pages, and the great help offered by a few knowledgeable people, this forum would be tumble weed city! For a short time, it looked like it could be something special.

[Joss]

I don't want to start another forum. So please don't suggest such silly things. I'm just airing my views on what I feel has happened to the site. I have no harsh will to any members past and present however i do find inflamatory comments about ex members a little tired so can we move on. The site content from the current members is excellent. I just feel that there is a lack of organisation somehow. I asked the mods a couple of questions and they have genuinly been unable to help. This is their fault just that they didn't know anymore. Which brings me back to the company now running AO. It just seems a little lacking in leadership and info.

[Joss]

I agree with mitch here. This is the sort of thing i mean. We are just another website to them.

[David P]

@ Mitch166

Actually no, I did say IMHO

Yes there are a few errors on the Club Page including the scrolling banner, & also the Compare Page is currently corrupt ( Admin have been made aware of this ) You can still see the memberlist if you want to.

Yes the Tech Lounges are an invaluable resource for anyone who uses them but not everyone uses them, that's the great thing about AO, such a great variety of subjects & contents.

[RSK]

Originally Posted by Joss

II have no harsh will to any members past and present however i do find inflamatory comments about ex members a little tired so can we move on.

Seems that some poor sensitive souls can't and that the "splitters" have really got to them.

Here's the story as I see it.

1 - Lots of people join a car forum on the internet for like minded enthusiasts.

2 - Said forum prospers and attracts many more members for a litany of wholly positive reasons.

3 - Some people decide that their minds aren't quite so alike after all and so set up another site for a smaller group of people drawn largely from the original clan but with different attitudes and tolerance levels vis a vis what passes for acceptable subject matter. The same core interest, namely Alfa Romeo cars, sits at the heart of the breakaway site.

4 - Some members of the original clan with no obvious axe to grind seem to take this very personally.

I don't see how any of the above impacts what AO.com is/was/or aspires to be

[oui4824]

I upgraded this year, prommised all sorts of stickers, money off vouchers, Special offers etc,etc.
Got














Jack s***t

[MrShusky]

When a member shares his/her opinion and/or thoughts on a subject then it is read/viewed by many but it’s only ever a few that actually bother to reply either positively or negatively.

Every member is free to state their own views on the original post but it seems to me that, as with politics, it is only ever the activists/extremist or those with a vested interest in the subject that contribute!

I may not always agree with, but I always try to respect the opinions of others, if I do agree with them I may say so, but if I disagree with them I will only ever say anything if I have ‘the facts’ to back up my thoughts and opinions.

When I do contribute, I have to respect the thoughts and opinions of others who may not agree with me as it is everybody’s right to their own opinion.

As for the original post all I can say is that I too have noticed many, albeit small, changes to the site which will be considered went to comes to my renewal.

[AlfaMartini]

I took a break from AO for a year or so, primarily due to embarrasment because I felt that I may have over-stepped the line by posting a link to a very smutty Kevin Bloody Wilson Xmas song riddled with the “F” word and the “C” word, directly from the office at the tail end of an annual Xmas party, whilst well and truly “whistled & blitzed”; following which the thread appeared to die immediately.

However when I eventually plucked up the courage to return to the forum I did notice that…

a) Ian had mysteriously disappeared.

b) Several core members including Ant, Bigfoot, GTA Charlie plus a few other central characters were no longer posting (which may have been purely coincidental).

c.) Having followed Ian’s strong recommendations for Eset NOD 32 anti-virus software (since which time my PC’s both at home and at work have been totally and unobtrusively protected from virus & spam attacks) the AO website was now promoting McAfee anti-virus protection software.

Now that I’ve caught up with this thread I understand how this has come about; but I don’t believe the technical and social integrity of the site has been negatively affected. The bells and whistles may be on hold, but the scope of forums and threads continue to be interesting & wide-ranging, and there remains as always a substantial central core of superb people both old and new populating and supporting the site. (Not to mention the shared sense of humour )

[996]

Originally Posted by RSK

Seems that some poor sensitive souls can't and that the "splitters" have really got to them.

Here's the story as I see it.

1 - Lots of people join a car forum on the internet for like minded enthusiasts.

2 - Said forum prospers and attracts many more members for a litany of wholly positive reasons.

3 - Some people decide that their minds aren't quite so alike after all and so set up another site for a smaller group of people drawn largely from the original clan but with different attitudes and tolerance levels vis a vis what passes for acceptable subject matter. The same core interest, namely Alfa Romeo cars, sits at the heart of the breakaway site.

4 - Some members of the original clan with no obvious axe to grind seem to take this very personally.

I don't see how any of the above impacts what AO.com is/was/or aspires to be

A moot point indeed and I've no wish to rock the boat as a new member, but maybe
more thought could have been considered when choosing mods.
No mod bashing here but tact and understanding of threads and posts should be paramount
IMHO .
I can understand the reasons AD (there you go I've said it so shoot me) started up,
personally their introduction to the club however tongue in cheek it is meant to be
was unprofessional in the least so wasn't for me or others of the same ilk.

OK the AO site has changed hands but it/we are still here thankfully

PS I'd be interested to know what paid up members are privvy to as compared to the rest of
the members

Apologies to the aghast,feint hearts etc etc etc

[ACAPULCO AL]

Originally Posted by David P

Yes great idea

because I'm sure it'd just be another mini-site to be used only instead of WOT for like-minded people & to be used in addition to AO not instead of AO, it wouldn't be in competition either as there wouldn't be a full blown forum containing Tech Sections, Organised meets etc


Or at least that's what some fairytale authors would like everyone to believe :NUTTER: :HEADBANG:


As I said in my previous post perhaps the reasons for this rant aren't to be found on AO but elsewhere







Again all of the above IMHO for those same people

oh dear, david, you still haven't got over it have you?

[symon]

I have lost interest recently as well, although I do have other things going on in my life at present which are taking up my time.

[David P]

@ AL

Whatever you or anyone else choses to believe, I think it is fair to say that AD is part of the reason behind why this thread exists.

You may not agree with that but it is my opinion & I am entitled to it.



PS Sorry for still not buying the fairytale.