How useful is a Forum?

The place to discuss everything else..
User avatar
Guy
Posts: 2148
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2014 11:06 am
Location: Warwickshire

Post by Guy »

It'd be a shame if content about the current 'pre-facelift' models tailed off. As I have said before, on the US forum there is much more content about higher mileages and their effects, servicing and DIY. I'd like to see ours develop that way rather than simply evolve to discuss the facelift model. Sadly I don't think that will happen!

User avatar
VanB
Posts: 3730
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 6:58 pm

Post by VanB »

Guy wrote: Sat Jun 30, 2018 1:03 pm It'd be a shame if content about the current 'pre-facelift' models tailed off. As I have said before, on the US forum there is much more content about higher mileages and their effects, servicing and DIY. I'd like to see ours develop that way rather than simply evolve to discuss the facelift model. Sadly I don't think that will happen!
Everyone here is too shit-scared of invalidating their warranty to undertake too much in the way of DIY whereas they don't seem to have that issue across the pond. I agree that it's a shame.
Current - 991.2 GTS C4 GT Silver
Previous: Macan GTS Night Blue
Previous: 981 Cayman S Agate
Ferdie
Posts: 1334
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: South Wales

Post by Ferdie »

I for one found this forum most helpful on what standards to expect from Porsche and their dealers. It was also thought provoking on spec, once I got over the “must have” thread content :o . The technical support and advice has been very good even if it was which page of the manual to look at :lol: .

The whit, stories, ad-hoc stuff has been entertaining, broad in nature, and informed. There have been some group events which always helps build relationships in a forum, a few more would be good but perhaps it is a little more awkward now some of us are non-Macan owners.

I do look forward to the face-lifted Macan generating some new interest and fresh ownership dialogue :)

I hope the forum keeps rolling as it has been a pretty pleasant place for dialogue with some new and old Porsche owners and a side glance at what is going with other marques. - I still pop in now and a gain for those reasons :)
991.1 C2 - Black Edition
(Prior) Macan SD - Night Blue
Fordson Dexta - 1960
alxgb
Posts: 389
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by alxgb »

Salty wrote: Thu Jun 28, 2018 2:15 pm I found this forum when my wife's previous Macan S developed the Transfer box problem. I found the comments made on this forum very useful and it armed me with knowledge about the problem so that when I talked to the OPC I was able to ask them more relevant questions regarding the issue and eventually had the repair done at a much reduced cost.
I asked them if they ever read the forum and the answer was No! They do not rate it and think that comments made should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Nine months ago I bought an Apple Watch 3. (£399) Two weeks ago the screen cracked of its own accord and I therefore returned it to the shop. To cut a long story short they refused to repair it under warranty and wanted me to pay £240 for the repair! I then found the "Apple Support Community" and discovered that hundreds of people world wide are having the exact same problem. I mentioned this to the Apple store managers yesterday and his response was the same as the Porsche OPC. They don't read the forum and think that the comments can be miss leading.

So the question is. How useful is a forum if the company themselves do not read it and do not rate it as being useful?
You're presenting a single use case for a forum but it has far more facets than that.

Of course comments on forums can be misleading but it depends what you're asking and you just need to apply common sense or if there is a consensus of opinion, you can normally consider it as a qualified view. On failure aspects, any brand is going to want to check the physical item and in the case of Apple, they want you back to gouge you for more money and hopefully sign you up for the latest incantation of their 'care plan'. I used to use the business partnership tech support as it offered some real advantages but they changed their model from service to insurance and it's been a disaster ever since.

Very few dealerships read the forums because people in dealerships more often than not aren't enthusiasts. If a customer is unhappy, they'll likely go to the dealership so it's hard to see the return on time spent in a forum. New car sales? Porsche has supply problems as it is and demand was never the problem. I also think there are issues with brand management and consistently representing the brand online over so many dealerships that it's probably easier and safer to impose guidelines and constraints. The liability that participation opens up in terms of giving advice is a minefield. A representative couldn't participate in a meaningful way beyond information which is easily accessible i.e. part numbers, contact information and so forth so as a luxury brand, they'd rather focus on the quality of experience in dealership.

I don't know how well Porsche monitor sentiment towards the brand and commentary on social media but there are a variety of tools that can easily do this and I think it would be naive to assume that forum chatter on spy shots isn't taken into account when it comes to new product specification. Look at cars like the 718 GT4. There have been a fair few shots of test mules and with that comes the PDK vs Manual debate, power output and so forth. If I was a product manager, I'd look to see what the market wanted and qualify an approach. Andreas Preuninger has often referenced forums in interviews so if the head of GT cars makes a comment on it, I'm sure he isn't alone.

I've never had a Porsche sales person in my entire life who is passionate about the cars and brand. It's a commission and a job. Sure, they exist but I've never encountered them with any of my purchases. I would not have known when the paint to sample window opened in production for one of my cars had it not been for forum relationships that I had built up and the pooling of collective knowledge. Take the Macan rubber floor mats - the driver side fit is dreadful, I thought I'd made a mistake on my part order. Check the forum. No, everyone else is annoyed that an OEM product doesn't fit too. Should I ring up the OPC? What will it achieve? Forum saved me time and bother.

I think forums are very much about participation - you get back what you put in.
Ferdie
Posts: 1334
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: South Wales

Post by Ferdie »

Well put 'alxgb'
991.1 C2 - Black Edition
(Prior) Macan SD - Night Blue
Fordson Dexta - 1960
User avatar
goron59
Posts: 5788
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 10:15 am

Post by goron59 »

alxgb wrote: Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:04 pm I think forums are very much about participation - you get back what you put in.
Sometimes true in many things, but when you look this one, the people putting in, are the ones that don't really need anything out. The rest is just banter and nonsense and usually way off-topic.

So yes, for people that can't be bothered to read the manual or do a bit of research, this forum can be a good source of information :)
Used to have 2016 Macan Turbo PHCKCL70
Previously a 2014 Macan Turbo.
Now a 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR
alxgb
Posts: 389
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by alxgb »

Ferdie wrote: Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:06 pm Well put 'alxgb'
Thanks.
alxgb
Posts: 389
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by alxgb »

goron59 wrote: Mon Jul 02, 2018 7:52 am
alxgb wrote: Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:04 pm I think forums are very much about participation - you get back what you put in.
Sometimes true in many things, but when you look this one, the people putting in, are the ones that don't really need anything out. The rest is just banter and nonsense and usually way off-topic.

So yes, for people that can't be bothered to read the manual or do a bit of research, this forum can be a good source of information :)
There is always place for banter and a bit of nonsense. I thought it was a rite of passage to arrive on this forum with a Macan and then be persuaded into a 911. :lol:

Of course, not everyone is going to participate - some may not feel inclined or don't feel they have anything to contribute beyond what has been said before but I found the forum useful when specifying my GTS. It wasn't that I couldn't be bothered to do research, it was specific owner experience relating to certain features that I was looking for. A number of people kindly responded with their perspectives and a few tick boxes were changed for the better.
Last edited by alxgb on Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Col Lamb
Posts: 9323
Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2015 8:38 pm
Location: Lancashire

Post by Col Lamb »

We do seem to have less newbies asking about what to include within their spec than we used to and so by that I presume that they are lurking and doing research before jumping in.

Ferdies comment ...... once I got over the Must Have content ..... was an interesting line, a couple of years ago we had a lot of dialogue of what is and what is not a Must Have, we then seemed to drop the Must Have terminology as it was not worth the hastle of someone coming on to say that there is No Must Haves.

This of course was all relative and dependent upon where the person came from, with very few (read this as only one, me) who have actually driven a very basic no frills, no extras Macan and declared it to be rubbish, uncomfortable and dire. Others who may like rock hard suspension like Beamer M on run flats may have found it OK but that is not the point, the point is that this basic Macan was a compromise setup and one than is easily rectified in what to specify.

So Must Haves, yeah they are there, PASM, RevCam, Xenons, Seats, & Wheels will make that basic dire ride, compromised handling Macan into an awesome all rounder. Anything else is a Nice to Have or just Bling.

I am unaware of any multi Macan owner who have actually had a less spec second Macan than their first was, there must be reasons why.

To each their own.
Col
Macan Turbo
Air, 20” wheels, ACC, Pano, SurCam, 14w, LEDs, PS+, Int Light Pack, Heated seats and Steering, spare wheel, SC, Privacy glass, PDK gear, SD mirrors, Met Black, rear airbags
alxgb
Posts: 389
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by alxgb »

Col Lamb wrote: Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:19 am So Must Haves, yeah they are there, PASM, RevCam, Xenons, Seats, & Wheels will make that basic dire ride, compromised handling Macan into an awesome all rounder. Anything else is a Nice to Have or just Bling.
Are wheels and seats a must have, I'm not so sure... :lol:
Post Reply

  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post