I've been on briskoda 18 months now, since ordering my vrs, my first Skoda, first VAG, and first ever new car.  I love the octy 3 forum, and when I've ventured further I've liked all I've seen on briskie ( styling, performance forums.... Others too).

Over the last month I've noticed this O3F get quieter....a lot.  Still useful, still interesting, still entertaining, but much quieter.  So I've ventured elsewhere more.... Superb 3.... Fabdog3(that's not a popular car is it!). By comparison this place is still like the centre or town on new year's eve, but I can see the changes, I'm sure others can too.

 

2 questions come to mind.

1.  What will this place be like in another 12 or 18 months?

2.  Which of the 'big hitters' will still be here?  ;-)

 

Well?

The Octavia is the big seller of the range and the Mk3 was the first really new model for many years so not surprising there was a lot of initial activity.

I agree with you that it is quieter now and a lot of the questions/comments from newbies have been asked and answered many times now. I think there is an argument for a few more 'stickies' on common themes such as exists for DPF.

I lurk somewhere near the bottom in this particular pond (forum) as I only own the base model available in Australia, but that has not stopped me from enjoying the experiences and viewpoints of those with higher and different models to mine.

The knowledge and passion of some here is incredible and far outweighs many you speak to in the dealerships.

My answer to question 1. would be that we are likely to see more owners applying more alterations to their 'ageing' vehicles for better handling/performance/economy. For instance, upgrading the rear suspension from torsion bar to multi-link from a 'totalled' Golf 7 or vRS, brake upgrades. Probably a lot more "Pimp my Ride" upgrades.

Question 2. - Well change happens all the time and some will go to the dark side.

I note Autoexpress has released 'spy' (are they really - their spies are very consistent) pictures of the Octy 3 facelift - I imagine that will breathe some life into the forum.

Having owner an O2 its interesting to see how that forum has moved towards after market mods, cheap maintenance and servicing, etc.

Good to see the forum isn't screaming with design faults, failing components etc now. I wonder what the Austin Allegro forum would look like 2 years after launch!

Aaaah! the Allegro, I always wondered where Skoda got the design ideas for the squared off sport steering wheel! That sat high on its arches too maybe the Octy has hydragas!

I have noticed the way the forum is, but I put it down to the car and it's age (or lack of it) The O3 is still under warranty for most people and most tend to wait until it is out of warranty to do any serious tinkering, eventually people will start to play with it as much as the O2

People do however rip the MK7 golf apart, and that tends to be the best place to find out what is possible with your O3, I think the fact that the Skoda is not in as many markets as the Golf or Audi

Mind you the forum is a tad quieter and more civilised than some where the a car is sold across the pond "quaint" I think is the word they use for it! No bad thing IMO

I have been formulating a theorm of internet forums "waxing and waning", since I bin involved with a couple from the early days of the internet.

Specifically the "G" Wagen UK forum

Plus a couple of others.

First there is a great surge of enthusiam and posters

Then after a while most everything has been said, at least twice.

Then a while later ALL posters recognise this fact.

Then some posters fall out with other posters

then it goes all quite quiet.

So;

Like any lifeform, a forum has all the stages of life, first youthful vigor, then mature adulthood, then senescence.( a fancy word for old age and probably misspelled)(and there may be outbursts of gibbering therin)

Edited 24 April, 201511 yr by dieseldogg

Great post, thanks. Each section ebbs and flows as a model conceptually appears, launches, orders open, arrives, faults through to 3+ years when the mot fails don't happen or do.

 

The octavia and fabia are the strong models, they have the largest population of visitors and this is as there are more out there in the real world. Models like the roomster are way below in terms of busy stats. The old MK1 Octy when forecourt prices averaged below 3k saw a bit of a increase. 

 

But as we've seen year on year, as it gets 'quiet', quality tends to go up and the community is more obvious. 

 

Big hitters define; to be posting a lot; to be posting once, greatly.

 

Also each model section is different due to age range/demographics of owners. I had some hopes for allowing each section to evolve to adapt to it's changing needs. Kind of working in small pockets

When the Octy III becomes cheap enough for those who buys cars say under 10k, you will see more and more posts as more will buy them, including more modders as they'll be more accessible and bolt on/upgrade-able parts become available.

The Octy III will be a good base for some modders to build a pretty quick car, but for most, a 20k car starting point with another 5k or more for mods is currently a bit rich.

Just my 2p worth

To put some numbers on it, in March

 

Pageviews March:

Oct III 75k  - <4% of overall traffic

Oct II 40k 

Yeti  36k 

Fab II 24k

Fab I 23k

Superb II 22.5k

 

Not totally accurate as that's just people landing on the specific forum section, not counting the views/replies of threads inside etc. But note how the fabia numbers are fairly even.

 

As Dieseldogg says, quite right a forum on a topic has a growth curve. The worst answer to any question is use search when a topic is done over and over... it's not done over and over to the newest member. Of course once an issue is done over and over, searching finds the answer off people go. 

All good points being said that I agree with.

 

Big hitters definition.. Errmmm... Those that set the character of the place?

 

I haven't met any in person, but have a feel for the forum personality of people like themanwithnoaim, mence, neily03, andyvee and others.  For me, they've done a lot to set the character.

I haven't met any in person ....

Having left the forum for a while and come back again recently I have noticed a change in the posts and replies too but, that may be down to the forums I'm frequenting now rather than a change in Briskoda generally. 

 

One way to find out is to actually meet your fellow forum members, there is the perfect opportunity in a couple of months at the Briskoda National Meet in Rockingham (24th June iirc). 

I have been formulating a theorm of internet forums "waxing and waning", since I bin involved with a couple from the early days of the internet.

Specifically the "G" Wagen UK forum

Plus a couple of others.

First there is a great surge of enthusiam and posters

Then after a while most everything has been said, at least twice.

Then a while later ALL posters recognise this fact.

Then some posters fall out with other posters

then it goes all quite quiet.

So;

Like any lifeform, a forum has all the stages of life, first youthful vigor, then mature adulthood, then senescence.( a fancy word for old age and probably misspelled)(and there may be outbursts of gibbering therin)

i go on another four forums, one for my rs1600i/mk3escort,that one has got quiet and pretty much as described above, the rs owners club and mk1cortina owners club forum has become quiet till the show season picks up, this site is very informative, i visit different model forums on here as iv had most of the models in my 13 years of skoda driving, it generally picks up when offers and such like comes out, the octavia weekend at the begining of june is going to have special deals on but my dealer didnt go into details,

With a probable production lifespan of circa 5 years, the O3 forum will bumble along nicely I reckon.