Workshop/import Dealer Threads.

[R31Nismoid]

Ok. Of late, simply put... people have become ignorant of forum rules for whatever reason.

To kick this post off, you can find the rules here:

Board Rules

Now, moving on from that. Anyone from now on that engages in the below;

1) Slandering a business

2) A business that advertises/sells thier business/goods, but is not an approved Forum Trader etc.

3) Generally makes life difficult in threads about workshops/dealer

4) Clearly goes against forum rules

You will have you whole post completely removed and you will be given a warning.

If you proceed to do it again, there will be no second warning, it will be a ban of your user account.

Quite plain and simple. This applies even if you are a member of SAU-Vic or not.

You will loose your Forum Account and Member Access to the forums, and it will be your own fault.

I really didn't want to do this, but you guys dont give me much choice anymore.

If you have an issue with this, send me a PM to discuss it.

Cheers - Ash

[Mavric]

3) Generally makes like difficult in threads about workshops/dealer

3) Generally makes "life" difficult in threads about workshops/dealer

Just an edit for you ash

Top work as always

[dezz]

So we're not allowed to reccomend a decent workshop/dealer etc anymore, because that would be classed as advertising their business?

[R31Nismoid]

Meh - my posts are right with the spelling 1% of the time

#2 "changed" as it seems it'll cause confusion.

Should make more sense now

Traders pay good money to trade here, so its only fair to only allow that to occur

Of course reccomend go for it, just dont slander someone in public.

[inark]

Why can we only post good things about places and not bad?

i think its a little stupid that we arent allowed to post things about workshops if they did something wrong or ripped someone off and yet its ok when we get a good deal from them.

if you can recommend a workshop i think you should adversley be allowed to share your bad encounter with a workshop or person providing it is factual and objective and not subjective.

[R31Nismoid]

SAU is not going to be liable for someone slandering a business.

If you bad mouth a business here. Who is to know the accuracy of the accusations? Without hearing both sides, you cant.

Many workshops might not even check the site week to week, or at all. And in doing so, their business is being harmed unfairly by someone's "claims" as that is all they are without evidence and a statement from the other side.

SAU is not a court of law. And hence, its not of our concern as per the next part.

Then a user of this forum happens to tell a business there is a shit fling thread on SAU about them and then the legal action starts because we are allowing people to sledge a business without even knowing the stories.

So, it will forever stand that way and wont be changed. Its probably one of the core rules that wont even be considered for alteration.

SAU Admin is not going actively find out both sides of the story. We facilitate a healthy discussion area for people, not a place where people can abuse/slander when/what-ever they feel like.

[inark]

Well... someone better tell that to all the admins at Whirlpool... amazing how its been around for so many years despite the amount of flamming that goes on towards all the major ISPs who have millions and millions of dollars to throw at law suits unlike most workshops.

The whole idea behind a discussion board is the ability to be able to discuss... whether it be good or bad, especially if it could possibly save someone else the same troubles.

I highly doubt any car forum can be held accountable legally for something someone on their board said... but i spose its safer.

I honestly dont care, im just interested in the reasoning behind it, which youve explained and i find interesting.

[R31Nismoid]

There have been more than just one or two legal challenges thrown at SAU over the years unfortunately. Lucky though, we are still here

So it does seem going by past occurrences that it does indeed happen, and will continue to do so if we are lenient, as we were long ago.

Big companies IMO care less. They have big money, a few shit kickers doesn't matter them greatly.

However workshops seems to get agitated quite quickly, and fair enough. The market is nowhere near as large.

their income and business generally based on reputation/word of mouth rather than a broad market where you'll always have business as long as you provide a semi-reasonable service.

Given we don't make money off SAU, like a lot of other forum Admins do, going to court would be yet another potential unpaid adventure that we don't need.

Just the cost would shut the site down as it runs a pretty tight budget in terms of what little is left.

Hence the move to a US server not long ago as AUS servers were more expensive than the site could financially absorb anymore through donations/traders. Whilst its not the best (like we had), we just have to make do.

There is reasons for it all, and having now seen how much time/effort some of us Admins spend keeping this place in good order.

I can totally see why any more time requirements would simply stop the wheels from turning.

Hope that adds a little more too it for ya mate

[inark]

Yeah it does and them being smaller fish and a lot more reliant on even just one or 2 customers makes sense...

But i know that if someone has had a bad or good experience at a shop i want to know so i can weigh up whether or not i want to go there... so hearing only the good about a place kinda isnt good for the members of the forums.

Bu i do see your point.

[jet629]

yeah just discussing good things about a workshop and not being able to mention the cons in experience defeats the purpose of an actual discussion of workshops.

its like saying that workshop did a good job. and keeping in mind (they ripped me off).

not beneficial to anyone talking a workshop up when it will most likely lead to other skyline owners getting the same negative experience.

[R31Nismoid]

Well thats just tough isnt it. Doesnt defeat the purpose of these forums, which are a free resource for people.

To further backup this (im sure most have seen it already):

http://whirlpool.net.au/article.cfm/1753

Even though the case was dropped, we simply do not need the hassle.

If a workshop isnt decent, then logic would have it such that you would not see many reccomendations now would you?

[CaptainWillSkyline01]

3) Generally makes like difficult in threads about workshops/dealer

3) Generally makes "life" difficult in threads about workshops/dealer

Just an edit for you ash

Top work as always

WELL THAT SUCKS A LITTLE, SO WHAT WE HAVE TO GO TO ALL THE "SKYLINES AUSTRALIA" SAU MEETS, HOPE SOMEONE KNOWS WHAT THEIR TALKING ABOUT IN ORDER TO RECOMMEND A GOOD/GREAT WORKSHOP WHO LOOKS AFTER THEIR CUSTOMERS & HOPE THEY DON'T JUST BLEED THEIR CUSTOMER DRY, WELL THAT SUCK A GREAT DEAL HEY ALL?

Is this a forum for us or a Politically In-correct Dictator Ship Mmmmmmmm Ahaaaaa?

If we can not give info to help our fellow Nissan, Skyline, Skyline GTR or Skyline GTR V-SPEC Drivers/followers Out Of a Jam what are we doing here??

Edited August 6, 2010 by CaptainWillSkyline01

[R31Nismoid]

Is this a forum for us or a Politically In-correct Dictator Ship Mmmmmmmm Ahaaaaa?

Damn right it's a dictatorship. A dictatorship that ensures the longevity of the forum. The fact it will be here and stand the test of time for everyone.

SAU is a massive technical resource, great community for so many people, and also the clubs that run off us (for free) to further help that community abroad.

I think SAU's culture is one of the best around, and not allowing workshop bagging keeps the whole nasty nature of online stuff away.

So quite "correct" in actual fact.

Your post is quite largely ignorant of the big picture I'm afraid.

SAU has faced a number of legal challenges over the years, yet we are still one of the largest car forums in Australia and going strong.

We don't run for profit like a lot of other sites/forums, so our very existence only needs ONE decent challenge to bring us potentially unstuck.

One idiot pisses the wrong person off - SAU goes on a holiday. That is something that I'm sure no-one will ever want to see happen.

There is nothing stopping you reccommending a workshop as stated in this thread, and by threads that litter these forums with strong support/reccomendations, that is obvious.

[kevyc]

hey,, this is a great topic

im sure we can all abide by this rule i mean its not hard.... we can still post the good things shops do for us but the question is... are the admin people gunna ban pm messaging about shops aswell??