Do you have $1, $5 or $10 a month?

[Silverghost]

Let me see if my logic makes sense here:

9000 members (I think I heard or saw that somewhere)
x$12 - $1/month per member - anyone NOT have 3.34 pennies a day?
=$108,000 annual gross income

9000 members
x$60 - $5/month per member - who can't spare 1 or 2 gallons of gas once a month?
=$540,000 annual gross income

9000 members
X$120 - $10/month per member - 2-3 gallons of gas per month
=$1,080,000 annual gross income.

The saying goes many hands make light work. I say it is a small price to pay to keep something SO outstanding and beneficial to so many active.

Basil, don't feel bad or have ANY remorse about making this a pay site. YOU HAVE EARNED IT! I don't know about the fees and expenses that go into making this site function, but just based on what I typed above, it doesn't look like it would take big dollars per person to get you where you need to be.

Since I like saying so much, here's another one: Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? Well, I for one will gladly pay for the cow. I can't even imagine how much time and money I'd spend to go various places and join various car clubs, meetings dues, etc. for the information, comraderie (sp?), and help I can can get in one place - here.

If you decide to do so, count me in for $25/month plus the fee for the Gold membership I already have.

 

[v8mgbal]

I agree, I would have no problem paying a yearly fee. I already do that for other British car clubs so count me in.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

I would drop out of my local club and pay dues here if I had to make a choice.

 

[jvandyke]

Didn't sound so much like a money thing as a time issue? Maybe someone else can take it over?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Look at Skye's silver and gold membership plan, it works, if you have to ask who Skye is, then you're not in touch with this hobby, internet wise.

Here's my advice, quit begging and start selling, if the product is sound and a bargain, people will buy it.

 

[Whitephrog]

I'm apparently one of the ignorant. I hadn't heard or read of Skye and his web site. I've since decreased my level of ignorance at least on this issue. Found his site at www.mgexperience.net

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Skye has the best MGB site on the planet, the Spridget site is OK, but this Sridget forum is better.

 

[Westfield_XI]

I pay $25 a year at boatdiesel.com and would be willing to do the same here.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

See I think that would work here, I think you need to let folks in for trial period, and then the fee comes a month down the line, otherwise we'll never get any new members, no one will pay for what they can't see, or maybe for free you can read but not post. I more then willing to pay for more commerical freedom, here but a 100-200 bucks would be all it is worht for me. I built a couple set s of carbs from folks off the site and one engine, I don't count Ray, we met in real life. So big bucks would be out of the question for me.

Basil does a good job here, I think the forum business is probably a tough business if you want to make a living at it. One thing Skye did what put silver and gold stars beside the members who opted for membership upgrades and I think that allowed for more notice to it, so folks did it to support the site. I look at these forums as a double edged sword, I get some businss from them, but I also spend alot time of trying to help the average Joe here as well. Hey if these things did make big money, I'd want my cut.

Bottom line I'm willing to pay a little to keep it going, as I'm sure most of you are.

 

[Westfield_XI]

At boatdiesel, you can read posts for free for 24 hrs., after that you have to be a member. The same with access to archived messages, photos and other value added areas. If you are not a member you cannot start a thread nor can you post, you are read-only and then only the newest posts. They also cut-off non-members from reading more than 5 or 6 lines of text. You get enough content to tease you into paying.

 

[JPSmit]

Timeshare Users Group lets you read and even (I think) post, But, no access to reviews/ classifieds or other "premium" features. Also, there is no "memory" for non paying guests - ie. when you sign in, it doesn't show the new posts - it shows them all. - kind of like reading here without signing in.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Yeah I think in these times, you let folks in and let them post, but limited features. I think the meembership deal has to be a very friendly approach as ther are alternatives in the marketplace that are totally free. For example just in the market for Spridget forums, there are quite a few free choices, but if you make it where you have to pay to come here, it will probably get lonely around here. I think membership has to include extras, and that would be the reason to upgrade. I think often people confuse a forum with a club, a forum is not a club. I think a forum's main reason to exist these days is to have fellowship with similar folks around the country and share technical data, if this comes at price to just pike your head in the door, I think you'll find folks less likely to do so.

I think Basil has done a fine job here, but at the same time, may he tried too hard, too much moderating, too many rules and regulations, that i'm sure it has became a full time job for him to just keep theis place going, working fullite at a hooby that turned into a job that pays like a hooby can't be alot of fun. I dn't see starting a forum being a get rich venture, or even good pay venture. if i were basil, I back off all the rules, regulation moderating, and let this puppy go, add some benefits to let people upgrade to a memembership, put this puppy in criuse control and find other things to make money on, and look at this as part time supplement, nothing more.

 

[GeeBee1]

Hap:

I tend to disagree with you on this one, I think that Basil's regulations keep this forum spot on.

I haven't seen a post of someone in Alaska driving in a top down B with an elk on the luggage rack, which makes me a happy camper.

 

[bill_young]

I'm rather new to the forum, but do like it. Hap, if you've noticed Skye doesn't restrict access to non members, but if you're not logged in the posts on the various boards don't come up in any sort of order, makes keeping up with a thread a real hassle. That same thing could be used to encourage membership, you get the additional sorting and favorites selections there that you wouldn't get as a non-member. Most of the time the "star" thing doesn't make any difference to me, but once in a while someone will make some remark about opiniing without paying your dues and then the gold star carries some weight.

 

[tony barnhill]

Hap:

I tend to disagree with you on this one, I think that Basil's regulations keep this forum spot on.

I haven't seen a post of someone in Alaska driving in a top down B with an elk on the luggage rack, which makes me a happy camper.

Well, how about Santa Clause in it at North Pole, Alaska?

 

[tony barnhill]

Or me:

 

[tony barnhill]

Or with a new friend at the Salty Dawg in Homer, Alaska?

 

[budk1953]

When I started with MG's several years ago I joined just about every forum there was but it seems I spend 90% of my time here and the other 10% on the midget BBS as this is the best <span style="text-decoration: underline">spridget</span> forum around, and I didn't mind kicking in for t-shirts, website hosting, membership, heck I even made a donation when I sold my car as a result of listing it for free here.

just my 2 cents

 

[racingenglishcars]

I must admit that I have never heard of skye and almost not heard of his site. I had been in the british car repair business for 17 years then went into mechanical engineering. I have only ever owned one MG (77 Midget out of more than 120 cars total) so the MG websites don't attract me.

I find the spridget section here covers most of the online entertainment I ever need. Many people here are specialists in their own area, much more than I am, so I let them answer questions I don't feel like researching.

Yearly dues. For me, Yeah, why not. I won't say I get a lot of information from the other members, but I enjoy giving some tips if I can. And I wouldn't mind paying a bit to give other people some help, or or get comments about my own work.

 

[GeeBee1]

hahaha

Tony, don't quit your day job :wink: