10 year forum board anniversary plus the old board

[Mike P]

Just looking at the Members list and realised that we've had this forum board for over 10 years now since the summer of 2006

If you include the old board, it must be 15 years for me that I've known some of you.

When some criticise it for being quiet on here, remember that we are getting old like the cars now, for me in the last 15 years I've gone from living at home at 21 years old to married with 2 kids and 40 on the horizon

Mike P

[Kitch]

To be honest, busy lives or not, this forum is practically failing to register a heartbeat. The BX is a bit of a niche car as it is, and even a forum dedicated to the model as a whole rather than one derivative of it is still going to be a quiet affair (and it is - check out the BXC forum to see for yourselves). The BX isn't a popular car, full stop.

I've got three kids under 8, run a business, have a wife etc, and it doesn't take much time out of my day to log onto a forum (usually when I'm on the can). I rarely check this one though, because there's rarely anything to see. I suspect most think the same, and when you consider the impact the likes of Facebook has made on internet forums etc, then I'd be very surprised if there is another 10yr anniversary for this place, sadly.

That said, the original forum was busier (there was no BXC back in those days) and if it weren't for it, I wouldn't have my car, which I bought on the original forum back in 2004. I've met one or two top chaps (Luke and Jay W spring to mind) on here too, and interacted with a few who are massively two-faced. But as I say, I venture on here so infrequently that it doesn't really matter. In fact, this is the first time I've actually sat down and considered my view on this place for probably nearly the 10 years, but then it wouldn't be a fitting anniversary if I didn't type exactly what was going through my head at the time of prodding the buttons on the keyboard, usually managing to offend/upset someone in the process.

Well done and all credit to the forum for lasting this long

[Mike P]

Was it 2006 or 2007 that we did that TV filming at Santa Pod

Time goes quickly.

Mike P

[Kitch]

2006

[jayw]

usually managing to offend/upset someone in the process.

That used to all be part of the fun, but nowadays people "troll" because they've pointless lives and no friends.

Facebook has all but destroyed forums, but i suppose the main reason for the fall of one's like this (other than the obvious lack of cars) is that most of the still longterm owners know the cars inside out by now and have little to ask of others.

Much like Rich, I've made some lifelong friends and aquaintances via this and the original forum that will long outlast the cars. And as I've just sold off the Valver and don't intend ever having another, I've little need for any of the forums.

Fair play to Luke though for still putting his hand in his pocket to keep this running!

[Vanny]

Fair play to Luke though for still putting his hand in his pocket to keep this running!

Except he doesn't, it all hangs off the back of the BXProject server. And I've honestly no idea why I keep that running either. Luke only hosts the front end, although hosting has changed over the years.

Since moving jobs 18 months ago, Jazz has done about 0.5 miles around the drive. I can't find the time to finish of the jobs everyone else has done for me, 2 kids and a daily 2 to 3 hour commute make sure there is little life left in me. Then the families expect me to visit them so that is typically another 200 to 250 miles each weekend. The BX was become quite a mill stone. It's in too many pieces to move, and too crap to bother putting it back together. Its not a great car, even out of the factory. It does turn heads though.

Its pretty hard going owning a Citroen these days, it gets tarnished by the companies current uninspiring line up.

I can't imagine the forum will exist in 5 years time, and I'll be even more surprised if I still have the valver.

[jayw]

Wasn't aware of that! I *think* my DD for bxp subs is still active...

I thought getting rid of my valver would be a wrench, but it's really just been a massive relief. Life has just changed over the past 10 years and the valver doesn't fit anymore.

[Timmo]

Time changes for a lot of people, people change over time, a lot of us were early 20's when we bought our cars, i found the forum through Rob H in 2002/3 through his sig on Performance french car, another busy place back in the day, Renault 5's, clio rsi/Williams etc Ax's even a few Zx's then, but slowly it quietened like a lot have,
I am pleased to say i know of the guys here, I've met a few of you in person, used and shared what i have learnt through here, a fair bit of that has helped me with the Xantia,
I'd love to get the Ol' Girl back on the road but trying to get the funds and time to are against me, I'll still try, dreckky, but as with others, wife , children, small business to fill time with, means not too much spare, that and a good blast around the tight techy singletrack in the woods gives me close to the pleasure thrashing the car did!
Facebook has taken a lot of forum traffic, much for the worst in most cases, i miss the old days of the original forum, one missed day and would take a few days to catch up!
Grateful to the info and people i have got to know through these cars!

[Dave]

Reading the above is a bit of a shock. I know the BX was never that popular but thought one day it would be a little more loved. Like many, I find there is not always time and reason to keep it running and on the road but I always hoped to get both and that may not be far off (well in relation to how long it has been stood in the garage with odd starts). So for now I will keep checking in and hope one day to post in the "who is on the road who is not" thread... I am!

My worry is if something goes wrong with it without you guys I will be a bit stuffed.

[Kitch]

My worry is if something goes wrong with it without you guys I will be a bit stuffed.

You'll be fine. There's an active Facebook group and the BXC forums. 205 GTI Drivers forum is also a wealth of info too.

[Dave]

You'll be fine. There's an active Facebook group and the BXC forums. 205 GTI Drivers forum is also a wealth of info too.

Thanks Kitch.

[Toddman]

I pretty much agree with everything being said.

Vanny has always been the man with the knowledge regarding this forum and without him it would never have continued after Matt threw in the towel.
As I have said before Vanny myself and many others are very grateful for everything you have done and still do.

I did have it on my webspace for a long time but after my transplant I found practically everything I had was no longer functioning due to my webspace providers selling up.

I was set to give up on my website and asked Vanny to take on the forum, technical issues held up me handing over bx16valve.com and I was talked around into rebuilding the main website which did cost me quite a bit but I felt it was a good resource and was very pleased it linked to the forum but as many have said forums are almost dead in the water and we are a very small group.


Vanny and myself have swapped domains, share dthe hosting and Vanny eventually managed to secure bx16v.com thanks to a very kind forum member.

I agree with Vanny about the future of this forum and I have been thinking about what to do.

If anyone has ideas please speak up.

I thought maybe combining with BX Club and then using their forum as the feed to the main site? Kitch is right, in years gone by we had an active group but we are barely surving.

Maybe what is here can be archived and added to the main site when the inevitable happens?

Must say I have met and still keep in touch with a lot of great people because of the 16v

Thank you everyone I hope it isn't the end quite yet.

[Kitch]

I pretty much agree with everything being said.

Vanny has always been the man with the knowledge regarding this forum and without him it would never have continued after Matt threw in the towel.
As I have said before Vanny myself and many others are very grateful for everything you have done and still do.

I did have it on my webspace for a long time but after my transplant I found practically everything I had was no longer functioning due to my webspace providers selling up.

I was set to give up on my website and asked Vanny to take on the forum, technical issues held up me handing over bx16valve.com and I was talked around into rebuilding the main website which did cost me quite a bit but I felt it was a good resource and was very pleased it linked to the forum but as many have said forums are almost dead in the water and we are a very small group.


Vanny and myself have swapped domains, share dthe hosting and Vanny eventually managed to secure bx16v.com thanks to a very kind forum member.

I agree with Vanny about the future of this forum and I have been thinking about what to do.

If anyone has ideas please speak up.

I thought maybe combining with BX Club and then using their forum as the feed to the main site? Kitch is right, in years gone by we had an active group but we are barely surving.

Maybe what is here can be archived and added to the main site when the inevitable happens?

Must say I have met and still keep in touch with a lot of great people because of the 16v

Thank you everyone I hope it isn't the end quite yet.

A lot of common sense being said there

Personally, my view has been for that ten or so years to see if the guys who run BXC would consider incorporating BX16v.com with it? So if you punch in BX16v.com it takes you to a subforum on BXC. That way we'd be able to keep all the resources and info that has accumulated over the years, but it'd be set in a higher-traffic area. The sub-forum would just be a simplified version of this one, moderated by the team who do this place.

That said, BXC forum itself has slowed down since the advent of the Facebook page. It could probably use the boost itself, though I don't think there are many here who use this forum, but not the BXC forum.

There's nothing in it for the BXC forum really, as it's not going to benefit it to any great extent, but it does add some depth and it's another address that finds it. There might be the odd member who gets snooty that the 16v gets its own area, but then the 16v used to have its own forum all those years ago - way before BXC existed. There's no badge snobbery, it's just there is a wealth of info and history accrued by this place over the years and it would be good to keep it.
Likewise, if any of the 16v members got funny about the 16v being put in with the 'normal' BX - have a word with yourselves! They're 90% the same car, and they're all rare now.

Anyway, just my two-penneth. Happy to help out in any way.

Cheers