So, i posted auto questions on line in these fourms and got no response. Being the ass that i am, i made some smart remarks about that.
I was informed (if you call it that) that for technical advice i should contact the advisor listed in he bulletin. OK.
Now i have other questions. I posted one on facebook and Russel Nardie asked if i had contacted the advisor in the bulletin. I told him that was my next step if i didnt get a quick answer on facebook. I didnt. So I look in the bulletin, there is a phone number listed so i call. I get an answering machine. I leave a nice message, who i am, where i got his number and what advice i am looking for.
Three days now and no return call.
What am i to assume? Is this standard? Is it me?
I have two Plymouths and want to do my best for them but do i give up here?
I get the whole "people are volunteers" thing. But the plain truth is i paid the dues to join because im just not really very smart, and do have alot of questions. And that was the biggest selling point for me to send in the dues, having access to "technical advisors". Theres just not alot of info on line for my 60.
Any input? Anyone?
Thanks, Mike :-\
Were I you, I might try "going up the chain" and seeing if the club president is aware that a tech advisor is not replying in a reasonable amount of time.
For myself (I am the tech advisor for the 1933 models), I try to respond within a day to messages left on my machine or received by email. (I will admit to letting unknown numbers go to voice mail as I get too many spam calls.) I also check in here daily to see if there is anything that I can help with when I am in an area with Internet (I do volunteer activities in rural areas where there is little or no cell phone coverage). My area of expertise is really just 1933 but there are things that Plymouth did for a number of years so I can sometimes help with simple questions on other years.
Mike,
I regularly come to this site to see whats going on, and enjoy the stories and camaraderie from the regular contributors.
I was disappointed to read you tirade, and think you expectations of a immediate professional technical service from club members and or the general contributors of a 'blog' site is misguided.
Your specific complaint about the Club Advisor who is a volunteer not responding within 3 days is in my opinion totally unwarranted. It might just be that they are on holiday, they might be working on someone elses request that got in the queue before you, they might be not well or it just may be they they have other priorities at the moment like supporting their family...
A club is just a group of people who have a common interest, the POC club happen to have 'Technical Advisors' to offer help to members, if I was the advisor, I'm not sure a public complaint like yours would motivate me to help you.
I suggest you give the volunteer 'technical advisor' a reasonable chance. These guys do a sterling job, and if you really can't wait, then suggest you find a restoration shop and pay the current rates for them to do the research, and associated work.
Nelson, there you go. I guess it is me. If that was a "public tirade" it shows how little i know. I thought a "public tirade" would have been saying stuff on face book. And negitative stuff. I thought i was asking questions to club members who might have some insight as to how these things work. I wss asking for any input or advice.
Thank you todfitch for your response. And for not launching a "public tirade" on me.
I guess ill enjoy the bulletin until my dues are expired and move on.
Hallo,
maybe Facebook is where You find more traffic than here!
I don?t like it and don?t use it.
This forum had advice for every problem until ~ 5 or 6 years ago.
Then it bekame terribly slow, and as Moderators etc. too are hobbyists,
we couldn?t really bring them to find remedy.
This forum died a slow death! But I like the magazine and stay member!
I?m only informed with 1948 ff. 6 cylinder cars.
Good Luck anyhow!
Greetings from D?sseldorf!#
Go
I compare this forum and face book to the days of walking into a store, not matter what kind to get something or even a coffee shop to get a cup of coffee and now the drive up windows to get everything one needs, everybody wants instant gratification. Although I enjoy the POC face book page greatly, I also enjoy this forum very much and have done so since is inception years ago,
I remember back in the early 1960's My Dad ordered a new 1962 Falcon from the dealer, he had to wait until the car came in, then again in 1965 when he ordered anther new Ford, this time a Fairlane Wagon, he also had to wait three months for this car to arrive. Now you go to a dealer, don't matter which one and there are all sorts of vehicles there for one to choose from, is it a good thing, I am not sure, but then again it is instant gratification.
Just my thoughts on the matter
- Compared with other forum site I have used this one is possibly the worst, to me it a dinosaur that needs more traffic to warrant updating it.
- The suggestion to use FaceBook was mainly to be used as a tool to encourage more traffic
- The administrators of the FB page don't seem to come here, in fact I couldn't find Russell Nardi in the members list
- The FB page could be used as a vetting tool so that after a qualifying period users would be forced to use an updated version here.
- Part of the qualifying as an Technical Adviser should be to check in here on a regular basis
- Each model type should be grouped in a common heading ie PC,PD,PE,PF and PG, although having their own Techs they would come under the same heading
The list goes on but due to the wind on change that has been hinted about on FB the Board of Directors could finish up with more major modified cars than what is outlined in Article 1 of the constitution.
Would take this opertunity to thank Mark Olson for a sterling work which often goes un-noticed.
The only problem with your analogy is now the dealer force you to buy what they have to sell. Try to buy without A/C, auto trans and so on. I go almost exclusively to FC but I do get instant feedback. This site is well done and when I finally get my Plymouth I will be using this more.
Leftturn,
I feel your pain. I have had the same feeling since I joined 2 1/2 yrs ago. "Lots of friendly and knowledgeable folk to help you out." ;) I thought when I joined I would find the vault of all Plymouth knowledge. It is not here and not on the club website nor on the FB page. I have finally found the vault and it cost me an additional $42 but it was worth it. I learned more about my car in an hour or so of reading a couple of really old issues than I have in 2+years of research and asking questions! The real accumulated knowledge of the club is in the 48 yr compilation CD's of the Plymouth Bulletin!!!! (and the ones online at the web site)
As for the people factor a good many of them are in the 70+ age bracket and some not part of the computer age and it is a volunteer program.
I too contacted russ nardi and got lambasted for my comments but most surprising was that I had not joined the club primarily for the camaraderie! I guess that is where the secret handshakes and code words come into play that I skipped over when I clicked on "I understand".
I say stick with it another year. I checked your original question and suggest that if you are not getting any thing out of your advisor you might seek out one of the show judges and ask them. They may or may not know but would be able to refer you to someone who does and would respond.
Get in touch with Jim B. for a list of all members and cars in the club, then you can contact other owners directly for info. Some will respond some won't, all ya gotta do is ask.
They are polling the folks on the FB site as to whether to keep this forum open to the public or to restrict it to members only. I put in my 2 cents worth for keeping it public and so far that option is winning.
Another option I am seeing a lot of is starting your own FB page that is about your year of Plymouth. Then you get a group of folks who have them and know them. The drawback is having to administrate the page but it may be worth it to you.
Good luck!