Members of the Sport Trac Club
To those who post regularly, but have gone quiet in the last couple of days...and the members who lurk and have nothing to post. :type:

What do you want from the club? I'm kinda disappointed with no posts in the last couple of days. The ST Club store has opened and I was kinda hoping for something more of a response then there is currently. I think the design is awesome and there's not much out there with the new ST on it. I'm in no way trying to be better then myst, but I guess it's got more of a hold on members then I thought. I'm guessing that the shared interest of the ST can't be shared on more then one site.

So, if anyone wants to chime in and leave some input for this club, please do. :wave:

Leslie is a sweetie and is sugar coating how she feels, I won't. :wink:

I've been quiet about this for way too long, but it's hard for me to hold back on the frustration of it all. This club in no way was started to "take away" members from MyST. It's simple purpose was/is to showcase a great vehicle and in a better (IMO much better) forum format than the other place. Let me make this clear.. the My Sport Trac site is excellent and very informative. It most definitely is the popular (understandably) choice of ST owners. However, I find their message board format to be dull and tedious to use. So we started Sport Trac Club as a friendly option to real-time post in an easier to use, more fun format.

We aren't competition. MyST has a wealth of information. We are, however, a nice real time alternative to their message board. It's almost like we've been "blacklisted" over at MyST or something. 64 members.. like 2-3 regulars? I submitted our club for their link pages (which does include the Edmunds.com forum) but they rejected us. :cry:

Something is up. Are they actually worried about our little club? :goofy: Or do they think no other ST site is allowed to pop up? Last time I looked this is legal. :lol:

I run a car board and there's another equally popular site on the same car .. no real issues. Just a different flavor (mine is more member friendly lol) of the same product. With a ton of cross-over members.

We've tried to make this little place friendly and inviting. In no way do I think Leslie or me has failed. She's an amazing person. :thumbsup: Hell, we pay to keep the forumer ads away... she bought the domain... we try to do things first class.

Sorry if this seems like a rant.. it isn't. But Leslie feels frustrated and so do I. Are we wrong to feel this way? I don't think so. Look around, most vehicles have multiple forums/fan sites. No issues.

Again, we don't pretend to be a "full-service" site one-stop shop like MyST. Just an easy to use forum format with solid features.

There are some benefits to being small and friendly. It's easy to be a Member of the Month for one. :blush: We want to see your Sport Tracs! Todd of Zabtech asked my permission to advertise here and I said no porblem. Even giving him a front page link without him even asking for one. We're easy to work with and want to make this place fun and successful.

Feel free to add your thoughts. :wink:

I'm not really sure of what to tell ya. The site to me is great. You two know how I feel about it since I've told you before. I for one am a "reply poster". I have started other posts but I reply more than I start new ones. (never been real good at starting conversations) When I get something new or hear something interesting, I post.

As for the "other" site. I'm not sure what to tell ya. Rich has had that site running for quite some time and may feel alittle threatened by a "new" ST site. I don't see how since of course, with his site being around since the first ST was put out, he has pretty much all the info one could need on the ins and outs of the ST. One thing I have noticed on there though is now it is starting to get alittle "chippy" on there. There are a few on there that just get things going. Not that it isn't some funny reading, but it is over the top anymore. I'm sure if the word did get out on that site about this one, you would probably see a growing number of members. Also, there is a "loyalty" to the other site also.

Yes the MYST site is "basic" format. This one is more "up to date". I think that is scaring a few of the others from the other site off. That was the reason it took me alittle bit to sign up. I liked the simplicity of MYST. Once getting on here though, I do like this set up. I know many on MYST has tried to get Rich to "update" the site and alot on there chimed in to say they liked the original format. That could be a reason.

How to fix it? That's a question for the masses. I don't have an answer. I frequent this site alot during the week. (alon with MYST) I don't get on the computer during the weekend. (to busy doing things around the house) I'd love to see more new posts on here. Give me more to read when I'm at work. :grin:

I think i will chime in....

I love the fact there are other forums, It also allows those "regulars" on some sites to let others get the "regular" status on other sites.
I personally follow My st, I pop in and out on this site and I look at 4-5 other forums. The one I concentrate on is My st. For reasons of business and personal.
I feel I "owe" the My st members my activity on there, they have backed me up and support me. I KNOW the members here do the same... I just cant be in 5 places at 1 time.
I thank you for the Front page showing and the other things your doing.
I do like all the members and I am saddened that some feel they are pushed away, BUT the Mys ST site is also a business... If sponsors jump ship to go to a NEW flourishing site, the mother site becomes slow and eventually can die.

I do know some inside things and cant talk about them right now, But I feel things can and will only get better..

The last thing before I go is that please remember most of the MYst members are over 40+ and this means they are not that computer savvy as the younger crowd. They DO NOT like change and I also don't care for a forum layout like the new ones that are out there, IT is confusing and it is a bunch of stuff to click on and hard to follow for me...I have found this is the general feeling of the older MYST members.
Rich even asked if he should redo the ST site and 90% of the members said flat out NO.....

Hope this descent tick any one off, but this is what I know and have observed..
Todd Z

Room for everyone
I just bought my 07ST, so I'm new to it all. I have been on both sites, both work for me. The other site has more and there are alot more UTD posts, but this one has some advantages, like breakdown of subject matter, and friendly people. Just hang in their and don't worry about it.
If you build it they will come, I know I've heard that from somewhere...hmmmmm.

Rome was not built in a day. Don't worry, it will grow just give it some time. Many good web sites have fallen by the wayside because their owners lost interest or thought it wasn't getting as many hits as they would like.
I like both sites. I don't start any threads on the other one but I have here. I rarely reply on the other site but try to here as much as possible. Please don't be discouraged, it will grow. I remember when we didn't think we would ever get 50 members here but look now. It is growing so consider it as a fine wine that has to age to become great. It may be a lot quicker to make grape juice and get a lot of children here but wait for the wine a get the elite that will make the site great. There is a lot of bashing and bickering over there that has not happened here and if we stick together maybe the bashers will stay away. Let the cream rise to the top, don't shake the bottle.