Over the last several months (perhaps even longer), I've noticed a distinct pattern in Car Chat. (I spend a lot of time in that specific forum, and tend to notice patterns in it). New-time people, on their first post at CL (or who may be coming back to CL under different names/call-signs) are increasingly using Car Chat to post questions about repairs, breakdowns, maintenance procedures, where to get parts, buying or selling parts, etc..... and other issues that are really not intended to be discussed in Car Chat, but in the maintenance, specific-model, and classified forums. These unrelated topics clutter up and take up even more space in what is already a very crowded forum. When I see one (and it's getting to be at least a couple of them each day), I usually politely welcome the person to CL, and try to address their concern if I have anything constructive to add (sometimes, of course, I don't LOL). Then I might suggest that they try the proper forum.......maintenance, classified, specific-Lexus-model, etc..... Usually, Dave or one of the moderators will then move the post to the proper forum. But doing that several times each day is starting to get a little long in the tooth, probably both for me and the mods. I wonder (?) if some kind of sign can be made for first-time posters, when they first sign up, asking them not to use Car Chat as a general dumping-ground for every little question regarding car maintenance or repairs...even down to bolt-sizes. If not a formal sign by itself, then maybe (?) it could be added to CL's list of posting rules, which every first-time poster should be required to read.

Oh, and BTW.....if I'm guilty of some of that myself, I'm not beyond criticism, either.

Thanks.

MM

 

Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about......this kind of stuff pops up every day in Car Chat.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post9718929

 

MM,

New sign ups already get a notice asking them to both search and look for the right model forum. You may notice THIS very forum gets even more than car chat, despite having sticky posts and a special notice for newer members with under X posts not to post car-related questions here.

There is no effective way to stop it that we haven't undertaken other than do what you're doing. Our hope is to welcome and educate on where things go and have tried to strike a balance for first time posters, but understand it gets tiring. If it does, just ignore those posts (or report them) and soon enough a moderator will move it