Link to Pistonheads advert deleted

[Fishy Dave]

Pistonheads has a no advertising rule, I get that, but does it make sense to extend that to include its own classifieds section?

I linked to a car I'm selling in my readers car thread and both the link and subsequent comments were deleted. I can understand if I'd linked to an Autotrader/Ebay/Facebook advert, but it was a link to the PH advert? I'd have thought it was in this sites interest to drive traffic to its own classifieds? I can't imagine Facebook deleting links to its own marketplace ad's, it's part of the community and how it drives traffic and keeps users on the platform.

I just don't understand the thought process behind this moderation? Allowing links to PH classifieds only would surely increase the likelihood of forum users to place an advert here? I think this is the first time in the years I've been on this forum I've had a critical word to say about it.

[joropug]

I agree I think this should be allowed, particularly if a lot of people have followed a thread with interest and may be interested in the car - be good for it to go to a fellow enthusiast .

There’d have to be limitations on new users/ recent posts to stop readers cars becoming a second classified

[jeremyc]

The Posting Rules are very specific and clear about when you can post a link to an ad on the classifieds for your car:

Rules of Posting said:

6. Do not post for the purpose of advertising for personal or business gain, unless you are responding to a thread in the Car Buying forum and sharing a link to your car that's for sale in the PistonHeads classifieds. Starting a thread specifically to advertise your car or business is not allowed.

The rules are applied to everyone; stick to them and your posts won't be deleted.

[Fishy Dave]

jeremyc said:

The rules are applied to everyone; stick to them and your posts won't be deleted.

I agree, the rules are clear, but in my eyes don't make sense for the reason I've stated.

[CarCrazyDad]

jeremyc said:

The Posting Rules are very specific and clear about when you can post a link to an ad on the classifieds for your car:

Rules of Posting said:

6. Do not post for the purpose of advertising for personal or business gain, unless you are responding to a thread in the Car Buying forum and sharing a link to your car that's for sale in the PistonHeads classifieds. Starting a thread specifically to advertise your car or business is not allowed.

The rules are applied to everyone; stick to them and your posts won't be deleted.

He hasn't made a thread to advertise his own car of business

He's had a readers ride thread for many months / years (I haven't checked) and posted a single "By the way, the car is now for sale : <Link>" post

Surely this is perfectly reasonable to link a PISTONHEADS LINK on a PISTONHEADS FORUM about YOUR OWN CAR for sale that you've documented for many months / years?

Unless you think the OP deliberately thought he'd write a mulit-month/year long advert for his car?

I've read through many readers rides threads and have seen this type of post happen reasonably regularly ("By the way the car is now for sale : link") - often ending up in the hands of another PHer

You should update your rules to more clearly allow some sensible advertising in a pre-existing readers ride thread which would no doubt not only encourage people to use the section of the forum more clearly but also promote the classifieds site, to apply this rule to this case is daft?

For example a simple rule to allow Readers Ride threads of more than one year old or of has been a member of the forum for longer than XX (maybe 2/3/4 years?) to post a single Link to a Pistonheads classified ad of the car for sale in their readers ride thread

[Fishy Dave]

Thank you, that's exactly my point. It would help the long term viability of this site I'd have thought, as an incentive for members to promote from within?

[B'stard Child]

jeremyc said:

The Posting Rules are very specific and clear about when you can post a link to an ad on the classifieds for your car:

Rules of Posting said:

6. Do not post for the purpose of advertising for personal or business gain, unless you are responding to a thread in the Car Buying forum and sharing a link to your car that's for sale in the PistonHeads classifieds. Starting a thread specifically to advertise your car or business is not allowed.

The rules are applied to everyone; stick to them and your posts won't be deleted.

Sticking my head above the wall

Hasn't it always been the case that this rule 6 has been circumvented many time by other PH'rs linking to the advert normally along the lines of below??

"Hey I've just seen your car "Link" for sale on PH"

If it's another PH'r linking to the advert then it's "not for personal gain" and it's "not a thread started specifically to advertise a car or business" therefore no foul

I remember in the PH Board section that there was some discussion started by Jack about allowing PH'rs to link to their adverts provided it was in a readers cars thread and provided it was advertised on PH - I guess that never went anywhere but I thought it was a good idea to allow readers cars threads to come to a conclusion

[Monkeylegend]

jeremyc said:

The rules are applied to everyone; stick to them and your posts won't be deleted.

If only that was true

[Fishy Dave]

B'stard Child said:

Sticking my head above the wall

Hasn't it always been the case that this rule 6 has been circumvented many time by other PH'rs linking to the advert normally along the lines of below??

"Hey I've just seen your car "Link" for sale on PH"

If it's another PH'r linking to the advert then it's "not for personal gain" and it's "not a thread started specifically to advertise a car or business" therefore no foul

I remember in the PH Board section that there was some discussion started by Jack about allowing PH'rs to link to their adverts provided it was in a readers cars thread and provided it was advertised on PH - I guess that never went anywhere but I thought it was a good idea to allow readers cars threads to come to a conclusion

A kind, fellow PHer has done just that on my thread. Moderators, I don't know the poster nor have asked him to do this, not looking to cause trouble.

[CarCrazyDad]

Fishy Dave said:

Thank you, that's exactly my point. It would help the long term viability of this site I'd have thought, as an incentive for members to promote from within?

Seems sensible moderation need not apply in this case

ETA : Oh it's you, the Corvette guy
I have a bone to pick with you!


My wife is very angry I spent several hours reading your thread instead of spending the evening watching some crumby TV show with her!

[amstrange1]

B'stard Child said:

Sticking my head above the wall

Hasn't it always been the case that this rule 6 has been circumvented many time by other PH'rs linking to the advert normally along the lines of below??

"Hey I've just seen your car "Link" for sale on PH"

If it's another PH'r linking to the advert then it's "not for personal gain" and it's "not a thread started specifically to advertise a car or business" therefore no foul

I remember in the PH Board section that there was some discussion started by Jack about allowing PH'rs to link to their adverts provided it was in a readers cars thread and provided it was advertised on PH - I guess that never went anywhere but I thought it was a good idea to allow readers cars threads to come to a conclusion

Someone did that to a Readers Cars thread of mine and the moderators deleted the entire thread! The person who posted the link was nothing to do with me, nor were they solicited to do so.

I'd say the rule needs clarifying/improving - and applying more even-handedly.

[Fishy Dave]

CarCrazyDad said:

ETA : Oh it's you, the Corvette guy
I have a bone to pick with you!


My wife is very angry I spent several hours reading your thread instead of spending the evening watching some crumby TV show with her!

Guilty, but hope you enjoyed the adventure! Sorry Mrs CCD. The Corvette isn't the one for sale btw, it's staying with me for a good while I hope.

[CarCrazyDad]

Fishy Dave said:

Guilty, but hope you enjoyed the adventure! Sorry Mrs CCD. The Corvette isn't the one for sale btw, it's staying with me for a good while I hope.

I saw, it was the 320si

Glad the Corvette is not going, that is a great project! The BMW too, but less special ! But both are very nice cars, and a very well written advert as well

[Ben Lowden]

Apologies for the frustration here. It's a very good point, and one that we have queued to be updated in our Rules of Posting to allow exactly what you're talking about.

There have been some long hold ups on other rules we're looking to update, so we may look to release a few smaller updates prior to get this out faster.

[Fishy Dave]

Thank you Ben and team, much appreciated that you're looking at this.