Best car-specific online communities?

[plenty]

My ownership experience is enhanced by online communities. They are an invaluable source of technical advice, and to enrich your general knowledge and appreciation of your car. Having discovered the benefits of a good forum, it's become a purchase consideration in itself. My most recent acquisition (a Fiat Coupe Turbo) was driven as much by the excellent FCCUK forum as the intrinsic qualities of the car itself.

On the other hand, I've been sniffing around Mitsu Evos lately (always had an itch for one) but the MLR leaves me cold - lots of knowledgeable people, but the general tone and quality of the discourse doesn't really contradict the negative stereotypes of Evo drivers. Too much juvenilia and "cool story, bro" for my snobbish sensibilities.

So, other than PH of course, what are the great communities out there with a focus on a specific marque or model? From personal experience M5board is good for information but not really for banter, while UKLegacy stands out as being a cohesive, supportive and active community despite the Legacy being a niche model. I've heard good things about the MR2OC, but that SELOC and Blatchat are strange, mysterious places best suited to people who drive with one trouser leg rolled up. I gather Scoobynet, rather like Subaru's product range, used to be hot but is well past its prime. I wasn't terribly impressed with any of the MX5 fora when I owned an example of that car, and PassionFord and the PCGB forum contain lots of knowledge but are too broad of a church to really constitute a meaningful community.

My criteria for a good forum include:

- availability of technical advice and "how to" spannering guides
- a good level of traffic with frequent posts
- open-mindedness to other makes and interests
- maturity and diversity of opinion
- opportunities for offline social activities

[shambolic]

Z4-forum is awesome!

[Dblue]

Best model specific I've found was the GTROC Forum. Just about everything you could ever want from a forum. Club Scuderia is comprehensive but full of Ferrari owners, which is not always a good thing.
PH is strong for some stuff especially. Obviously TVR but Aston and Porsche certainly, Lotus too.

Still haven't found a really good resource for Renaultsport. Maybe I'm too old but the Clio lads tend to dominate and its not really what I'm looking for.

[Willeh85]

plenty said:

My criteria for a good forum include:

- availability of technical advice and "how to" spannering guides
- a good level of traffic with frequent posts
- open-mindedness to other makes and interests
- maturity and diversity of opinion
- opportunities for offline social activities

Since buying my Alfa 156 in July I've found www.alfaowner.com to be excellent in providing detailed how to guides especially the car audio guides, has plenty of traffic, pictures, reviews on specialists, and they frequently organise local and regional meetings.

I've not been overly active as yet on there so couldn't comprehensively comment on the open mindedness and maturity but from what I've read while searching the forums it appears to meet all your criteria.

[kambites]

SELOC is pretty good.

[g3org3y]

E30zone.net for E30s 3 Series. Good knowledge plus excellent source for second hand parts.

E36coupe.com used to be very very good (and active) for the E36 3 Series but the last times I've visited it seems quite quiet.

[Synchromesh]

T5D5 are a good bunch.

[danjama]

I can say for sure that Ford Owners Club was bloody useless and dead quiet whenever I visited.

I'm quite enjoying MR2OC though not contributing myself, just reading and getting a feel for the place. Lots to read that is interesting, what's not to like.