One make/model forums

[anonymous-user]

Has anyone else found that UK one make/model owner forums are all bloody awful? The ones I have to refer to most often are:

UK Jaguar Forum - pompous old farts usually with no technical knowledge, cliquey as hell, mostly boring ownership stories that include polishing the car a lot;
US Jaguar Forum - knowledgeable very keen to offer real in depth help;

UK Volvo Forum - same as Jaguar but without the polishing. True hatred of any model newer than their own;
US Volvo Forums - fixing things with string and glue with great technical knowledge, very keen to share;

UK MX5 OC - like the "Ask a total prick from an internet forum" piece on SniffPetrol. I remember when the NC came out half the forum rushed to pour scorn on it for every trivial detail, seizing on every way their NA/NB with holes in it could be considered better, and now they do the same for the ND. Bleating about how influential the MX5 "community" is so Mazda should take note. Right-o mate, they really care about the 4th owner buying it for £4k market; and
US Miata forum - dead helpful and very knowledgeable, great love for all the models and recognition that they all serve a budget/desire

Is this just because of the petty and envious nature of many Brits, or have I just been unlucky in buying cars owned by wkers

[anonymous-user]

PositronicRay said:

MB here

Some of the UK forums are a bit poncey, some are OK. But the US forums are very well informed and frequented.

I think it's a combination of bigger population, more Mercs sold, and enthusiastic self reliant owners. They have big well equipped garages, love doing manly stuff with tools and cars, filming and uploading it.

A cultural thing.

Not just me then. The UK Volvo forum is better for the older full sized models, but there is still some weird thing going on about viewing every single model made after yours as "not a proper Volvo" despite previously holding that view about the car you now own.

To me it simply seems like a chip on the shoulder about not wanting to look like you're only running an old model because you can't afford a newer one which is prevalent throughout UK forums, but completely absent in the US. The MX5OC is absolutely unbearable for it.