Should links to non paying Sponsor parts/cars be allowed on the VOA?

[Viper Girl]

With recent discussion, I am curious what the VOA Members think about this issue?

Should links to Viper related parts and/or cars be allowed on the forums if they are not to a paying sponsors website?

Example: "I found a great price on this Viper part, located here www.randoviperpartforagoodpricedotcom if anyone needs one" or "A great price to a XXXX Year Viper found here onwww.ebay/autotrader/craigslist/random websitedotcom"

Just a simple yes or no works if you want. Note the results are not public, no one will see how you voted.


Sorry, I had to edit out the link...

There wasn't a part number listed, I would make sure what the actual part number is. I believe the new one is an AH

[IndyRon]

Sorry, I had to edit out the link...

There wasn't a part number listed, I would make sure what the actual part number is. I believe the new one is an AH

I don't need a window actuator currently and I understand protecting the sponsors, but you couldn't just make the link inactive so I don't have to PM the OP if I want the name of the company? His post is just a blank post now.

[99RT10]

Sorry, I had to edit out the link...

There wasn't a part number listed, I would make sure what the actual part number is. I believe the new one is an AH

Yeah, that is bullshit. That was a great price, now you are forcing the member to go spend double the amount with someone else.

[Troublemaker]

What was the problem, just a link to a non sponsor?

[Leslie]

dang!


wellll....I THINK the passenger window was fixed on my Viper, will look in paperwork that came with car.

[Timnineside]

And so it begins.

Oh well. If you're in the market for one a simple "search engine" that rhyme's with Oogle will work. Running around $260 plus shipping all day.

Here is the part number for such search engine: 04865610ah

I believe (don't quote me) the drivers side is a 11 instead of 10 so this: 04865611ah

Let's see how long this lasts.

[FrgMstr]

I lost the driver side window regulator on mine a few weeks ago. It was covered under warranty. The tech did tell me that the price had dropped greatly on the cost from Chrysler to about $600. The tech did break the first one installing it. He told me it was the first one that he had ever broken. Anyways, I thought reduced pricing might be relevant here.

[Viper Girl]

Nothing is beginning, we have a forum policy about non-sponsoring vendors links and sales... As many forums do... period...

Our vendors have been selling them at $295...

[Timnineside]

Nothing is beginning, we have a forum policy about non-sponsoring vendors links and sales... As many forums do... period...

Our vendors have been selling them at $295...

Sure thing. Got a link?

[Viper Girl]

I'm sure there is one on the forum along with the part numbers...

I remember that Mark from Woodhouse had them at that price. http://driveviper.com/forums/members/214-mjorgensen

[City]

And so it begins.

Oh well. If you're in the market for one a simple "search engine" that rhyme's with Oogle will work. Running around $260 plus shipping all day.

Here is the part number for such search engine: 04865610ah

I believe (don't quote me) the drivers side is a 11 instead of 10 so this: 04865611ah

Let's see how long this lasts.

There's SO no need for any sarcasm. Especially from someone that obviously places little value in our club membership.

Despite that, why not find the least expensive price on-line and then contact any one of our sponsors to see what they can do for you? Assuming you're a VOA member, I'd wager that you'll do better overall (between shipping costs and speed, customer service/any installation questions and especially product warranty). Our sponsors have a serious stake in providing excellent prices and service to VOA members and often will give VOA members a "non-published" discount when asked. They might even match an "Oogle" price. Ohh, and have fun returning a poorly functioning or prematurely dysfunctioning part to "Oogle". See how great you'll feel about your "$260 plus shipping all day" savings.

And about that "and so it begins"... A simple noun that rhymes with pool will work.

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

PartsRack has them IN STOCK for $269 + S/h/I



----------------NOTE: I just don't understand why the Viper-Universe's long-time paying sponsors, [who bring you this site by the way] are not your first choice automatically ? Even if a paying sponsor is a few $$ higher, why not support them anyway, just because they support owners all year long............for decades? Please, it cannot always be about the bottom-dollar, can it?

Those internet-bottom-feeder sites DONT stock the parts, they just LIST EVERYTHING! They cannot / wont interact /advise you .....but your sponsors here WILL.......... Why not "SUPPORT SPONSORS FIRST?"

For example, I have been 'warning' owners to alert the techs just how FRAGILE the earlier G3-4 regulators are/were! The new ones are more robust. Good advice matters?

TIM: Maybe I can help sell your car! Will that unknown internet vendor who saved you $10 do that?!? Or maybe our N-Ring/Laguna [ free ] decals will help a bit!?

Many of you DO have great sponsor-loyalty, THANKS! So this Monday Whine is addressed to those of you who don't....

JonB on behalf of all paid sponsors here

[Joel]

JonB

Bottom feeding...? Hand hurting? Relax, release, relate. That whine was a good year.

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

Joel, YOU are a good example of vendor/owner loyalty. Thanks.

...Fingers not hurting, in fact more numb today....too much weekend activity selling/delivering a Viper to another VOA prez!

[ACRucrazy]

Yeah, that is bullshit. That was a great price, now you are forcing the member to go spend double the amount with someone else.

I recall another Viper forum that would do the same thing... That place no longer gets my money..

[ACRucrazy]

Nothing is beginning, we have a forum policy about non-sponsoring vendors links and sales... As many forums do... period...

Our vendors have been selling them at $295...

Where is this policy posted?

[Chorps]

I don't see what the harm is in providing non site sponsored links, especially if the site sponsors are more than willing to be on par if not even a better deal. Sometimes you are searching for parts/services late at night or on the weekends, or the site sponsor doesn't have everything listed either.

Personally I think the *more* information that is posted here is better than trying to maintain a barrier... *removing* information that is posted is just another source of needless aggravation, imo.

[City]

I recall another Viper forum that would do the same thing... That place no longer gets my money..

Where is this policy posted?

All our policies are posted in the "New Owner Questions & Introductions" area. I don't believe there is a "rule" that specifically addresses this situation, but more importantly, I'm not understanding your disagreement. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to suggest that you're not understanding our (the VOA Website) concerns. We have site sponsors that pay for their right to advertise their products and services. Those payments constitute a material portion of the VOA's annual income stream for operations. In their position, wouldn't you take exception with a post that linked to a competing website for a Viper product? Such a "posting limitation" in no way prohibits anyone from searching out and purchasing a product from a non-vendor at a presumably less expensive price, nor does it prohibit anyone from using any search engine to seek alternative means of purchasing a product. Heck, a association member (or in this case an enthusiast) can be contacted via a PM to obtain a link of this nature, not that one couldn't find it themselves. How difficult is that? All we're asking, in full support of our sponsors, is that folks don't make it so obvious as to publish their findings.

This really isn't some freedom of speech issue.

Advance this even further down the line when a thread has links to a site selling a Viper product that doesn't "deliver" (either the goods altogether, damaged or faulty goods or used goods). Then WE'd be blamed for not investigating the linked website. Not that such an argument would be sensible, but there's no doubt some would find a way to find us at fault.

In any event, we're not trying to be dogmatic here. We're just trying to balance the intricacies of several players. I'm hoping if you take an objective view you can see both sides.

[ACRucrazy]

I have never been a fan of that. Was not a fan of it on SRTforums a decade ago, was not a fan of it on Viperclub and I will not support it here. Purposely removing links and information that does not come from a vendor that pays YOU money gets no support from me.

My view is the information and links should stay. The members should have every right to choose for themselves. Is saving a few bucks better for them than buying from a paying vendor? Is the hassle of dealing with shady no name places worth the risk? That is for every member to decide, not for you or the VOA to force members into.

You will not sway me on this. I have never agreed with it and never will. We are all adults here. I can choose where to spend my money without the BS reason that the link is to someone who doesn't give you money for annual advertising.

[City]

I have never been a fan of that. Was not a fan of it on SRTforums a decade ago, was not a fan of it on Viperclub and I will not support it here. Purposely removing links and information that does not come from a vendor that pays YOU money gets no support from me.

My view is the information and links should stay. The members should have every right to choose for themselves. Is saving a few bucks better for them than buying from a paying vendor? Is the hassle of dealing with shady no name places worth the risk? That is for every member to decide, not for you or the VCA to force members into.

You will not sway me on this. I have never agreed with it and never will. We are all adults here. I can choose where to spend my money without the BS reason that the link is to someone who doesn't give you money for annual advertising.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion and frankly, I've got no issue bringing it up to see if there's some room for compromise. I just don't see how our removing direct links can be construed as "forcing members" to or from any purchase.

Nonetheless, I'll recommend that it's revisited. No promises, but I'd like to think we're at least open to discussion.

[plumcrazy]

the private message function works very well here, if you see it cheaper, from a non VOA supporting member, its VERY SIMPLE, PM the info asap to them. but the VOA does need to support its vendors, they help to make this all possible...

[IndyRon]

the private message function works very well here, if you see it cheaper, from a non VOA supporting member, its VERY SIMPLE, PM the info asap to them. but the VOA does need to support its vendors, they help to make this all possible...

I have a problem with this as well. You micro-manage and try to control the flow of information and it ticks people off. Although the vendors do invest a fair amount of $$$ in the VOA, remember, this isn't about the vendors. Don't get me wrong, we need them and want them around but the VOA is about the MEMBERS. We ALSO pay to be a part of this and frankly I don't appreciate the tactic. If keeping the flow of information open without censorship requires less income in the form of VOA sponsor dollars, then so be it.

Like I mentioned earlier, I don't even need a window regulator, but to wipe a post's content from existence within minutes doesn't look good for a new and "improved" club and quite honestly smacks of the "old" club. I, like many others, will always buy from vendors first if they are close in price (and if they aren't being passive aggressive) and I think most other forum paying members feel the same.

[Drummerviper]

PartsRack has them IN STOCK for $269 + S/h/I



----------------NOTE: I just don't understand why the Viper-Universe's long-time paying sponsors, [who bring you this site by the way] are not your first choice automatically ? Even if a paying sponsor is a few $$ higher, why not support them anyway, just because they support owners all year long............for decades? Please, it cannot always be about the bottom-dollar, can it?

Those internet-bottom-feeder sites DONT stock the parts, they just LIST EVERYTHING! They cannot / wont interact /advise you .....but your sponsors here WILL.......... Why not "SUPPORT SPONSORS FIRST?"

For example, I have been 'warning' owners to alert the techs just how FRAGILE the earlier G3-4 regulators are/were! The new ones are more robust. Good advice matters?

TIM: Maybe I can help sell your car! Will that unknown internet vendor who saved you $10 do that?!? Or maybe our N-Ring/Laguna [ free ] decals will help a bit!?

Many of you DO have great sponsor-loyalty, THANKS! So this Monday Whine is addressed to those of you who don't....

JonB on behalf of all paid sponsors here

Well said.

[FrgMstr]

I have made a lot of purchases from the vendors that advertise here and are PART of the community. I rely on these vendors for their expertise and knowledge. If I utilize that, and many times I do, I make sure to spend my money with those companies even if the price might be a bit more than I can find elsewhere. That said, if I need an off-the-shelf Chrysler part and no guidance on the purchase that I can find cheaper elsewhere, I might choose to spend my money there.

Removing links to "outside" vendors on these non-specialized parts is not good for the community here. There seems to be no rule as to posting these links and removing those links is simply not a good thing overall for the Viper community. The fact is that the advertisers here DO NOT make the VOA forums possible. The VOA MEMBERS make all this possible. Without VOA MEMBERS there would be no need for the forums nor the advertisers.

I want the management to hear me out on this. I own and manage a forum (www.HardForum.com) that has 189,000 registered members with over 1,000,000 threads posted. At the moment of typing this we have over 5,000 people reading our forums. I have run these forums for over 15 years. Going in and deleting thread content of this type is destructive to the community and even the advertisers. Censoring individual statements and links about purchasing is BAD for VOA business. Is it possible for the advertisers to lose out on a few sales? Yes. Is it possible for customers to realize the value of supporting the Viper community vendors because of how they might get treated by other vendors? Yes.

The VOA is heading down the wrong road with deleting paying members posts that reference a company that is not an advertiser here. You will cause a lot of hatred and animosity that will not be easily undone. If you want to keep an eye on posters that seem to be spamming for free advertisements, then handle that as you see fit. Competition makes businesses stronger. The advertisers here can take that competition and make it pay off spades through pricing, knowledge, advisement, and customer service. The VOA is not doing its paying members justice by deleting links that point outside of VOA advertisers. I think the VOA upper echelon needs to get together and have a discussion about this. I have gone down this road with a similar bad policy, and I can assure you that it does nothing good for the VOA overall and simply angers your members to the point of leaving.

[CarolinaViper]

Not that my two cents are worth anything being a new member, but one reason I joined this club vs the VCA was the same reasons FrgMstr brought up concerning Vendors. Funny thing people say "History has a way of repeating itself" Didn't think it would be so soon with the new club. If its not in the rules...ask the members to amend the rules, set up a committee to address it or something instead of a single person arbitrary deleting the link.