81 replies to this topic

[Captain Mainwaring]

I think it may be down to the fact that Minispares sponsor the Forum and everytime there is a good or bad word spoken about them then all the TMF staff endourse or defend them regardless may have something to do with it.

 

This thread is a prime example, someone stated that they had the quality of service anyone would expect and the wave of prase from  what is meant to be non biast TMF staff.

 

It is not necessarily any thing to do with MINISPARES but the reaction of the Forum staff that winds people up.IMO

 

I have had an issue with Minispares in the past but I would not be so obscene as to air it in public..

 

 

Ya quite....so it seems- why the moderation team have to get involved I don't know (but they always do and it looks bad). What people can't seem to see is that I'm not knocking them - I like minispares, they are down the road from me and I find them OK to deal with - 

 

Perhaps people have become to used to crap service that they praise normal service. 

 

Minispares did nothing more or less than was required of a reputable supplier doing the right thing. End of story.

[The Matt]

why the moderation team have to get involved I don't know (but they always do and it looks bad)

 

"Get involved"?  All they did was agree with the original post!  The same opinion as they would have posted whether they helped out on the forum or not.  There are two people on this forum that think it looks bad.  You and mk3coopers.  

 

Maybe, just maybe, you could consider that the team of people that help out are actually allowed an opinion too?  If you really don't believe that the team aren't allowed to post their opinion in a thread, then I would suggest that this isn't the forum for you.

[Dan]

  Like Matt I'd like to know exactly where this idea comes from that just because some of us have become staff or moderators or even admin we have to then stop being active members of the forum?  You can recognise the difference between one of us posting and one of us moderating, unless you are being deliberately obtuse of course.  We were all members here long before we were moderators.  Yes we should remain impartial and balanced when we are moderating but we have an opinion and a voice too, we came here in the first place for the same reason anyone else did.  Frankly for a number of years those of us that are now staff were posting, attending shows, organising stands and doing mundane things like staying to clear up at the 'Ring campsite when everyone else was already back blasting through Belgium, while there were very few other members at all.  We have EARNED our right to take part here.  You think it looks bad when we join in?  Well who gives a damn what you think?

[Ethel]

Capt M,

 

You're quite correct that it's the service we ought to expect from a reputable retailer, but our collective experience has shown it's not always the case. I appreciate topics that highlight good and bad service, it helps us all to make an informed choice of where to buy bits for our Minis. Minispares also happen to be one of the biggest players, that alone will create a bias in how often they feature.

 

If you took a mouldy lasagne back to Tesco's, half eaten and without the original packaging, you might not get it exchanged so readily.

[RedRuby]

Well as the original poster I am still glad that I recognised good service from In this instance Mini Spares, I agree that in one way all they did was what any good company should do, but we have all had experiences of companies and organisations that do not live up to what should be normal professional standards. If I receive a bad service you can rest assured that I would complain, therefore when I receive a good service even if it is what should be the norm because it is getting rarer I will praise the good service.

If I did not take this stance I suppose I should stop tipping restaurant staff, or send thank you cards to my vet for saving a pets life.

I now must start contacting the people who's lives I have saved during 30 years in the fire service, who at the time or later thanked me, as It clearly was unnecessary as I was being paid for doing a job to a professional standard.

[mk3 Cooper S]

 

why the moderation team have to get involved I don't know (but they always do and it looks bad)

 

"Get involved"?  All they did was agree with the original post!  The same opinion as they would have posted whether they helped out on the forum or not.  There are two people on this forum that think it looks bad.  You and mk3coopers.  

 

Maybe, just maybe, you could consider that the team of people that help out are actually allowed an opinion too?  If you really don't believe that the team aren't allowed to post their opinion in a thread, then I would suggest that this isn't the forum for you.

 

Yes get involved.

It is not so long since there was issues with JonSPeed and Smart performance(a specific issue with one of the Mods originally) and the direction from the Mod team was "not to comment unless you were involved". Not sure of the consistancy here?

 

I find it a bit like PM Question time where the the mention of MS is followed up by "hear hear" by the MOD team - Check the previous posts and the somewhat overzellous defence. .

 

Matt it is fine by me if you want to single out us. I report what I see and what gets under my skin in a format that is within the TMF rules. If the team dont like it then the resolution could be to either quit with the "hear hears'" and I will not make any further comment.or outlaw having an opiion on the way that a MS post is reacted to and I will abide by these rules if I wish to be part of the TMF.

 

This is not personal or aimed at the TMF mods just a reaction to what (according to the previous posts)is appearing to be an unbiased rection from the team - This was probably not helped by an overzelous reaction and defence by one of your team in the past - we dont need to go there.

 

I know that this may be viewed in a very different way in the TMF staffroom but please dont lose touch with how some of the members may feel as this would no longer be a free forum.

Edited by mk3 Cooper S, 16 June 2014 - 11:31 AM.

[Captain Mainwaring]

  Like Matt I'd like to know exactly where this idea comes from that just because some of us have become staff or moderators or even admin we have to then stop being active members of the forum?  You can recognise the difference between one of us posting and one of us moderating, unless you are being deliberately obtuse of course.  We were all members here long before we were moderators.  Yes we should remain impartial and balanced when we are moderating but we have an opinion and a voice too, we came here in the first place for the same reason anyone else did.  Frankly for a number of years those of us that are now staff were posting, attending shows, organising stands and doing mundane things like staying to clear up at the 'Ring campsite when everyone else was already back blasting through Belgium, while there were very few other members at all.  We have EARNED our right to take part here.  You think it looks bad when we join in?  Well who gives a damn what you think?

 

 

Because Dan there have been occasions in the past where members of your moderation team have proven to be over protective to paid advertisers.

 

I'm glad you're proud of your own achievement.....I'm not quite sure what cleaning your ring has to do with this - you are entitled to your opinion, I am entitled to mine, and so long as we remain civil, I'm not sure what the problem is..

 

Maybe you consider my view cynical and jaded - well so be it. If you read what I said, I am NOT slating mini spares, but rather the view that what they did is anything special and moreover anything that needs a thread in it's recognition. 

 

As I said, perhaps I'm just too jaded and find that a faulty part replaced in a timely matter should be the norm - feel free to disagree, as is your right as a forum senior

[The Matt]

Not personal or aimed at us? Try being on the receiving end of all of the stuff you've posted about us. Every hint of complaint about TMF and you're on it to add your opinion. Yeah, you're right, we shouldn't take it personally. It's just somebody repeatedly criticising all of the work, time, effort and finance we put into this forum and we get bugger all back other than your complaints and you suggesting we shouldn't even be allowed to express an opinion.

You know what, this really is the final straw for me. I'm done!

[Captain Mainwaring]

 

 

why the moderation team have to get involved I don't know (but they always do and it looks bad)

 

"Get involved"?  All they did was agree with the original post!  The same opinion as they would have posted whether they helped out on the forum or not.  There are two people on this forum that think it looks bad.  You and mk3coopers.  

 

Maybe, just maybe, you could consider that the team of people that help out are actually allowed an opinion too?  If you really don't believe that the team aren't allowed to post their opinion in a thread, then I would suggest that this isn't the forum for you.

 

Yes get involved.

It is not so long since there was issues with JonSPeed and Smart performance(a specific issue with one of the Mods originally) and the direction from the Mod team was "not to comment unless you were involved". Not sure of the consistancy here?

 

I find it a bit like PM Question time where the the mention of MS is followed up by "hear hear" by the MOD team - Check the previous posts and the somewhat overzellous defence. .

 

Matt it is fine by me if you want to single out us. I report what I see and what gets under my skin in a format that is within the TMF rules. If the team dont like it then the resolution could be to either quit with the "hear hears'" and I will not make any further comment.or outlaw having an opiion on the way that a MS post is reacted to and I will abide by these rules if I wish to be part of the TMF.

 

This is not personal or aimed at the TMF mods just a reaction to what (according to the previous posts)is appearing to be an unbiased rection from the team - This was probably not helped by an overzelous reaction and defence by one of your team in the past - we dont need to go there.

 

I know that this may be viewed in a very different way in the TMF staffroom but please dont lose touch with how some of the members may feel as this would no longer be a free forum.

 

 

 

Hmmm, For me, I don't believe I said anything rude or confrontational, or  that anything stated was incorrect - if the mods don't like the general tone of my posts, then the "ban member" option always remains open.

I enjoy posting, and occasionally helping but would hope the forum doesn't become like the UK where it is now unacceptable for the average guy to express his opinion.

[mk3 Cooper S]

Not personal or aimed at us? Try being on the receiving end of all of the stuff you've posted about us. Every hint of complaint about TMF and you're on it to add your opinion. Yeah, you're right, we shouldn't take it personally. It's just somebody repeatedly criticising all of the work, time, effort and finance we put into this forum and we get bugger all back other than your complaints and you suggesting we shouldn't even be allowed to express an opinion.

You know what, this really is the final straw for me. I'm done!

Consistancy is the way forward.

 

I too have had professional and spelling critisim from a TMF Mod over MS previously.!

 

I took it on my broad shoulders - it is a Forum not life.

 

Matt this could be viewed as inflamitory - "I'm sure you'll be able to turn it into one....again. :thumbsup:"

 

You cant run with the fox and hunt with the hounds!!!!

[sonikk4]

We have no problem with anyone stating an opinion IF its justified.

 

This thread started out as praise and yet again the detractors needed to wade in especially as members of the team commented positively. And irrespective of whether a company happens to sponsor the forum, we do not get any form of recompense etc for agreeing on a particular thread. If we are not allowed to comment positively or negatively then why do we give up our spare time to help out with the day to day running of the forum?? After all as previously mentioned we are fully entitled as anybody else is on this forum to make a comment. There is nothing within the forum rules or guidelines to say that no member of the forum team should just sit in the background and accept everything that comes their way.

 

Yes we do sit back and look at both sides of the coin so to speak as that is what moderating is all about. We need to be unbiased as far as possible BUT in the same breathe we are allowed to voice our own opinion. If for whatever reason other members feel we are backing up a company all because they happen to sponsor the forum then that is your personal opinion, it may not be the correct opinion as in this case.

 

Now if anyone on here feels that have sufficient cause to raise issue over a companies product, supply issue etc etc then please if it is fully justified, you have not had a credible answer from the company in question (after giving them suitable chance to reply) then start a separate thread.

 

Don't turn a positive thread into a negative thread

[The Matt]

I'm going to add a little bit (OK, a LOT) about "sponsorship" here, as I'm pretty hacked off that there's this repeated implication that we only like Minispares because they're the "site sponsor".

 

Back in the early days of TMF, the only people that 'paid' for TMF were the admin team. That's what kept the server fees paid up.  Then (a good few years ago now) Minispares offered to help out and 'sponsor' us by covering the server fees.  TMF decided that was a great idea as server fees were getting expensive and we literally would have had to close the forum without Minispares paying for the fees.  The software alone is £100 for a license, then I think it's £25 every few months for subscription.  Someone else would have to confirm that as I'm not sure because I don't get involved with finances at all.

Anyway, then, the admin team developed the TMF+ system.  This meant that by approaching a load of popular suppliers (yep, Minispares included, other parts suppliers are available) we managed to get a scheme going that (initially for £10, now just for £5) the server fees were paid for by the TMF+ pot. Then one of the admin team got accused of buying his TVR using the TMF+ funds, oh how we laughed at how the team's hard work was judged and criticised and accusations were made.

 

I'm going to go back to the start of last year to provide you with a more detailed example of how Minispares sponsor TMF. They kindly gave us some vouchers so that we could have a logo competition, seeing as the server fees are now covered by the TMF+ subscriptions.  Someone designed an amazing logo and we (TMF) picked that logo to use for the site.  The guy that won the contest (Cooperhaw) very generously decided to donate the vouchers back to us to raffle off in the UK.

So we then decided to have a charity tombola raffle at Bingley Hall Mini show last year.  Bec, Shifty, Minimadjonesy and myself ran the tombola and did all of the running around etc in our own time.  For example, I went out and bought some folding tables and table covers and Shifty made the tombola.  Hell, I even baked some brownies to be sold off for charity, Sonnik baked some amazing sausage rolls and stuff too actually.  Very nice! The proceeds of the tombola ALL went to charity.  Lots of Mini suppliers were approached, Sticky Fingers, Mini Speed, JB Fabrication, Rosslin Racing as a few examples, ones that were registered as traders.  They were all massively generous.  The admin team ran the stall in their own time at the show too, I even put £20 in the raffle pot and won myself prize (some brakes donated by Rosslin Racing) which I then put back in the pot to be raffled off again, as I didn't want to 'gain' anything from helping out with the tombola.  Shifty also won a prize and put it back in the pot.  My prize was better than his though.  We were really grateful to all of our traders that donated.  We raised something like £600 for Macmillan.

 

Captain Manwaring, as for the really funny comment about Dan's ring (fnar fnar, well done) it was just intended as an example of how we repeatedly put ourselves out for the forum.  BH2N (Brands Hatch To Nurburgring) was a great event that only came about because of the forum (actually, because of Guessworks and Barnett).  I spent thousands and thousands of hours organising it since 2008.  It has cost me hundreds of pounds over the years to keep it running too.  I've never had a penny back from it.  Mainly because I always donated any 'proceeds' to Macmillan and always wanted to make as much as possible for them.  BH2N and TMF together have raised thousands for Macmillan, and several hundred for other charities too.  Even when we used to get there and have our holiday as the event, the likes of myself, Jammy, Dan, Bec, Barnett, Charlie, Purpletom, Bec and so on repeatedly have had to clean up after the forum members that went and just dumped their rubbish on site.  We stayed on after the event to clean up the campsite, we didn't just jump in our cars the morning we were leaving and wheelspin off, unlike the people that came along.  We are just those kind of people, we help out. We don't expect anything back, but we don't expect the sort of rubbish that we repeatedly have to put up with, either!

 

[The Matt]

So, I hope you can see that the only people that benefit from TMF+ and any kind of sponsorship deal are the TMF members!

[Captain Mainwaring]

I'll repeat again that I for one am not knocking MS....just politely stating they did what they should have done as a reputable supplier.

 

On a side note, Dan walked right into his own ring...don't blame me for that, - reminds me of Kerry McFadden and her repulsive prawn ring that she used to hawk around Iceland ...

[Tamworthbay]

Not personal or aimed at us? Try being on the receiving end of all of the stuff you've posted about us. Every hint of complaint about TMF and you're on it to add your opinion. Yeah, you're right, we shouldn't take it personally. It's just somebody repeatedly criticising all of the work, time, effort and finance we put into this forum and we get bugger all back other than your complaints and you suggesting we shouldn't even be allowed to express an opinion.
You know what, this really is the final straw for me. I'm done!

Consistancy is the way forward.
 
I too have had professional and spelling critisim from a TMF Mod over MS previously.!
 
I took it on my broad shoulders - it is a Forum not life.
 
Matt this could be viewed as inflamitory - "I'm sure you'll be able to turn it into one....again. :thumbsup:"
 
You cant run with the fox and hunt with the hounds!!!!

don't come the rubbish. You know full well what happened but are more than happy to play the victim. You were stating that no one should make mistakes but made them yourself. The point that was made was that no one is perfect. And you didn't take it on broad shoulders, you twisted it and used it whilst being offensive about various peoples professions.

And for the record one last time, if preventing racist comments is seen as 'over zealous' then count me as being proud to be over zealous and in continuing to prevent racist comments on the forum I will continue to be 'over zealous'.