He has to now that the quarantine is in effect. 
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This site has a large number of regular contributors with an amazing breadth and depth of skill. It’s rare to find such a collection of talent so willing to help.
Unfortunately there is a lot of truth to that.
Is that “old car” owners, or “old” car owners? Both are true, but the site has plenty of discussions responding to people seeking advice and opinions on cars.
And many of the “oldies” are here because they now have the time to share their years of automotive experiences.
I’ve not seen this at all. If any regular members are promoting anything, it’s usually because they’ve had good experience with it.
Posters with special interests usually get called out quickly.
You are not alone.
- There is a long list of those who’ve come here seeking help only to have met the same fate.
- A number of very skilled longtime contributors have left this site after being attacked one too many times.
- Because my auto repair days are dated, I’ve sometimes thought of asking questions here. But then decided against it because I didn’t feel like getting beat up.
One upside is my comments above refer to a minority and not the majority of contributors.
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I’ve not found any forums that would meet the OP’s criteria for interaction. There are always some individuals that are a bit rough around the edges.
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Welcome to the Community section of cartalk.com.
Now that your question has been answered, I’d like to jump in and talk about some of the other issues that have been discussed.
I get why you might not want to stick around. Some of the users here can be quite gruff (rude), but that’s often what you’re going to find in a group of middle-aged and worn out mechanics. Not all of us are professional mechanics though, but our knowledge comes from decades of being an enthusiast, doing our own maintenance and repairs, and reading this forum. When I first found this site circa 2002, I read every Car Talk column that had ever been written, and that is where a lot of my knowledge came from when I first started giving advice. I had done my own oil changes, replaced a few alternators, and done a brake job or two by that time, but I also learn from experience when I get my car serviced because I pay attention to the technical details and often understand how my car works better than the service writer who is helping me, so I can share those experiences as well, such as matching symptoms to a possible cause.
When I first joined this forum about 18 years ago, it was an un-moderated free-for-all. There were forums for car problems, discussing the show, issues with the website, and a forum where anything could be discussed. Why shouldn’t there be a free-for-all section? Tom and Ray often got on their soap boxes and editorialized about non-car issues, so it was only fair that we should be allowed to do the same. It was an ugly place though, the underbelly of the early internet where people behaved at their worst. I both remember it fondly and am not sad to see it go. It was there that I cultivated my arguing skills, learning how to get under people’s skin while not engaging in overt insults, which would damage my own credibility. (Some of our members who have been in this forum as long as I have can see through my covert insults though, and so can our moderator, Carolyn.)
As far as the cliques go, there is a lot of bad blood from past disagreements. Some of it is bitterness from partisan political discussions (we all know where we stand and we hold a grudge), and some of it just comes from disagreements in general about car-related stuff, but some of us have long memories for these things and communicate those feelings using the “like” button. I try to let it all roll off my back, so when someone with whom I’ve argued in the past says something I like, I show it, even the most bitter partisans.
I enjoy helping people by passing along knowledge I’ve gained, but I’ve dialed back my participation recently, not because of the nastiness that still goes on here, but because I’m tired of seeing the same questions and the same arguments be rehashed again and again. Nonetheless, when I have a car problem that I need help with, this is where I come, because I trust the contributors of this forum to not steer me wrong (no pun intended, but I like it, so I’ll leave it).
…so I hope you stick around, but if you don’t, feel free to come back when you have a problem with your car that you cannot figure out, because this is still a useful place to find help.
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I am NEVER going to sit back and politely agree with silly blanket statements, such as . . .
using the evap/smoke machine is a rip-off for the customer, because the cause is always the same
P0420 and P0430 are ALWAYS caused by bad downstream oxygen sensors
P0420 and P0430 are NEVER actually caused by failed catalytic converters
Warped rotors are ALWAYS caused by overtightened lug nuts
I’d like somebody to explain how “overtightening” lug nuts on the vehicle this goes with will be the cause of warped rotors . . . ?! 
Brake pedal pulsations are ONLY/ALWAYS caused by deposits on the rotor, not by an actual warped rotor
So if not agreeing with such blanket statements is considered “attacking” . . . then I’m guilty 
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Externally-measured metrics: https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/cartalk.com
I guess you are referring to Rick Woodbury.
Whitey , have you read some of the complete nonsense Rick posted . It is no wonder that he received negative feed back . He did not even intend to entertain anyone’s opinion but his own.
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I don’t think anyone is asking you to agree. I think the issue is the manner in which some members disagree.
This raises an interesting point, that some people who work in the trades don’t bring the right kind of diagnostic thinking, and get trapped into limited thinking that boxes them in and limits their potential.
The trades need intelligent tradespeople who can think critically, and we can help foster that value here.
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So you’re saying he is very much in need of our help?
Hi db4690:
Of course we will disagree. And hopefully keep an open mind while disagreeing.
The net makes it too easy to respond with critical and cutting remarks. Think of how that same discussion would go if the other person were sitting across the kitchen table. It would hopefully be more respectful.
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Thank you for taking the time to have me understand a wee bit more of the CarTalk site. I found your feedback to be fair and impartial, and quite informative. I have indeed found some members knowledgeable and very helpful in their advice. It is that small minority that I have experienced, who doubt and attack unnecessarily…because they simply are not too knowledgeable about what I am saying. For instance, some of these as you say (and I agree) are owners who have opt to be owners of long kept cars. They perhaps have not dabbled too much in todays world of smart new car buying…as I have tried to give helpful advice on…and now tagged 109/233 June 18. Interesting note on that however: The buying guides out now seemed to cater to the interests and wishes of the new car dealers. As one poster said, "I can not find any buying guide that says what you say. I did a quick check, and could not find myself a readily available consumer guide that really helped the buying consumer primarily. But, my advice till applies for getting the best possible deal on your new car purchase. The ones I used for my 2015 Sonata purchase and earlier cars, detailed every advice I gave out. I was horrified when one of todays buying guide recommended buying a new car at the end of year, say December. That is a no no, and only favors dealers trying to clear out unsold cars taking up space for the newer; in a couple of days or even months…that new car will be a year old. As I claimed, you get a better savings and even cheaper price with the new year models coming in. I explained why in my post tagged 109/233 June18. But I got pounced on by members who found this to be incredulous.
Thanks again for your fair and impartial comments on my statements, as well as giving me some insight on the CarTalk site in general.
I don’t know why it is so hard to understand. Those opinions on preferring to keep their 10 year or so perfectly good running car was duly noted by me. And then I went on to state my opinion and why…and tips on savings if this is what those opt to do. It is all about opinions as you say. Can I not have mine, if I recognize and respect yours?
Not every “opinion” is actually an opinion though. Some of the “opinions” that @db4690 cited can be disproved.
If your “opinion” can be disproved, as @db4690 did above with that picture, it’s really a matter of fact, not opinion.
When it comes to different philosophies on car ownership, and how long one should keep a car, the philosophies themselves are matters of opinion, and matters of different priorities, but if the question is being asked, “Which philosophy of car ownership saves the most money?” it’s a matter of fact, not opinion, because there is a clear quantitative winner and a clear quantitative loser. The clear quantitative loser is to buy or lease a new car and only keep it for a short time. It is simply the most expensive car ownership philosophy.
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Yes, of course you are right…if the OP’s question was regarding which is cheaper, a new vs keeping the old older car. If my memory serves me right (and now it is said that he left), the OP was not asking opinion on which was CHEAPER…he merely asked opinion/advice on which one to do. Whereupon I gave my opinion along with others who gave theirs. Should we not all respect each other opinions…if the facts were not the main OP’s query? Go back and check, I don’t believe the OP asked which was cheaper…and this is where the OP’s query for opinions took a slant into a world of its own. It is even okay to argue on which is cheaper (that answer should be a given). But to get caught up in that direction only is silly, if that was not the OPs 'main reason for posting.
you can ALWAYS find somebody to disprove anything that was ever said by anybody on the planet
That doesn’t mean that I . . . or anybody else, for that matter . . . was wrong after all
Why are you being this way . . . ?!
Well, you yourself described your own nature just a few hours earlier, in this very discussion
We really can’t change who and what we are . . .
If you have ANY sense of humour and can laugh at yourself, you’ll “like” that image . . .
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Are we back to new car buying philosophies now in THIS thread?
Rick no matter how many times you post the same answer, there will always be those who disagree with you.
Can we please stop this?
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And just as it doesn’t mean that the same were right after all. I take pride on knowing and having experienced the facts before passing them on. I can not say that for others who chime in just to argue endlessly and ridiculously…without ever experiencing or trying what I have advised.
Btw, how did I describe myself or perhaps how did you perceive that I described myself.
It is evident that we can not change who we are. Even if we change our name, we are who we are.
Let me reiterate your disparaging comment: “Why are you being this way . . . ?!”
Sorry about that 
The comment(s) were actually meant for @Whitey
I don’t mind accepting other opinions…which I have respectfully said and done, if you care enough to go back and check the thread content. But I will never accept a disagreement from some one who does not comprehend or have experienced or tried what I have posted as true and tried facts. If you are tired of this back and forth, then stop yours by not chiming in. It is that simple. But take heed, I will always stand up for what I know to be tried and true. This matter is only about saving money on new car buying and perhaps insurance thereon. And nothing more than that…it is not about which is cheaper…keeping old vs buying a new car. I can not help if you can not understand or appreciate my tactics on saving money buying that new car. I am just trying to help others on not getting ripped off at the dealership, when it comes to buying that new car…if they choose to buy one. People come to this site for any car advice/opinions. Some I would imagine come to the site…not to affirm keeping their old car vs new…but just for advice, tips, opinions…and more. I am just offering advice on what I am familiar with as a consumer shopper.
Acknowledged. All good. Thanks.
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