[Schmoyoho]

Hi,

I've run in to lots of good threads from search results but it took me ages to make an account and even longer to even bother get involved with posting. I've currently bookmarked the "S80 (2007-)"-forums and I really only visit it because it's too time consuming to open full 23(!!!) subforums, and that's JUST under "FWD & AWD volvos". As much as I think it's a good thing to separate different models, I don't think all forums have enough activity to warrant the current model.

For instance: Instead of having separate forums for both the 850 and first V70/S70 models, create one forum for both of them. First gen V70 is essentially an overhauled 850. Admittedly newer, but architecturally/mechanically/structurally in a lot of ways the same car. Same thing goes for the "S80 (2007-)" forum. I think it definitely could use a merge with the V70/XC70 (200 forums: same car but with some cosmetic differences (estate/sedan aside). This kind of layout seems to be partially in use as S40/V40, S40/V50, S60/V60 to mention some already are sharing forums.

And again, while I do think it's a nice point to group by model I don't think the current structure is optimal.

Edit: another thing that's been on my mind is that I'm missing having at least one "level" of sub-forums displayed on the forums' index page. Instead of having to open FWD/AWD and then the forums I'm interested in, why not display the first level of sub-forums right away? Maybe not necessarily on all categories though (e.g the events forum has a lot of subforums).

 

[fivealive]

Yeah I agree. I administer a few other forums and I actually use this site as an example of having too many subfora. I do this in order to keep the mods from creating too many on my sites.

Volvo keeps their cars so similar. If it were me, we'd have just have subforums by chassis (140/240, 700/900, P80, P1, P2, P3 etc.). 'Keep it simple' is the best ethos for web design.

 

[Schmoyoho]

Bump. Please? The current structure is awful and fragmented. I think everyone would benefit from some mergers, e.g S80+V70+XC70 2007/2008-2017 instead of having S80 standalone. They're estate and sedan versions of the exact same car. Same as for the 60-series, merge S-/V60 and XC60.

 

[JaredR]

Agree, the current structure is a disaster. Should be by platform because all cars on the same platform have basically the same issues.

 

[Schmoyoho]

S60/V60 and a separate XC60 forum is a disaster on its own imo. I'm the swede here, take my word for it and recognize authority! Volvo is to me what burgers are to you.

 

[JaredR]

Not necessarily; I haven't had a burger in months!

 

[Schmoyoho]

Jared please, are you with me or are you against me? No burger can come between us and the change this forum needs, it's only a distraction and a that will cloud your thinking and clot your arteries.

It's only a matter of time, the higher-ups have had 2.5 years from when I made this thread to debate how to improve on the forums. Just any day now, any day...

 

[JaredR]

Jared please, are you with me or are you against me? No burger can come between us and the change this forum needs, it's only a distraction and a that will cloud your thinking and clot your arteries.

It's only a matter of time, the higher-ups have had 2.5 years from when I made this thread to debate how to improve on the forums. Just any day now, any day...

LOL! That is exactly why I rarely eat burgers

 

[Schmoyoho]

Dear so-called forum overlords,

I do not respect your authority anymore for your lack of recognizing "the little people" who are the humble members. But please take my sincere and at the bottom of it all request to reorganize this disastrous catastrophe excuse for a fragmented piece of crap forum structure that is a nightmare and pain to navigate.

At the very least will you please just be open to have an effin dialogue about it? While I make this fun for myself it's not for no reason I've been requesting this for NEARLY FIVE YEARS oh my lord this is seriously pathetic on both mine and the forum staff end of things.

 

[Chicago_UnCommon_Bricks]

+1

It’s just crickets and tumbleweeds in the P3 S80 forum. At least roll us into a forum with V70s and XC70s.

 

[Rrrracer]

+1. I'll frequently wander into the other P3 forums looking for info that would relate to our XC70.

 

[Rrrracer]

On a related note, one place that could maybe use a little more diversification would be the classifieds area... one forum for all FWD/AWD parts can get confusing pretty quickly...

 

[RootDKJ]

I agree. I’m read all the SPA threads. It would be nice if they were all in one spot with a tag on each title of which model the author is talking about.

 

[JaredR]

On a related note, one place that could maybe use a little more diversification would be the classifieds area... one forum for all FWD/AWD parts can get confusing pretty quickly...

That would be extremely unhelpful since there are parts shared between between so many platforms.

 

[Rrrracer]

That would be extremely unhelpful since there are parts shared between between so many platforms.

Then break it into sections that are appropriate. There is nothing on a P1 that will fit a P3 or a SPA, so on and so forth.

 

[JaredR]

Then break it into sections that are appropriate. There is nothing on a P1 that will fit a P3 or a SPA, so on and so forth.

P1 and P3 both use RNC engines.......

 

[Rrrracer]

P1 and P3 both use RNC engines.......

We can agree to disagree. Don't think it's gonna get changed any time soon anyway.

 

[JaredR]

We can agree to disagree. Don't think it's gonna get changed any time soon anyway.

Not sure what there is to agree to disagree about. The Volvo parts catalog isn't open for interpretation lol.

 

[Rrrracer]

Not sure what there is to agree to disagree about. The Volvo parts catalog isn't open for interpretation lol.

I would argue that the percentage of P1 SKUs from the Volvo parts catalog (or from Viva/IPD/Elevate/et al...) that also directly fit on a P3 or vice versa is very low in the overall scheme of things, but I am new to the Volvo game so it's also possible that I may not know WTF I'm talking about lol.

 

[Schmoyoho]

Honestly I feel like this whole suggestion box forum is just a trash can put in place to take some load off the admins PM inboxes. If it isn't, then it's a great example of why the forum needs a reorganization - not even the staff reads the suggestion posted.

The classifieds discussion above sounds like the same issue but inverted. The forums are overall fragmented into too small chunks whereas classifies might need greater resolution = more subforums or tags to sort posts by.