Forum advice accuracy

[Bounty__Hunter]

1073072

Just wanting to give everybody a heads-up about giving and receiving advice on any forum, so be sure of your advice before you give it, and be sure of the accuracy of advice before you pass that point of no return if it's you asking the question and working on the Jeep.

There was a great "Trail Head" article in the last JP magazine, July '03. An interesting excerpt:

There's a lot of information available to the computer user; unfortunately, there is also a lot of misinformation, especially on some of the 4x4 and Jeep Web site forums. A thread will usually start out with a typical question like "What's the best lift kit for my new Jeep?" Then without even asking what this poor guy wants to do with his Jeep, he'll get slammed with eight different answers ranging from "Don't lift it, you'll ruin your Jeep!" to "Every kit sucks, so buy a welder and build it yourself!" and "Beat it, Newbie!" Of course, the answer will vary depending on what site you're on, but the unfortunate part is that whoever responds often only has experience with one lift manufacturer, or even worse, his brother's doctor's girlfriend's father had that lift, and it's all bent up after just driving on a dirt road to Grandma's house. Of course, the part about a head-on collision with a tree at 90mh was left out.

Check this out, in the same article:

The most entertaining forum rating system counts the number of posts you've made and plasters you with a rank. This system encourages you post often, whether you know what you are talking about or not. Post away with your propaganda about how drag slicks are better mud tires than anything else available and tell 'em how your open-diffed Jeep will go "anywhere". In no time, you'll be given the coveted rank of "Wheeling God."

Don't take adivce as gospel just because somebody has a high number of posts or some cool rank, it wasn't earned by education or skills testing :lol: But, you can give more weight to advice from a user once you are familiar with that user and know how accurate they have been in the past.

Good article, and JP is a cool rag, you should check it out. [addsig]

 

[Snitty]

1073092

that is perfectly on target.... it is good advice to the newbies here... someone with 1 post may know twice as much as any of us with high post counts. BUT.. i will say that in this forum, i've seen the most trustworthy group of websurfers ever[addsig]

 

[USMPK9]

1073128

Bounty, Snitty, you know I agree.

Dear Gentle Jeepers.
I believe 'reader beware',
and your results may vary.
Should be: A GIVEN.

I don't know of ANY JEEP GOD.
Here, or anywhere else.
So the answers are not on a Granite
Tablet, but held by those MANY with bloody
knuckles, who have been down the
trail before.

No one HAS ALL the answers.
If you call 4 OFF ROAD SHOPS,
you are likely to get 5 different
answers. I've done it.

And there are those, who have been
down the trail who only believe their
way is correct, spending from their
pocket. You may be in a different
situation, with different goals.

I leave you with the ONLY ADVICE
I WILL EVER Promise is FACT....
Do your own Research and don't
let yourself be pushed, by a pushy
opinion. Listen to all, discard
what doesn't work for you,
And you will truly feel
that your Rig is Yours, a 1 of a kind.

You will notice many of us here,
realize,, our opinion is only ONE answer
of the many options available.........

That is why so many of us, remind
you that "this is only my .02 cents.."

You need .98 MORE to make your
"Dollar",,,...

For those who think they have the ONLY
answer, and every Jeep should be built
just like theirs. Guess what, If I want
My Rig to be just like yours, I'll just buy
your's out from under you, and save myself
alot of effort. :evil: [addsig]

 

[jhiggins]

1073136

I do agree and like it is stated I only offer advice
but I won't talk about what I don't know or act like
I do and look stupid to someone that really does....
Good Post Bounty..... :-D [addsig]

 

[nanaeight]

1073145

I couldn't agree more. In the (in)famous word's of a knowledgable 3rd grade teacher in South Park, Colorado named Mr. Garrisson - "There are no stupid questions, just stupid people"! :lol: [addsig]

 

[thehemi]

1073149

Be careful. Free advice can occasionally be worth its price.
[addsig]

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

1073154

Nice, I like that thehemi :lol:

Here's another excerpt:

I guess what I'm getting at is that sometimes the people giving advice shouldn't even be allowed to operate a mustard bottle. Perhaps the most lucrative part of Web forums is quick answers from people who might know. Ultimately, when you take someone else's advice, you should remember a few things: Anyone can answer your question wrong, and anyone can start, run, and join a Web site.

If I point out somebody's advice is wrong, I don't mean to put anybody down or make them look bad, I just mean to get my point across on something I'm certain of. I appreciate everybody's patience as we all learn together [addsig]

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

1073486

Btt :-D [addsig]

 

[MudDawg]

1073573

Good point Bounty Hunter....Having never owned a Jeep till 8 months ago, I have gleaned a lot of good advice from this and other forums. I also have seen some rediculous advice...I especially like it when someone can think outside the box and be creative...now if I could just figure out what all the abbreviations mean :lol:

As far an newbies go...the greatest were once newbies...and even a cantankerous old fart like me likes to learn new stuff :-D

Dawg[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1073580

This is a very true statement bounty! Great post. I take the advice off all sift it through a fine screen and then use what falls through the screen to make an educated decision. I guess I am one of the folks you all are talking about. I have many post but it is 75% questions, 15% humor, and 10% advice and only a small precetage of the 10% is good advice. I have much respect for many here at Jeepz to include bounty, but I only agree with a portion of what eveyone says here.

I have a 87 YJ and there are others who would giggle at the way my Jeep is now set up! This is not for everyone. However it is now very capible and correct for the way I ride on the trails I ride. I think there for it is right for tug.

For a desert rider it may not work, for the guys in the sand dunes of FLa. it may not be the most advantagious set up, Rock Crawlers mins is not going to be a happening thing. Then again many of you have mods that would be just plain crazy for me to use as well.

Take the online advice all everybit, Think about what you have taken. Add it with a bit of common sence and then ask the locals and ride with the locals and see just what they preform like in the trail areas. Read the articals and then after time and thought do what you feel is right for you!

This whole deal was a good way to say do not believe nothing you hear and only 1/2 of what you see. A very good point made and taken. Cause some of the most respected by me here at jeepz.com ride with mods that I would not even think about doing to my jeep as well. Be smart take your time and mod in a way that will make your jeep fit your driven style. It took me a year to pics lift tires and other mods. Now I am happy with what I have done, I wish you all the same success! tug[addsig]