NAXJA gone downhill?

53guy

53guy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
EnTransit
So I was trolling around the other day and got bored so I decided to read a few threads here and there in some of the forums here on NAXJA and I was extremely disapointed in the quality of the threads. I got to thinking and asked myself, "wonder when this happened?" and I came to the conclusion that NAXJA is suffering a slow and painfull death from the last shake up (ie, when they started to expand the membership classes) and since the crash of 2007. I just remember NAXJA as an informative site at one point with much more tech and a lot more people who actually contributed.....not so much any more. What are your thoughts? Am I just totally blowing this out of my tail or are my observations founded? Discuss.
 
There has been a lot of noob action... a lot of boredom.... and I'm starting to think a lot of past hardcores are giving up the ghost.


I can deffinetly see where you come from in deciding not to renew.
 
I don't mean to bash, but I just seem to find that NAXJA has fallen into the same cesspool catagory as JU and Mall Crawler and all those other worthless sites. I mean like NECK and NECK with them, trying to fight for the crappiest of crappy and no one seems to care any more.
 
I left a few years ago when it started going south in my opinion, and only recently came back just to see whats new-

so whats new?

no one uses the search- same questions asked again and again- and a crop of people who dont know a wrench from a screwdriver, but want to know how to change a lifter out-right now- and cant wait 2 minutes..

Years back, NAXJA was THE site- we had lots of info, minimal problems- we solved what we could, and it started to get boring- anyone so much as asked a question, 100 people bashed them for not searching...so...fewer people asked questions....and there we sat around a camp fire, everyones told their story, the last beer had been emptied...and no one knew what to do- Then the XJ/MJ war/bash started...with more "use the search stupid" action...then complete seperation of "areas" for the good of the community of coarse-

NAXJA still is a great site- but with no new jeep XJ/MJ problems, and lots of new faces with little experience, and even less patience to use a search- that said, theres very little anyone cant find on any question, IF they searched for it hard enough- weve covered it, hashed it out, wrenched it to little pieces and built it back- then modded it to death. Its all been done, most of us have been there, posted about it, and solved our delimas-

so- here we sit, the camp fires going....only question is do we go to bed, or stay and tell new stories. I answer what I can for fun now- but the newbi questions do rake my brains every now and then- when someone asks "what size torq for XXXX" I almost scream- The new ones dont want to learn, they want it handed to them- I am glad to see questions that start with "I searched, but", but then about explode when its something sooo easy, even a caveman could....search for it-kudos to thosethat post after that"funny, I searched and found it right away"- negitive points to those who give the poster the URL! .
 
I am pretty new! and only 28 years in the Automotive Repair Business, which I love. NAXJA really is a great Organization, but I think as it grows so will some of the crap. My new XJ is bitchin thanks to you guys! But I cant make the search work for the life of me, maybe just a tard, I don't know. Sometimes you punch in a simple Fan Clutch, you will get 500 hits that have nothing to do with fan clutch! Do new threads regarding the same things really hurt anything? because I find new great solutions to problems that weren't in the older threads. This is a great organization!
:patriot:
 
I agree with ford guy on the search deal been in heavy equipment\auto parts business for 30 years.
 
Being new to the site I am not able to comment on the path that NAXA has taken through the years, but would like to comment on the "use the search mentality" Yes the search can turn up a lot of useful information, but at the same time things change. What was the latest and greatest way to do something six months ago may have been replaced by a way one of the new members came up with last week but hasnt thought to post about it.

Having been on forums for many years some open some closed there is a constant revolution that open sites go through. The older hands feel that since they ave been there done that it doesnt need to be discussed again, but at the same time to the person who is new this may be new and important. I have always found it more helpfull to bring new members up to speed than to smart @$$ them so they do not want to be around. You never know what knoledge they may have to offer.

My .02
 
NAXJA is what you make of it.

If all you take part in is the online forums, then yes, I can see your perspecive on how that part has gone downhill.

However, I have made some of my greatest friends through this organization and try to wheel with them as often as possible.

To me, there is more to NAXJA than just it's online presence, and IMO....overall NAXJA is still going strong.
 
Well here is my view. I let my membership lapse because I just forgot to renew. You cant do squat here with out a membership. No mod tech posts no for sale. I'm sure there's more, I just gave up looking. Allot of the stuff I bought and sold were from/to non members. I bought and sold stuff to/from members too, but that cuts out allot of people and parts. I don't know, I guess it just rubbed me the wrong way. It definitely doesn't make me want to renew. I understand the need for revenue for the club, but I think they are going about it the wrong way
 
IH8RDS said:
Well here is my view. I let my membership lapse because I just forgot to renew. You cant do squat here with out a membership. No mod tech posts no for sale. I'm sure there's more, I just gave up looking. Allot of the stuff I bought and sold were from/to non members. I bought and sold stuff to/from members too, but that cuts out allot of people and parts. I don't know, I guess it just rubbed me the wrong way. It definitely doesn't make me want to renew. I understand the need for revenue for the club, but I think they are going about it the wrong way
Click to expand...

Just an FYI....as a registered guest, you are able to post in all the tech forums (except advanced fab).....and you can buy anything you want from the classifieds using the PM system to contact the seller or by using your local chapters classifieds forum.
 
Since I have been lurking and mostly just reading the posts for the last four years myself; I enjoy the entire site. The search is broken and has been since way before the 'crash'. There does seem to be a lot of chatting recently between buds reather than asking and answering questions. This is what the PM's are for. I can still find plenty of useful information on this site everyday. I would love to see it get back to its roots of helping out buddies. But, this starts with you and me.
People change for two reasons: They see the light or They feel the heat.
 
As a guy who just bought my first Jeep ever(a 1988 Cherokee limited), I really enjoy the site. That is why I paid for a two year membership. I'm constantly finding new info every day and gaining more and more knowledge to help me build my rig. It is stock right now but I am working on a plan. Part of that plan is research. I'm tring to get all I can from the site and that includes being active in my local area. We were able to get a meet & greet under our belts and new friends were made. It also gave me the opportunity to see some rigs up close. Everybody builds 'em different.

My enthusiasm has spilled over to a co-worker who bought an '89. We both have big plans and he finds stuff that I didn't know about. We have different views on building out Cherokee's but the end goal is to do some wheeling, make friends, and have fun.

Chris said it right that all forums go thru these ups and downs. Peoples interests change. Heck, I've been a Scout guy for 24 years and I'm just not into it anymore. Jeep Cherokees have my attention now and I'm amazed at what all I can do to it and get for it. That makes it fun for me.

At the end of the day, NAXJA is what you make it.
 
IH8RDS said:
Well here is my view. I let my membership lapse because I just forgot to renew. You cant do squat here with out a membership. No mod tech posts no for sale. I'm sure there's more, I just gave up looking. Allot of the stuff I bought and sold were from/to non members. I bought and sold stuff to/from members too, but that cuts out allot of people and parts. I don't know, I guess it just rubbed me the wrong way. It definitely doesn't make me want to renew. I understand the need for revenue for the club, but I think they are going about it the wrong way
Click to expand...


I would have to agree as well. I feel that there WERE a lot of usefull posts and posters in advance tech (which is now offlimits to non paying members, free to view, but can't post) and now which seems to be starving of new ideas. I tend to see the "pruning" of Naxja as a turnoff to many which is unfortunate. I thought there was at one point a lot of people who felt they should join as a member long after they had been a non paying member, sorta as a way to give back (I know I did). Now I think there are less people doing that, feeling they should give back, and Naxja seems to now say "pay up first you trolls", which turns people away IMHO.
 
everyone i have meet, sold parts to or bought from has been top notch! all my q's get answered and i ENJOY browsing through naxja daily... hell i refer people to the forum for most answers to any cherokee problem, mod or picture! i am glad it is not crude like pirate and people give you the time of day from a BB lift to a complete coilover conversion - i have learned so much from all the members like 5-90, OT, etc. that i wouldnt ever turn away from it even though the "action" comes and goes... i get damn jittery when i open my browser and see "1,278" new posts... i gotta check em all and see whats going on! all the sponsers, pic by pic build and threads have kept my xj afloat and my mechaincal abilities and confidence has strengthened becasue of it!!! i am itching to meet up with th SEC chapter one day and the atlanta crowd... naxja is the cherokee bible whether u think its falling or rising - it is always here.
 
A better complete FAQ section at the head of MOD section would help with new people. There are a few boards in the automotive world that use this with great success.

Plus rig of the week or month that explains the evolution of an owners XJ, what it's used for, and pictures. Then archive these for anybody to look at.

The people that have been around for a while need to step up and answer some of these simple questions, or point people in the right direction. Telling people to search with no help, turns them off. Giving even just one link can facilitate a new XJ owner to continue on their own searches with some help.

Yes this search engine stinks...

This is the best and only XJ site in my opinion.
 
I agree that the seach engine can be somewhat frustrating at times but I don't think it can do any better.

I also agree that the FAQ section could be beefed up with more of the common XJ problems for simple tech stuff. I know there is a "no-start" thread but maybe something on all the common symptoms of the different sensors that give us troubles. I think alot of the simple stuff people ask about over and over again could be solved through an improved FAQ section.
 
IntrepidXJ said:
Just an FYI....as a registered guest, you are able to post in all the tech forums (except advanced fab).....and you can buy anything you want from the classifieds using the PM system to contact the seller or by using your local chapters classifieds forum.
Click to expand...

FYI....Its just as easy to open it back up too. Advanced fab is what I meant. I just got mixed up a little. :confused1 I was a member for three years and this site does have some great qualities, that I would like to see continue. But, letting my membership lapse kinda opened my eyes a little. I joined because of all of the information that I received over the years and I really felt part of something. I didn't join to see the Den, sell stuff or post up in advanced fab. I dunno like I said it rubbed me the wrong way an made me reconsider the direction that the BOD is heading.

insert faux signature:
____________________________
Scott
Darkside Offroad
1999 Cherokee Classic
1963 M416 Trailer
 
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