[DML] Treatment of Newbies (was: Leaving The Group)

["Louie" <louie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Having been in the DeLorean community for close to ten years now, 
and having owned 2 DeLoreans, I can say I've pretty well seen it 
all. Something that has never stopped angering me is the way 
some "veteran" owners treat newcomers. Instead of snidely looking 
down our nose at new people and their seemingly inane repetitious 
questions, we should be happy! New owners means the marque is 
surviving... new generations of people are discovering and buying 
DeLoreans, the car won't become a forgotten relic of the past. We 
should be welcoming these people with open arms and congratulating 
them instead of being snippy and snide with them. If you just simply 
can't be bothered to provide someone with a link to a typical 
problem, then perhaps you shouldn't be on an internet discussion 
forum! If this has all become old news, and newbies bother you, by 
all means... don't drag the rest of the group down. There is enough 
negativity surrounding the DeLorean without getting 
additional "help" within the community! Treat others the way that 
they want to be treated, it's very simple. We were all newbies at 
one point with the same silly questions.

There is no denying too that the online DeLorean community isn't as 
up to date and user friendly as it could be either. I know I heard 
the phrase "look it up in the archives" quite a few times in my 
first years of the community, not knowing at all how to even locate 
the archives, much less search in them lol. The community is just so 
fragmented too, and seems to be getting worse daily. There are 
groups who want nothing to do with one another in our tiny 
community. This all just points to a more systematic than individual 
problem... we need more continuity between the websites, vendors, 
clubs, and resources; more easy point and click links for common 
problems, and more FRIENDLINESS in general! 

One of the biggest ironies around here is that so many of us 
complain about the way Ed at D-1 treats new owners, but then we turn 
around and treat new owners the same way ourselves! Just think back 
how daunting it was when you bought your DeLorean and it had it's 
first problem. You owned an extinct orphan car who a very select few 
have knowledge about how to repair. You couldn't run to your local 
Auto Zone for parts, and your local American car repair shop won't 
touch your car.  So you come online only to get snippy responses 
from jaded people... talk about adding insult to injury!! Regarding 
the manuals... not everyone has them. I know I always did, but they 
may as well have been written in Greek to me. I just can't read 
about how to fix a car... I have to see it done, and have help. Lord 
knows not all owners are mechanically inclined either... I know I 
sure wasn't! I couldn't have kept my DeLoreans running without the 
help and good will of people like Bill Robertson, Jeff Friday, and 
so many others.

I know this sounds like I'm picking on Jordin, and believe me I'm 
not. He's a great asset to the community with his How To's. I just 
challenge him to remember why he created them in the first place: 
lack of easy point and click answers and continuity in the DeLorean 
community. The issue of newbies asking the same questions shouldn't 
be vented onto the individual... it points to a systematic problem. 
So perhaps we should be looking instead how to streamline and 
combine the DeLorean community instead of further divide it. Maybe 
it's time to throw convention out the window again, and start with 
some fresh ideas on how to tackle the age old questions of newbie 
ownership. Just remember too, it takes more muscles to frown than 
smile!!! :-)

Louie Golden
Sometimes DeLorean Owner



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