Just some of my thoughts anyway as I know you can't force people to pay/donate as that may see numbers dwindle...

 

Yea I don't want to paywall the site. That well and truly goes against my views on how the internet should operate.

This site has helped me alot, given me new ideas and generally gives me something to look at in my spare time/work/toilet time. Pm me some bank details and il happily donate.

Is there a possibility of a "Donate - No ads, Not Donate - Ads" situation or is that far too complicated/too much work/both? I'm not sure exactly if that would solve the financial problem either.

 

All up though, I like the idea of a monthly goal with the excess rolling over into the next month. If enough people are willing to chip in & do so, the overall monthly cost per person will only go down. With funds raised from cruises as TE278U suggested (I like the graph idea too) chipping in, in my head it could work. Either way, I like the yellow lettering on my username so I'll pay to keep it. Makes me feel speshul :wub:

Edited August 31, 201313 yr by carbonboy

I love the idea of more cruises :) good chance to catch up with all the boys every now and then. And as for donations i would be happy to chuck in whatever i can afford. I have learned a lot from this site and its members, as well as making some great friends. Beam me up scotty :)

Edited August 31, 201313 yr by B.L.Z.BUB

Agree with Reed!!

Paying $2 is just as much hassle as paying $20, I'd go against a lot of tiny payments.

 

Cruises are fine for the big cities, I assume that's where most members are too. All us country bumpkins would not make it...

 

Altezzaclub runs with a VIP section. Ordinary membership is free, or you pay $30 for a lifetime VIP membership with some trinkets supplied (1/4widow stickers, plate spacers) and it gives you access to the VIP Lounge forum and discounts with sponsors. The discounts make the $30 very cheap the moment you buy some aftermarket performance part.

 

That has worked for the last 10years, it pays for space on Invisionfree.

 

I don't belong to Toymods because their joining process is too involved and they want too much information, but I'm on Club-K, AE86DC and BMSC. There are a lot of ways to run a forum site and some grow, some die. I'd happily pay a one-off $30 to Rollaclub, it is a great site.

The above could actually work

 

Free membership to anyone but limits and restrictions on the wall to post

 

So new people join and ask how to put this engine in etc, if they want to ask those questions pay for premium membership cause not many of them stay long after that

OK, so I think there's a pretty clear consensus. I'll start working on moving the site as-is to the new host and then the funding can be resolved after that. Pending any unforeseen issues I'm aiming to have the site ad-free by November, for registered members at the very least.

A suggestion might be that of performanceforums which did a funding awareness effort where people just did a paypal contribution to the site when needed,

seemed to work without committing to memberships and designated amounts so people were more willing to give at the time as needed by the forum.

Are the increase in Matespace threads directly proportional to this thread?

Are the increase in Matespace threads directly proportional to this thread?

 

Don't think so.

The issue with rollaclub cruises is a bit like this, the ones that do drive, are driven everyday, so need work on the weekends, the ones that don't drive, don't drive, so thus, no one makes it to the cruise. and a cruise you have to pay for, I think we struggle cruise numbers as it is eh?

I do like the idea though, very much, of a yearly cruise with a meaning, making it stick may be an issue though?

Always willing to donate again as and when is needed.

Still chugging along with this. Probably wont see any progress until December now though. Server move is all done though.

Let me give you money already...