[Ccass]

Here's a fact that most of you are probably not aware of; literally 90% of all the popular automotive forums were bought out by two very large investment groups over the last 10 years. Originally, most of them were all run by automotive enthusiasts. Chevelle guys created Chevelle forums, Camaro guys created Camaro Forums, Mustang guys created Mustang forums. I don't know about you, but it would seem to me like we should try our best to keep our allegiance within our own communites. The more we reinvest our resources in our own own hobby, the better off we will be. PY was started by Pontiac enthusiasts, is still owned by the same Pontiac enthusiasts and has always been moderated by long time Pontiac enthusiasts. The big internet .coms didn't get to us. These big guys have gobbled up all automotive forums in site and have literally turned into a monopoly. Advertising on those forums increased by as much as 250%! Eventually we all pay for that, no? And if you think there is a lot of politics going on here at PY? Take a good look around the big automotive forums. Most of these forums communities rely on their advertisers for their sole source of revenue. It's the only reason they exist! So if an advertiser pays good money for a banner on a forum and a member trashes that advertiser, you don't see much patience with that on those forums. Member comments and topics get deleted all the time. It's heavily 'Advertiser favored' On PY, take a look around as well. We rarely pull a topic. We NEVER pull a topic for political reasons. We've been threatened and sued numerous times. Heck, your host PY has been trashed many times right here on their own forums. Yet those topics are still available for all to see. We've also lost prominent advertisers because we wouldn't bow to the pressure of deleting unflattering threads or posts just because 'we're an advertiser'. Since 1991 when PY created the very first online Pontiac Forum community, PY has tried very hard to be all about doing the right thing for the Pontiac hobby with this venue. Our value system has not changed in 22 years! And we think because of this, many of our members have adopted this same philosophy and have both supported and helped us be even more successful. And the reason we haven't had to change is because we DON'T rely on advertising dollars for success. Sure we have some advertising revenue but we're not going to retire on it any time soon! It barely keeps the Forums lights on. Rather, we choose to let our customer's support generate the product sales that covers us for these forums. And we choose to do everything possible to resolve customer-supplier issues even if it has to sometimes be publicly displayed initially in an unflattering way.


So why the rant? Our hobby is starting to contract ever so slowly. We all need to pull together because in large numbers, there is strength. There is still an awful lot of Pontiac Forums out there. Some of them are tailored to our Late Model Pontiac brethren. Some of them are pretty good. And quite honestly, yours truly was a sleep at the wheel for a few years and I didn't do everything I should have to welcome the new Pontiac performance models into the fold. Yes, they are corporate cars. No they don't quite have that same 'something' as their predecessors. But they ARE the last of the bloodline of Pontiac and we own them because they still connect us in some way to the originals that sparked the Musclecar revolution. I now proudly own a beautiful low mileage 2001 TA, a 2005 GTO and we just finished putting together a Pro-charged G8 GT and I absolutely love driving each one of them! Don't worry, I haven't totally sold-out on my roots. In our showroom sits an awesome 1977 Bandit TA that emerges onto the streets each Spring. And lurking in the warehouse is my original 1967 GTO Sedan that just needs a little tender loving care to return to the streets. Anyway, I digress.... we're not asking you to abandon those other forums. However, we are asking that you encourage, cajole, coerce, convince etc that there needs to be a SINGLE place where all Pontiac enthusiasts can hang out and call HOME. And we're saying that there isn't a better place to do that than right here at the PY Online Forums.

Thus the main reason you see an all new comprehensive Late model section of the forums. Just like in 1991, we've just setup a very nice venue but it's up to all of you to take advantage of it.

Just to make sure you all see the importance to the hobby we feel this is, soon we'll be announcing a contest. We're finalizing plans for it to be a 'significant' contest with 'significant' prizes. It will blow away any of our previous contests and long time members will remember that a few of them were fairly substantial! The contest will center around participation and there will be an important Membership Drive component to the contest. So if you want to do something good for the hobby while dramatically improving your chances of winning the contest, start planning on how you would bring in some new blood and how you can personally contribute information that will make PY an even better Pontiac community than it already is. It's a win/win for everyone.

Chris

[David Jones]

Thank you Chris. I know I've enjoyed the last 12ish years I've hung around here.....free of charge.

Bring it on!

[Keith Vrabec]

The hobby is a monster now, not like it was 20 or even 10 years ago. At times not so much fun.

But the Pontiac sector has proven to be unique and fortunately isolated from it. Just go to POCI or GTOAA or Norwalk or any number of the Pontiac specific shows and you do see a difference compared to more commercial type shows...(no names sorry.)

Yes there is competition and "one-upsmanship" on the show field and drag strip. But it's not about malice at the shows I go to, as opposed to some of the other stuff.

Yes there are 6 figure Pontiacs out there...Fortunately not many, so that element hasn't invaded us yet.

Was it nice to have every GTO a $50k car, yes and no, but with the prices falling, I think some of the fun gets back into the hobby, because you look at it as an expense and not a potential to cash in. (just restore a GP and see just how much of an expense it can be....)

that being said, there might be a day the PY gets an offer they can't refuse...And we can't nor shouldn't blame Chris when that day comes. After all who remembers the shop in North Wales and how far his business has come? Just spend a lifetime building a business or career and not get rewarded? Who does that? Can't blame you CC, "The U" costs $$$$$$$

I think we need to appreciate the uniqueness of the "most popular orphan" status that Pontiac has, and continue to enjoy our cars, regardless of your style...Racer, restorer, "Fast and Furious" rice-type cars, lowriders, rats, corporate block stuff etc.

Times change, I currently hate what goes on in my business but you have to roll with it. Same with the hobby.

As for the internet home of grass roots Pontiac...Yep we know where it is!

[Ccass]

Originally Posted by Keith Vrabec

that being said, there might be a day the PY gets an offer they can't refuse...And we can't nor shouldn't blame Chris when that day comes. After all who remembers the shop in North Wales and how far his business has come? Just spend a lifetime building a business or career and not get rewarded? Who does that? Can't blame you CC, "The U" costs $$$$$$$

Here's the thing, I hope I didn't make it seem like this was all about me because after all these years and after putting 3 kids through college, it's just the opposite. Personally, I finally feel comfortable with where I'm at and over the last several years I have tried to focus a lot of my time on both preserving and extending this hobby. Although there is some potential financial gains that can arise from this new effort, the risk is quite high and the market is rather small. So it's not so much about making more money, it's about making the same amount of money longer. If I was looking for a place to make a lot more money at my age, I could look in a dozen 'other' better directions.

btw, you know they say you can't take it with you when you go? Well, if I were to 'go' somewhere, I'm taking the PY Forums with me! It's like the first car I ever owned. It's not for sale.

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by Ccass

btw, you know they say you can't take it with you when you go? Well, if I were to 'go' somewhere, I'm taking the PY Forums with me! It's like the first car I ever owned. It's not for sale.

[ss weet]

I never thought about the issues that are mentioned. Didn't realize corps were buying up forums to promote their products. I have seen the actions you mention on non-auto forums. Have found a lot of very good advice here and very helpful people. It is a shame that speculators have invaded the muscle car market and drove prices through the roof. Saw this happening the 2nd or 3rd yr Barrett jackson was on Speed channel. As with everything, cost of replacement parts have been rising for decades. Fact of life I'd say.
Won't stop me from restoring & driving my GTO. Besides it is how I met my wife of 37 yrs. cruising in the 70's. Just happy this forum exists for all to enjoy & benefit from. Thanks to all involved at the beginning and those that keep it going.

[Chris65LeMans]

Nice work. I always thought that a parts supplier that has it's own forum was a great idea.

[johnta1]

I'd like to say thanks again, Chris, for a fantastic forum.
I have linked your site (and Pypes) on my website for a long time.
I also recommend it for anyone I talk to.

The later year model forums will probably become a big hit, but it will take some time for people to 'migrate' here. More than likely once they see the esprit de corp here and the volume of knowledge available from the members, it'll grow and flourish.

[Old Goat Racer]

www.PerformanceYears.com is # 1

[goatmanmitch]

Looking forward to the new contest, Chris.

And for the record, I have always greatly appreciated this community you have created. PY has certainly been a "giver" all these years and I have never cared for any of the bashing going on.

[Norwood]

PY is not only the #1 Pontiac forum it is the #1 automotive forum. The Pontiac experts that post here are second to none. A friend of mine just bought his 5th collectable Pontiac and he told me this place motivates him and that he never would have these cars if it weren't for PY. I personally have met so many GREAT people here that I now call friends. Thanks Chris and here's hope for many more good years here on the PY forums. Craig Ehrlich

[JLHarper]

My two cents....I dont think this gets mentioned enough:

All of us members who participate here should TRY OUR BEST to support PY with any parts/services they need.

Its time to GIVE BACK and SUPPORT PY for decades of the best Pontiac forum going.

At least we can give them a first shot at parts or services.

A small way of saying THANKS PY...afterall, if you own a Pontiac, everyone needs "something" !

THINK OF PY

[ss weet]

Originally Posted by JLHarper

My two cents....I dont think this gets mentioned enough:

All of us members who participate here should TRY OUR BEST to support PY with any parts/services they need.

Its time to GIVE BACK and SUPPORT PY for decades of the best Pontiac forum going.

At least we can give them a first shot at parts or services.

A small way of saying THANKS PY...afterall, if you own a Pontiac, everyone needs "something" !

THINK OF PY

Well in the process of planning my restore, I made a spreadsheet to determine cost of needed parts against Performance Years, Ames, Year One, OPGI, NPD and Inline. Performance Years came out as the most reasonable and availability. Now they weren't necessarily the cheapest for each part but I didn't want to deal with 2 or 3 suppliers and overall the stuff I read about them made me choose PY over the others.

[goatmanmitch]

That's right, I have also made many friends through this forum and the PY BBQ. More than a few I would consider pretty good friends.

[Mister Pontiac]

Agreed! Let's support PY, and I too appreciate the efforts to keep these forums alive. Thanks, Chris!

[66bonne]

There are other Pontiac sites ?? This is the only one I visit on a very regular basis. I've not only learned a lot but made a lot of great friends on here. Anytime I'm discussing Pontiacs with anyone for the first time I ask them if they are familiar with Performance Years as a vendor and the best damned Pontiac site on the world wide internet.
Let me add my thanks to Chris and PY for all they do for our hobby.

Jim

[1969GTO]

PY, I have also helped out besides just ordering parts but also I [like others] have had Spotts Performance build 2 engines for me,I am guessing since his shop is just down the road from PY and he has an intrest in PY that some of the parts for me he got from PY.

[PonchoV8]

[Alvin]

Thanks For All You Do PY! http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=736520

[southside39]

This is coming from a 20 year old who's first car was a 75 GP. I love the PY forums and will support them until I die. I've gotten so much help and learned everything I know here. Without this forum I wouldn't know how to turn a wrench