Just Me?

[SMorneau]

Am I the only one who thinks it kind of sucks that somebody who just happens to join the TDR at the right time will be given a jacket?



I mean how many of us have supported the TDR for years and what has been offered to us? Why not do a drawing to celebrate? I just don't get the rational. Is this just a cheap promotion to get non members who have been using the site all along to join us? Why should they be rewarded?



While I'm on the soap box, has anyone else wondered why Robert Patton doesn't put together some kind of project truck so there will something new to write about for the quarterly publication. I mean 20,000 members x a fraction of the subscription fee should be able to finance a decent project. I have read more than enough about brake fluid and the KDP.



If it weren't for this site and the membership I would have quit paying the subscription a long time ago. Maybe it's time to save the paper and ink and offer a web site only membership. Robert, if you read this please don't take offense I don't care what you do or how much you benefit from the TDR I just don't think it cost that much to administer the web site and I don't see any other value in the membership. The membership is approaching 20,000, advertisers are plentiful, and you have launched a nice successful business (Geno's), maybe its time for a price cut.



Am I alone here?

 

[GFritsch]

TDR membership is a steal! I'll buy my own jacket.



Thank you TDR staff for the fantastic job you have done over the years.



20k members is a testiment to the quality of content. Staff deserves whatever profit is made.



The website is free. Giving your opinion is what costs money.



Thats my opinion

 

[DOWG]

Just you.



Maintaining this website is a big deal. Very simply put, I bet Robert Patton and the forum moderators have found there just aren't enough hours in a day to get everything done.



Just because someone is smart and runs a successful business, the "haves", does not mean he has to share his wealth with the "have nots".



Same deal with oil; just because the price goes up and I make more money does not mean I owe anybody, anything. I made my choice on how I make a living; sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.



I also made a choice to join TDR. Quite frankly, I would pay more for the benefits of my TDR membership if required and, like everything else, the price will probably increase at some point.

 

[skillsaw]

This site is incredible - I forgot about the magazine... ... every now & then, I get a new one & it's like a bonus added to this web-site (& my bathroom reading stack). The help that we get here can't have a price put on it. I'd hate to have to go to the DC service counter & try to trouble shoot some funky issue on my truck with a guy who just finished rotating tires on a neon when I can post a simple question on here to tuns of people with the same truck as me!!

Well, my $. 02



Thanks TDR staff & everybody else on this site.



-Erik

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

The TDR has given away many things to members over the years. At nearly every get together the TDR provides stuff to give away. They give away stickers/plates, etc to anyone who requests them. A little over a year ago they gave away a South Bend clutch (South Bend Clutch gave one away also - https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63263 ). The 20,000th give away thing was suggested by a number of our existing members ( https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=95602 ) and I thought it was a good idea for a promotion and went to Robin with it. We thought it was a good way to do a promotion to get new subscribers as well as have a little fun. We weren't planning on anything until it was suggested by some of the members. The TDR will continue to give away items to the existing members as they have in the past.



As to the cost of administering the site I think you would be shocked at how much it costs to operate a site with the traffic levels that we have. I personally spend an average of 20-30 hours per week maintaining the site, adding new features/software, etc. I don't answer the majority of email questions that come in (Robin forwards on the ones she can't handle to me), don't handle setting up the users, as well as a bunch of other "administration". If I were to estimate the admistration overhead of running the site I'd put it at around 60 hours per week. On top of that there are hardware costs, rack space rental, bandwidth charges, etc. Believe me it all adds up. Robert could buy several new fully loaded trucks and blow them up each year with what it costs to run the site.



The magazine started in 93 with approximately 30 pages per issue at the same $35/yr subscription price paid now. Since that time he has continuously added more and more content to the magazine to the point where there is now 160+ pages in each issue. The website was purchased in 1999 and has been continually updated ever since representing a significant investment on the part of the TDR. To see how the site has changed over the years take a look at this thread - https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97294 . All of this has been done at no additional cost to the subscriber since those very first issues. In actual dollars it's less because inflation has made that $35 worth less. The TDR is constantly striving to give you more for your $35 per year subscription price.



Hopefully this helps explain the thinking behind the 20,000th give away and what the TDR tries to do for it's existing members. I will be sure that Robert gets your input.



-Steve St. Laurent

Webmaster



P. S. I'm moving this to the Website/Roundtable forum.

 

[GFritsch]

Chin up Steve. Great value then, GREAT value now!



For less than a tank of fuel no less.

 

[skillsaw]

Geez..... I was quite content with the Got Diesel? Sticker!!

 

[JPLB22]

I just sent off my first renewal check !!!!!



This site has been worth WAY WAY more than $35 to me AND my truck. I happened to stumble across this site in late '02 and then joined a while later . I really hope that over the next MANY years that I can give back something of worth to the other members.



BIG THANKS to TDR Administration and Members ( even though my Fiance' says you guys are stealing me away ) !!!!



Jeff

 

[Mad Bomber]

Good Job

Steve, you do a GREAT JOB and we love you man. This site is great and keep doing it how you are. I would bet that most of the members in TDR would have to agree

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I was going to keep quiet about this...

SMorneau: You're not the only one that complained about this promotion. I emailed Robin/Steve and got a concise version of the answer he posted up above.



Their stance is that it's a promotion - something meant to drum up some more members.



My stance is that someone is getting some nice, highly sought after goodies just for being 20,000th in line. To me, that's like offering bail to a prisoner just because their name was randomly selected. This promotion is also sorta like playing the lottery... . except the odds are in the favor of new members - people who haven't contributed ANYTHING to the TDR.



I'm not knocking what the TDR does or the hard work that goes into it. I just don't agree with the promotion... plain and simple.



Matt

 

[jack-green]

steve;

thank you and all the members of this site. I have saved thousands of dollars on my truck and havent even got it yet because of the advice of your members. give # 2000 a jacket no big deal.

 

[Boomer II]

My biggest gripe is I didn't with the clutch!

 

[MCummings]

20,000 member gets a jacket.



Sounds good to me.



It's just a jacket. now, If they were going to get a crate motor from Hasiley's, EEP, or Schieds, then I'd be concerned. But who knows, our 20,000 member just might be the next Nowell Thomas.



Merrick

 

[RankRam]

Originally posted by MCummings

20,000 member gets a jacket.



Sounds good to me.



But who knows, our 20,000 member just might be the next Nowell Thomas.



Merrick

Great post Merrick!!



Oo.

 

[Shovelhead]

It's you.





The only problem I have with it, is we can't order one. (hint, hint)

 

[SMorneau]

Well thanks to all for setting me straight. If the subscription price is necessary for keeping this site up to its high standards it is worth every penny. I'll grant you this is one of the best sites on the web but there are other sites, of all kinds, that operate on advertising revenue alone.



I used to look forward to the quarterly issue and now I don't. Mostly due to this site and probably in part because the 12V stuff is waning. I still say get an interesting project or dump the quarterly. I know there are others who agree because I have discussed this with them.



For the record : I am not worried about the "haves" and "have nots" and I don't begrudge anyone making money. That doesn't mean I don't wonder where my money goes. I can continue to buy my own clothes. SBC gave the clutch away not the TDR. And I never ever said the TDR staff does not do a good job (although you could argue my complaint on lack of content were just that).



I think all of the "thanking" going on above means that some people were trying to make up for what they percieved as an attack on my part. If anyone felt as though I were attacking them I'm very sorry.



Again, I stand corrected. Geez, after reading this I think maybe they should raise the price. BTW this is one of the most replied to thread, outside of the political forum, that I have ever posted.



Scott

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Two clutches were given away SBC gave one away and the TDR gave away a 2nd one at the same time.

 

[Jeff H]

I geuss we all should get something for the 20k members. We the members help to build that number. I'm not asking for much or anything at all.

As far as the magazine. Yea some subjects they beat the dead horse on. Earth Romer I totally skip. Does this guy have a job?

We do need some new subject material to talk about. We have 20,000 interesting members out there that must have or know something interesting to print. Some of us old members know what Scott is getting too. When I read a lot of the replies here. There was quite a few with very low post count. Most of the senior members have a craving for new anything.

We need to keep up with the times. Or we just become old technology in time. Maybe the staff could hire or get some volunteers to help out. Were growing here. People can only do so much. I don't wanna see subject material being pushed off because some one does not have the time.

 

[rholcom2]

$35 Bucks.....your getting something for nothing

I waste more than 35 bucks in a bar some nights, and get nothing in return... ... ... . well... ... . mabye a headache. I think that the TDR is the best thing for its value I have purchased... ... ... . well... . pretty much forever. THANKS TDR

 

[HoleshotHolset]

To all those people saying/thinking something similar to the following: "Gee... thanks TDR! This is the best $35 I have EVER spent... blah, blah, blah. "



You're missing the point. This thread is about the promotion.



This thread is not about: the folks working hard behind the scenes, the value quotient for TDR membership, the quarterly magazine's content, etc.



I'm opposed to the promotion based on the principles behind it, not because of the goodies... I believe this is kinda where Scott was originally headed with the thread.



Matt