The Fiat Forums

SpiderF81 · Post by **SpiderF81** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 3:52 pm

Hi, my name is Scott Williams and I am addicted to Fiat Spiders.

The reason why I am writing this post is to try to smooth things out between FiatSpider.com and FiatCenter.com. I am in no way affiliated with either site, I am just the proud owner of a Fiat Spider and a concerned member of both web sites that loves to talk, read and try to work on the car I love so much. I have only been a Spider owner since the summer of 2005 thanks to my wonderful wife that bought me my first Italian car on E-bay as a birthday / fathers day / Christmas / valentines day / groundhog day present for the entire year of 2005. Through these two forum web sites and the number of Fiat and Italian car sites out there, I have learned so much already.

Many of you know the history of FiatSpider.com and the former members of this web site that arenâ€™t particularly happy with the outcome when the site shut down so I will not be discussing that. I am here to tell you all that even though there is still some animosity between members and site administrators, I believe that there is plenty of room on the WWW for 2 Fiat forums based in the United States. I have done a little research and found that there were approximately 150,000 Fiat Spiders ever built. Letâ€™s just say 25% of those were imported into the US and Canada. That would equal 37,500 Fiat Spider owners (half of which are most likely in the junk yard). Not to mention people that own X/19â€™s, Abarthâ€™s, 500â€™s, Dinoâ€™s or even people that donâ€™t even own a Fiat but are still interested in the car. Take a look at how many members FiatSpider.com and FiatCenter.com have then tell me Iâ€™m wrong to think there is not room for 2. For crying out loud, there is probably room for 10. At one point FiatSpider.com had 3000 members and a million hits a month. Where did everyone go? I know the argument isnâ€™t if there is room for more then one forum, the argument was, and still is, about other things.

What I am trying to say is this. Regardless of which site you call home we have all come together to share in something that we are passionate about. If you canâ€™t find it on your â€œhomeâ€ forum, then try the other. Iâ€™m not asking people to forget what has happened in the past, I am just trying to make what the site administrators have worked so hard for worth it.

I am now stepping off of my soap box.

Have a nice day.

Post by **Site Owner** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:55 pm

Hey Scott -
I appreciate your thoughts. I'd like to ask you to do one thing though:
Could you go back and change the title of this post to something like
"The Spider Forums" for example. I could do it, but I don't want to edit other folk's posts and I don't plan to unless there's something really horendous posted - which you haven't done by any means. Two reasons why I'd like you to change the title -

1. I really don't see this as site VS. site scenario. I certainly don't harbour any ill feelings towards anybody on either site, nor the admins of the other site. I just don't hold grudges as a rule (unless of course it's over something a hell of a lot more serious than an online forum

). I said my piece on the issue over on the other site and explained my reasons for doing what I did, and as far as I'm concerened, closed the door on the whole thing. I just don't view the two sites as a competition.

2. I don't want to ignite a "site verses site" thread up here. I know that's not your intention, but I'm worried that with a title like that, it could happen.

I agree with you, there's plenty of room on the web and people will go where they want to for info as they should, and that's that.

BTW, I think your export figure could be a little low. When the car really got going, most of them went to the US market.

Anyway, I appreciate where your coming from and I know that you mean well by your post and I appreciate that. I'm going to keep an eye on this thread though because I don't want to see it get out of hand or have any unpleasant remarks made about either site up here. I want this site to stay friendly and informative as it has been for the past ten years.

Thanks Scott!

Evan

SpiderF81 · Post by **SpiderF81** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:23 pm

Evan consider the subject line changed. I never intended to make this an us vs. them issue and I certainly hope I didn't come across that way. If people want to post remarks to that effect then maybe they should rethink posting at all under this thread. There is absolutly no reason to sling mud. What's done is done and the reason for the post was to show that we are part of a small percentage of the general public that shares the same interest. THATS ALL.
I was taking a wild guess at the import numbers. I'm sure it's quit a few more then what I have posted. Thanks for the reply.

Post by **Site Owner** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:27 pm

Scott -
No problem buddy - I know you didn't have that intent at all. I agree with the spirit of your post 100%. But I'm sure you also know that there are a "few" out there that could take this in a non-productive direction.

I'm glad to see you here and I appreciate your participation.

Thanks

=e=

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:29 pm

it's my impression that the various Fiat forums have very different personalities. Reading posts on FC, FS and Mira all leave me with varied impressions. Why it's that way, I have no idea, but I participate on all 3 anyway. A little variety is a good thing. It's kind of like working the room at a cocktail party. Hey, now that sounds like a good thing!

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 6:06 am

So Cal Mark wrote:it's my impression that the various Fiat forums have very different personalities. Reading posts on FC, FS and Mira all leave me with varied impressions. Why it's that way, I have no idea, but I participate on all 3 anyway. A little variety is a good thing. It's kind of like working the room at a cocktail party. Hey, now that sounds like a good thing!

LOL...you're right about that, Mark. All are entertaining in their own way and plenty of info to learn from.

Formula One · Post by **Formula One** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 12:23 pm

I am here to tell you all that even though there is still some animosity between members and site administrators

I'd like to offer my apologies that this misunderstanding exists.

I do not hold and have not not held any animosity towards FiatSpider.Com, in fact as the top poster with well over 8000 posts (at least three times more than the next highest poster) I feel I supported the site very well in the past.

It makes no difference to me as to who reads what where and when, when FSC was up and running I can not recall even once a question of animosity, competition between the two, or a single word about the co existence of the two.

My only concern now is being fearful of posting anything here or there that could be misinterpreted or taken out of context, hence my lack of posting here since FSC made it's re introduction.

There should be no reason what so ever why both can not co exist with each other.

Mad-Machine · Post by **Mad-Machine** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 6:51 pm

three times as many, John? I had over 5000 I think...

Anyway.. I do not see any animosity between the forums.. The Mira site has enough internal animosity to make up for it.

bandit · Post by **bandit** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:19 am

I would say the fiat center and fiat spider sites are the coolest out of
most forums i've been to and i don't see and issues from people on
either side ? just a few comments about the return of fs back from
the dead so to speak of .
I think fiat center kinda took over fs place once this one went offline
but your right about having room for 2 sites i agree theres room
I enjoy FiatCenter.com and FiatSpider.com .

Dan

noneedforanintroduction · Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:29 pm

pfft.. the real Fiat site is based in Oz...

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 1:12 am

why would it matter where the site is based? Aren't we all in cyberspace anyway?

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 2:19 pm

noneedforanintroduction wrote:pfft.. the real Fiat site is based in Oz...

you mean like with the Wizard? So, who are you? a munchkin?

Mad-Machine · Post by **Mad-Machine** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:03 pm

do not mind the man behind the spider

Village Idiot · Post by **Village Idiot** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:01 am

SpiderF81 wrote:Hi, my name is Scott Williams and I am addicted to Fiat Spiders.

I have done a little research and found that there were approximately 150,000 Fiat Spiders ever built. Letâ€™s just say 25% of those were imported into the US and Canada.
Have a nice day.

Just wondering if this is correct, I was under the impression after 69 the North American market was the only one receiving 124 spiders.

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:39 am

the US was the primary market for the Spider, that was one of the factors that led to its' demise. In the early 80s the Spider was the only rear wheel drive car that Fiat built, and with falling sales in the US couldn't justify a factory dedicated to it. They needed the production capability for other models. Then of course, Bricklin took over importing Spiders and completely priced it out of the market, sealing its' fate.

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