Are you on Linkedin, the business networking and virtual resume tool? You must be because I’m pretty sure I got a request from you to be added to my “links.” At least it sure seems like it because I get about a dozen of those every week, too often from people I have never heard of, working in categories with which I have no connection. That of course is the beauty of Linkedin, it gets you exposure outside of your wheelhouse. And that got me thinking.
You know that this is your home away from home for all your car enthusiast needs, and there are plenty of make-specific forums from when you need to really get into the weeds about this car or that. But what however, about a general compendium of car nuts and what they like and do? Does such a thing presently exist? I didn’t think so, and I’m wondering if there is a need for one – a Linkedin for car people.
Consider for a moment that you are all about the 1975 Ford Mustang II Ghia coupes with 2.3-litre four cylinders. You’ve been visiting the forum for that specific model for months and have built a nice camaraderie there, but suddenly a distant aunt dies and bequeaths you her Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. Now you need to go find the Silver Shadow forum, start figuring out who there actually knows their stuff and who’s just trolling for the Grey Poupon and that could take weeks.
If we had a general place where people could connect across various marques and interests, and we could build those connections before we needed them… well, think how great that would be. What do you think, should someone should build this hypothetical Linkedin for Car Nuts?
Image: Wikipedia
Hooniverse Asks: Should Somebody Create a Linkedin for Car Enthusiasts?
About
36 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: Should Somebody Create a Linkedin for Car Enthusiasts?”
-
Wheelwell?
-
This is the first I heard of Wheelwell. It looks like it might be OK. I just signed up.
-
Me too. Not sure what to do with it, but it seems cool.
-
-
-
What is Hooniverse?
-
Lacking a pm/contact function? Certainly not “Jeopardy”.
-
We’d need endorsements too.
16 Hooniversians state that XXX has experience in:
-VW Eletrical problems
-Head Gasket Repair on a Cologne V6-
I love this idea! While surely some of us know one anothers’ experience/expertise just from spending more time than our employers would like on this site, that would be a fantastic way to capture our collective knowledge about each other.
My only worry would be our community becoming too impersonal when all we have to do is read about each other instead of reading our thoughts and comments and interacting. So… I’d probably want this idea to be separate from the ‘Verse.-
With a well-organised comment stream/news feed day-to-day action could be integrated in such a platform.
-
-
-
-
-
If there is a need, the market will make it happen. My guess is it will occur through consolidation of or congregation on existing outlets, rather than the creation of something new.
-
I can see several forums evolving into this.
-
-
Google serves pretty much the same purpose. Search and find the forum that you need. Just recently started discovering Jeep Wrangler YJs since my dad bought one that is something of a project.
-
I agree. Between Hooniverse, CafeRacer.net, ADVrider, SpyderLovers, the Bultaco and CB125 Yahoo groups, several PWC forums previously, and now KizashiClub.com, I have yet to have a technical question go unanswered. I have learned and been inspired so much. I’ve had pleanty of RL meet-ups, too.
Then add in all the other related forums such as HobbyMachinist and GarageJournal…-
I’m not sure there’s really a need for a singular locale for all makes and models. I can usually remember which vehicle I need assistance with.
The volume of marque or model specific information/expertise that is available on sites like alfabb, legacygt.com and vwvortex would become unwieldy on a single site. Where such information is lean, there are great category-centric sources like the H.A.M.B. for rodders.
The fact is, we live in a golden age for access to information. I have many self-taught abilities that I would never have considered if I couldn’t learn from others online.-
I could see some sort of meta-organizer for independent forums, to help people make connections. Something that would facilitate individuals’ reputations and technical cross-references between forums. Something that could not only aggregate all the discussions of Eastwood Self-Etching Primer across multiple boards, but also aggregate the activity of somebody who might be MrWild4Stangs on the Mustang forum and Mr4x4Van on the Vintage Van forum (only for those he chooses to connect with, of course).
Additionally, it could flag all the other accounts that have the same e-mail as MrAbusiveVenomSpittingTroll-
But I LIKE being a venomous troll!
-
Oh, you can still be a venomous troll, we’ll just let everyone else know that you visit other forums as ILuvFuzzyPuppies and LetsHelpEvery1Out.
-
I do. I love trolling those wimpy puppy lovers and do-gooders.
-
-
-
-
imagine craigslist mixed with ebay mixed with linkedin and for cars only. that’s what i’d want
One of the mysteries of LinkedIn is that I have connections I have never met, who frequently endorse me for skills I don’t have. I’m not sure I would trust their advice on automotive topics.
DRIFT TRUCK!!!
-
That whole “endorse” feature is utter krap.
Do people actually use Linkedin? I’m on it, but it’s actually tied to my google mail which I almost never check. You have prompted me to check it. I have (had) 57 new notifications from Linkedin, dating back to April. 3 add requests. A dozen add recommendations. A few endorsement notifications. Some “still waiting” notifications for the add requests…
-
I did when I was job hunting and working as a consultant. It’s a place of puffery not production.
-
I only use Linkedin when I’m unemployed. I went from having 5 or 6 contacts to about 60 the first time I got laid off. I’m now up to over 150. It is mostly a tool for recruiters to annoy you. On a related note, it seems that about 50% of engineering recruiting had been outsourced to call centers in India in the last 10 years. It also seems that it is the bottom 50% that got outsourced.
-
It is good for making inroads at unfamiliar companies. Best for job hunters and salespeople to find which friends work there to walk a resume to HR or provide an introduction to a purchasing manager. Good also for finding common bonds with people you sort of know.
-
Sales guy here: I use it to get names of potential marketing targets.
-
Absolutely! This is much what I thought of here two days ago. Some Facebook-functionality would be great though. Why?
1) It doesn’t matter who you are else in your life just that you have a common interest.
2) Car culture is at a point where people easily look down on it. I keep my car posts on FB to a bare minimum.
3) Create a readymade forum for real life events of all sorts. Locally, I find it pretty hard to know what’s happening when.
Why not? FB and Google got it pretty much covered. I am a bit iffy about total connectedness and stuff like that – the Stasi was awfully close growing up – so creating different fora for different uses sounds intriguing to me. I’d like my daily check to ne connected to the ‘verse, a good run-down of today’s car news, a “calendar piece” with a new wini-like page about a car and its facts every day.
This is kind of what I use Hooniverse for, not necessarily making connections, but simply branching out from model specific forums.
That is why Hooniverse is so great. I can get the latest car news, see weird old cars, learn a ton of random car stuff, and read LeMons race reports. This is particularly nice for someone like me, who has little to no brand/model loyalty. I like all cars, not just one car, so it’s nice to read about a variety.
Sorry, this is kind of off topic. I just wanted to express my undying love for Hooniverse, and I figured there was nothing wrong with that.
This is pretty much how I use Facebook.
I am nanoop Zundfolge on wheelwell.com – those are my names here and on 944online.com.
-
Sent you a friend request on wheelwell.
-
Cool.
-
Uh folks, I didn’t expect visitors tonight – I need to clean up a bit…
I just realized that a) my “other” friends are not into cars at all, and b) I only had Jeff Glucker and Matt Farah on my list – both professionals, so they’re kind of forced to accept… cheesy.
Would it also spam your inbox with things you don’t care about like LinkedIn does?
“Congratulate Brian on his new ignition”
“Jeff endorsed you for the following skill: achieving perfect stance”
“VolvoMasterRace88 would like to add you to his network”
Actually that would be amusing.
-
“See how many Audi drivers looked at your profile!”
what, have you guys not seen Cardomain? it’s the internet’s hottest site for terrible modified cars
The world does not need more social media.
Leave a Reply