Let's encourage necessary information in posts
 

Maybe in the titles, even.

Like in Journalism 101, the 5Ws:
WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY except here it's
YEAR
MODEL / BODY
ENGINE
TRANSMISSION
and even WHERE (geographically)

This way, we'd prevent the typical question "MY car starts slower than usual (what is usual) when it's cold out" Cold WHERE, stupid - are you in Arizona or Alaska?

LOVE the site, however my tolerance for wasting time searching because of someone else's omission is sometimes maddening.
-Tom
1996
E320 (W210)
M104
4sp. auto with no asr button
Tennessee (I know, you'd think my tolerance for stupidity would be higher):D

I agree...
 

We have always tried to encourage people to post needed info. That's why Larry Bible originally posted this and we made it a sticky:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/127343-troubleshooting-get-most-your-post.html

It hard to help people when they withhold critical information!

Yeah, following that would make searches a lot easier. Sometimes I search for things I've seen before, know they are on the forum SOMEwhere, and still can't find them.

I think a pre-post form to fill out with make model and what not that gets attached to the header of each post. OR the same form, same information, attached to signatures?

A lot of us have "vehicle histories" in our sigs. I think it's not a bad idea.

I disagree. Let's not make this bureaucratic, let's make people understand they won't get answers if they don't include info.

Either that or require people to list all cars and their location on their info.

Fill out a form before each post? Oye muchacho!! :eek:

Unfortunately, if your signature changes...users browsing the archives really have to wonder which car is being discussed!

It's really easy to just put the information into the first post...however, there are plenty of members that don't, and it usually gets an immediate WHICH CAR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? :confused:

It's not hard. The information is crucial to getting other members to help offer insight or troubleshoot. I wouldn't mind a form, or maybe some form of tagging. It'd make finding old threads much easier.

How about a little bit of question and answer prior to user sign up?
Just simply have them click I understand that posts must be blah blah blah or certain requirement or such and such.

It is frustrating when thread titles are poorly worded and the initial post is confusing.

Really the best way to handle these situations is to ignore it and move on....