BigJimny Forum and the New Jimny

There is an add on that can do this for the profile. However it is an enormous add on which actually is designed for other purposes and only provides the extended profile data as an extra.

I will take a look and perhaps run it up on my test site as I would be concerned that it is such a major upgrade that it would affect other elements of the site.

I think you're right to try and minimise the number of sections within the forum, I've seen too many forums where the sheer volume of sections means that the conversation is diluted and the forum as a whole dries up. Tagging sounds like an interesting solution, being able to limit post visibility to just those related to a specific model would be very helpful.

I'm still moderating a SAAB forum (even though i no longer own a SAAB - they just didnt want me to leave!)
The SAAB forum is divided up into the various models and major model changes along with other major topic sections such as cleaning/detailing etc see here...
SAAB Tech Talk sections

I am not aware of ever seeing 'diluting' of the SAAB forums in any way even after a section for the new 95 was created; people seem to cruise around all parts of the forum interacting with everyone else as well as, say, the 95 owners helping each other out while the 93 Classics did the same etc etc, but in many cases things such as parts etc overlapped the respective models anyway, so why shouldn't this be similar in the Big Jimny forums?
Speaking from my years of experience with the SAAB forum I also dont believe it would ever become a case of 'them and us' between the new model and the older ones causing a division in the forum community.
Although SAAB was killed off by GM just after the beautiful new 95 was released, a new section was quickly created with no negative results

Given the much greater activity in Big Jimny than in the SAAB Tech Talk forums I wouldn't think 'dilution' would become a potential problem; there is already strong interest in the 'New' Jimny as various threads already demonstrate, so surely a new section to accomodate the new Jimny would simply become an extension of these threads.

Keeping the number of sections within the forum to a minimum is definitely important; the SAAB crowd wanted a seperate diesel section but it wasn't regarded as a good idea and it was never implemented (thank goodness) as it was deemed completely unnecessary and in my opinion utterly pointless.

I definitely advise a change in the forum structure to differentiate Jimny 3 against Jimny 4.
The situation is already becoming a bit confusing with mixed topics about Jimny 3 and 4.

This forum should have had a bit more categories than just "Chat" and "Technical" a long time ago, but that is another story.
I agree with Yakuza on the other hand, that having too many meticulously laid out sections ends up being too "cumbersome" for average users.

As a compromise, I propose the following:

- Renaming the existing "Chat" category to "Jimny 3 chat".
- Splitting the existing "Technical category" into the following categories:

1. "Jimny 3 technical - problems with mechanics (engine, drivetrain, etc.)"
   
2. "Jimny 3 technical - electrics, lightning, audio, etc.,"
   
3. "Jimny 3 technical - upgrades and accessories"
   
4. "Jimny 3 technical - bodywork and other topics"

I also propose creation of all the same new categories but named "Jimny 4" instead of "Jimny 3" in the name prefix:

1. "Jimny 4 chat"
   
2. "Jimny 4 technical - problems with mechanics (engine, drivetrain, etc.)"
   
3. "Jimny 4 technical - electrics, lightning, audio, etc.,"
   
4. "Jimny 4 technical - upgrades and accessories"
   
5. "Jimny 4 technical - bodywork and other topics"

I think this should serve well for a long time.

Alternatively, subcategories can be added into the "Technical" category instead of splitting it into several categories, and then disabling new topics into the technical category itself.

P.S.: No arrangement is ideal, and neither is this proposition, but I think that anything new is better than the current situation. I also welcome additional suggestions onto my proposal.

That is too complicated and exactly what I worry about. To balance this I would propose to have just one chat. And not split into tech categoties which was just what we did to kill the Norwegian forum. But one tech for jimny 3,and one for jimny 4 is ok.

Also the my jimny and build section should be joined if possible as there is no difference in how they are used.
Sorry for the typo. Phone is too small.

Having seen the Gen4 Jimny, there is so little difference with the tech it's not worth splitting it up. For example, take a look at the pictures of the underside of the new Jimny in the gallery. Brakes and bearing set up is the same so a Gen4 question on adjusting the brake shoes might miss all the relevant stuff in a Gen3 section.

For me it's a matter of encouraging people to identify which one they are talking about, perhaps with some sort of tag.

If there were different sections people will always post in the wrong one.

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