Forum lifespan, new ownership & management?

[KE4AVB]

Personally I haven't donated directly but some those files I provide in the downloads are not cheap to buy especially those JD and ATV manuals. I have spend nearly $500 on service manuals this year alone but I needed a few them too so I would spent the money anyway on them.

Now I do have these for members only and not the public.

[bgsengine]

Not to mention your work as admin and moderator here... probably worth as much as the cost of hosting the forum itself...

[KE4AVB]

And I can provide members with Stihl manuals that I have and can download Hydro Gear IPL, service manuals, and service bulletins. All of which has to emailed due to restrictions by the OEMs. I became a Hydro Gear service depot last fall so I could get warranty coverage on complete units.

But I got a shocker overnight where I ordered a short block. The distributor said it would be $40-$60 to ship it before I placed the order. Well they just billed me $198.43 because they decided to ship the 50lb short block by 18 wheeler. It was another 10 lbs tack on for the wooden pallet which was unnecessary. Now that I had already got paid upgrade for the engine I am losing over $60 on the order. Vendor has gotten a nasty email from me about the misquoted shipping. I can understand if it was an engine that couldn't be UPS shipped but this weight and box size is within UPS specs.

[bgsengine]

Vendor has gotten a nasty email from me about the misquoted shipping. I can understand if it was an engine that couldn't be UPS shipped but this weight and box size is within UPS specs.

If it is the vendor I suspect, they have a "Best Way" default shipping which basically means it will go by whatever method the guy at the shipping kiosk decides to put it in. (maybe just wanted to get rid of the pallet, or it was the last boxed unit sitting on the pallet, etc... and the pallet weight put it a few ounces over the standard UPS/Fedex weight so they just throw it on truck... been there done that. even if you try and specify UPS Shipping, they don't always. )

[hanz63]

Keep up the good work guys. You are appreciated. On the shipping, get those quotes in an email. Twice I've had to throw them back in their face. The crap they decide to do LTL. Like 3 standard boxes. Body parts I always get the quote. Or had a 80$ surcharge on an LTL because some driver had a bad day. PD I've not ever had an issue. Had some backorders on stock up. been sending them left and right- some big and heavy. No ship charge.

[creia]

Not to mention your work as admin and moderator here... probably worth as much as the cost of hosting the forum itself...

KE4AVB,
Brian summed up your contributions quite well. My "encouragement" to others to provide a financial donation to help keep the forum going certainly was not directed at you. On the contrary, your contributions by helping so many members with your educational and informative posts is notable and to be commended. MANY of us (including yours truly) have benefited from your replies. My target group was the "lurkers" out there who either do not ever post or post very little, yet they are regular readers (and benefit directly from the posts) on this forum, and I believe there are MANY.
Michael