Time to change the 'VagCom for free' policy?

[bugOlugs]

It's been pointed out recently in another thread that requests for help from forum members with (VCDS) VagCom often don't get a reply.

Is it because of the forum's 'free' policy perhaps?

If forum members with VCDS aren't allowed to ask for a few quid in advance for their time, is there any incentive for them to help out? It's all well and good suggesting that it would be rude not to offer "a few beers" but wouldn't it be fairer to be upfront about how much "a few beers" should be?

For example, if someone were to come to me for a scan and offered me £30 for my time, I wouldn't take it. A tenner is more realistic, surely?

If VCDS equipped members want to offer their time for free then good on 'em. But if you asked for a set amount in advance for your time at least the 'requestee' can make an informed choice if they would like to go ahead.

Perhaps this might clarify things and help forum members get a better response from help requests?

What do you think?

[onzarob]

Is it because of the forum's 'free' policy perhaps?



There is no 'Free' policy more of a 'No Fee'. Basically if your a commercial outfit, you don't qualify, If you are a DIYer then charging costs or beer tokens is fine.

I suspect is more down to free time to help out and location rather than cost.

[bugOlugs]

Hmm...

Quote from the first page of the VagCom users list:

This is a list of people on this forum who have Vagcom / VCDS and who are willing to help other forum members. It is intended for posts by non-businesses. It is intended that this list will enable fellow forum members to help each other for FREE..... I say free, but really it would be rude not to provide a few beers for their trouble.

Then a PM from Stuart today:


BugOlugs...

As per your comments on the site, you have now been removed form the VAG-COM user locations. As you have already noted, the section states "free" if members choose to pay a fellow member that is up to them, but we will not have it published on the site.


Stuart

But your reply is


There is no 'Free' policy more of a 'No Fee'. Basically if your a commercial outfit, you don't qualify, If you are a DIYer then charging costs or beer tokens is fine.

I suspect is more down to free time to help out and location rather than cost.

Confusing...

:confused:

[Crasher]

It’s a difficult one this bugOlugs, I see your point but one of the policies of this site is that if you wish to make personal gain from posts you have to be a forum sponsor, they can’t have one rule for one aspect and another just for VAG-COM. As a business I charge people just under £30 for a full systems scan, saved to the server and kept, full clear and hard copy.

[bugOlugs]

And I appreciate that too.

When I look at a car for someone, the whole car is scanned (if required), fault(s) cleared, advice given on how to cure the fault, saved copy of the log file and a hard copy to the car's owner too. A second scan is offered free of charge if the fault comes back also.

Whilst not being in the motor trade, I provide more of a service than many garages do (or can for that matter). As I'm sure quite a few other forum members do also.

When you're spending as much time as that, I think it's only fair there's a small charge which should be made clear upfront. Hence the reason for starting this thread.

:beerchug:

[Col]

Hmm...

Quote from the first page of the VagCom users list:

This is a list of people on this forum who have Vagcom / VCDS and who are willing to help other forum members. It is intended for posts by non-businesses. It is intended that this list will enable fellow forum members to help each other for FREE..... I say free, but really it would be rude not to provide a few beers for their trouble.

Then a PM from Stuart today:



But your reply is



Confusing...

:confused:

I think you are missing the point and spirit of the 'users' thread.

As someone who had offered your help, it is sad to hear that some people have tried to exploit your goodwill. That is always going to happen unfortunately.

However, there is nothing stopping you saying no, "That is beyond what I'd normally do" etc. At which point any chancers would either go away or offer you more BEER !

Note BEER can / could be BEER or funds to buy BEER. The spirit of goodwill has to work both ways and I thought I made that quite clear in all the blarb at the start of the users thread?

I've said no to a few people and I never travel, they always come to me. Saying that I've never had anyone who has had a non starter. But if they did and I had to travel, I'd expect more BEER for doing so.

Also, a note to those people on here who would contact someone off here, who has invested both money in setting themselves up with vagcom/vcds and their time in trying to help YOU out....

A case of beer isn't much is it ? Considering that;

1, You are getting your car looked at at your convenience rather than having to book it in somewhere, arrange alternative transport and have all the wasted time and hassle of doing so.

2, You will get straight honest advice.

3, You are saving yourselves money.

So, think twice before trying to scam someone who is only helping out. There is already one disgruntled person who has had enough.

[stuart]

As you choose to bring this to the public forum, then if you read my PM it states......

"the section states "free" if members choose to pay a fellow member that is up to them, but we will not have it published on the site".

Does this say that you can't charge? If someone did this for me I would offer them payment, I would not expect this to be done for nothing... but as Crasher has stated we can't have one rule for one and one for another!

This is not the first time you have criticised the way this site is run, and as stated before... if you don't like it and don't like our rules then don't use the site!

I tried to keep this off the forum, but as usual you choose to make it public.

But BigCol... I think the last comment you made is a little incorrect... "There is already one disgruntled person who has had enough".... from past history... he just like to criticise the site rules, and make them public....

NOT for much longer!!!! as applies to everyone... abide by the rules or get banned....

[Col]

And I appreciate that too.

When I look at a car for someone, the whole car is scanned (if required), fault(s) cleared, advice given on how to cure the fault, saved copy of the log file and a hard copy to the car's owner too. A second scan is offered free of charge if the fault comes back also.

Whilst not being in the motor trade, I provide more of a service than many garages do (or can for that matter). As I'm sure quite a few other forum members do also.

When you're spending as much time as that, I think it's only fair there's a small charge which should be made clear upfront. Hence the reason for starting this thread.

:beerchug:

You are the one in control.

Negotiate what / when / where is going to happen and what you expect for doing so.

Any chancers who blab on and say it is 'free' tell them to **** off. I'm sure you would get the full support of everyone if said chancer came on here moaning about it.

[bugOlugs]

Stuart,

This is in no way a criticism of the way your forum is run.

I am merely trying to clarify the position regarding charging for VCDS services. The discussion is heading the right way as far as I can see, the situation is being clarified.

We may well have got off on the wrong foot when I first joined your forum but I hoped that was in the past, done and dusted.

So please don't take this as criticism of you or your forum. Because that's not how it was (or is) intended.

:beerchug:

[paul b]

The person who is interested in BugOlug's services is myself. I do have VAG-COM 409 but there are a couple of things we plan to look at with 2 of my vehicles and two brains are better than one.

I am more than happy to provide BugOlugs with 'beer money', by that I mean a sum of money which he could quite happily buy himself a couple of beers down the pub with.

The important thing we must bare in mind is there are sponsors on here, who pay to appear on this website. A normal user doesn't pay anything and should not be seen to be making money from the site, as it is an unauthorised advert.

I've even contradicted myself above, this is a policy which will just never be 100% clear.

[stuart]

You have made the policy 100% clear....

there are sponsors on here, who pay to appear on this website. A normal user doesn't pay anything and should not be seen to be making money from the site, as it is an unauthorised advert.

Without the financial support of all our Sponsors & supporters, there would be no site....

Stuart

[martin1810]

Seems perfectly clear to me. If you want to charge people to use vcds you pay to advertise on this site. If you don't pay to advertise, you don't charge. simple.

[saabsalltheway!]

hi all how can we criticise this forum its full of help and advice
ive just met a nice chap thats just traveled about 20 miles to have rear led lights fitted and coded in and they was being a bugger to fit.
i didnt ask for any beer token but was offered X amount and only took half, he did help by keeping the rain off my back.

now how did he find out where i live? thats it i sent him a PM. so if you want BEER TOKENS
why not send a PM if the person thinks its too much they can say no and try to find someone else for the help

come on everyone how is moaning about this issue going to resolve it

as i see it the sponsors have the final say if they see beer tokens being offered they could pull out and then where will this forum be.
for gods sake i dont even own a vag related car but think this VCDS is ace and ive invested £500 to use it to help others
well thats my rant over
BIG UP to the forum, the sponsers and all the people who are willing to help others

ive even seen someone on here who needs help in bristol and im down that way next week and was thinking of trying to help but been told i cant as im on holiday (sorry for that)
well lets get back to whats good and offer to help others and dont moan about it
paul

[stuart]

hi all how can we criticise this forum its full of help and advice
ive just met a nice chap thats just traveled about 20 miles to have rear led lights fitted and coded in and they was being a bugger to fit.
i didnt ask for any beer token but was offered X amount and only took half, he did help by keeping the rain off my back.

now how did he find out where i live? thats it i sent him a PM. so if you want BEER TOKENS
why not send a PM if the person thinks its too much they can say no and try to find someone else for the help

come on everyone how is moaning about this issue going to resolve it

as i see it the sponsors have the final say if they see beer tokens being offered they could pull out and then where will this forum be.
for gods sake i dont even own a vag related car but think this VCDS is ace and ive invested £500 to use it to help others
well thats my rant over
BIG UP to the forum, the sponsers and all the people who are willing to help others

ive even seen someone on here who needs help in bristol and im down that way next week and was thinking of trying to help but been told i cant as im on holiday (sorry for that)
well lets get back to whats good and offer to help others and dont moan about it
paul

Well said Paul :)

[RickT]

Just to add on the back on this..

The VWAF is a free source of information for anyone with the access to the net to help them get back on the road or provide advice.

The idea of the forum is to help other people and get assistance when required.

I like to think of the forum members as "mates" who you can call upon if you need any help online or offline,

To be honest i cant really see there is anything further to add to what has been said above,

Rick

[bugOlugs]

But BigCol... I think the last comment you made is a little incorrect... "There is already one disgruntled person who has had enough".... from past history... he just like to criticise the site rules, and make them public....


FYI - BigCol wasn't referring to me by the way. It was referring to A8Tech's request to be removed form the list.

Again - not a dig at you Stuart, or the forum, in any way. Those days are history - you have my word. ;) Can we bury the hatchet now please?! :o

Thanks for the various responses all, clears things up nicely. :Blush:

:beerchug:

[hongkongstuey]

ive helped out a fellow member twice, although no money was offered on site he did offer first time, i said it was too much first time, i accepted beer tokens second time but didnt insist as he offered a beer voucher, as a non paying member i chose to offer services (not in a hooker type way, im not easy) but as i could have worked overtime at 18 quid an hour i gladly took the beer tokens as a reinbursment and was glad to have helped out a fellow member to save them 30-40 pounds of dealer prices for 5 mins work, to be honest, the first scan was pretty much every code available in vag com and i was amazed the car still ran, second time i only noticed how cramped a b7 a4 was compared to how my b5 passat is, made me glad i didnt get an a4 after all :beerchug:

long live vag com and all who contribute indirectly to its license funding!!