DetailCity.org is now AutopiaForums.com!

John@Autopia-Carcare.com

[email protected]

New member
DetailCity.org is now AutopiaForums.com!

Same fantastic detailing community with a new name!

DetailCity.org has been a gathering place for detailing hobbyists and professionals since 2002. DetailCity.org was one of the first and biggest detailing forums online. Now DetailCity.org begins a new chapter as AutopiaForums.com. AutopiaForums.com will still be the place to go for detailing tips, advice from fellow members, and photo sharing, but with a new look and new features to improve your forum experience.

Pats300zx, a longtime forum member and moderator on Autopia.org will be the head moderator on AutopiaForums.com. His valuable insight will help make AutopiaForums.com a welcoming, educational, and cooperative online community for detailing enthusiasts.

In March, Palm Beach Motoring Accessories acquired DetailCity.org and Autopia-carcare.com. Autopia-carcare.com is the exclusive sponsor of DetailCity.org. Changing the name to AutopiaForums.com completes the transition. Now customers at Autopia-carcare.com can find additional information and reviews of products at AutopiaForums.com. Forum members will receive exclusive promotions from Autopia-carcare.com. The relationship of the two websites will re-establish the Autopia brand and restore its position as one of the top detailing communities on the web.

AutopiaForums.com will continue to operate independently from PBMA's other websites just as Autopia-carcare operates independently.

The name change will occur this Friday, April 8, 2011. This transition will not affect existing members. AutopiaForums.com can be accessed from DetailCity.org.

New sections have already been added to the forum. More features will be added in the coming weeks to make AutopiaForums.com an exciting and informative community for all detailers and enthusiasts.
 
Wow.... umm... hm. Interesting move, I didn't see that coming.

I can't help but wonder what sense it makes to essentially throw the brand equity of Detail City down the drain after acquiring it, though.

While it is totally understandable that PBMA made the purchase in order to gain a pre-established membership database and informational archive, I think some of the members who were hesitant after learning that DC was acquired by PBMA and linked to autopia-carcare.com might become even more leery about the forum now being called autopiaforums.com. It does no good to buy an established membership if the subsequent moves being made act to drive those members away.

Now, having said that, I do want to clarify that I'm not saying I personally have an issue with it or that I won't be posting here, I'm just saying that it throws yet another challenge at the goal of growing the site and "Re-establishing Autopia's brand and position" especially since the original Autopia.org still exists and is owned by a competitor. People tended to identify with Detail City specifically because it wasn't "Autopia" and that distinction was plainly obvious. Now, what we have is a brand which appears to be aiming to compete against itself. That has the potential to be confusing.

Anyway, I hope this move doesn't end up backfiring; should be interesting to watch things unfold.

What's this still doing here?

:dcrules

:lol2:
 
John, it should also be noted that for some reason the site isn't keeping me logged in properly. Even when I click "remember me" I have to re-enter my log-in information twice every time I try to post a reply (first to get to the reply editor or quick reply box, then again to actually post the reply).

Are the log-in retention cookies still linking back to detailcity.org when they should be specifying autopiaforums.com?
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
John, it should also be noted that for some reason the site isn't keeping me logged in properly. Even when I click "remember me" I have to re-enter my log-in information twice every time I try to post a reply (first to get to the reply editor or quick reply box, then again to actually post the reply).

Are the log-in retention cookies still linking back to detailcity.org when they should be specifying autopiaforums.com?
Click to expand...

SLD...its a forum issue that we are working on right now. It is happening to me as well.
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
Wow.... umm... hm. Interesting move, I didn't see that coming.

I can't help but wonder what sense it makes to essentially throw the brand equity of Detail City down the drain after acquiring it, though.

While it is totally understandable that PBMA made the purchase in order to gain a pre-established membership database and informational archive, I think some of the members who were hesitant after learning that DC was acquired by PBMA and linked to autopia-carcare.com might become even more leery about the forum now being called autopiaforums.com. It does no good to buy an established membership if the subsequent moves being made act to drive those members away.

Now, having said that, I do want to clarify that I'm not saying I personally have an issue with it or that I won't be posting here, I'm just saying that it throws yet another challenge at the goal of growing the site and "Re-establishing Autopia's brand and position" especially since the original Autopia.org still exists and is owned by a competitor. People tended to identify with Detail City specifically because it wasn't "Autopia" and that distinction was plainly obvious. Now, what we have is a brand which appears to be aiming to compete against itself. That has the potential to be confusing.

Anyway, I hope this move doesn't end up backfiring; should be interesting to watch things unfold.

What's this still doing here?

:dcrules

:lol2:
Click to expand...

Great post. I personally don't think that Detail City in itself had any brand equity at all. I'd go so far as to say that it was a liability. What I mean by that is it was and is a cool place to hang out but it obviously wasn't performing strong enough financially for the previous owners as we all know that Dwayne is with PBMA and Autogeek and Troy has moved on as well.

I try to see the big picture and I would go so far as to say that PBMA would welcome the existing Detail City member base but at the same time made a move that would potentially allow them to reach a much larger audience.

I'm not the most active poster on the other detailing forums but have been an active lurker for many years. I can say with confidence that the original Autopia jumped the shark many years ago and is just a shell of it's former self. Just read some of the responses from the current owners after virus fiasco last year and the new design, in my opinion, is awful.

It makes sense to me that PBMA would marry the Autopia-Carcare.com store with the AutopiaForums.com in the same way that have AutogeekOnline.net and Autogeek.net. It seems to be a formula that works for them.

I'm looking forward to seeing what's next. Never a dull moment!
 
I think with Max at the helm of PBMA only good things can come for the future of this forum. Hang tight it's always a fun ride when he is driving.
 
John, I am sure the owners of autopia.org are thrilled too and share your excitement! :rofl:

Of course, google will be showing two hits for autopia.

As for the goodwill associated with Detail City, I agree that there was not enough to make DC viable however it takes investment by the owner to cultivate the membership by numerous means. It is more than build it and they will come.

so long

:dcrules

bring in the new banner....
 
Well....

I'll wish you luck with the change, but I can't understand the name change to mimic an already-established detailing forum or the fact that it seems like this forum is turning into a rehash of the Autogeek forum/web conglomerate.
 
JaredPointer said:
Well....

I'll wish you luck with the change, but I can't understand the name change to mimic an already-established detailing forum or the fact that it seems like this forum is turning into a rehash of the Autogeek forum/web conglomerate.
Click to expand...

I totally agree JP..I'm all but about done with this site.:wall
 
JaredPointer said:
Well....

I'll wish you luck with the change, but I can't understand the name change to mimic an already-established detailing forum or the fact that it seems like this forum is turning into a rehash of the Autogeek forum/web conglomerate.
Click to expand...

Beemerboy said:
I totally agree JP..I'm all but about done with this site.:wall
Click to expand...

Case in point of my earlier post.

I think sometimes there is value in looking at things from the point of view of a devil's advocate.... and that's all I was trying to do.
 
It wouldn't be realistic to think that 100 percent of people will share the same outlook and enthusiasm. I'm sure that John new this as well as everyone else involved in making it happen. I don't think we have to dance around the fact that a small group of members previously participated the most here and it was perceived as a Poorboys and friends forum. Shake that up and it would be expected that the ones that spent the most time wouldn't like the changes. By the way, nothing wrong with Poorboys and friends, just stating what I view as a fact. Love the products.

I personally find the changes exciting. I never saw this coming but after the fact, it makes perfect sense to me. Autopia was broken years ago, split in half. I don't know all the specifics but from what I gather it's like they are trying to make it right again and this forum was chosen to reap the benefits instead of remaining stagnant.

Post, reply, all the same functionality still here. In the big scheme of things, it's just a forum and I enjoy it.
 
jammerz101 said:
Post, reply, all the same functionality still here. In the big scheme of things, it's just a forum and I enjoy it.
Click to expand...

Yep.

My point if DC (no matter what you call it) was not economically viable then what is going to change to make it more viable. We see the problem all the time today where something we like must change to survive.

I assume the primary purpose now is to drive sales to autopia-carcare.com.

Given that ACC.com has tremendous stock overlap with AG (similar situation that Troy had with DC), how will it emerge as different to sustain the business.

John could carry brands like Chemical Guys, Malco, Blackfire, Buff and Shine, Adams, Prima etc. to be different but doubt that would happen.

This gets to JP's point. What will bring new people here that would not go to AG. It will depend on what additional features that John adds that AG does not have.
 
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