So long my 996 forum friends.

Just as the thread is titled....so long. Apparently I haven't been doing anything other than offering opinions lately on the 996 forum rather than my usual technical help. I got a PM from somebody whose name I will keep private to protect him who seems to think I offer nothing these days. Maybe so, and I apologize if I said something that was uncalled for, but feel free to check my posts over the past "x" number of days. Sure there is some HONEST opinions, which some can't take, but I would like to think there has been some helpful technical help as well nothing that was hurtful and attacking. Well, I can take a hint. Maybe I am not the person I used to be around here. Some poeple just get their feelings hurt to damn easily around here lately. But here's the problem and probably why my patience has worn thin lately. The maturity level in this forum has hit an all time low. I don't know if it is one of those momentary dips that happen from time to time but this is NOT the same forum it used to be. It happened about a year or so ago and it came back so I am hopefull it will once again. I don't know if the crowd is getting younger and younger since the entry point of affordability has become well within reach of people that couldn't afford these cars in years past and that collective age is now comensurate with the maturity level. Not a slam, but I was in my 20's once and acted the same way. Just not something I care to partake in anymore. You offer an HONEST opinion and you get jumped for it. Sorry for being honest to you thin-skinned people (and you know who you are) but if you can't take it or you are tired of somebody place them on the ignore list or hit them up in PM and handle it like adults. I don't see this EVER over on the GT3 board where I also spend time. But strangely enough, over there, when an opinion is offered, attacks do NOT follow. Instead there is a agree to disagree moment and we are all still friends and NEVER an attack. Well maybe from time to time, but I can't say I haven't seen any attacks over there that have gotten bad like here. So, so long. I have enjoyed hanging here and made some great friends. One's that I will continue to talk to via PM, email, phone, track days, etc.. But, I am just tired of the direction this forum has taken which may explain my short fuse lately. Maybe that will change soon and I'll come back. But I'd rather leave and not offend anybody anymore adding fuel to the immaturity fire in a place that I might not fit in anymore than to post some help from time to time and at the same time have to incur the wrath of the thin-skinned. Cheers and thanks for a great time. It's been a great 3+ years

Why let other members attitudes affect you so? Who cares what they think? If they don't like your strong opinions, well too bad for them. Maybe it's time to just ignore the opinion posts and go straight for the technical ones - but it seems leaving might be overreacting and giving the idiots exactly what they want. Sorry to see you go, as veteran members like you are a treasure to have here.

Sorry to see you go Dell. I haven't been here very long but it has been long enough to know that you are a great resource. I feel obligated to point out the irony that this is the quintissential thin-skinned move. You are going to let some PM convince you to leave? Screw 'em. Stay here. Grant

lol o.k. - so, you are leaving because you don't like the fact that people don't like your comments. YOU don't like the comments made by other people toward you, about your comments about them - interesting. These threads are common in every forum. Some dude with a million posts says his good byes and everyone is like "oh c'mon man stay - we need you" - and he's like, "no way man, I've been fighting the good fight for too long- noone appreciates me anymore..". buh bye

Dell: I did not read your entire post. It seemed a bit, well, sensitive. Just not in your character, so I quit reading. Get back to normal please, and ignore the nonsense. Hey, by the way, your GT3 with the black wheels and wing is stunning! Jealous, jealous, jealous.

I know, I thought that very thing when I decided to post this thread. But it's not so much that I am going to let a PM like that get to me but rather it just reinvorced my thoughts of the direction this forum has taken lately which has just made my fuse get shorter and shorter. I'll proably "sneak" in from time to time and drop some tech help when it is obvious somebody needs the help and hasn't got it yet.

Dell....I must say that you are one of the most opinionated guys on here (I may be right behind you...lol) but your suggestions are usually right on the money....People on here ask for opinions, we all give them, thats what this place is for....I guess if you leave and find a better place....lemme know...I'm right behind ya.....I notice what happens in these forums is people get new cars, move from Boxster to 996 to TT to GT3 forums, so the personalities tend to drift from place to place....as new P car users buy, they hang out more....the long time users get tired of the same questions day in and day out and then just come around less and less....I tend to bounce back and forth between here and 6 speed online....this seems to be a more mature place, 6 speed much younger....here there are more Porsche "purists" and there more guy interested in the "bling" (a guy on 6 speed just put 20's on his car to see how it looked...lol)....Like I said, your posts are often funny, witty, have lots of attitude and always meant to help out with your knowledge and experience...

El Torrente, while I respect your opinion, you have just reinforced what I have observed as of late. Listen, I don't need the support. Rather, I truly appreciate it from those that enjoy my posts. I thought long and hard about making this a CLOSED thread when I posted it b/c I was sure there would be some support but I knew also there would be some comments like yours attacking the support. It is that very thing that has led me to this. I am not thin-skinned nor am I letting somebody or others get to me but rather just saying so long to a forum that has me disappointed lately. By the way, the thread was not started to hear from others showing support but rather to get the message across now to explain why I have left. Recently I went on a vacation and had alot of PM's asked me if I had stopped posting. This will help with that.

Main reason I don't frequent the 944 forum as much! Would be sad if you have to keep moving up in the cost column to get a forum without kids spouting off at the drop of a hat, etc! You've helped me in my brief time in the higher-end 996 forum! Hope you change your mind. If not, you gotta do what you gotta do, right? Cheers back at ya! Andy

Classic! Enjoy the GT3 and its forum.

Thanks for the good info I've gotten off your posts and the occassional laughs. At least we know where you are if something comes up. Cheers!

where in nc are you dell...i am in wake forest..j

Thanks for the compliments on the car. I agree with you as well. I think my thread was a bit out of character. But I really didn't know how to phrase it. And it really wasn't that I couldn't take the hit from one other person but rather that person just kind of made me realize why I have such a short fuse lately. Think of it as a self imposed time out I'll always be happy to help via PM.

joet...PM sent.

Dell, I've always enjoyed reading your comments, sorry to see you go. I'll have to come by next time I see that you are at VIR. I'm there w/ BMW next weekend and private track day 3/14. I'll run again w/First Settlers & Carolinas Region. Take care & if they don't like your opinon...F*#$ em! Kevin

holy ****. dell, i am sure GT3 board welcomes you. opinion can be taken or left on the table. as long as dell doesnt tell you to f'k off or some crap language then i see nothing wrong at all. i come to here to have fun, if i needed sunshine blown up my ***, i go find a stripper or try 1-900 number.

stick around---the only opinions that should mean anything to you are from those people that mean something to you.

Hmm...It's not april 1st, is it?

Dell, I'll be contacting you by PM. I'm sure we can find you on the GT3 board.

Dell your help is needed on the new thread "catostrophic engine failure", come on, one last time.

Ok, so what in the BLUE HELL was I thinking. No way can I leave this place. I guess what I really needed to do was take a time out, listen to the message that was sent my way in PM as a reality check.....that the fourm has taken a turn. Not for the worse but rather different than my tired old ***. I'll make the change, understand the "me generaion" I have been dealing with that gets offended so easily and move forward. I'll go ahead and close this therad, go get drunk on Martini's with my wife and come back a new guy. Thanks for waking me up and spelling out the reality that I failed to see. Hope that my old fart *** doesn't break my hip from falling after the martini's tonight I'll close this thread so the "haters" don't feel the need to bitch slap me further Thanks again for all the kinds words everybody