Things change. People don't always do the same.
I've been a member, a Gold Member and a Vendor almost since the inception and have mainly enjoyed it. There's one guy I try to avoid the last few years (who seems to regularly visit my profile for some reason) but for the most part, I think those who post often truly want to help, and the good / beneficial far outweigh the bad.
I'd still prefer to see more "information" threads than For Sale ads though. The bigger the site gets, the more it resembles a Mopar-only Craig's List. I miss The Family Feel ... the "oh I met him and we had a great visit," and the glimpses into each other's daily lives that the chat room provided.
As a side note, most of my work from 2009-2014 came from FABO members; nowadays it's more like 10-15%. We just don't have the familiarity, good vibes, personal relationships or get a chance to build any anymore. I know the links and signature lines of the past introduced me to many new or unfamiliar names and services that became invaluable over the years. My own website reports have shown a steady decline in FABO referrals just since the new format went live, and I'd bet the same for the other personally-involved Vendors here too. People want to deal with PEOPLE .... not a banner ad.
I miss that.
