What happened to Autopia forums?

[Setec Astronomy]

S products. *ponders*

I'm just trying to say that by the time I joined Autopia, the Davids had their own store and brand, I don't remember DavidB's "guide to detailing" featuring products from the cross-Florida competition, although I am getting old and my memory is failing.

 

[Bunky]

I'm just trying to say that by the time I joined Autopia, the Davids had their own store and brand, I don't remember DavidB's "guide to detailing" featuring products from the cross-Florida competition, although I am getting old and my memory is failing.

This is what I was referring to. His detailing products were promoting in his detailing guide. I still have the 2007 era autopia guide (downloaded self-running).

 

[Setec Astronomy]

This is what I was referring to. His detailing products were promoting in his detailing guide. I still have the 2007 era autopia guide (downloaded self-running).

We're going around in circles here. It was suggested that some Autopia members will never join here because this is a "vendor-owned" forum, then people said that Autopia was also "vendor-owned", so what's the diff? Then some old timers :laughing: stated that Autopia was a "forum" long before being a "vendor", which was then refudiated :laughing: by others stating that DavidB used to hawk products in his detailing guide for another vendor/mfr before he started his own vendor/mfr...sheesh, no wonder we're confused.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that DavidB always saw the marketing potential of the site, hence featuring certain products in his detailing guide, and later decided to leverage it himself with his own brand/store. His skill as a marketer is what fueled the perception that Autopia was not a "vendor". His resume shows starting his branded company only a year after Autopia.

 

[Bunky]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that DavidB always saw the marketing potential of the site, hence featuring certain products in his detailing guide, and later decided to leverage it himself with his own brand/store. His skill as a marketer is what fueled the perception that Autopia was not a "vendor". His resume shows starting his branded company only a year after Autopia.

That was my point. I do not think his intentions were altruistic (for the good of detailing) and given how he moderated the forum I think it supports my view. However, there is nothing wrong about any of it (his place, his way) but people just need to keep their brains working.

 

[Mindflux]

Hmm... I guess I'd forgotten about that. Was that around the same time they came out with that horrible "synthetic clay" product that hardly anyone gave positive reviews to?

No, this was before that. This is when basically the only products Autopia made were called Glide (clay lube), Block (clay bar), Waffle (waffle weave towel).

 

[BearValley]

I just find it SO ironic that the "new" Autopia kept insisting that my IP address identified me as some sort of threat upon every visit that I stopped visiting.

Then Autopia turns out to be the very dirty threat!

 

[Rob T]

I just find it SO ironic that the "new" Autopia kept insisting that my IP address identified me as some sort of threat upon every visit that I stopped visiting.

Then Autopia turns out to be the very dirty threat!

That *is* ironic!

I remember reading your posts about that problem.

 

[Pats300zx]

No, this was before that. This is when basically the only products Autopia made were called Glide (clay lube), Block (clay bar), Waffle (waffle weave towel).

There was alot more.. Every product you just mentioned was part of the Sonus line.

 

[Mindflux]

There was alot more.. Every product you just mentioned was part of the Sonus line.

Not at that time it wasn't. AFAIK Sonus did not exist just yet.

 

[richy]

there was a live to detail forum but its gone

Are you trying to start something? The forum is alive and well and includes a LOT of people who have been very supportive to YOU in your recent times (and before with job losses, etc).

Why do we need them when we have Mike Phillips?

I respect Mike, but he's just one guy with his way of doing things. There are lots of variations on themes in detailing, so it's beneficial and educational to see how others do things as well. Just my $.02.

gone i quess . hasnothing to do with autopia i just was wondering. it was a fairly new forum. owell

I can PM you with a link if you so desire.

I just find it SO ironic that the "new" Autopia kept insisting that my IP address identified me as some sort of threat upon every visit that I stopped visiting.

Then Autopia turns out to be the very dirty threat!

That IS funny!!

 

[Pats300zx]

Not at that time it wasn't. AFAIK Sonus did not exist just yet.

I am not at home right now but I have a bottle sitting in my detailing cabinet.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Fluxy--I had no idea that there were "Autopia Car Care" products before Sonus. I wonder if that was a conscious decision to separate the products from the forum at that time (which he ultimately did later) or whether he just thought he'd do better with the German-sounding name. Nevertheless, from this point I'll defer all Autopia history questions/lessons to you...

 

[Mindflux]

I am not at home right now but I have a bottle sitting in my detailing cabinet.

I understand Glide (what I have) became a Sonus product, I'm saying Sonus didn't exist at the point when I (and others) bought Glide, Block and Waffle (circa 2004 if I remember right) This was when DavidB/DavidO started "customizing" eBooks for users who wanted to distribute them to friends for referral money. I actually used my eBook to 'refer' myself and earned about $18 dollars toward Glide/Block/Waffle when I bought the 1Z polish bundle (red/yellow/green metal tins) just before G/B/W came out.

 

[Mindflux]

Fluxy--I had no idea that there were "Autopia Car Care" products before Sonus. I wonder if that was a conscious decision to separate the products from the forum at that time (which he ultimately did later) or whether he just thought he'd do better with the German-sounding name. Nevertheless, from this point I'll defer all Autopia history questions/lessons to you...

I'd go for the "German sounding name" theory. But in all honesty I don't know the true reasoning for the change in name.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I'd go for the "German sounding name" theory. But in all honesty I don't know the true reasoning for the change in name.

Me too--I was initially confused between Sonus and Sonax (since Sonax wasn't being sold in the US in 2004), which I guess was the idea.

 

[Mindflux]

Me too--I was initially confused between Sonus and Sonax (since Sonax wasn't being sold in the US in 2004), which I guess was the idea.

Actually Sonax WAS sold here in 2004. I bought Sonax gloss shampoo from DavidB's store (around the time G/B/W was introduced.

Want a pic of that too?

Note that what's IN the bottle now is Meg's NXT. The Sonax Gloss Shampoo looked a lot like Megs Gold Class but smelled kind of chemically. It was a VERY nice soap though.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Actually Sonax WAS sold here in 2004. I bought Sonax gloss shampoo from DavidB's store (around the time G/B/W was introduced.

Want a pic of that too?

No, I believe you. I joined in the middle of 2004, and people were still talking about Sonax (as well as Sonus), just by the time I got around to looking for Sonax products, there were none to be had. Then we went thru all that nonsense with that guy in Canada who was going to import them to the US, then the guy in the US who was going to import it, then finally where AG and others are selling it here again. Still waiting to try my color changing stuff.

EDIT: Just to be clear, I know that Sonax products were sold in the US sometime prior to my joining Autopia in 2004 (so I believed you that you had some, you didn't need to edit in the picture ), it's just that they were unavailable here for a time for whatever reason.

 

[Mindflux]

No, I believe you. I joined in the middle of 2004, and people were still talking about Sonax (as well as Sonus), just by the time I got around to looking for Sonax products, there were none to be had. Then we went thru all that nonsense with that guy in Canada who was going to import them to the US, then the guy in the US who was going to import it, then finally where AG and others are selling it here again. Still waiting to try my color changing stuff.

You're right, it was here for a while and got scarce for 5 years or so. rops:

 

[Rob T]

Me too--I was initially confused between Sonus and Sonax (since Sonax wasn't being sold in the US in 2004), which I guess was the idea.

I don't think there is much question that they came up with the Sonus name hoping people would confuse it with the Sonax name.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

I'd go for the "German sounding name" theory. But in all honesty I don't know the true reasoning for the change in name.

Maybe too many people thought "Glide/Block/Waffle" sounded too IKEA-esque? :surrender:
For the record though, I think you're just about right with the vintage, it was either late 2003 or early 2004 when the Autopia-branded products first made an appearance.