Slow news day today - any ideas?

Slow news day today – any ideas?

supra.jpg

So I just saw my parents off at the airport for their Hajj flight. I had half a mind to go too, but I have too much work both online and offline to take any trips right now. I am going to start a massive new project for this website that should help out a lot of car-buying people. But I wanted your input on what additional features you’d also like to see on DriveArabia.

My massive new “project” will take many months to complete, so I’ll announce much later what it is. It’s not a site redesign, mind you, since I don’t have the time to do that properly without ruining the current site. I am a car critic first, with an electrical engineering degree, and this basic web-programming nonsense is among the million other things I do on the side. This month, time will be spent more on starting up this new “project” and updating the new car guide instead of reviews of new cars.

We’ll also be selling off our benchmark modified ’87 Supra Twin Turbo soon. It is time to upgrade to something sporty that needs less time for care but is equally dirt-cheap. Before I let it go, I’ll do a final review of it. I am still keeping the strong ’02 Jeep V8 and the indestructible ’90 Merc as benchmarks for 4WDs and sedans respectively. I like having benchmark cars around to compare other cars with so that I don’t write empty reviews like all those other family-car-driving “journalists” who are simply happy to get free new cars.

So if you guys would like to share your ideas on how to improve the website, write your views in the comments section below or send me an email. No guarantees though on any improvements being implemented soon, since I still do all the website work myself, but I’ll keep the good ideas in mind.

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Comments

  1. y dont u put on sum ads n make sum money out of this site? 🙂

  2. Author

    Haha! Well, there’s an Accord ’08 ad somewhere on here, if you look for it. Our first proper sponsor, but not really that much money. The other ad agencies say that car ads should go on “news” websites (featuring death, war and murder), and not on some car website like this (which people read when actually buying a car).

    Be sure though, that no ad is going to change my honest opinions. Audi tried to change my opinions two years ago simply because they let me drive their precious cars. Now they hide from me.

  3. Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury, I think you do a fine job on this most excellent website. I hope that you are rewarded for your efforts in some way or other. (I guess the pleasure of driving the latest and greatest machines is reward enough in its self?). If I could add one additional function to the website it would be a search tool that could list the new cars buy price and or by lease hire price. However, that might mean using some tricky programming which may offer more head aches than pleasures.

    In the mean time keep up the good work!

    Regards,

    Imac

    (A regular reader)

  4. Hi Mash,

    How about making a database of distributors/dealers of all the brands with their telephone nos and website URL.

    As your site is viewed by other countries also… I guess the Data base should have GCC (and more) distributors/dealers details.

    Cheers
    ~Boss

  5. U give out the wrong car prices (most of them)!!!!!!!!!
    REALLY
    So correct em’………………….

  6. sir i want to know abt new landcruiser did u take test drve

  7. hey mash,
    why you dont talk about the options that is available exactly in the trims of the same model (for example you are giving a range of price, why dont you talk about each trim and its exact price and the differences betwn the trims in case of options for example the packages and their prices). 😐
    other than that your web site is perfect just keep with the updates of the news.
    regards
    mohamad 😐

  8. heyy mash..I’ve become a regular visitor of your site now :)…

    I’ve a small suggestion..I’ve checked out the new car buying guide and there are almost every cars in there you hav mentioned about and therez notin more I can think of nyway :P…one of the worst confusions nyone can ever go through, is when the person plans to buy a new car..”Oh gosh! what do I buy??” is the question that keeps looping in ones mind when people have a huge choice of cars in front of ’em, unless ofcorz, they are a hardcore Corolla, Camry or Prado fan!! 😛 ..now my point is, the confusion anyone who undergoes while buying a car is due to the fact that they are unable to make a good comparison between the various models of cars. In the buying guide as I said, there are a lot many information abt the various makes and models of cars. You have also mentioned the “Possible competitors” of those cars. Instead of just that, why not have a page where one can compare the various factors of the cars that come in the same category, side by side? the factors should necessarily include stuff like base price, top trim price, standard interior, exterior, safety & convenience features, engine capacity & specs, service intervals etc! well, just a suggestion..

    so far, that is one thing i have noticed..will come up wid more suggestions 🙂 .. c ya 🙂

  9. Author

    All valid ideas, and to tell you all the truth, I’ve thought of most of them too. The problems of time, money and manpower remain however.

    The most complicated website ideas are beyond my programming skills, so they’ll have to wait until I can pay a programmer.

    The prices and trim details will remain estimates because the dealers here keep changing them too often for me to waste time with them.

    I and my “PR guy” both do other things to support ourselves financially, since the website remains a time-only no-money effort for now. But it is good to know that we are all on the same page with regards to ideas.

    I’d say Boss’s idea will be partially implemented. I’ll continue with the guide as well as start the new “project” for now.

  10. man, now your website is perfect
    with the GTR info. this website is perfect 😆 😆

  11. Need Funds – Put in advertisements. I am pretty sure you get a lot of eyeballs and it is not restricted to Dubai alone. Used to swear by your site when I was in Bahrain and having recently shifted to Qatar, still swear by it too. Infact my former roomy and myself go by only your reviews to choose a car in the middle east – the gulf does receive weird models (low spec engines even though its got great roads and the cheapest fuel in the world). My roomy still in Bahrain and both of us can now go and buy that used BMW 330i – 2002 to 2004 model which we’ve been wanting ever since we’ve stepped foot in the gulf 3 years back. We’ve test driven the car (around an obstacle course – BMW training school) and it was love at first sight.

    Suggestions – get some more second hand review on higher spec cars – cannot afford them brand new but surely can buy used. You still have only the E36 review on second hand buys – need more of the E46 6 cylinder inline reviews. I keep hoping that you get more second hand reviews on beemers. Nobody really needs second hand reviews on corolla’s/camry’s as a blind man can buy one in the middle east– exotics on the other hand – now you need a professional opinion – namely YOU – and that’s where you can value add on this site.

    Do not cut anything out of the current site – just keep adding.

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