End of an era - beginning of a new one...

I've been a Moderator on this forum for over a decade and I've thoroughly enjoyed playing a small part in it's continued success over this time.

Also, for more years than I care to remember, I've been taking my prized Coupe to Paul Gilbert at Motormech for all my servicing, tuning and tinkering needs. This garage/customer relationship evolved to the point where I've also helped Paul to sell some of his huge collection of Coupe spares and this was the catalyst for two significant changes that have taken place this week.

Firstly, my selling of Paul's products and services was in contravention of a basic rule of the forum, whereby sales cannot be made on behalf of someone else. The forum Admin team made an exception for me, as the relationship between me and Motormech was completely clear and unambiguous. I sold some of Paul's stuff and Paul gave me a discount on work on my car - great arrangement - nobody loses and everyone is happy.

Not quite everyone though, as questions were asked, which (rightly) led to the forum rules having to be applied to me in the same way as everyone else.

Questions had also been raised by a tiny minority about the potential conflict of interest between my very public selling of Motormech parts and services with my duties as a Moderator of this forum. I have always been extremely careful to separate my Mod duties from my selling activity, but despite my efforts, the perceived conflict was still there.

Over the last 48 hours, there has been lots of discussion with the forum Admin teams and with Motormech on how to overcome these two potential issues, and I have great pleasure and great sadness in announcing the solution.

1) As of this Saturday, I am an employee of Motormech, which in turn, led to...
2) As of today, I have resigned from my position as a moderator in order to free the forum Admin team from any accusation of conflict of interest.

I'm hugely excited to join Paul and the team at Motormech and I'm deeply saddened to have to relinquish my Mod status after more than a decade of helping this forum to become the best Coupe forum on the net AND one of the best-respected one-make car forums, regardless of marque.

Paul is normally so busy working on cars (mine, usually..) that he has very little time left to develop and maximise the return from his investment into the Motormech Trader's area of the forum. This is set to change - Paul and I already have some exciting ideas for development of the products and services that Motormech offers to the Coupe community

Watch this space for lots of new stuff over the coming weeks...

Welcome to the team Nigel, sorry you have had to give up your Mod position to carry on the great work you have been doing.
And one sugar in mine

Sounds like a positive step forward for all.
Good luck

Well done Nigel, definitely a positive step and the right thing to do. I wish you all the best and every success.

No comment on the 'in and out' of things!
Just good luck Nigel with your near future plans.
You going to be like an oinker in poo working at Motormech surely?
Keep us informed with the projects!

I suppose farewell and welcome are both appropriate

Hope to see some more Motormech offers in the traders section!

Good luck Nigel and Paul - we should be careful what we wish for sometimes

Staff discount...what a player and there's Iceberg asking for tea

I'll make him one cup - he won't ask again....

Svet's tea is infinitely better than mine

Phew - thought you were selling your Plus for a moment!

Good one Nige. All best with your future projects mate

Great stuff, Nigel ... it sounds like the best way forward for all ... although I'll let Svet make my tea when I visit, if that's ok by you

Nigel,
good luck!!

Tim

Best of luck to you Nigel, sounds like a great opportunity.

Thanks for all your contributions on the Mod side Nigel - it's not always plain sailing. Looks like you've found the best solution and wish you well with it

Thanks for all the hard work

Kev

What a loss to the forum...

Oh well, glad your sticking around Nigel after all this.

Look forward to some part clear outs and possible open days?

good luck nigel.

Good luck Nigel

All the best Nigel and glad to see you will be sticking around

Definitely

the Motormech empire has now spread to a third arch, which will now become the parts operation. It has enough room for a truly massive stock as well as room to break (or mend) cars. There's a separate waiting room, where I intend to allow Coopsters to hang about while their car is being paint-corrected (there's only so much walking round Birmingham you can do in a day)

Once the parts stock has been sorted, rationalised, catalogued and properly stored, we will be running an open day for forum members to come along and have a root around for those elusive little bits, or even those bloody big bits, like engines, gearboxes, cylinder heads and the like.

Sooner, rather than later, I also intend to extend the parts side to include other items, all at my usual keen group buy prices. This might include brakes, suspension, wheels, tuning parts, uprated clutches and the like.

Paul and I have SO many ideas that the biggest challenge will be to walk before we try to run.

The best bit is that we're going to have some serious fun while we're doing it

Awesome

good luck with the plans Nigel.

I take it that the Motormech Coupe boot fair won't be long coming

I wouldn't count on it. I'd rather drink a crap cuppa than make it myself...

Good luck with the new venture. Sorry to hear there's been some sniping but hey ho that's the forum.

Good Luck!!

Sounds like you're doing something thats going to make going to work fun.
And you were a rubbish mod anyway
I don't fancy you commute much though....unless you get started at 4.30am !

Big thanks for all the past mod-ing,it must be a thankless task

Good stuff, all the best with the new venture. Glad the situation has been resolved amicably. I have enjoyed the tales of your Coupe over the years.

Your trials and tribulations down the years with your own car have made many an interesting read and motivated alot of us to follow in the footsteps.

I hope this new partnership will also involve your car at some point with new ideas.

Good luck Nigel,and motormech.

Phew, I thought you were going to leave the Coupé fold completely and join the Citroen AX forum

Nigel
To think that when you started modding on this forum I didnt even know the Coupe existed... infact... i couldnt even legally drive

The work you have done during the past decade has been superb, I think the thing that will stick out the most is your perseverance with Fiat getting them to take on liability for the fault manifolds back when the coupes first came out. This led to thousands of £££ being refunded to coupe owners with manifold issues.

I wish you all the best of luck with your new role at Motormech.

Mario

Great - I'm already sad at leaving the Mod team and you go and add THAT to it!

Makes me feel much better.....

Be lucky its the Fiat Coupé and not the X19 were talking about

Edited for accuracy......

et tu, Bruté?...

Oh yes, Brut 33, splash it all over, 'enry!

Nigel,

Over the many years, you have given valuable insight and help to the forum and its members.

I am very sad that you had to relinquish your position for this, very.

The best of luck to Paul and yourself. Though does Paul know what he has let himself in for....?

Can't wait to see what you do!

Good luck Nigel, thanks for the advice you have given me and I'm sure 99% of form members.

Cheers

Congratulations on a dream job.
OAN, don't really see why you had to jack-in the moderating position.
Would other traders really mind (catchment area et al), the threat of good, honest and healthy competition.
It is after-all about the Coupe circle-of-light, and keeping this marvellous icon OTR.
I could argue that losing your fountain-of-continued knowledge (if your forum activity declines too) is more damaging to the longevity of the breed that any potential conflict.

Good luck Nigel. Hope things work out ok for you.

Best of luck with you new venture, it doesn't happen every day that one can mix passion with work.

Good luck and all the best mate

I'm glad you still about Nigel, I almost thought you were thinking about leaving more than me !

Hell NO... NEVER, ever NEVER.....

Good luck for the future & TBH, you prob' spend more time at Pauliou's than at home !

Wow Nigel - sounds interesting. I'll watch this space with interest.

SO tempted to get another 20VT.

James

James - how are you?

Yes, you NEED another 20vt in your life

Good to see you back around here James, what bag of shite car are you driving now?

Bloody Hell, a blast from the past!!!!

Indeed.

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack the thread, but I have been looking around at the coops for sale.

I have a 1999 Alfa GTV V6 and an Alfa 159 Ti at the moment. The 159 is staying but the GTV will be sold shortly (once MotorMech has worked his magic getting rid of the misfire next week) to pave the way for something else.

I've looked at all sorts - TVRs, Imprezzas, various kit cars, but I keep coming back to coupes.

I could be tempted to a Vinci Grey or Black LE I think. A heavily tuned model would definitely be considered.

James

They always come back.