OZLIBERTY - My Second Home
From Mod Mania
I first joined the modifying community of OZLIBERTY in January 2008. I had been looking at the website on and off for approximately three months prior for tad bits of information. The OZLIBERTY community is made up of 5000+ members. The website is dedicated to car modifiers who own Subaru Liberty cars. I own a 1994 Generation II Subaru Liberty LX FF (Front Wheel Drive) sedan N/A ej22. I have found I use the community of modifiers to gain an opinion from someone who has prior experience with the car. This allows me to make an informed decision prior to work commencing on a mod.
The OZLIBERTY community is structured so that discussions can take place and the members participating can continue a discussion over days or longer. The site is organized into the following context. There are sub forums relating to any form of discussion that a member may want to take. It is common that members take pride in the discussion taking place and will advise a fellow member if they have broken forum rules such as vandalising content by banning the user. The forum follows guides stipulated on the site. In the community surrounding OZLIBERTY members have a tendency to share common interests being the Subaru Liberty or Subaru models of car. Often you will also find members living outside Australia taking part in discussions. This brings more knowledge to the information pool, which may not have been thought of previously by other members in Australia. In the OZLIBERTY forum this is a welcome additive to the positive discussions that take place. A majority of contributors from foreign countries reside in New Zealand where the Subaru Legacy JDM model is still very popular amongst modifiers, New Zealand car buyers enjoy lower tax as N.Z does not have a car production industry.
When a member joins the community they can start a thread in the profiles and introduction section. This usually provides good foundations to build a relationship with the site and members. If you come on to strongly and ask questions regarding a topic already in existence without spending time trying to gain an understanding yourself, no one will reply. This is centred on the fact that for every modifying enthusiast there are a hundred 'ricers'. A 'ricer' is someone who would rather place a sticker on their car stating that they have a performance car than actually modify the car to perform better. A 'ricer' is a BA that isn't very good at BA.
When I joined OZLIBERTY my first post was ignored most likely due to the fact that people assumed I to was a 'ricer'. Over time other members would have seen my contributions to the discussions taking place and realised I am an active member in the modifying of Liberty cars. Users can see when a member has joined and total number of posts as it is stated in their avatar bar displayed when a post is made. I chose to include a customised avatar or logo so that members would recognise easily which posts were mine over time and make my opinion valid. Building a healthy relationship that allows me to discuss modifications and mechanical issues with other members
Members often ask for advice regarding an auto shop to perform a modification to their vehicle. Some of the modifications members are not able to complete themselves due to industrial tools being required. The most common modification performed is an after market exhaust system as the Subaru engine produces a sound that is quite unique and known for its burble.
Although members have differing models of cars you can contribute or read threads based around a generation (there are 4 generations) other than your own. This leads to members offering advice from their perspective that another owner may be able to replicate on the issue surrounding their problem with a differing model car. The site can inspire members to perform a DIY (Do It Yourself) approach to have a go at modifying or fixing their cars on a low budget.
Members form relationships over time which can be developed from non contact channels into interaction away from the web site. Members meet on regular basis to discuss and perform modifications or simply go for a cruise. This is a pooling effect not guided by monetary aspirations but rather a passion shared by both parties to form a community that is self supporting.
A modification for a highly involved Subaru Liberty modifier to perform on their car is a ‘conversion’. This is when a turbo engine from a high performance B4 LIBERTY, WRX or RS car and other mechanical parts are fitted to a Subaru Liberty of N/A (Naturally Aspirated) origins . This is a huge undertaking for anyone and requires a large space and time to perform. Every aspect of the conversion must be fitted to a high degree so that time spent does not go to waste and problems occur later down the track. Members who perform conversions usually document or start threads relating to this topic. Therefore the information available is built layer by layer so that anyone interested can gather information not generally shared if quoted by a mechanics shop.
I will one day perform many of the modifications mentioned in the OZLIBERTY site as I get enjoyment out of the feeling that I have accomplished something myself. I am sure I will ask favours and advice from members and too will form relationships outside the web site. I have a passion and a place to share it, this is where www.OZLIBERTY.com lies.
