One of the fastest growing online communities that I stumbled across as I was researching for this project was Toyota Nation. This website is an international Toyota enthusiast community with members registered all across the globe. The website serves also as a portal to all things related Toyota cars, news, rumors, photos, etc.. The community also has forums for nearly every Toyota car produced where registered users can ask questions, sell car parts, share photos, and more…It’s members range from the mechanically inclined looking for tips on swapping engines, to the “average joe” who just asks the best motor oil to use for his Camry.
http://www.toyotanation.com
Looks like your link there isn’t working.
Q: Do you think this online community exists primarily for practical reasons, for example to help people find out how to repair their cars, or do you think it exists because of some kind of “brand loyalty” or identification on the owner’s part?
Do people ever post remarks that are critical of Toyota? Do the forums invite interpersonal communication, or do they mostly consist of practical information?
What I’ve seen of the forums reminds me of the kind of thing I run into when I’m Googling computer-related issues looking for tech support. There tends to be minimal personal interaction, but a lot of useful tech info.
Does Toyota Nation go deeper than this? In what sense does it constitute a community?
By: Charles Hatfield on May 9, 2008
at 7:43 pm