Moparts used to be the best. The owner and moderators are much like politicians in a once great state. They abused their members because they acted as if they could get away with it. The site lost members when they got tired of the ads and the bully moderators but then they still claim to be doing well just like we hear from the elected officials here....that my home state is still the place to be. They are all in denial or outright lying despite the truth of their declines being visible to all that have their eyes open.
This place along with FBBO has really gained popularity in the last 5-8 years. When I use the phone to access these sites, I don't see many (if any) ads. Maybe the GOLD deserves credit for that?
One thing that I have to get out in the open is this:
What makes a forum great is the members. A site owner can create a great layout with little or no ads, use great graphics, have an excellent picture hosting program but if nobody joins and interacts with others, it is a ghost town. I do give credit to the site owners and moderators for setting the stage for a better environment for members to enjoy. Nobody wants to be in a place where they always feel like someone is watching them and ready to pounce on anything that they deem as "out of bounds". Moderators that let a situation run a bit before squashing it are a blessing in my opinion. I do think though that it is the sharing of information by the members (including moderators since they were members before going into the management staff) that keeps people engaged and coming back. A new member, a moderator, a 12 year member all can post about their projects, ask for help. sell leftover parts, buy a needed tool or just post memes or pictures of cars-pretty women-landscapes, whatever.
The issue of the ads and the objection to excessive content is a valid one.