The Grand Am GT.com Forum was set up to foster an enthusiastic group of Grand Am and N-Body owners in sharing their technical expertise and experiences, and to provide a place for social interaction between members of this select group of automotive enthusiasts. We need to keep this focus. People should come here to share some pointers, talk about local events, ask some questions, etc.

This forum IS NOT designed for people to come in here and pick fights with each other. Nor is it designed to encourage totally non-automotive banter about issues that some might consider offensive in nature. Most web-access providers allow usage of e-mail through the ISP, so we expect
truly personal qualms to be settled in private. We would ask that mature members of our group not to take sides or contribute to any flames occurring in the forums.

Remember, posting on the forum is a privilege not a right (just like driving your car).  Just like the DMV, we can take that privilege away.

Here are some simple rules to follow while using our site:

1. Flaming and Insulting
Basically it boils down to: If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.  Flaming and insulting on the forum is not allowed.  Everyone has a different style and taste, bashing only causes unneeded arguments.  Conversely, if someone insults or bashes you, don't fire back at them on the board.  If you feel the need to settle a score, do so in PMs or email.  TIP: If you don't like someone on the board you can add them to your ignore list in the 'my profile' area. 

2. Profanity
Since this site is about automotive related topics, most people come here to share clean wholesome information about their cars.  Profanity not only degrades the conversations but drives good people away that might not agree with reading four letter words every other sentence.  Therefore, swearing is not allowed on the forum. 

Replacing an i with ! or removing a letter is also unacceptable.  Posts that break this rule will be deleted.  Users that continue to post profanities will have their access privileges taken away.

3. Porn
Nude or partially nude images or photos are not allowed on the forum.

You many not use any such images in a post, your avatar or your signature.  If your avatar is suddenly missing then assume that an admin or moderator thought it was too obscene for the site.  Links to pornography are also not allowed.

4. Drugs
Simple: Threads about illegal drugs will not be allowed.

5. Site Sponsors
Here at GrandamGT.com we have sponsors that support us so that you can use the forum free of charge.  Without them we would not exist.  Bashing of sponsors on the forum is not allowed. 

If you have an issue with a product or service provided to you by a sponsor, please contact them directly.  If you are having an issue that a sponsor is not helping you with, then you my post on the forum in a civil manner.  Going crazy and threatening the sponsor will only result in your thread being deleted. 

6. Site Moderators
Because of the size of GrandamGT.com, Jeremy and Ryan are unable to moderate the forum by themselves.  Therefore we have entrusted a select few members with the task of keeping order.  If for some reason you have problem with a site moderator or admin please do not discuss it in the forum.  Bashing of site moderators or admins is not allowed. 

If you need to discuss your issues, please do so in a PM or an email.  Remember to keep a mature tone to your message as immature and profane messages will most likely be ignored. 

If your account has been disabled then the first step will probably be to admit you did something wrong.  Next, PM or email an admin to discuss a course of action.  Most of the time if you keep your head on straight your account will be reactivated.

7. Racing Stories
This one is plain and simple: racing stories are not allowed.

We don't care what other forums allow racing stories.  We don't want them here.  Posting times from a track -- FINE.  Posting that you beat the hell out of a Civic at the track -- BAD.  Road racing stories aren't even remotely allowed.  Posts dealing with racing stories will be deleted immediately.  If you become a habitual racing story poster than your account will be deleted.  This is one of our biggest sticking points and is dealt with very harshly.

Simple thing to keep in mind:  If you think it's a racing story, it probably is.  If you posted what you thought might be a racing story and a few minutes later it is gone, then just let it go.  If you contact us saying that your post was deleted we will ignore it.

8. Bashing GrandamGT.com
Another rule that is plain and simple: no bashing of the site is allowed. 

If you hate the site or site policies so much that you have to bring it up in a post then we don't want you here at all.   Expect that if you make a post that bashes the site it will get deleted.  If you continue to bash the site you account will be gone too. 

9. ALL CAPS
IF YOU POST IN ALL CAPS YOUR POST WILL BE DELETED.

10. Post in the Correct Section
We've created different sections for a reason.  Please make your post in the correct section.

Fight the urge to make you post in the General section thinking more people will read it.  Chances are the wrong people will read it.  If a moderator finds your post in the wrong section they will move it without a redirect.  So if you made a post and it's gone, check for it in another section.

11. The Search Button
Some topics have been covered hundreds of times on the forum.  Chances are if you are new to the site and you have a simple question it has been covered before.  Please use the search button before posting a question.

If you do post a question and someone responds back with a link to another thread your thread may get locked my a moderator.  If you need follow up answers, post a reply in the old thread.

For all the old users, if a new user posts a questions we've all heard a number of times, don't jump all over them.  Sometimes new users don't read the guidelines carefully or don't know how to use the search.  Cut them a break.  I'm sure at one time we cut you a break.

12. Off Topic Posting / Upping your Post Count
We'll kill two birds with one stone here.  First, please try and refrain from making off topic posts.  If you are in a thread discussing tires and you want to start talking about the party next weekend then start a new thread.  Moderators hate manually splitting threads and after a while will start removing access rights from users that do this constantly.

Second, don't make silly posts to try and up your post count.  Post counts mean little on this board since we purge old useless threads often.  You post count will drop often, especially if you make posts in the "Anything Goes" area.  If we see that you are posting in every thread, but adding very little we will reset your post count to 0.  If you continue this after the warning then posting privileges will be taken away.  If you need to test your avatar or signature, there is a test forum in the 'Newbies & FAQs' section.

13. For Sale / Wanted and Other Classifieds
We have given you an area here to sell car parts and other items.  We are not a store, just a forum.  There are guidelines listed and updated in the 'For Sale / Wanted' sections. 

• First offense - warning via private message, e-mail, and/or moderator reply in the offending thread.

• Second offense - 3-day lock of your ID.

• Subsequent offense - longer ID locks, possibly permanent.

The nature and level of the offense may result in immediate locks.  Every attempt will be made to contact you via email to explain the lock on your account.

Threads or replies that do not comply with our guidelines may be locked, edited, or deleted, depending on the nature of the offense. We will make every effort to state why such action was taken via private message, e-mail, and/or moderator reply in the offending thread. For this reason, we ask that you check your private messages often. You can find out whether or not you have received any private messages by logging into your user CP. You can set your options so that the board notifies you when you have received a private message.

If you notice a problem with a post please click the "Report this post to a moderator" link at the bottom of the post.  This will alert the moderator of that section to the problem post.

We have created these rules to make GrandamGT.com a fun and valuable place for Grand Am enthusiasts.  If you feel that you cannot abide by these rules, or don't agree with these rules, please refrain from using our forums.

Regards,

The Staff of GrandamGT.com