Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

Provided by www.ACkits.com

We've updated our forums!
Click here to visit the new forum

Archive Home

Search Auto AC Forum Archives

how did autoacforum/ackits come to be? Pages: 12

Vrytired on Fri August 05, 2005 3:09 AM User is offline

whats the story behind this place? who came up with it and when? what attracted people to come here initially? did ackits or the forum come first?what prompted tim to start an online business? this place has a reputation of having some of the smartest A/C guys around, how did this happen? i get the impression that ac kits isn't just an online store, that theres a storefront or something too? is selling stuff or servicing existing systems ackits primary income? how many other people work at arizona mobile air? is tim the manager or owner or just some guy? do other people who work there post here?

so yeah, its 3:00 AM and i was curious.

NickD on Fri August 05, 2005 6:12 AM User is offline

Feel the EPA started these boards with the banning of CFC's, and the misinformation they gave on retrofitting to R-134a, a place for professionals and DIYers to come together to exchange experiences and also offer tips on doing a specific job. While service information is available on practically any vehicle, it's nice to talk to a guy that ran into a problem or how he managed to take some shortcuts. There are just too many different vehicles out there and each has it's own set of unique peculiarities. Alternative refrigerants and experiences were also a main topic of conversation.

The key board back then started by Chris Bede around in 1997 or there abouts was just about the only forum on the net for motor vehicle AC systems.

Air Condition Board.

Gives some background and note Chris states abuses, seems back then, Tim, Warren, Ignacio, John, Chick, and a whole bunch of us were friends, all helping each other and new posters with various AC problems. The board was open and anyone could post that led to some major problems with personal attackers and hackers, aircondition.com was wiped off the face of the earth that led Tim to start a new board in the summer of 2001. Tim looked into some better bulletproof software, a key problem with the software at aircondition.com is that any poster would have his IP address, the precise time displayed with his post that gave hackers the opportunity to do nasty things. Also, Chris never had the time to moderate his board, got nasty at times. Had to take the good with the bad and seems like the bad overtook the good. Tim does put in a great effort to keep this board clean.

Someone has to pay the bills for these boards and I have a deep respect for Tim as too my knowledge he has never deleted posts or banned a member for recommending any source for parts. An unusual forum as most forums are quite particular on such issues. Will leave that to Tim to explain who he is and why he started this board.

TRB on Fri August 05, 2005 11:15 AM User is offlineView users profile

Where to start, Arizona Mobile Air Inc. was started by my father around 1970. He bought and installed auto a/c systems from different sources at the time. Sometime after that he stated designing his own aftermarket a/c systems, which continues to this day. We have always had a full service auto a/c service center. Service center has 7 bays and 4 mechanics, 10 employees total. Around 1997 I started playing with websites as a winter project. Spent the first couple of winters learning the different things needed to get good placement and what worked and did not when it came to finding a part and so on. Around 2000 I found the website Nick mentioned and began helping answer questions as I saw some real wild stuff being posted. As stated big issues with that site caused them to shut it down for about 6 months at which time I told Chris I already had the UBB program set up but just never turned it on. I turned it on and Chris linked over to our board (for a short time) and its just got bigger every year. Few years back I changed the format to the current forum program we are using now.

As for me, I'm 41 and work for Arizona Mobile Air Inc. Many think I own the company but as far as I know its my fathers business. I found that I really enjoy helping answer questions so many seem to have in the industry I have been in most of my life. Arizona Mobile Air Inc. pays the costs of running this site but dad really does not even know what it is all about. Matter of fact I found it funny a couple days ago when I asked him to read the thread about Chick being banned. It was claimed members of this site libeled the owner of the site which banned Chick. I wanted a second opinion on this as I feel first we did not libel them and second their posted claims are as libel as anything which was posted here. Remember we showed them respect and cleaned up any post which they pointed out offends them! That is a whole different matter which I don't even care about. My point I was trying to get to was when dad looked at the thread he said who's site is this. Said dad that is my site and just shook my head. He really does not understand all this internet stuff and the projects we have going. As with any website people view them for information. Be that for a product they are looking for or as with this forum a place to find out information. Search engine's drive traffic to websites so that's how people find this site along with the thousands of links posted all over the internet. I check the logs now and then and it amazes me where links are placed. Everything from cooking forums to hot rod clubs have placed a link back to this or our main site.

Online business, anyone thinking of opening an online store better make sure they want to be there to run it! So many think they will toss up a store online and then watch as the money rolls in. My experience is I created a monster, hundreds of emails a day with every kind of question you could imagine. But again I love the people I have met here at this forum and comments like the ones posted last night make all the BS worth too me!

So that's it in a nut shell. If I missed a question or ranted too much feel free to let me know!

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com


Edited: Fri August 05, 2005 at 11:24 AM by TRB

Chick on Fri August 05, 2005 11:22 AM User is offlineView users profile

You never answer my e-mails quickly...
Just kidding..One thing about Ackits.com is they get back to everyone who e-mails them, and they answer the phone!! Unlike other online stores you'll find out there...good job Tim...Your father may own the business, but you make this site work..

Oh, and most importantly, this site and it's members have become a "family" complete with an occasional squabble, but always ironed out in the end..There are always "black penguins" uhh, I mean sheep, yeah thats it, black sheep in every family..But we all get along for the most part.....

-------------------------
Chick
Email: Chick

---------------------------------------------

Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

Edited: Fri August 05, 2005 at 11:31 AM by Chick

TRB on Fri August 05, 2005 11:30 AM User is offlineView users profile

Chick, you are wrong my friend! It takes all of the members here to make this site work. I could never keep this place up and going without your help and the many others that help. Heck I learned stuff myself many times! I still go back to the POA stuff all the time. I have also improved my spelling (to a point) with Nick and BigChris watching my back!

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

Chick on Fri August 05, 2005 11:36 AM User is offlineView users profile

Speeling?? Hell, two years ago I couldn't spell gradgeate..Now I are one...

-------------------------
Chick
Email: Chick

---------------------------------------------

Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

JeremyB on Fri August 05, 2005 12:31 PM User is offline

Any chance that the board will upgrade the version of the forum software? The search isn't boolean capable and only searches thread titles. This severely restricts the searchability of past threads. The brain-trust on this board is quite capable of answering any question a user cares to dish out, but I like to see what's been asked in the past before I throw out a question.

TRB on Fri August 05, 2005 12:47 PM User is offlineView users profile

There is an upgraded version of this program. But the additional vehicles fields would have to be added back in along with the spell checker. Spell checker would not be an issue but I had to pay someone to insert those fields last time along with the image upload link. We can always look into this stuff in the up coming winter.

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

JJM on Fri August 05, 2005 1:40 PM User is offline

Wow Tim, that's a terrific story. I always love to the hear the history of how businesses are started.

You really should consider part of that story in an "about us" section on the website. A lot people are interested in stuff like that, especially when you're dealing with someone you don't know on the Internet (like is this a "real" company). The fact that AMA has been in business for 35 years is highly noteworthy and should be noted.

I know you've probably got your hands full, but your company history should be on the site... just my humble opinion.

NickD's narrative on how this site started was a nice trip down memory lane.

This site does have a lot of great people. The collective talent on this board leaves me awe struck at times. I don't know the exact reason why they all gather here, but I'm thankful they do, and am glad they're all here. I feel bad sometimes coming here mostly the "Off Topic Chat" and not helping out enough in the Forum, but I just love "shooting the breeze" so to speak with the exceptional folks here. I really should help out more, though, because that is what this board is about.

Tim can't be thanked enough for being so gracious in providing this wonderful forum.

Joe

TRB on Fri August 05, 2005 2:28 PM User is offlineView users profile

Thank you Joe!

Few things on my plate today but if I get a chance I'll walk about and take some images of the old barn!

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com


Edited: Fri August 05, 2005 at 2:30 PM by TRB

TRB on Fri August 05, 2005 2:49 PM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: JeremyB
Any chance that the board will upgrade the version of the forum software? The search isn't boolean capable and only searches thread titles. This severely restricts the searchability of past threads. The brain-trust on this board is quite capable of answering any question a user cares to dish out, but I like to see what's been asked in the past before I throw out a question.


I turned on full text search, let me know if that helps at all.


-------------------------
When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

TRB on Sat August 06, 2005 2:03 AM User is offlineView users profile

Had to turn it back off as it blew up the search feature all together.

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

TXAB on Sat August 06, 2005 9:38 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: Vrytired
How did autoacforum/ackits come to be?

Whats the story behind this place?

Just sit back and get comfortable......

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away.......................



-------------------------
"Don't get stuck on stupid!"
---- Lt. Gen. Russel Honore

k5guy on Tue August 09, 2005 12:51 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: TRB
Had to turn it back off as it blew up the search feature all together.

Tim,

There are lots of ways to do this.... Off the cuff, you can use Google's site search.

http://www.google.com/help/features.html#sitesearch


To use it, go to www.google.com and enter something like "cherokee evaporator site:www.autoacforum.com" or for even more fun "chick banned site:www.autoacforum.com" (Not bad for a system running linux, right? http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph?site=www.google.com )

Once your busy season (and mine) is over, I'll be glad to help with this, and other ways to add boolean searches.

K5


-------------------------


Send me e-mail

Edited: Tue August 09, 2005 at 1:09 AM by k5guy

Bigchris on Tue August 09, 2005 4:09 AM User is offline

Please watch your language K5. This is a family site you know.

802.11g on USB with SuSE 9.3 .

TRB on Tue August 09, 2005 10:20 AM User is offlineView users profile

Thanks K5 I may take you up on that.

Now I never said Linux would not work or have a place in the pc market, our storefront runs on Linux. I said Linux is not the great saviour it's been cranked it up to be and MS is not the satan its been made out to be, my opinion. But its too early for this discussion.

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

TXAB on Tue August 09, 2005 2:55 PM User is offline

Let's not crank up that Linux vs MS debate again. It's as bad as the HC debate......

-------------------------
"Don't get stuck on stupid!"
---- Lt. Gen. Russel Honore

k5guy on Tue August 09, 2005 2:57 PM User is offline

LOL... I was just teasing on the Linux vs MS stuff. I couldn't resist the dig.

-------------------------


Send me e-mail

TRB on Tue August 09, 2005 3:20 PM User is offlineView users profile

That's okay I can handle a little rib now and then.

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

Bigchris on Tue August 09, 2005 3:24 PM User is offline

Now who'd want to rib you?

TRB on Tue August 09, 2005 3:37 PM User is offlineView users profile

Everyone including my mom!

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

JEL on Wed August 10, 2005 9:17 AM User is offline

Wow! I did the google search on "chick banned site:www.autoacforum.com" and got 109 hits. Clearly Chick is a newsworthy topic all over the internet.
Jim

k5guy on Thu August 11, 2005 11:52 AM User is offline

LOL... actually, that search only looks on this site. Most of the "banned" links are talking about refrigerants being banned, and not Chick. Good thing, eh?


-------------------------


Send me e-mail

TRB on Thu August 18, 2005 2:56 PM User is offlineView users profile

Here is a page I created today with a few images of our shop in Arizona. You can click on each image and open a larger one if you like.


Arizona Mobile Air Inc.

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

Chick on Thu August 18, 2005 5:38 PM User is offlineView users profile

I guess the Penguins are in the kitchen? And I don't mean "kitchen help"..

-------------------------
Chick
Email: Chick

---------------------------------------------

Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

Back to Off Topic Chat

We've updated our forums!
Click here to visit the new forum

Archive Home

Copyright © 2016 Arizona Mobile Air Inc.