Getting your first car is a huge milestone, no matter what car it is, especially if you’re a proper gearhead. Finding someone with the same passion for cars, on the other hand, is easier said than done. That’s why so many people turn to car forums, looking for like-minded people to share experiences with.
There are thousands of car forums out there, and finding the one you like the most can be a bit challenging. This is why we’ve done the research for the best car forums out there, considering the number of members, activity, and overall helpfulness. Some of these are general car forums, while others are brand-specific.
Why Are Car Forums A Good Place To Look For Information?
When you have a passion for something, you want to talk about it every day, right? When it comes to car enthusiasts, there are a lot of us, however, we’re spread across the globe, and meeting up every day isn’t possible in most cases.
Cars are an expensive hobby, especially if you’re into visual and power modifications. Even when you’ve finished your project car, there’s always something that could be upgraded or replaced for maintenance. Enthusiasts mostly like doing these upgrades themselves, but not everyone is skilled. Forums are, therefore, a great place to consult other people that have the same car as you, and have experience in the modifications you’re interested in.
Although most people think that general car forums have more members and activity, brand-specific forums are actually better for enthusiasts like you and me.
Instead of going to meets and looking for people that can help you with a specific issue or symptom, by joining a forum, you’ll be able to quickly find all the answers you’re looking for. Aside from this, a number of DIY projects and how-to guides will help you fix, maintain, or even upgrade your car with the latest parts and accessories.
BimmerForums
BimmerForums is a brand-specific forum dedicated to all BMW owners and enthusiasts. Tens of thousands of members are registered on this forum where you’ll find information about new and used parts, all types of modifications, detailing, and much more.
BimmerForums also helps members get information about various events throughout the world. Most of these are held within the US, however, other countries are included as well.
Although there are thousands of threads on the forum, it’s pretty simple to navigate.
VWVortex
VWVortex is another brand-specific forum for Volkswagen owners and enthusiasts. Just like the previously mentioned BimmerForums, VWVortex has a massive community ready to chat, share experiences, and discuss various topics regarding their favorite car brand.
Since the VWVortex forum was founded, it has gained more than a million members, and almost 100 million threads were started. At this point, it’s safe to say that you’ll find any information about any VW car here.
By browsing the VWVortex forum, you’ll find subforums such as classifieds, model-specific sections, technical and mechanical sections, a lot of how-to guides, advice about modifications, and much more. It’s very simple to use, and there are subforums dedicated to certain models such as the Golf, Passat, Tuareg, Tiguan, and more.
MightyCarMods
MightyCarMods started as a DIY car enthusiast YouTube channel which quickly grew into a massive community. Two guys from Australia started the channel, just by filming what they like doing in their spare time – working on cars. The majority of members is from Australia, however, with help of their YouTube channel, the MightyCarMods brand has a global reach, including Canada, Japan, the United States, and Europe.
This particular forum isn’t biased toward any car brand, and Marty and Moog (the two founders of the MCM brand) have covered everything from Euro and JDM cars to 4x4s. The forum itself is very active and includes thousands of members from all over the world.
Here, you’ll find a LOT of DIY projects, how-to guides, classifieds, and more. Aside from the forum, the MightyCarMods YouTube channel offers a lot of helpful and entertaining content, with a couple of feature films as well.
Pirate4X4
The Pirate4X4 forum is made specifically for 4X4 enthusiasts, no matter what SUV brand they prefer and drive. With more than 350 thousand members registered, and more than 18 million posts across the forum, you’ll find a vast quantity of information about any offroading topic.
The forum itself is neatly organized, so even if you’ve never used a forum before, you’ll easily adapt and find your way. Once you register as a member of Pirate4X4, you’ll be able to find various discussions about the most amazing trails, builds, classifieds, and general discussions. You’ll also find like-minded people you share interests with, and find others to go off-roading with.
CarTalk
CarTalk isn’t one of the largest car forums out there, but it’s one of the most active ones. Around 100 thousand members are registered here, and most discussions are regarding vehicles made for the US market.
This particular forum isn’t brand-specific and compared to the previous few forums, it’s a bit more difficult to navigate. There are features that will let you browse threads based on the make and model of the car you’re interested in, and there is a search feature, but it just isn’t as simple to use as some other forums out there. The good thing is that when you start posting, you’ll get quick responses from like-minded enthusiasts.
AutomotiveForums
AutomotiveForums is by far the forum with the most variety. There isn’t a car brand that isn’t listed here but depending on the popularity, there may be more or fewer threads to read through. At the time of writing this article, the AutomotiveForums has more than 900 thousand members, with millions of threads across the forum.
The great thing about AutomotiveForums and that it’s not brand-specific is that there are a lot of experts helping others with their issues. Whether you’re looking for help diagnosing certain symptoms, looking for advice on modifications, DIY projects, or how-to guides, this is where you’ll find everything you need.