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FAQs
This page contains Frequently
Asked Questions about various site and VW topics.
If you have a question, e-mail me
General Site
• How often do you work on your
site and is it your full time job?
• How do you create/modify your
web site?
•
Can I buy or see the source code for the programs on your site?
•
When are the Classifieds
updated?
• I want to trade my non-VW car for a
VW, can I do that?
• How is
TheSamba.com funded?
• I can't afford a
large donation, sorry.
• How is it possible that one guy can
run a site this large that is constantly updated?
• How many people
visit TheSamba.com every day?
• Where is the appropriate place on
TheSamba.com to publicize another site?
• What is a Samba?
• How do I add a Stolen vehicle notification?
• How do I gain access to the Rants & Raves Forum?
• Does TheSamba.com sell T-Shirts?
Troubleshooting
• How
do I place a Classified ad?
• I placed some Classified
ads this morning and now they are gone, what happened?
• How
do I add photos to my Classified ad?
• How do I edit or delete my Classified ads?
• Why can't I get access to
manage my Classified ad?
• My photos will not post,
what do I do?
• I think I've been ripped
off by a seller in the Classifieds, what can I do?
• How do I post links in
the Forum?
• I can't log in to the Forums, am I banned?
•
I
can't find (fill in the blank) on the site, where is it?
• You didn't respond to my
e-mails/pictures!
• I
got a virus from "everettb". Why?
•
Why am I getting "pop-up" ads on TheSamba.com when you say there aren't any?
•
Why doesn't my login work for the Classifieds, Forum, or Gallery?
•
I've received a suspicious email about something I am selling on the site, what do I do?
General VW Questions
• Where can I
find parts?
• How much is this Bug/Bus/Type 3/Ghia worth?
How often do you work on your
site and is it your full time job?
Usually
every day, between routine
maintenance and clean-up and trying to update the information and features on my
site. Plus, I have a lot of e-mail
correspondence each day from people with questions, comments, or suggestions.
When I�m working on major changes or new features I can easily spend
two to three hours a day in addition to the everyday stuff. I work full-time as
a computer programmer. This site started as a hobby seven years ago and has
grown from there. You can read a brief history of TheSamba.com here.
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How do you create/modify your
web site?
I use Front Page and Notepad. I got Front Page for free and it works for me.
If you are
looking for a product, go to web pages you like and ask them what they use.
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Can I buy or see the source code for the programs on your site?
The code is not for sale. If you have a specific question, I will do
my best to help you.
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When are the Classifieds
updated?
They are automatic. As soon as an ad is placed, it can be seen and searched
upon.
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I want to trade my non-VW car for a
VW, can I do that?
Yes, if you place a legitimate trade in the "Trades" category of the Classifieds. Placed anywhere else, your ad will be deleted.
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How is
TheSamba.com funded?
The
site is paid for by donations, T-shirt and Poster sales, banner advertisements, and
Featured Ads. I plan to keep the site free to VW enthusiasts as long as these
sources of income pay for the site.
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I can't afford a
large donation, sorry.
Donations
are voluntary and much appreciated. 1% is a guideline for car sellers, you
are welcome to send any amount, most of the donations I receive are around $10 to
$15. Some cars sell in one day,
some ads run for a year. Consider
the time and money advertising on TheSamba.com saves verses running ads in the
newspaper, Auto Trader, or eBay. Last time I checked, it was $80 to sell a
car on eBay! Even
$1 is appreciated.
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How is it possible that one guy can
run a site this large that is constantly updated?
I
used to post every addition myself but as the site grew I started to automate
different functions. A few visitor uploads must still be approved but I
usually just spend most of my time deleting non-VW ads or duplicates,
and working on ways to improve TheSamba.com.
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How many people
visit TheSamba.com every day?
Please visit the Advertising page for the latest
statistics.
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Where is the appropriate place on
TheSamba.com to publicize another site?
You can post a link to your personal page in the
General Forum or the
Links
page. If it is a VW related business, please post it here. Post a
link to your VW club here. Post a link to upcoming VW shows
here.
Non VW-related items are not allowed.
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What is a Samba?
Samba is the term used for the 23-window Deluxe Bus in Europe. It was also
the name of my dog, you can see Samba here.
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How do I add a Stolen
vehicle notification?
Select the Stolen vehicles category when you add a photo to the
Gallery
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How do I gain access to the Rants & Raves Forum?
E-mail
with your request and you will be placed on the access list. Please
indicate Rants & Raves in the subject and include your username.
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Does TheSamba.com sell T-Shirts?
Yes, visit our
Products page to order
Shirts, Posters, or Free Stickers.
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How
do I place a Classified ad?
In the Classifieds section, you must login first,
then click on "Place
an Ad" in the header.
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I placed some Classified
ads this morning and now they are gone, what happened?
If you placed a non-VW ad, an invalid trade ad, or placed the same ad in every
category, your ads have probably been deleted. Make sure to follow the
posting guidelines on the Place an Ad screen.
If you still think there is a problem, contact us.
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How
do I add photos to my Classified ad?
If you are placing your ad in the Classifieds section,
you can add photos on the Place
an Ad screen. If
you have already placed an ad, use the Manage
screen to upload more photos.
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How do I edit or delete my Classified ads?
If you are logged in,
use the Manage screen to make any changes to your ads.
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Why can't I get access to
manage my Classified ad?
99% of the time, this means you have forgotten or incorrectly typed your
password. If you are not sure of your password use the Forgot My Password
link on the Login page.
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My photos will not post,
what do I do?
Most likely, they are too big. The size limit is 200 kb in both the Classifieds
section and the Gallery. In order to shrink your photos you need
a program like Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, or a utility that may have come with
your computer operating system (for instance, Windows).
Your digital camera may have come with a program that will let you shrink them
too. There is Forums thread on this topic in the
Site Forum.
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I think I've been ripped
off by a seller in the Classifieds, what can I do?
First, take into account shipping times and that not everyone returns e-mails or
phone calls immediately, try waiting at least 30 days. Posting a detailed
description of what happened in the
Classifieds Forum warns others against being
ripped off and may pressure the culprit to rectify the situation.
Depending on the details of the transaction, eBay, Paypal, the Postal Service,
or the local police may be of assistance in helping you.
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How do I post links in
the Forum?
Just type the link in your post (including the http://). For example: http://www.thesamba.com,
and it will highlighted automatically after it posts.
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I can't log in to the
Forums, am I banned?
If you
are banned, you will receive a message on login that you are banned for
abuse. Make sure your caps lock key is not on when you are entering your
password, e-mail me if you still encounter
trouble.
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I
can't find (fill in the blank) on the site, where is it?
The
tab bar at the top of the site is for navigation. There are six main
sections: Home, Classifieds, Gallery, Forums, Community, and Archives. Clicking on
a tab will change the sub-heading bar underneath to reveal the topics under that
section. For instance, clicking on the
Community button will reveal your
choices to be Shows, Clubs, Links, Businesses, Feature Cars.
Take a few minutes to click through all the choices and you will see
where everything is located. Use the Search located under the Home tab if
you are still lost.
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You didn't respond to my
e-mails/pictures!
If you have sent me e-mails and/or pictures and I haven't got back to you, that
most likely indicates that your return e-mail address was invalid and I was unable to
contact you. Please check your "Return-To" address in your e-mail program
and resend your note(s) to me. This happens at least 1-2 times per week. Thanks!
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I got a virus from
"everettb". Why?
It is not from me. Some of the newest viruses will steal email addresses
from your address book or from the last site you visited and them use that as
the "From" address. If you want to see who the email is really
from use the "View headers" command on the email. Any valid
emails from me have a from address of "Everett Barnes". Visit http://www.norton.com
for more details.
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Why am I getting "pop-up" ads on TheSamba.com when you say there aren't any?
This site does not allow pop-ups. There are several possible reasons. You
may have visited another site which launched pop-up windows in the background,
or some web pages trigger pop-ups when a user leaves that site. When you came to
TheSamba.com, the windows may have become visible. Or, some free programs
include other programs when you install them. These secret programs can show
pop-ups at random intervals or based on anything you type on a web page. To
prevent Spyware and other viruses, it is important that you keep your Windows
updated to the latest version:
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
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Why doesn't my login work for the Classifieds, Forum, or Gallery?
Read
this thread,
it may help. If you still have trouble, contact
me.
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I've received a suspicious email about something I am selling on the site,
what do I do?
Beware of fraud on the Internet involving fake cashier's checks. There is detailed
information here.
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Where can I
find parts?
Check out the Links page, go to
VW shows for the swap meets, search the Classifieds
on my site and others on the Internet,
check eBay, contact VW stores listed in VW
magazines, or join a VW club.
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How much is this Bug/Bus/Type 3/Ghia worth?
It is difficult to estimate value without seeing a car in
person. The value of a vintage VW depends on a lot of things - location,
condition (rust, etc.), and rarity. I suggest looking at comparable cars in the
Classifieds.
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