Help me decide on a new design for BuickStreet

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by BuickStreet, Mar 5, 2003.

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Which design do you prefer?

  1. Old Design - leave it as it is!

    1 vote(s)
    4.0%
  2. Old design but implement some design improvements

    6 vote(s)
    24.0%
  3. New design looks great!

    13 vote(s)
    52.0%
  4. New design but implement some changes.

    5 vote(s)
    20.0%
  5. Frankly, I don't like either design very much.

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. BuickStreet

    BuickStreet Well-Known Member

    Help me re-design BuickStreet.com

    One of the cars I feature is owned by a gent who runs his own web design company. I was mentioning that I thought that BuickStreet.com was in need of a spruce up or a major re-design and he kindly offered to allow one of his designers to have a crack at it - no charge. He said "Us Buick folks gotta stick together". Well, I was not about to knock back an offer like that so I said "sure - and thanks". Pretty generous eh?

    Anyway, last night I received a draft and wanted to let you guys help me decide. There are definitely some great ideas which I'd like to incorporate from the new design but there are some others that I'm not sure are "tickling me in the right places".

    I won't tell you what, but will let your feedback influence my final decision. So, the major question is, Do you like the new or the old? I'd also appreciate any comments you'd care to make on either design. One thing's for sure, it will still concentrate mainly on the Feature cars but I want to add a page for all the cars that are submitted to me whether or not the are "Feature material" as I think "if you're proud enough to send it to me I should be decent enough to display it" Plus that eliminates the awful decisions I have to make about whether or not I do a Feature on a car.

    Every car that's submitted to me get's on the site - end of story. If it's Buick, or Buick powered, it's in. That way everyone's happy and the better cars with the best stories and the finest pictures get invited to become Feature cars while the other's still get there place on the site.

    Also, I'd like feedback and lot's of it (and I'm asking for your opinions here so I promise I won't take it personally - or take offense or be overly defensive) on what you like about the new and the old designs. Help me make this one of the best Buick Gallery sites on the net. I need you to be honest so I can improve it by taking the best suggestions and implementing them. I appreciate your time. Now...let me have it!

    Here are the two pages...

    Click here to see the current design BuickStreet.com

    Click here to see the new proposed BuickStreet.com
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2003
  2. Chris Lott

    Chris Lott 4 speed finally

    I think that new design looks great. For some reason, I just can't stand looking at black backgrounds on webpages. To me it almost looks "dirty." I like the crisp white, with easy to read words etc, it jumps out and grabs your attention. And on the subject of feature cars, articles, etc. The "road warriors," the street driven and somewhat weathered musclecars are every bit as interesting as the fully restored cars. That's just my opinion :TU:
     
  3. BuickStreet

    BuickStreet Well-Known Member

    Thanks Chris. Duly noted.
     
  4. Buick_350X

    Buick_350X Guest

    What kind of price are they asking for the redesign???

    -Matt
     
  5. BuickStreet

    BuickStreet Well-Known Member

     
  6. Buick_350X

    Buick_350X Guest

    Yea but what if you want it??? Hes not charging you for the initial work up. Which most design shops charge 50-100 for a rough draft design like you got for free. I'm sure he wants money for the rights too the final design??? Any idea what that is gonna run ya?

    -Matt
     
  7. BuickStreet

    BuickStreet Well-Known Member

    Sorry Matt, I wasn't sure if you'd missed the original comment. This will be a completely free redesign as far as I am aware. The designer Vic seems like a great guy and from his emails he seems to be right into it. There has never been any mention of cost. This is what makes it so terrific. He liked the feature and has donated some staff time (I expect there will be a limit somewhere along the line) to improving the site - if I was interested. I could see no harm as I was thinking about freshening up the site anyway.

    Free, gratis, nyet, tipota. Buick folks...don't ya love 'em? :beer
     
  8. GSXMEN

    GSXMEN Got Jesus?

    Tough call - but, I would have to kind of echo what Chris said.

    I do like the new site - much brighter!:grin:
     
  9. BuickStreet

    BuickStreet Well-Known Member

    Thanks Scott.

    If you could change anything about the new site what would it be?
     
  10. Leviathan

    Leviathan Inmate of the Month

    I like how the links are arranged into the 4 portholes :TU:

    ...the scrolling cars is distracting, and kinda vertigo-inducing though. I liked the cars down the side in the original site...

    Either way, Buickstreet is still one of the cleanest and best designed car sites I've seen.
     
  11. nailhead_sled

    nailhead_sled Well-Known Member

    I like the old layout, but I really dig the new header.
     
  12. I like the newly proposed version over the old. The new version takes the graphic framing away giving it a cleaner look. I don't mind the black background, I think it looks fine. I like the fact that the newly proposed version doesn't re-color my scroll bar. It's a personal preference, but I prefer the scroll bar color not become customized (like it is on this board and the current buickstreet.com). I also like the new bar at the top. It's a quicker way of navigation than scrolling down the left side. I also think it is a plus the left column got removed. Having two columns and a middle is kind of hard on the brain and the eyes. I also like the cars scrolling at the bottom. Not too slow, not too fast. Just my 2 cents.
    Joe
     
  13. Mike Atwood

    Mike Atwood The Green Machine

    Both sites look great! I do prefer the look of the new site as it is brighter and easier to read . The only thing I didn't think I would change was the moving banner of photos at the bottom........ I would have done something else there I think. I actually liked your original page with your car at the bottom...... just looked cool.

    Mike
     
  14. BuickStreet

    BuickStreet Well-Known Member

    Excellent feedback!

    Great feedback people. Thanks.

    I'm in two minds about which site to modify though. I'd like some more feedback so if you haven't told me what you think yet please don't be afraid to chime in. Tell me what you like about the old site and the new site and I'll come up with a combination. You don't have to critique every facet of the old and the new. Just tell me what you like (or don't like) about each site and I'll combine them both into one. I like the new site too but I also like the old site as I built it myself and am kind of attached to it. I'm a Libran so I'm bad at making these types of decisions :rolleyes: as I can see the benefits of both sites.

    More opinions please.
     
  15. Smartin

    Smartin Guest

    I like both sites! But I like the new version a little more as it is easier on the eyes...less stuff to take in. That's usually a good design standpoint for a website. Negative space is a good thing. Most people don't realize that...so they cram all they can into one page.

    Cool man:TU:
     
  16. BuickStreet

    BuickStreet Well-Known Member

    Thanks Adam. I agree on the main (front/home) page. It's a bit busy. On the new site (BuickStreet stage 2?) I will be seperating the sections. For example, I will have a seperate page for instructions on how to submit for a "Photo Feature" or a "Readers Rides" including my hints and Tips on how to take a good photo (angles of view, tripod, saving jpegs...etc) and write a good feature story. May even include a form to make it easier.

    I'll also ask Vic to slow down the moving pictures and include a Buick revving as the click sound (I have some sounds of my Nailhead which will do nicely). I also want to feature some ad space to help pay for my hosting charges etc. What's the concensus on banner adds? I plan to keep them all relative to Buicks. Do you guys mind?

    What else don't/do you like about both sites. I really want to make this a user driven decision. I think I have an eye for what makes a good website (usability, navigation...etc) but need more feedback. So don't be shy, even if it's only a small suggestion (perhaps a pet hate of yours? or something you like that you think is better left as is?). Keep 'em coming - I really appreciate the comments.
     
  17. Smartin

    Smartin Guest

    Ad space is fine as long as popups are not an issue. I HATE popups. Banners acually tend to make a site more interesting and professional, IMO...only because we all see these big sites with banners everywhere and that's how we associate them.:Do No:
     
  18. BuickStreet

    BuickStreet Well-Known Member

    I hate them probably more than you do. There wil be no pop-ups, don't worry about that! I'll use a banner or two to try and generate some revenue (don't laugh, so far they have earned me over US$18! :rolleyes: ).
     
  19. Smartin

    Smartin Guest

    You are correct there about the mounds of money those banner ads create:laugh: All I try to do is recoup the hosting costs...and hopefully contribute to the time I have to put into making my site and enter countless entries and data. I spent 3 hours the other night just putting 50 new entries into the "database". Time for bed...must work early in the morning to take advantage of the great weather!:bglasses:
     
  20. Michael Evans

    Michael Evans a new project

    site design

    I liked the second design :TU: a lot brighter.
     

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