its funny that almost all the posters in this thread are supporters.
I think the best way to do this is to have the approximate cost of running this board for 1 year, once we know this, we can find a way to make up the numbers.
I can understand the fustration of the admin and some of the supporters who feel that it is they who is paying for this board. This is a great community but i don't want this financial situation to put a hole in what we have already.
I personally feel that perhaps charging a one off yearly membership fee(compulsory) is probably best. The cost will be low and we shouldn't have any issues.
But it will depend on what your purpose is in the first place, for example, charging a premium is to allow contact with dealers, then its unfair to the dealers who will be losing alot of their business, plus the members who are here already have most of their contacts so it won't make a difference - since they can just leave.
But if it isn't this, what other avenues are you charging a premium membership for? repair and upgrade? the majority of the repair and upgrade are answered by US - god knows how many PMS and topics are answered by the same bunch of people - The Zigmeister, joe, randy, bazz, me, and other modders. Doesn't that mean someone should be paying us for our "service"?
I'm not trying to create a stir as you can see i'm happy doing what i'm doing, but if you are going to implement a membership system, it must be very well thought-through and fair.
Please keep us updated.