Car fans get new social network

Australian startup Carmooch has officially launched its automotive social network, aiming to be the car forum for the next generation of tech savvy, 'always connected' car buyers and owners.

With a classic 'garage' birth by founders George Skentzos and Glen Pink, Carmooch is an entirely self-funded Australian startup that the founders say offers a modern take on the otherwise aging, forum-based car community.

"Carmooch allows car owners and enthusiasts alike to interact online with the level of convenience and connectedness they have come to expect from sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest," Skentzos says. "The Carmooch team hopes this approach turns every car owner into a casual car enthusiast by offering a less regimented and more familiar platform for users to talk about their cars.

"I've been on car forums since before I could drive - socialising with other car owners is one of the best parts about being an auto enthusiast. But forums simply haven't kept pace with the innovations being made in online social interaction and mobile technology, so I thought it was time to create something new."

Every car brand and model on sale in Australia today is represented on Carmooch and it's up to users to pick and choose their favourites by subscribing to see all the latest news, updates, photos and reviews shared by fellow Carmooch members about the cars they love most.

"Just because you might be a Holden fan doesn't necessarily mean you're not interested in what Ford owners are talking about." Skentzos says. "With Carmooch you can customise your experience to see more about the cars you love and not just the one you drive."

Carmooch says users can quickly and easily reach the right audience by using hashtags (#) to tag specific car brands or models in their posts which will then appear to users who have chosen to subscribe to those topics in their own customised news feed. "With the way social media impacts the car purchasing decision these days, Carmooch also incorporates crowd-sourced new car reviews, compiled from both car owners and respected motoring publications such as Carsguide, to provide a complete and honest overall opinion of each new car on the market today to help new car buyers get into the right model," Skentzos says.

"Carmooch will also bridge the social gap between car manufacturers and enthusiasts by allowing brands to actively participate in the community and join the conversation -- a factor sorely missing from existing car forums."