I agree with the OP to some degree. It should also be recognized, there is rampant stealth advertising going on right now. It should be brought into the open so it's an even playing field. Or else go the other way, see my suggestions at the end of this post.
It's getting to the point that the Ontario forums could be called "the Ontario vendors forum" and the "power enhancements" section is more like the "performance vendors stealth advertising forum" where every post is about this or that vendor.
IMO the rule about vendors not being allowed to post "we have that" is the most abused and selectively ignored "rule" and it is very selectively enforced. Or should I say selectively not enforced.
There is also a "loophole" that allows promotion through "disinterested" third parties. Give a guy a free whatever, and he can start a thread asking a "question" as a straight man, and you step in as the cheerful, helpful, selfless vendor with a "technical" answer or "technical" info. And the "guy" starts posting your talking points in every thread he can dealing with your product or service. "call so and so he's a great guy"
Or else get your buddy to post a "how to" thread or "X product installed" with lots of vendor references and deep links to products on vendor websites, and you can pop in as the cheerful, helpful, selfless "cool guy" vendor to keep the discussion going in the direction you want.
Another example, if you only sell stock replacement cams, every time someone posts asking about a performance cam, post that you have never seen any benefit from a performance cam. If you don't sell a certain version of a turbo, say negative stuff about the manufacturer every time someone posts about that turbo you don't sell, and better yet, convince a few of your buddies to say it too. And of course the manufacturer you feature on your website is better. Say it enough so that hopefully some noobs parrot and make it viral, thereby becoming a truth unto itself.
Or else find another vendor that sells a parallel product that is not directly competing with what you sell. Then cross-promote on each others behalf. If I only sell chip tuning, and you only sell parts, then I will promote your parts and you promote my chip tuning. This is a common practice.
Another, get your dealers to post stuff about you on your behalf. While Amsoil and such have been overtly limited in this regard, apparently this dealer product promotion is allowed in certain cases as long as the dealers are "well liked" frequent posters and remain somewhat clever about it. If there are enough of them, the sheer volume of posts will ultimately "legitimize" the practice.
Or better yet offer frequent posters a "dealership" if they post enough in support of your product. This happens as well. The non-vendor flies under the radar for awhile shilling away happily because they are "not a vendor" then after a while, they simply start selling whatever it was they were shilling. A variant of this is the "average joe" bashing a company then going to work for a competitor or becoming a "dealer" for a competitor, or else offering a competing product after "clearing the way"
Another example: If you offer a similar product but not a supporting service, give a "neutral member" some "info" that will "debunk" the other guy's service, and get him to start a "debunking" thread. Thereby hopefully neutralizing any competitive advantage from the competitor's innovation.
My point is... these forums are already heavily commercialized, regardless whether we like to see it or not. And the current state of things seems to encourage dirty tricks and behind the scenes alliances and scheming to "get it in under the radar" which just creates a toxic, dishonest environment, where seemingly everyone is trying to make a buck - while striving to appear like they are not.
If everyone is making a buck why not just embrace it for what it is? And make it a fair and honest playing field for everyone to benefit from equally. Without having to resort to cleverness and stealth techniques to try and get around the intent of the system.
So just set up a paid vendor system (like every other website has) and control it, for everyone's mutual benefit. Maybe even let vendors pay for their very own forum section, with complete moderator privileges for their "rented" forum section. I suspect some vendors would pay a lot of money for something like that.
or else...
Instead of making the forums openly commercial, here are some alternate suggestions to take it more in line with what I think fred intends. If management is serious about this being a non-commercial site, here are some ideas for the vendor rules, to help make that vision a reality -- by closing existing loopholes
1. No posting hot links to vendor websites or vendor products under any circumstances EXCEPT in the vendor section. NO EXCEPTIONS. No matter who is doing the posting. (still allowed in signatures though) Including build threads, etc. remove any links to vendor websites.
2. Likewise, no "where can I buy" type posts. These should be answered by pointing the guy to the vendor section, search the forums, or google. or blackholed
3. Routine technical support questions or customer service questions about a particular vendor member's products or services are the responsibility of the VENDOR to handle OUTSIDE the forums. That is why vendors are PAID for their stuff and they should earn it, not exploit the tdiclub membership so they can profit while keeping their costs and hassles low. For example: No more "should I buy stage 1 or stage 2 from chiptuner x" type threads. Or "how do I install/use product X from vendor y". This question would be answered by a good vendor when the customer asked the vendor for support, and should not require a forum post.
4. "Vendor reviews" cheering type threads should not be allowed outside the vendor section.
5. Any thread with a vendor product or vendor name in the title should not be allowed, even if it is an "installed" thread or similar "technical seeming" thread. Customer support should be handled by the vendor, who is paid, not the forum membership.
6. No thread with "vs" in the title, eg "malone vs rocketchip" = black hole
7. No vendor should be allowed to criticise another vendor's product, service, methods, PERSONALITY, posting style, grammar, "ethics" or anything else about another vendor, EVEN IF THEY (seem to) OFFER NO SIMILAR PRODUCT. Even if the criticised "vendor" does not participate actively in the forums. If you make money from members, it should be HANDS OFF other people who also do. (This means Prothe, etc. If they vendor is that bad, there are plenty of non-vendors who will know it and post.) Vendors should be HANDS OFF other vendors, even if they don't appear to be competitors.
8. No vendor should be allowed to repeatedly mention another vendor, or repeatedly mention a vendor's product or website outside the vendors section EVEN IF the product is "not one I sell" and even if it "merely" relates to their "personal experience" with that product. Obviously vendors are also customers, but sometimes it gets ridiculous. (especially with "dealers")
9. Recognize that repeated favorable/unfavorable mention of a vendor or vendors by a "member" or other vendor is probably stealth advertising, encouraged wink wink by the vendor (or a competitor in unfavorable cases). May suggest "associate" status even if not technically an employee.
Either embrace the vendors' desire to advertise, and make it a win win for everyone, or else totally put the kibosh on it and close existing loopholes and exploits
Just some ideas to maybe help make this a less toxic place.