I agree with bango on this one. Quantity can never imply quality especially if someone is doing it for attention. Instead, maybe we could have a section for "Top PakWheelers" that lists those members that are contributing positively to the community. Question: How do we measure positive contributions ?
So, rather than having a few prolific novices hogging an "Active Members" table, I'd suggest a rating system (we could call them 'WheelPoints") which allows members to give other members credit for good work done.
For example, members can earn points (or what Bango calls 'respect'), if he posts a topic that lots of people 'like' - we could have a 'Like' option for posts just like Facebook. Or he posts a car review that a lot of people find helpful. Similarly, he could earn points for posting Rides that get good star ratings or has built a great reputation of putting up admin-approved and clean ads. This will not only help new people identify who to look out for great content but will be a way to commend PW legends and people making genuine efforts. Moreover, this could also simplify how the admins select mods as they could simply refer to the 'Top PWers' list and shortlist from there.
Again, its just a thought !