Car mags... do you bother now?

[Datsuncog]

Not forgetting carsport and pacenotes (n.i. mags).

 

Heh, I wrote up an article on the launch of the new Ford Cougar for Carsport!

 

Also got to have a bash in a just-released Ford Puma alongside Pat the Editor, which was good craic for a seventeen year old...

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

7 quid.

 

SEVEN FUCKING POUNDS.   

 

 

[artdjones]

The rich are different from you and me.

Well,thank goodness for that.But even so, you'd have to have at least £100m to think of spending that kind of money on a watch.

[carlo]

I've just bought that British 70s supplement it's quite good actually.  My two complaints about current car mags is the fecking awful HDR style photography, some of the photos look like cartoons now.  And the supposedly 'upmarket' one (Classic & Sportscar) is 75% adverts and 25% content - have a look next time you see it.  No thanks.  Still enjoy dipping into my collection of Autocar 1988 - 2007.  Got boring after that.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The 1970s were the Golden Age of Autocar.They had left behind the need to be deferential to potential advertisers,but still had the skills to write good,fairly long articles that held the interest of readers.

 

The watch adverts in C&SC are ridiculous.I could understand an ad for a watch in the 4-5000 bracket,but an ad for a Richard Mille at half a million?

 

 

One of the most interesting guys I ever spoke to was the late Jeff Daniels - Stuart Bladon is still with us but he's ancient now. The advent of CAR in the sixties certainly upped their game and they turned out some very good road tests and long term tests as well. I think Jeff went from an Escort RS1600 to a 1750 Maxi but still extolled the virtues of the BL car. A very sharp dry wit and incredibly knowledgable. Sadly that era has gone.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Well,thank goodness for that.But even so, you'd have to have at least £100m to think of spending that kind of money on a watch.

 

 

Don't forget the private banking ad on the back page. And the use of the phrase 'motor car'. Oh just fuck off.

 

I still recall - and mention now and then - the Mick Walsh 'our car' type thing where he casually mentioned a few

times how he was at some BBQ at Jay K's place. We're not worthy mate, really we're not. God, I wish I had famous wealthy friends. 

[mitsisigma01]

Does anyone want to buy a box load of Triumph TR action magazine ?

[artdjones]

One of the most interesting guys I ever spoke to was the late Jeff Daniels - Stuart Bladon is still with us but he's ancient now. The advent of CAR in the sixties certainly upped their game and they turned out some very good road tests and long term tests as well. I think Jeff went from an Escort RS1600 to a 1750 Maxi but still extolled the virtues of the BL car. A very sharp dry wit and incredibly knowledgable. Sadly that era has gone.

I have Jeff Daniels's book from the eighties which clearly explained how cars worked,and also really explained the new technology coming along at the time,for example abs,turbos and diesel engines.One of my favourite parts was a diagram explaining how lots of small aerodynamic improvements went to produce the world leading Cd figures of the "cigar" Audi 100.A wonderful technical writer.

[HMC]

Theres certainly an element of 'lifestyle' selling on certain titles, like a whole world of glamour, locations and dress/ accessories that is being sold to the reader. Look at the ads. Im a bit MEH about is as its all so damn expensive! Plus it takes less effort to wear an oil stained hoodie and not wash your car.

[HMC]

I have Jeff Daniels's book from the eighties which clearly explained how cars worked,and also really explained the new technology coming along at the time,for example abs,turbos and diesel engines.One of my favourite parts was a diagram explaining how lots of small aerodynamic improvements went to produce the world leading Cd figures of the "cigar" Audi 100.A wonderful technical writer.

 

My first car related book- Kingfisher book of cars - circa 1987 - Jeff daniels. That may not be the exact title as there was a quite through breakdown of commercial vehicles too. it was a bit left field too- not many western titles that featured contempory Tatras. Well thumbed and still on the shelf.

[HMC]

Car Mechanics, used to read my Dad's copy from whatever age I learned to read. Used to drive my English Teacher nuts, she wanted me to read some Enid Blyton novel and i used to say 'not reading that, I read my Dad's Car Mechanics'.

 

I must applaud them recently, the took on a Insignia with a borked engine and fair play to them, they stuck with it and it was a right shed. Crank was forked and they had all sorts of shite to sort out.

 

Similarly here- I started buying TG magazine in approx 1994 when it was launched and would attack that rather than a set text for english. I remember looking up 'vitriolic' from Clarkson's collumn and decided that would be put in my next English essay. In many ways my love of cars meant I became a good reader faster than I would have otherwise.

[bramz7]

Thanks you lot, I now have to go to Braintree to collect issues 1-50 of Top Gear.

 

 

Only cost a tenner mind.

[JimH]

Supercar Classics was a good mag. Trifle snotty in parts but at least was written by people who could write. I read Car up to the retirement of Setright but after that my only magazine subscriptions are Private Eye and Viz. Just can't face reading anything else.

[artdjones]

Thanks you lot, I now have to go to Braintree to collect issues 1-50 of Top Gear.

 

 

Only cost a tenner mind.

Is it the mags annoying you or just having to go to Braintree?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

....the supposedly 'upmarket' one (Classic & Sportscar) is 75% adverts and 25% content - have a look next time you see it.  No thanks. ...

 

C&SC has been like that for a good long while. I used to read it fairly regularly in the early 2000s, and it was nearly 75% adverts even then.

[Mr A Lawrence]

I get practical classics every month and the missus gets enjoying mg from the owners club.

 

Takes me me a month to read them both. 

[rainagain]

As someone who works in publishing, this thread is a very interesting, and rather painful discussion. Can't really argue with people's findings. As profit margins get squashed, advertising departments end up wielding too much influence.

Why are more magazines not available online for a far cheaper price than a physical subscription? I buy car mechanics now and again, I look at their subscription offer and online is only slightly cheaper than a physical copy. Surely the cost to provide a copy to me online is literally pennies compared to having one printed, then delivered to Tescos, who then take a cut of the price??? Or am I missing something?

[Spottedlaurel]

You're quite correct - I've mixed those two up!

 

Real Classics had an A35 (and free badge!) on the cover of Issue 1, and was edited by ex-Jalopy publisher Paul Guinness (though I couldn't necessarily swear to that now, either). Other issues to my recollection featured the Mk1 Range Rover and a very tasty Vauxhall VX4/90 FD, and like later issues of Jalopy it was printed on A4 pulp stock rather than glossy paper - but with a glossy centrefold of the cover star.

 

I must have picked up a few issues of Your Classic over the years, too, though can't now remember anything particularly distinctive about it (hey, I could only have been 12 or 13 when I read it, so not dissing the team) - thanks for clarifying that, plus the extra info (didn't know it was linked to C&SC).

 

Real Classics August 1997 No.1 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Your Classic was good, more suited to my tastes than C&SC. I'll have to dig an issue or two out.

 

Prior to being called YC I believe it ran for a year or so as Restoring Classics Cars.

 

Out of all the magazines I ever bought I'd say Auto Performance was my absolute favourite - funny, informative and covered a wide range of cars and racing/rallying.

[artdjones]

Cars and Car Conversions was great 70-80s as well.Plenty of technical info with lots of funny stuff interspersed.It had a basically working class vibe, although Richard Hudson-Evans wrote for them for a while.I remember him writing in to the magazine later complaining about something.The reply started with "Well,you are a vitriolic little chappy, aren't you?"and finishing with a reminder that Apollo was spelt with only one p,as Mr. Hudson-Evans had spelt it with two in his letter.I remember wondering about what undercurrents we weren't being told about.

[Austin of England]

I just subscribe to Practical Classics now and do still enjoy it, I think it was at its best in terms of quality in the late 90s early 00s. Back in the eighties  and nineties there were all sorts of short lived magazines which I bought

 

Your Classic

Real Classics

Restoring Classic Cars

Buying Cars which changed its title to

Buying Cars which merged with another publication but I can't remember which, might have been What Car

I also bought a few copies of Fast Lane - what happened to this?

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Oh wow. I vividly remember Restoring Classic Cars. Found that fascinating. I think my aunt had two copies, which I read repeatedly.

 

Why are more magazines not available online for a far cheaper price than a physical subscription? I buy car mechanics now and again, I look at their subscription offer and online is only slightly cheaper than a physical copy. Surely the cost to provide a copy to me online is literally pennies compared to having one printed, then delivered to Tescos, who then take a cut of the price??? Or am I missing something?

 

I'm a writer, not involved with behind the scenes decisions. Some people have mentioned various apps/websites that do allow you cheaper access. 

[sierraman]

Used car buyer used to be a decent read.

[rainagain]

I'm a writer, not involved with behind the scenes decisions. Some people have mentioned various apps/websites that do allow you cheaper access.

No worries, I saw people mentioning an app that allows you access to multiple titles but £7.99 a month is still quite an outlay for many people including myself. Where as I can watch excellent content on YouTube like hubnut for free!

[SiC]

As someone who works in publishing, this thread is a very interesting, and rather painful discussion. Can't really argue with people's findings. As profit margins get squashed, advertising departments end up wielding too much influence.

 

But, there is simple economics at work with the front page stuff too. LRO has a Defender on pretty much every front cover, because sales drop if they don't. I imagine it's the same for PC and Moggies/MGBs. You end up chasing volume and the majority, and the majority sadly like the mainstream icons. The economics of a magazine about obscure stuff don't really stack up - I'd be amazed if The Automobile is really that profitable, but I applaud the fact it exists. It feels more like a magazine put together by people who care about the content, and not a lot else. It exists in its own beautiful niche. (albeit stuff usually too old or valuable for us lot).

 

Tricky times for published media. Personally, I don't buy magazines anymore. Heck, I don't even read the 2CV club mag that often. The time I used to fill with reading doesn't seem to exist anymore.

Is the views on this thread the sign of the times? Or are we a minority that by virtue of being on this very forum like things different? I.e. are we not really a representative sample.

[BorniteIdentity]

I don’t buy anything anymore. I religiously bought Practical Classics and Modern Classics up until the start of the year, but it just felt that

 

A. I wasn’t reading anything new. The facts have all been regurgitated over and over, and it’s like Groundhog Day reading articles on some cars. A way to tackle this is story telling, but I just didn’t see much of it.

 

B. The standard of the writing at times left a lot to he desired. Also, the tone and voice of certain magazines at times felt at odds to the audience you’d expect to be reading. If I’m reading about an RS badged Ford, I don’t expect to read the item in the voice of an adenoid ridden fella called Malcolm.

 

I find plenty to entertain me online and, whilst I appreciate the value of good proper journalism - I don’t feel I need to pay for it with regards to ‘motoring’.

[captain_70s]

7 quid.

 

SEVEN FUCKING POUNDS.   

 

I was going to get hold of that, but at £7 I could spend that money on enough petrol/oil to actually drive my 1970s car somewhere...

[Inspector Morose]

We live in strange times. We want what we want and we want it for nothing. Magazines have to cater to the popular demands to stay afloat - yes this is understandable, the most popular (and profitable) YouTube channels are the ones that cater to the largest audience. You can get articles that tantalise your own peccadillos on the internet for free. What’s the problem?

Well, what you get is an ever powerful circle of conformation bias. By only getting what you’re interested in, you miss out on a whole world of information on subjects you wouldn’t dream about reading. Your opinions become unchallenged, your mind becomes set in its ways. Take the mgb for example. They are popular so they appear heavily in the classic car press. They appear heavily in the press so remain popular. Round and round it goes leaving many a creditable alternative forgotten and unloved barring the occasional “ man restores rare and unknown car”.

Well how do you combat it? Well you’ve got this site, haven’t you? Well yes and no. Autoshite caters for, dare we say, the fringes of motoring culture but don’t we fall into the same trap with conformation bias don’t we? Think this way, or buy this rotten shit heap or piss off to piston heads. Same thing just a different subject matter.

The only way to counter this is proper old school journalism. Articles that are well written, takes you on a journey, entertains, informs but most importantly is allowed to challenge the status quo. But this doesn’t come cheap. People have to eat, printers have to be paid and you can’t rely on popularity to pay the bills if you’re going to say “ you know what you honk about a subject? Well you’re possibly wrong. And here’s why I think you’re wrong”

I don’t blame anyone who currently writes for this situation - it’s a tough job to continually churn out piece after piece, research, check, rewrite etc. It’s a full time job to do that and do it well. The depth of knowledge of those can only be gained through doing this day in, day out. But they have to pay the bills, they have to eat, hey have to have a roof over their heads. This is what you pay for. This depth of knowledge, this craft, this skill.

So you all have a choice. Pay money to people who are willing to provide you with something of quality or get tons of popular, same old same old stuff for little or even free?

[drivewaymyway]

I change reading / toilet material with my interests.. I used to get car mags when I was first a danger on the roads back in the late 80's, before and after then was fishing mags, after 98ish was motorcycle mags and Viz but gave up on Bike mags when they got too expensive, new hobby since 2005 has been walking / wild camping so now have just the Viz and Country Walking free as part of my again free bank account..

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I change reading / toilet material with my interests....

Aha, I'm a great believer in toilet reading. It's really one of the few opportunities available to have concentrated, uninterrupted thinking about what you're reading.

 

Usually it'll be a locomotive book or (model) railway magazine or Private Eye. Sometimes The Economist. I have been known to unfold an engineering drawing to its full extent whilst on the bog.....

[lesapandre]

I just subscribe to Practical Classics now and do still enjoy it, I think it was at its best in terms of quality in the late 90s early 00s. Back in the eighties  and nineties there were all sorts of short lived magazines which I bought

 

P1040802.JPG

Your Classic

P1040803.JPG

Real Classics

P1040804.JPG

Restoring Classic Cars

P1040805.JPG

Buying Cars which changed its title to

P1040806.JPG

Buying Cars which merged with another publication but I can't remember which, might have been What Car

P1040807.JPG

I also bought a few copies of Fast Lane - what happened to this?

By the look of that Bentley: it spun, rolled and ended up in a ditch?