Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
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Feb 12, 2008 17:16:23 GMT
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It costs me less than three issues of a monthly rag! Authoritative writing, quality photography and good layout are the essentials I find. Plus I like to learn something new each time or at least be reminded of something I'd forgotten.
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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richy
Posted a lot
Flatheads forever....
Posts: 1,764
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Feb 12, 2008 17:31:45 GMT
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Only one magazine sets the benchmark: Rodder's Journal. Its look, photography, style of writing (in that everyone who writes in it knows what they're talking about and doesn't see it as a stepping-stone to another title), the fact it's part of the whole rodding movement has given it a status no other magzine gets remotely near. And all its attributes can be applied to any other car magazine. Except the price, it's off the chart! Taking all that into account, it's still very good value....
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Feb 12, 2008 19:02:16 GMT
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I read a lot of Magazines, not just english language ones either and for technical stuff often it is bike magazines (French and Italian are best) that are head and shoulders above 4 wheeled stuff Performance bikes is my Favourite - for the writing and enthusiasm more than anything, 9 pages on the madness that is Macau GP, similar sort of coverage of the "Bol Dor" or Lemans endurance race, or Irish road racing, fly/ride to Bonneville on rented bikes via cheap motel rooms in shady areas or Illegal road racing To capture the whole feel of the event seems to be their sole purpose and they do..... its not glossy in content, a lot of it is gritty, real, sad and Painful but more than that its captivating... I have a decent imagination, a reasonable grasp of how things work and what I want in a magazine is something to really inspire me.... which PB does a perfect example: Long way down was on telly at the time - which I watched Ewan and Charley on BMW GS`s fitted with the entire accesories catalogue, with full back up crew and support wingeing their way south(Thats not a typo) PB that month had an article on a Guy who did a 4 year round the world trip on an R1 (Stupid fast sports bike) with home made luggage ;D ;D pictures of him seat deep in Mud off road that would have sent the other 2 on their proper overland bikes off sulking I read that article 3 or 4 times that month ;D and I do that with a lot of their articles.... It inspired me to want to do that far more than the "LWD Dvd box set and accompanying book- sponsored by nokia" Thats what I want from a magazine..... less "scene" and more reality..... Even PPC has become a bit Cliquey and dropped its standards lately... although I still buy it I want a magazine where at the very least a technical editor has proof read every article, and someone has checked that the pictures match the story or at least show the interesting sections that make this MGB (Its going to happen) different from the one 2 months ago........ I want to see some different events featured...... there are loads every weekend in Belgium and holland - opel treffens, Berg Cup hillclimbs, Youngtimer races etc etc The net should be used for researching these rather than just hoovering content...... cheap flights - a festival/treffen/hillclimb over a weekend, some good pics aand a decent writer and you have content to blow the "Classic Ford show" or "ED38" same car different plate show coverage straight out of the water Look at Hotwire/R-Mad hot olds meet trip...... ok not cheap but not too bad for the experience Stuizz was inspired to do the same and I was lucky enough to be sent out there with work but still sought out some great shows and sent the photos back here for the same reason.... the guys in the Scene out there are so freindly and really honoured that we respect their cars over here - you would be welcomed with open arms and shown around a lot of places you would not usually find on holiday This year I want to do some more stuff in europe and take the cars..... Organise a few mates with retros, some good driving roads and take off for a week - see what happens These are the things I want to be reading about, as well as some properly different engineering/cars there are a lot of clever cars being built out there I don`t want to be spoon fed, I want to be challenged ;D that will keep me coming back for more
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Feb 12, 2008 19:24:16 GMT
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I agree with Dom one hundred percent.
PB is one of the best mags out there full stop. Not just the best bike mag...Or the best 'auto' mag. Irrespective of area covered, it is world class.
I don't even have a bike licence and I buy it religiously. Perhaps one of their key points is that they don't just talk about things. They do them. Other mags may have columns from someone who pontificates on a subject...PB has Guy Martin. One of the most promising talents this country has, one of the fastest road racers out there, TT podium finisher, Superbikes hopeful...And he tests stuff for them too.
I have never read a dull page in PB since it's relaunch a couple of years back. Dale Lomas doing the Cannonball still stands out as one of the greatest bits of gonzo journalism I have ever read. Even their kit reviews are engrossing. Hats off to the entire team; they really don't get the recognition they deserve.
*n
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Top grammar tips! Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,926
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Magazines: style and content stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Feb 12, 2008 20:00:16 GMT
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Agree about PB. I'd never read it until I met my flatmate Leigh who bought it every month. I'd read it, then pick PPC up and think "how can these 2 be the same price?"
Matt
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Feb 12, 2008 20:59:58 GMT
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Agree about PB. I'd never read it until I met my flatmate Leigh who bought it every month. I'd read it, then pick PPC up and think "how can these 2 be the same price?" Matt That's the thing; PB is less than three quid and has no filler. PPC is over 4 now. *n
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Top grammar tips! Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Feb 12, 2008 21:32:17 GMT
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Some excellent points made here!
I think enthusiasm of the writer helps greatly, I've found myself reading about all sorts of stuff I'm not usually interested in, due to the writer somehow capturing you in the excitement of the whole thing. e.g. I have very little interest in buses, but there's a little old-skool website about modern buses I visit every so often, because the guy who writes it makes it all seem so interesting whilst remaining very accessible to people who aren't bus experts.
With regards to type of content, my favourite article is one where it tells me lots of things I don't know or makes me rethink/consider things differently or just inspires me in general! There was one modern car magazine I used to buy religiously a few years back. The standard of writing was fantastic and the level of knowledge displayed was spot-on. However, they would repeatedly do articles about very samey cars. Not always the same models, but largely the same approach - car was bought, some off-the-shelf stuff was put on, now it's a better road car than it was before. It was very honest, but it was just "same old" every month. I grew bored of it and felt it was a shame given the skill of the writing that they rarely did anything different. This doesn't have to mean an obscure car, it could have been an ordinary one with an unusual story of modification, interesting background, whatever.
This brings me to my key point: Tell me stuff I don't know! One of the main reasons I love old J-tin is that I'm constantly discovering stuff I didn't know as some areas have huge gaps in knowledge of. But spread it to the motoring scene as a whole - tell me about the ludicrous power levels of the Dodge Polara Pursuit Package, the growing classic J-tin scene in Portugal, a stripped-out 1000hp schoolbus on the salt flats, a Mazda 929 stacklight with an Alfa V6, an Eastern Bloc roadtrip in a Polski Fiat 125p, trackdays in a stripped out Maserati Biturbo, etc etc. Admittedly half of those cars are totally made up, but I'm sure you get the general idea.
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Feb 12, 2008 21:35:50 GMT
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I still think PPC is the best car-based mag out there by a mile.
What I can't stand, and what Retro cars was full of towards the end, is articles written by people who clearly have no idea of the subject matter. If the writers run, drive and repair old cars it gives them a lot more credibility.
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Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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Feb 12, 2008 21:37:34 GMT
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The price is one of the main problems with magazines nowadays, most are over £4 now, and i can read 1 from cover to cover within a couple of hours max, and most of the time, there is nothing thats grabs your attention and makes you read it again.
I agree with what most have said here. A magazine needs to be informative, well laid out, easy to read, excellent features, and most of all VALUE FOR MONEY, something a lot of magazines are lacking lately.
I used to love Street Machine, it was 1 magazine i used to look forward to seeing in the shops, then it became to American, and finally all American. Retro Cars appeared, had a great start, then faded, started to make a bit of a comeback, then vanished all together. I'm hoping the new Retro Cars magazine takes note of what people are saying and what they want, they could be onto a winner, the Retro scene seems to be on the up, which can only be a good thing, and we need a good magazine thats on the pulse, keeps us up to date with whats happening world wide, and doesn't become biased towards the popular Retro cars, feature a lot of the obscure vehicles out there, everyone see's an MG/Triumph etc in some magazine nearly every month, there's a lot of rarer vehicles being given the 'treatment' now, Slaters 505 to name 1, imagine that on a magazine cover. I remember being at the East European Car day at Stanford Hall a couple of years ago when the Pro Street Trabbie turned up, it grabbed everyone's attention.
I mainly buy a magazine now if there is something worth reading, something i haven't seen before, or if something grabs my attention. I used to spend £50-£60/mth on magazines a few years ago, but now i'm lucky if i spend £10/mth.
Retro Rides is my magazine now, always something here that grabs my attention, and makes you comeback for more, if Retro Cars can do the same, then the future's bright, the futures Retro.
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Current Fleet 2006 Skoda Roomster 1.4 16v (Daily) 1990 Autozam Revue 1.5 Auto Canvas Top (Project) 1993 VW Transporter LWB 2.4D (Camper Project) 1994 Skoda Favorit Foreman II Pick Up (Project) 1979 Skoda Estelle 120LS. (Project) 1982 Kip Kompakt 300 Caravan (Project)
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Feb 12, 2008 22:09:36 GMT
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It's got to have a wide variety of cars with decent length write ups. In depth interviews with the owners of modded cars, 'action' pictures and maybe some track action agaisnt other, different, modified cars.
What really gets my goat the most is half 4rsed interviews, lazy words and a general obvious lack of interest from a features writer who obviously only wanted the job as a stepping stone to something he/she really wants to do which blatantly isn't automotive.
One word that describes everything that SHOULD be in a car magazine is passion. Without that you have nothing.
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Corsa Apology Champion 2014.
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bazzateer
Posted a lot
Imping along sans Vogue
Posts: 3,653
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One of the best articles I've read was by Clarkson in Performance Car. He did the same journey from one side of London to the other, first using the M25 and then across town. Wish I still had it, lines like "....... that's Lord Longford crossing the road, I could always say my foot slipped..........."
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1968 Singer Chamois Sport 1972 Sunbeam Imp Sport 1976 Datsun 260Z 2+2 1998 Peugeot Boxer Pilote motorhome 2003 Rover 75 1.8 Club SE (daily) 2006 MG ZT 190+ (another daily) 2007 BMW 530d Touring M Sport (tow car)
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bazzateer
Posted a lot
Imping along sans Vogue
Posts: 3,653
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remember when covers were a single picture of a scantily clad lady on a bonnet the only text being the mags name They're on the top shelf now
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1968 Singer Chamois Sport 1972 Sunbeam Imp Sport 1976 Datsun 260Z 2+2 1998 Peugeot Boxer Pilote motorhome 2003 Rover 75 1.8 Club SE (daily) 2006 MG ZT 190+ (another daily) 2007 BMW 530d Touring M Sport (tow car)
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richy
Posted a lot
Flatheads forever....
Posts: 1,764
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It's got to have a wide variety of cars with decent length write ups. In depth interviews with the owners of modded cars, 'action' pictures and maybe some track action agaisnt other, different, modified cars. What really gets my goat the most is half 4rsed interviews, lazy words and a general obvious lack of interest from a features writer who obviously only wanted the job as a stepping stone to something he/she really wants to do which blatantly isn't automotive. One word that describes everything that SHOULD be in a car magazine is passion. Without that you have nothing. Passion. Exactly. Some time back I said that Custom Car lacked soul, when perhaps what I should've said was passion. The whole custom/rodding movement over here is a lively one, yet does the leading magazine for that sector reflect it? Nope, neither in the way it's written, or in its photography. Parking a car up and the photographer walking around it does not make for good shots. It's lazy, and insults the reader. And when one of its 'writers' cannot even spell an owner's name correctly, it's definitely time to move on.
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Feb 13, 2008 15:52:55 GMT
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i always find the best way is to flick thru the mag at smiths (public reading library) then judge its thickness versus content versus price, the money is still yours if you don't hand it over and get buyer's remorse later for not flicking thru it before you bought it. Admittedly the mags are a bit lame at times, but i do think they also are like bank holiday newspapers and very thin which equals bad value for money
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