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Retro Riders,
I'm doing some research into what people like and dislike about Practical Classics magazine, so we can improve.
It'd be great to know what you like about the mag? And, of course, what you hate about it? Don't hold back, we can take it! Often negative feedback is the most useful.
We want PC to be entertaining and useful for everyone who loves old cars, whether they're modified or not, so it'd be brilliant to get your opinions.
Cheers,
Matt Wright
Production ed, PC
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How very nice for the 'PC' team to ask. FULL MARKS  Personally I don't like some of the 'in your face/arty angle shots' you do of some of the cars (much prefered the style of your mag in the mid 80's) but then I suppose progress is progress. Having said the above I must say well done, and glad you're still going. Keep up the good work  |
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Rob
Posted a lot
You know, for kids!
Posts: 2,515
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Hi Matt... Ive read PC for about 5 years (on and off) and the thing that I think has changed for the worse IMO is the humour... I used to read from cover to cover when Danny and Will Holman were blatting about but just doesnt seem the same now, they are missed  Still a great read and the Staff Car Sagas are definitely the highlight for me - I love reading about other peoples mis-fortunes - makes me feel better ! ;D |
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Rob
Posted a lot
You know, for kids!
Posts: 2,515
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also meant to add that it's good (brave?) you're doing market research... i think you should get your honest opinions here ! |
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Ooooooh I forgot... Welcome to Retro-Rides |
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том
Posted a lot
"If in doubt, flat out!"
Posts: 2,707
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Great mag, no complaints from me... hang on... ... or my dad, he want the price halved though keep up the good work ;D |
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 1988 V8 Rangey Bobtail :: 1968 Volvo Amazon 133 Ratrod :: 1977 Land Rover 88 :: 1985 Opel Monza GSE :: 1983 MKII Fiesta |
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I've read PC for Donkeys. I think I was 15 when I first bought it along with Street Machine and Custom Car.
It seemed more accessible than other classic mags. You didn't need a million to drive a classic. If all you could afford was a borderline MOT pass original mini/viva/avenger, but spent every spare penny making sure that it stayed on the pass side of the borderline, you were a genuine PC classic driver.
During the Holman years the eighties started to become classics, and just like all cars, they were day to day drivers, good ones were concourse, normal ones were kept alive, and with a sense of humour. Since then even the 80's hatches have become "Serious" classics.
PC used to be light and fun, and using cars. Now all the cars are actually kept alive and pampered.
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Hi Matt, I'm personally thrilled to see a welcoming embrace of Japanese and 1980's cars over the last few years. I particularly like the achieve shots from the past and the rust in peace photo's. Maybe printing old 'autocar' or 'motor' magazine articles and evaluations on a regular basis would be good too. I'm not keen on reading Ferraris and the like, best leave that to 'other publications', I tend to buy the mag if there are articles on bread and butter cars. I appreciate its difficult to please all classic car fans, particularly when British cars owners are the majority, but do you actually get more sales when a MG, Morris or Jag is on the cover, as opposed to a Fiat or Renault? |
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Hi Matt, Welcome in here. Not had chance to read this months properly yet, but its a big mag and plenty to get stuck into in there, i might be persuaded to consider it in the shop more often. a few more 70's and 80's cars than i'd expected. First look, quite good. liked the small save the marinas and itals bit, only 200 itals left registered!  Problem is for readership, is a lot of us are younger than your average mk2 jag collector and opt for new stuff connected to memories and price. although there is some older stuff here too. I do respect e types etc, just never planned to buy a mag about them. Good luck. Any pics of your Saab for the Readers rides section or here? ;D  |
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 it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts  |
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Thanks for the feedback and cheers for the welcome.
I didn't work for the mag when Dan and Will were there, but from what I gather, many readers liked the personality they put into Practical Classics. Some people saw this as self-indulgence, but whatever it was it, it seems to have been enjoyed by lots of readers.
Keep those opinions coming. We're really interested to hear what you have to say.
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GJM
Posted a lot
Alloy engines; like communism- great in theory.
Posts: 1,393
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Hey, nice to see some proper research going on Read PC most months, started middle of last year but at the moment begining to be put off by the style and type of some of the articles. I'm not really that botherd about reading 3 pages of main article about Moggy Minor driving down country lanes in the lakedistrict, passing a pub and about how the driver saw a sheep- quite frankly i couldnt give a rats  , there seem to have been a few such articles over the past few months. It seems the mag is about useing classics as daily drivers etc so lets have some more lively articles rather than the conservative MGB plodding down country lane articles. Would love to see some more exiciting and interesting articles. While reading the Imp Club ltds monthly mag this month there came up a suggestion about how an article compairing the Imp with the Smat car would be good, it'd be great! Or something else like it- just not Mr i keep my Minor in my garage all week, taking it down a country lane, and then making a 3 page article on it. |
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I think GJM has raised a good point, although I have nothing against Morris Minors and I'm a MGB nut myself (although mine are always everyday bangers not concours hence I won't go near MG Owners club ;D).
I think 'affordability' vehicles is the main point your magazine has done so well ( This can even mean some prewar stuff like an Austin 7 Ruby or Morris 8 which I like as well as 70's/80's 'J' tin which i'm also into).
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I think what i like about PPC is you can tell most of the staff have a real interest out of work in old, fast or special cars, that way you get good advice and know they are using and doing up their cars, often to a similar budget too i gatherer. That cant always be said for other mags, where i think they are new to a scene. Some impressive lists seen in PC.
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it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts |
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I've been buying PC since I was 11 (no, I wasn't reading Dad's copies as he never buys it ) Anyhow, seeing as you asked us to be honest ;D , please: 1) Feature more scruffy cars - ie classic stuff that people use as a main car / everyday. 2) Bring back more of the pukka nut & bolt restorations (like the Standard Swallow, Moggy Traveller, TR6, Zephyr convertible etc) - the restorations over the last few years haven't been half as thorough or informative. 3) Bring back the old tag line 'Buying, driving and restoring older cars' since it gets round the endless 'is it or isn't a classic car' debate. 4) Accuracy.... I have read quite a few scathing comments on here regarding the accuracy of previous buyers guides, from guys who own that type of car. Also, there are other errors which sometimes suggest that the mag is produced by a team who are journalists first, and car enthusasts second. 5) Have to agree with the comments about the editorial content - although Will Holman etc's humour could be an acquired taste, it at least added a degree of variety that is now lacking. 6) A few comments on the latest issue - IMHO the Mitsi Evo thingy in the winter classic test is far too modern, and I was surprised not to see any '60s stuff - Dad & I can both vouch for the capabilities of a Volvo Amazon in winter conditions. No problem with the Sierra as I haven't seen one for ages and good ones are getting rare now. Might be worth turning up at the Ace Cafe Classic Cars night & asking people there too. |
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And I second the following points there |
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Matt, I'm gonna put most of my rants ( ) in reply to your email earlier in the week, but here's a couple that may be worthy of discussion here: 1) More UK-based stuff in the 'rust-in-piece' section. This has always been a firm favourite, but it seems to be 75% composed of stuff folk have spotted on their holidays. In my opinion this becomes a little dull after a while. There's still plenty of 'spotting' material out there - a quick perusal of any of the 'out and about' threads that feature here will show this! 2) More input on alternative / modifying scene - even the usually dire 'Classics' magazine has recently started featuring (rather too brief) reports on what's going on in certain 'circles' - eg. a recent review of the Spa Bug show. Nick. |
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I have copies of Practical Classics going back to 1984. When people were asking of a Morris minor or Austin Cambridge could really be considered a classic car rather than just an old banger.
To be honest, I used to like the magazine far better when it was an authoritive oracle of restoration tips and proper greasey work. I actually felt it lost its way when Will H & crew were there. I enjoy PPC magazine because it is what it is, a budget high performance magzine not trying to be a classic magazine. Most people I know locally in the classic club scene gave up reading it because of Will Holman and the "boy racer rust buckets".
I gave up reading Practical Classics a long time ago when I relised that most of the contributors then seemed to know less than I did! I used to love reading Barry Cade and the likes, reminded me of my grandpa and how he could fix anyting with a bent paperclip and emery paper.
I haven't even picked up a copy in a long time TBH, but until it gets real with *classic* cars I don't think I will. Some of the cars actively coveed in Retro, PPC, etc. are IMO out of place in PC magazine and I know a lot of people agree with me. Like I say most of my mates who run stock classics comment that PC has (had?) become like looking through a supermarket car park not a classic magazine. Also the "laddish" humour of the Hollman days tuned a lot of people out. I don't know what its like these days as I haven't felt moved to pick a copy up in two years or more.
I suspect there is a problem with age shift. I rememebr The Automobile used to have a strict cut off date of 1950 on any cars featured in there, and lately they have been featuring 1950s build cars...
I don't like the "big glossy" classic mags because they are mostly aimed at people who drive a Mondeo and want an XK120 or something. Or at the guy with the E-Type but a local specialist to keep it tip-top for him. I'm not sure where PC sits any more. Seems The Automobile is moving up to catch the people disaffected with too many modern cars in PC, and its a darn good magazine I have to say, just lacks that "greasy" feel of the home mechanic working on these old beasts.
Bring back the black and white pages, the print that rubbed off on your fingers, Peter Simpson, Barry Cade and Nick Larkin and maybe I'll pick up a copy.
Sorry to be negative, but you did say all comments welcome. But to me its a mag that used to be the undisputed source of all knowledge up high over the likes of Popular Classics (remember them?) and the like but has since sadly lost its way.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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I haven't even picked up a copy in a long time TBH, but until it gets real with *classic* cars I don't think I will. Bring back the black and white pages, the print that rubbed off on your fingers, Peter Simpson, Barry Cade and Nick Larkin and maybe I'll pick up a copy. But to me its a mag that used to be the undisputed source of all knowledge up high over the likes of Popular Classics (remember them?) and the like but has since sadly lost its way. Howay AlistairK, if you haven’t picked up a copy for two years, you ought to, before panning the mag. I think that all the mags – Retro, PPC and PC, can successfully satisfy different people and should not try to pinch each others readers, if they do its like all those daft bickering ford clubs collectively achieving fugg all, or like when the BBC and ITV put their ‘flagship sports event of the year’ on TV at the same time, everyone loses. I know that I will buy all 3 mags if they all have things in that interest me; it’s never a case of choosing which to buy out of the 3, I just buy the one(s) which I think have £4 worth of interest value inside. For me there is loads that PC can do to liven itself up without treading on the other mags, indeed I think it should actively try to avoid ‘pinching’ readers from the others. Kit cars, track days, engine conversions, tuning, performance upgrades etc are for other mags; collecting, restoring, using, buying, tinkering, maintaining and ‘usability’ improvements are for PC. That’s how I see it! |
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1972 Fiat 130 1985 Talbot Alpine 1974 Lancia Beta Saloon 1975 + 1986 Mazda 929 Koop + Wagon 1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica 1977 Toyota Carina TA14 BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!!! 1979 Datsun B310 Sunny 4-dr 1984 Audi 200 Quattro Turbo 1983 Honda Accord 1.6 DX GONE1989 Alfa 75 2.0 TS Mr T says: TREAT YO MOTHER RIGHT! |
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Thanks guys. That's all really useful stuff - this is one of the most active forums I've come across.
And AlistairK, please have a look at the mag again and let me know what you think.
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It won't sell more advertising, but I'd love to see more about those cars which have pretty much disappeared - Mr B's ownership list above is a good idea of what I want to read about! Spent 25 years reading about old Minors, MGBs, Jags etc - all good in their own way, but over-exposure has turned me off them somewhat. Excite and interest me with genuine discoveries, that's what is good about this place!
To me, cars only really become interesting when they've got some personality - that could be through their modifications, interesting ownership or just the passing of time and rarity. When new (or even as a concours exhibit) they're mostly just a sterile manufactured assembly of parts, cynically churned out in their thousands to make money for a big company.
That's why Jalopy was so good, the cars there had an awful lot of personality. I'm not saying I want to see PC become full of rusty clunkers (well, maybe I do?) but these cars are to me far more interesting. At least try and give lots of background on the cars featured - surely if something's survived 20-30 plus years it must have a few stories to tell?
It's always good to read the running reports, nice to seek solace in the misfortunes and adventures of others when your own car is playing up as will happen when you try and use something old as regular transport.
Make sure the people who write really know what they're talking about! I had a recent experience when I took my car to a photoshoot. Nice chap as he was, I think the writer had already written the piece, and he didn't really seem to want to know much about our cars, he didn't drive them, and he didn't spend a lot of time poking around them.
I never like it when the car is almost an accessory to a story, not the feature of it - you can always tell when the writer feels he must tell a story.
Be honest about movements and trends - say if a particular make/type of car is becoming very popular, or if the bubble has burst on something else. Again, that may not please the advertisers.....
Oh dear, poor old Matt has a lot to wade through doesn't he? But thanks for asking us!
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