Car Mags... are they crap or am I now losing interest?

[Tengocity]

I have been a subscriber to Car Magazine since the late 90s, have every month going back to then. I've also subscribed to EVO for about 10 years too. I used to pick up a Autocar every month or so too.

I realised that I've not bought an Autocar for about 2 years, and that I've not read the last 4-5 months of Car. I still enjoy EVO, and I probably do watch more You Tube content these days than I used to.

I can't decide whether CAR is just crap and boring these days, and it's certainly nowhere nearly as good as it used to be, or whether I am losing interest in cars generally. I used to watch and read everything voraciously, but now much of it is Meh.

I do think one issue is electric cars - the more I read about them the more bored I get. Am I just turning in to a typical middle aged bloke... stuck in my ways, stuck in the past?! Not that I'm finding Octane any better!

Please don't get me wrong about electric cars, they're ideal for daily use, but that white goods thing is not why I love cars.

 

[moonstone]

I prefer online content. Last time I subscribed to Evo, I ended up with a pile of unread issues that I just binned without reading.

 

[boba fett]

I have not read a car mag for years, only real time I’d buy one was if I was going on holiday and bought a read for the plane, but that was prior to good in flight entertainment and iPads!

 

[StuartK]

Best to watch on TV or YouTube.

 

[G50]

I've been subscribed to EVO for the last couple of years, before that just buying it regularly for the features I wanted to read. I actively try to reduce my screen time, as its so tempting at every bit of spare time to just sit on YouTube for hours and then hate yourself for wasting so much time.
Its hard and sometimes I realise I have a couple of issues that haven't been read, but then I take an hour off WFH with a brew, and feel much better for it afterwards. Same could be said for any book, sure, but I still really enjoy reading EVO, it's a great mag and I find that what I get out of cars aligns with the ethos of the team much more than any other mag. Driving enjoyment over aesthetics and brand prestige.

I don't think I've ever read CAR, I just enjoy the writing (and videos) from Jethro, Dickie Meaden, Catchpole, Steve Sutcliffe and Richard Porter too much to look elsewhere.

Tengocity, maybe you feel you've peaked with your car ownership, and those mags that are just relaying stats of new cars, especially those that are mainly focusing on that next piece of unobtainium don't pique your interest anymore.

I know I skip the supercar/hyper car articles these days, much more interested in articles about cars like a BBR Mx5, or Birds m140i which EVO do regularly.

 

[Grunty-Motor]

I stopped buying car/bike mags years ago - anything i am interested in is online way before it is in a mag

 

[Tengocity]

I've been subscribed to EVO for the last couple of years, before that just buying it regularly for the features I wanted to read. I actively try to reduce my screen time, as its so tempting at every bit of spare time to just sit on YouTube for hours and then hate yourself for wasting so much time.
Its hard and sometimes I realise I have a couple of issues that haven't been read, but then I take an hour off WFH with a brew, and feel much better for it afterwards. Same could be said for any book, sure, but I still really enjoy reading EVO, it's a great mag and I find that what I get out of cars aligns with the ethos of the team much more than any other mag. Driving enjoyment over aesthetics and brand prestige.

I don't think I've ever read CAR, I just enjoy the writing (and videos) from Jethro, Dickie Meaden, Catchpole, Steve Sutcliffe and Richard Porter too much to look elsewhere.

Tengocity, maybe you feel you've peaked with your car ownership, and those mags that are just relaying stats of new cars, especially those that are mainly focusing on that next piece of unobtainium don't pique your interest anymore.

I know I skip the supercar/hyper car articles these days, much more interested in articles about cars like a BBR Mx5, or Birds m140i which EVO do regularly.

I do think Evo is by far and away the best, and I do still enjoy it, but it really feels like an exception now.

It's an interesting point - peak car... I'm not sure exactly what it means, but I suspect I've reached the "nicest" car that I think I would want to own. Super luxury doesn't do anythign for me, and in terms of sports cars I need to spend a lot more money to "improve" on the GT4, and it's improvements that I am not that interested in, like straight line speed that can't be used properly on the road.

So, same here, super cars and such like are not so interesting. I find it hard to get excited by Electric cars, certainly not enough to read about them in my spare time.

 

[Senna11]

I have the Readly app. Thinks it’s £8 a month and you get all the car magazines you want updated each month plus back issues. Get one month free to try at the moment.

 

[225]

I do think Evo is by far and away the best, and I do still enjoy it, but it really feels like an exception now.

It's an interesting point - peak car... I'm not sure exactly what it means, but I suspect I've reached the "nicest" car that I think I would want to own. Super luxury doesn't do anythign for me, and in terms of sports cars I need to spend a lot more money to "improve" on the GT4, and it's improvements that I am not that interested in, like straight line speed that can't be used properly on the road.

So, same here, super cars and such like are not so interesting. I find it hard to get excited by Electric cars, certainly not enough to read about them in my spare time.

I have been thinking the same for a while now. I have been an evo subscriber for god knows how many years now and even that is only read when I think about it. The Autocar etc may have an interesting cover every now and again but 95% of the time it's the latest electric mpv, super mini, cross over etc etc which I have zero interest in.

 

[Wolverine]

I’ve been buying The Road Rat “magazines” though they are more like coffee table books. I like the approach and the quality of the print is top notch. Expensive at £15 an issue (quarterly) plus postage but I think a subscription is still £48 or so.
It’s worth a go to be honest and you can probably get some back issues if you wanted to work through the content. My issue 10 arrived yesterday so I’ll be settling down with that at some point over the weekend.

 

[Tengocity]

I’ve been buying The Road Rat “magazines” though they are more like coffee table books. I like the approach and the quality of the print is top notch. Expensive at £15 an issue (quarterly) plus postage but I think a subscription is still £48 or so.
It’s worth a go to be honest and you can probably get some back issues if you wanted to work through the content. My issue 10 arrived yesterday so I’ll be settling down with that at some point over the weekend.

I actually ordered the back catalogue about 6 months ago and they're all sitting on my shelf! I should start reading them I suppose, but felt like I ought to catch back up on the last few Car and Evos that I hadn't got round to reading yet.

 

[rasa99]

i get a free monthly sub of "CAR" with lloyds bank..i only read the readrs ltters and bits about performance of each car,all electric shite,

 

[Blacktemplar]

I occasionally pick up a random selection of car mags, usually What Car, Auto Car, EVO or Auto Express - they are exclusively for ablutionary use, residing in the loo for those late evening sessions when looking at a phone/tablet isn't appropriate. I have the attention span of a goldfish by that time of day, so short punchy articles about performance or technology are about all I can manage. I can't be arsed with the endless articles about incremental changes in battery technology, or worthy but dull mainstream family motors though.

Auto Car is my least favourite - the endless speculative 'Autocar Images' predicting what this or that new or revised vehicle will look like are just annoying

 

[Ennoch]

I don't read anything now except Evo, and even they're rarely read within two months of coming through the door. I've got all issues from 50 to present so I suspect when it hits 300 I'll cancel. That said the recent interview with Lee Noble reminded me why I started reading it in the first place. My interests have definitely changed in that time, especially as I started reading it just as I was beginning to drive, whereas now I've owned a bunch of cars that have been featured in it and realised that they're not all they're cracked up to be, and that I really can't bring myself to spend the money some people do on cars. Hell, I got more excited about seeing an old Mk3 Escort the other day with faded paintwork (i.e not a restored one!) than seeing any new performance car, whether from BMW, Audi or anyone else. I used to read Practical Performance Car a lot but never subscribed so when I stopped going into places that sold it, I stopped reading it. The difference with Evo is I got a year's free sub from Harry M years ago at the Autosport show and just carried it on, so out of ease it's still coming through the door. If I didn't have the sub I'd have probably stopped reading it years ago too.

The thing is, I haven't replaced them with online, I just don't read anything about cars as I'm just not interested in reading about them unless I'm about to buy something. Even then it tends to be forums for all the common faults to look out for. It's the same with the mtb press, even when I was working in it I didn't read any of it because most of it was unmitigated nonsense - I should know, I used to be forced into rooms with lots of the journo's on a regular basis and realised how much they didn't have a clue, or couldn't ride for shit. And a lot of the motoring press is, I suspect, similar.

I guess I just prefer to go out and do things rather than read about them, particularly for materialistic stuff. I still read plenty, it just tends to be books etc

 

[Tengocity]

I used to be forced into rooms with lots of the journo's on a regular basis and realised how much they didn't have a clue, or couldn't ride for shit. And a lot of the motoring press is, I suspect, similar.

I guess I just prefer to go out and do things rather than read about them, particularly for materialistic stuff. I still read plenty, it just tends to be books etc

Two interesting points - I suspect the journos I like are the ones that can actually drive - Harris, Catchpole, Frankel, Bovingdon. Generally the Evo ones! The mass motoring media I am not at all convinced by, and their technical knowledge is even worse.

On the second point I really need to sort my reading material out. I've stoped reading books, not because I don't want to - I have a pile of books waiting to be read - but I just never have time because I'm always "behind" on magazines and other periodic material I read. I need a brutal cull!

I am not bad at getting out and doing other stuff, but I am in need of a new hobby to get engrossed in to.

 

[Blacktemplar]

Car magazines in the bog, books for bed time - simples!

I can’t do without a book, feels unnatural. Don’t really do fiction anymore, mostly geopolitics, cycling/motoring, history/exploration and selected travel these days.

 

[G50]

Car magazines in the bog, books for bed time - simples!

I can’t do without a book, feels unnatural. Don’t really do fiction anymore, mostly geopolitics, cycling/motoring, history/exploration and selected travel these days.

Can feel a "what book do read" thread coming on

 

[Blacktemplar]

Can feel a "what book do read" thread coming on

And as if by magic.......

https://www.deutschespeed.com/threads/what-book-do-read-recommend.733/