Discussion
I agree.
My first sub was to Autocar, about 5 years ago. 2 Years ago I signed up for Evo too. I think in the last 1-2 years Autocar has really gone downhill. I used to read every word with a day of it arriving, but nowadays more often than not I have not finished more than 70% of the mag before the next one comes. I like the opinion pieces/columns, and maybe one or two of the stories. But I do miss the old style stuff that has been mentioned here - fastest A-B, road trips etc, it's a shame. It has been in htte back of my mind for a good year now to stop the subscription, but I do like to have a weekly fix, and I do not think there is a better weekly out there.
My first sub was to Autocar, about 5 years ago. 2 Years ago I signed up for Evo too. I think in the last 1-2 years Autocar has really gone downhill. I used to read every word with a day of it arriving, but nowadays more often than not I have not finished more than 70% of the mag before the next one comes. I like the opinion pieces/columns, and maybe one or two of the stories. But I do miss the old style stuff that has been mentioned here - fastest A-B, road trips etc, it's a shame. It has been in htte back of my mind for a good year now to stop the subscription, but I do like to have a weekly fix, and I do not think there is a better weekly out there.
I am noting all this! Thanks. The team put in an amazing amount of effort and energy into creating a magazine like ours every week, working to midnight is the norm rather than the exception and I guess it's hard to be all things to all men (and women!). That's not to say we are complacement and do look at your comments. If anyone wants to e mail me directly use paul.garlick@haynet.com. Even if it's just to abuse me for having a hairdressers car!
much prefer Autocar to that "auto express" tosh, i've been buying the mag weekly for a few years now. enjoy the road tests, first drives the ask Goodwin section and the market section in the back.
i'll continue to buy the mag as well as EVO and Top Gear, its a great weekly read IMO.
keep up the good work!
(PS feature more TVR's instead of Porsche's, i'm starting to get a bit bored of Caymans and 911's!)
i'll continue to buy the mag as well as EVO and Top Gear, its a great weekly read IMO.
keep up the good work!
(PS feature more TVR's instead of Porsche's, i'm starting to get a bit bored of Caymans and 911's!)
Edited by forthright MC on Monday 31st July 17:39
I got a "Scoop" in the magazine a while back snapping the Mini drop top long before it (officially) reached the streets and got a free subscription.
I used to flick read though the whole thing stopping mainly to read the Chris Harris column, Ask Goodwin, Sport pages, Deals (quite useful when you're buying) and then the often nteresting inside back page feature. I always found the the features (e.g. Ferrari 612 across China) weren't as in depth or as well written as in Car, Evo or Top Gear (quality of writing probably in that order too).
The sub has long since finished and I tend only to buy when it features my car (which it has a fair bit recently).
Since it's weekly it makes the News section in Evo et al look out of date.
One thing which grates ever slightly with Autocar is the sensationalism (Still want that Ferrari? style front covers), the artists impressions and the "rumour is fact" in the front of the mag e.g. Audi RS3 artists impressions under headline of 350bhp RS3 ready for imminent sign off. We're still waiting...
Otherwise a well made mag and streets ahead of Auto Express.
Funnily enough Autocar, Top Gear and Evo all received their Long Term Focus ST's at roughly the same time and John, Owen & Andy (the respective custodians) have all started posting at one of the owners forums. If you want to up the readership, simply get a long term car and let the owners forums know!
I used to flick read though the whole thing stopping mainly to read the Chris Harris column, Ask Goodwin, Sport pages, Deals (quite useful when you're buying) and then the often nteresting inside back page feature. I always found the the features (e.g. Ferrari 612 across China) weren't as in depth or as well written as in Car, Evo or Top Gear (quality of writing probably in that order too).
The sub has long since finished and I tend only to buy when it features my car (which it has a fair bit recently).
Since it's weekly it makes the News section in Evo et al look out of date.
One thing which grates ever slightly with Autocar is the sensationalism (Still want that Ferrari? style front covers), the artists impressions and the "rumour is fact" in the front of the mag e.g. Audi RS3 artists impressions under headline of 350bhp RS3 ready for imminent sign off. We're still waiting...
Otherwise a well made mag and streets ahead of Auto Express.
Funnily enough Autocar, Top Gear and Evo all received their Long Term Focus ST's at roughly the same time and John, Owen & Andy (the respective custodians) have all started posting at one of the owners forums. If you want to up the readership, simply get a long term car and let the owners forums know!
I've always been an Autocar fan, and lets face it, what other weekly is there? Autoexpress is so amazingly terrible that even a poor Autocar issue is light years ahead.
What I would say is that something has felt different in the mag over the last year to 18 months, the features seem to have shrunk and well, I just can't put my finger on it. I still enjoy it though, and I'm very happy with my free subscription after snapping a Mazda 6 MPS on test.
EVO remains my favourite mag though, CAR just gets worse and worse, and Top Gear is Top Gear. So Autocar still has a place for me, just.
What I would say is that something has felt different in the mag over the last year to 18 months, the features seem to have shrunk and well, I just can't put my finger on it. I still enjoy it though, and I'm very happy with my free subscription after snapping a Mazda 6 MPS on test.
EVO remains my favourite mag though, CAR just gets worse and worse, and Top Gear is Top Gear. So Autocar still has a place for me, just.
Paul, many thanks for sticking your head above the parapet and declaring your job with Autocar.
My thoughts are that Autocar is now becoming a "news rag" in the mould of Auto Express, rather than a weekly car magazine with feature writing.
I am currently browsing through my vast collection of back issues, and have just finished the article about the undercover shots & feature on the Sultan of Brunei's garage. That was a great article...
I refer back to my old issues from years ago occasionally (I have them going back to "The Motor", then "Autocar & Motor" then "Autocar"
and it feeds a gentle nostalgia kick - like reading the Road Test of the "Food King" V8 powered shopping trolley, with Mr Goodwin in the kiddy seat about 20' off the ground...
I currently subscribe to:
Evo
Octane
Top Gear
Classic & Sportscar
Autocar
Mini World
Stuff
amongst others...
Autocar is the one that has the axe hanging over it in this household. As has been mentioned, if I just want the news, I'm on PistonHeads daily - I can get the news here, rather than waiting until Tues / Wed / Thurs for Autocar to arrive, to tell me the news from last week. Also it's poor show that until recently the GP coverage was a week late! Looking back to older issues they seemed to manage to cover the GP and get the mag out for a Wednesday as well - I'm sure that the mid to late 80's are in a pre email era as well.
Don't even get me started on the Sideways day being moved to Brands Hatch as well :grr:
Hope that you take my ramblings in the good nature they are intended, and please pass on my best wishes to all the team
but more feature stories please...
Let Mssrs Harris, Goodwin & Frankel have a few quid and a fuel card and see how far they get around Europe for say £1000 - etc.
Best regards
Chris
My thoughts are that Autocar is now becoming a "news rag" in the mould of Auto Express, rather than a weekly car magazine with feature writing.
I am currently browsing through my vast collection of back issues, and have just finished the article about the undercover shots & feature on the Sultan of Brunei's garage. That was a great article...
I refer back to my old issues from years ago occasionally (I have them going back to "The Motor", then "Autocar & Motor" then "Autocar"
and it feeds a gentle nostalgia kick - like reading the Road Test of the "Food King" V8 powered shopping trolley, with Mr Goodwin in the kiddy seat about 20' off the ground... I currently subscribe to:
Evo
Octane
Top Gear
Classic & Sportscar
Autocar
Mini World
Stuff
amongst others...
Autocar is the one that has the axe hanging over it in this household. As has been mentioned, if I just want the news, I'm on PistonHeads daily - I can get the news here, rather than waiting until Tues / Wed / Thurs for Autocar to arrive, to tell me the news from last week. Also it's poor show that until recently the GP coverage was a week late! Looking back to older issues they seemed to manage to cover the GP and get the mag out for a Wednesday as well - I'm sure that the mid to late 80's are in a pre email era as well.
Don't even get me started on the Sideways day being moved to Brands Hatch as well :grr:
Hope that you take my ramblings in the good nature they are intended, and please pass on my best wishes to all the team
but more feature stories please... Let Mssrs Harris, Goodwin & Frankel have a few quid and a fuel card and see how far they get around Europe for say £1000 - etc.
Best regards
Chris
i am glad i posted this now.
autocar is unique in being a good weekly and it has soooo much history that i think we genuinely all want it to continue to succeed.
the likes of harris, for example, can write some interesting stuff and certainly exude car enthusiasm. david vivian has a very unique style and is clearly more of an enthusiast than a true "hand" to coin harris and that appeals to me. goodwin is a grease monkey equivalent to vivian. cropley is the last of the old skool. having sat alongside sutcliffe on the sideways challenge he is anther "hand". i really miss peter robinson but otherwise autocar has some of the best writers.
auto expess is sh1t. you don't need to [/]compete with them!
i hope all this does help and i hope you forgive me cheap joke!!
autocar is unique in being a good weekly and it has soooo much history that i think we genuinely all want it to continue to succeed.
the likes of harris, for example, can write some interesting stuff and certainly exude car enthusiasm. david vivian has a very unique style and is clearly more of an enthusiast than a true "hand" to coin harris and that appeals to me. goodwin is a grease monkey equivalent to vivian. cropley is the last of the old skool. having sat alongside sutcliffe on the sideways challenge he is anther "hand". i really miss peter robinson but otherwise autocar has some of the best writers.
auto expess is sh1t. you don't need to [/]compete with them!
i hope all this does help and i hope you forgive me cheap joke!!
AndyWoodall said:
I've always been an Autocar fan, and lets face it, what other weekly is there? Autoexpress is so amazingly terrible that even a poor Autocar issue is light years ahead.
What I would say is that something has felt different in the mag over the last year to 18 months, the features seem to have shrunk and well, I just can't put my finger on it. I still enjoy it though, and I'm very happy with my free subscription after snapping a Mazda 6 MPS on test.
EVO remains my favourite mag though, CAR just gets worse and worse, and Top Gear is Top Gear. So Autocar still has a place for me, just.
What I would say is that something has felt different in the mag over the last year to 18 months, the features seem to have shrunk and well, I just can't put my finger on it. I still enjoy it though, and I'm very happy with my free subscription after snapping a Mazda 6 MPS on test.
EVO remains my favourite mag though, CAR just gets worse and worse, and Top Gear is Top Gear. So Autocar still has a place for me, just.
yes, that's exactly how i feel. It has just got more superficial I think.
I used to get Autocar on occasion, however I now find it too 'tabloid', with too many 'scoops' (which as has been said are on the internet now) and not enough articles/reviews/group-tests (which I buy the magazines for) to justify the cover price as compared to the monthly's.
I would agree on the pedigree of the writers, though...even if I don't always agree with them, they have a way with words that appeals.
TG and AE aren't on the list ever, and Car WAS good but has gone downhill, bar the photography. I've just cancelled my subs to PPC as I felt it was getting too 'samey', and on occasion lacked technical rigour or made inaccurate comments.
What IS missing from car journalism is anyone comparing cars at 2,3,4 years old - how they've lasted the miles, what's fallen off, what residuals are like, etc. etc. There are as many people (more?) who buy 2nd hand than buy new...yet there's no-one (except Parkers to a limited degree) who will tell you whether an Audi or a Honda feels more solid after 3 years, or whether those horror stories about 2nd-hand Fords still ring true or not. All the magazine long-termers get handed back after 6mths - 1yr.
I would agree on the pedigree of the writers, though...even if I don't always agree with them, they have a way with words that appeals.
TG and AE aren't on the list ever, and Car WAS good but has gone downhill, bar the photography. I've just cancelled my subs to PPC as I felt it was getting too 'samey', and on occasion lacked technical rigour or made inaccurate comments.
What IS missing from car journalism is anyone comparing cars at 2,3,4 years old - how they've lasted the miles, what's fallen off, what residuals are like, etc. etc. There are as many people (more?) who buy 2nd hand than buy new...yet there's no-one (except Parkers to a limited degree) who will tell you whether an Audi or a Honda feels more solid after 3 years, or whether those horror stories about 2nd-hand Fords still ring true or not. All the magazine long-termers get handed back after 6mths - 1yr.
havoc said:
I used to get Autocar on occasion, however I now find it too 'tabloid', with too many 'scoops' (which as has been said are on the internet now) and not enough articles/reviews/group-tests (which I buy the magazines for) to justify the cover price as compared to the monthly's.
I would agree on the pedigree of the writers, though...even if I don't always agree with them, they have a way with words that appeals.
TG and AE aren't on the list ever, and Car WAS good but has gone downhill, bar the photography. I've just cancelled my subs to PPC as I felt it was getting too 'samey', and on occasion lacked technical rigour or made inaccurate comments.
What IS missing from car journalism is anyone comparing cars at 2,3,4 years old - how they've lasted the miles, what's fallen off, what residuals are like, etc. etc. There are as many people (more?) who buy 2nd hand than buy new...yet there's no-one (except Parkers to a limited degree) who will tell you whether an Audi or a Honda feels more solid after 3 years, or whether those horror stories about 2nd-hand Fords still ring true or not. All the magazine long-termers get handed back after 6mths - 1yr.
I would agree on the pedigree of the writers, though...even if I don't always agree with them, they have a way with words that appeals.
TG and AE aren't on the list ever, and Car WAS good but has gone downhill, bar the photography. I've just cancelled my subs to PPC as I felt it was getting too 'samey', and on occasion lacked technical rigour or made inaccurate comments.
What IS missing from car journalism is anyone comparing cars at 2,3,4 years old - how they've lasted the miles, what's fallen off, what residuals are like, etc. etc. There are as many people (more?) who buy 2nd hand than buy new...yet there's no-one (except Parkers to a limited degree) who will tell you whether an Audi or a Honda feels more solid after 3 years, or whether those horror stories about 2nd-hand Fords still ring true or not. All the magazine long-termers get handed back after 6mths - 1yr.
Totally agree. I will always buy a high end car which is five or so years old. Next one is a five year old Turbo/GT3. Would love to read of owners experiences. EVO did something like this with a 993 - fascinating.
As long as it never, EVER, turns in to the pile-o-shite that is 'Intersection', which I was duped in to buying recently, I'll carry on buying Autocar.
www.intersectionmagazine.com/
Has anyone else seen this? My god it's bad.
www.intersectionmagazine.com/
Has anyone else seen this? My god it's bad.
I have bought Autocar (and about every other bloody car magazine worth their salt!) for years. I think I have missed about 5 Autosport's since 1979 as an example, and my wife thinks I am trying to turn our lounge into a doctors waiting room each week! Autocar has changed a lot over the years though not all of the changes have been for the better. Car magazines have to change with the times, but if you look at the basic mistake Motorsport made when it changed its cover from green to white/red, you can see an example of a bad move. Nice to see that back to its old colours and now it catches my eye again!
I really believe Autocar needs to change its focus on Photoshop sensations and headlines which seem to mirror the tabloid approach to journalism. Shout it loud, care little for its basis in fact (an impression) or cloud the fact its conjecture and hear say but ensure it catches the eye! The problem Autocar faces like most of the magazines out there, is that any true petrol head will often be just as informed (about the major news stories coming form the manufacturers) as the journalists because we get all the press releases and see all the news articles they see, often at the same time as them, or certainly by the time the mag hits the shelves. Because of this detail, clarity and insight needs to be the component delivered by the mags yet so many, Autocar sometimes included seem happy to take a press cutting an stick it into their pages as a news story. That is not good enough and I personally would rather have less news and more insight.
Lets have detail, lets have real insight, lets have less 'Clarkson' type hysteria and false passion. We seem in the last few years to have a big increase in pictures and images and a serious decrease in content or old fashioned words. To me Autocar is committing the cardinal sin of an informed and content weak magazine, its is becoming very predictable.
To my eyes, it had been the best car magazine out there. Today I don't think it is and that is sad. A few ideas for you...
1: Pick a manufacuturer each weak and focus on its range, its history, its nuggets of gold and its dogs. You can map marketing around that, map adverts to pay its way and perhaps get input from the manufacturers themselves.
2: Lets see some real people in real cars not stars in crappy cars. It would be nice to pull together a load of readers/drivers of the cars in point 1 and get them to drive the cars past and present of their manufacturer of choice. An insight from the drivers of the cars perhaps...
3: What about an article about the manufactures who feed the public the most crap of false stories, if your brave enough.
4: What about (as one example) an article on the Speed 6 engine from TVR. This site is your source, lets have some truth and lets push TVR to answer some tough questions rather than posting news stories about 'how they say' they are better. Could do the same with Porsche and their warranty woes outline on this site.
I could go on (and on and on) and would welcome a discussion because at the moment your magazine is not lighting my fire though luckily for you I will still buy it because, as my wife keeps telling me, I am addicted to magazines!
I really believe Autocar needs to change its focus on Photoshop sensations and headlines which seem to mirror the tabloid approach to journalism. Shout it loud, care little for its basis in fact (an impression) or cloud the fact its conjecture and hear say but ensure it catches the eye! The problem Autocar faces like most of the magazines out there, is that any true petrol head will often be just as informed (about the major news stories coming form the manufacturers) as the journalists because we get all the press releases and see all the news articles they see, often at the same time as them, or certainly by the time the mag hits the shelves. Because of this detail, clarity and insight needs to be the component delivered by the mags yet so many, Autocar sometimes included seem happy to take a press cutting an stick it into their pages as a news story. That is not good enough and I personally would rather have less news and more insight.
Lets have detail, lets have real insight, lets have less 'Clarkson' type hysteria and false passion. We seem in the last few years to have a big increase in pictures and images and a serious decrease in content or old fashioned words. To me Autocar is committing the cardinal sin of an informed and content weak magazine, its is becoming very predictable.
To my eyes, it had been the best car magazine out there. Today I don't think it is and that is sad. A few ideas for you...
1: Pick a manufacuturer each weak and focus on its range, its history, its nuggets of gold and its dogs. You can map marketing around that, map adverts to pay its way and perhaps get input from the manufacturers themselves.
2: Lets see some real people in real cars not stars in crappy cars. It would be nice to pull together a load of readers/drivers of the cars in point 1 and get them to drive the cars past and present of their manufacturer of choice. An insight from the drivers of the cars perhaps...
3: What about an article about the manufactures who feed the public the most crap of false stories, if your brave enough.
4: What about (as one example) an article on the Speed 6 engine from TVR. This site is your source, lets have some truth and lets push TVR to answer some tough questions rather than posting news stories about 'how they say' they are better. Could do the same with Porsche and their warranty woes outline on this site.
I could go on (and on and on) and would welcome a discussion because at the moment your magazine is not lighting my fire though luckily for you I will still buy it because, as my wife keeps telling me, I am addicted to magazines!
Edited by housemaster on Tuesday 1st August 17:23
garlick said:
Afternoon
I am really pleased this thread has gone so well- ta to those who have e mailed me. I may want to meet with some of you in the future as I find your comments really interesting- do you have any meets planned in near future??
G
I am really pleased this thread has gone so well- ta to those who have e mailed me. I may want to meet with some of you in the future as I find your comments really interesting- do you have any meets planned in near future??
G
Why not organise an evening in a pub and mail a few of us. Sure we'd be delighted to discuss this stuff over a few ales.
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