Losing interest in everyday cars

[otolith]

My loft is full of car magazines. Hundreds of them, from when I was about 18 up to my mid thirties. I used to read them cover to cover. If you want a vicarious opinion of a mainstream 90's car, I can probably regurgitate one. At some point, probably when I started being able to afford to run more interesting cars, I started to lose interest. Skipping the group tests of things I didn't want, and flicking through the reviews of stuff I will never afford. Focusing on what I might actually buy. At the same time, my consumption of car mags faltered. I started flicking through them in the shop to see if there was anything worth reading, and increasingly found there wasn't. I think that may be partly because I get more information online, and partly because a really inspiring generation of journos has died out or left print media.

Is it just me?

[Sid's Dad]

No, it isn't just you. You have just described exactly how I feel too. I used to read Car magazine from cover to cover the minute it came out. Then it went all lad's mag in the noughties and I just couldn't be bothered anymore. I still have loads of them from the eighties and nineties and reading them brings back how great they were and how much I loved them.

Is it me, or them, or cars in general that have changed? Bit of all three, I guess.....

[danjama]

It's not just you. We're all different and we are all constantly changing, whether we know it or not. Changes in tastes and interests are sometimes subtle and gradual. That said, they can also be temporary. For example, i have a few hobbies that I go through a phase of giving 100% to each one and then i'll forget about it for a few months.

[55palfers]

The only car comics I buy now are a random selection of the classic ones.
I have a subscription to Classic & Sports Car.

New cars (that I could afford) really don't grab me any more.

[moribund]

Nope, not just you. I used to have an idea of the power, performance etc of most mainstream cars I saw ... now I just don't care.

Now with so many niches, so many trim levels, misleading badging, the same engine with 5 states of tune in different models etc etc it's just too much trouble to keep up.

[Patch888]

moribund said:

Nope, not just you. I used to have an idea of the power, performance etc of most mainstream cars I saw ... now I just don't care.

Now with so many niches, so many trim levels, misleading badging, the same engine with 5 states of tune in different models etc etc it's just too much trouble to keep up.

Exactly this. I cant remember the last time in purchased a car mag, used to be a couple per week.

My interest in cars hasn't faded though, however I'm now much more fonder of older motors, especially classics.

[anonymous-user]

I used to buy Evo and in the early days of the mid 90s it was brilliant. Stopped reading about 2 years ago when it went all posh watches and supercars. Then I bought Autocar but that also became boring so now I stick to American classic car mags.

[hairyben]

I think there's been a shift change in how the average man relates to a car.

20 years ago he knew at least basic stuff, how a 1.8 cavalier measured up to a 1.8 sierras performance was of the utmost importance, and BMW's got bought by those who wanted more enjoyment from driving

Now nobody knows or cares where the oil goes, we're more interested in carbons and versatile seats in our mpvs and BMW is a fashionable trim level

[chris watton]

hairyben said:

I think there's been a shift change in how the average man relates to a car.

20 years ago he knew at least basic stuff, how a 1.8 cavalier measured up to a 1.8 sierras performance was of the utmost importance, and BMW's got bought by those who wanted more enjoyment from driving

Now nobody knows or cares where the oil goes, we're more interested in carbons and versatile seats in our mpvs and BMW is a fashionable trim level

...Not all of us....

[otolith]

Have we all done that, or just some of us? Or just the people who weren't into cars in the first place?

[CHN]

hairyben said:

Now nobody knows or cares where the oil goes, we're more interested in carbons and versatile seats in our mpvs and BMW is a fashionable trim level

Its quite ironic that this post was made on Pistonheads of all places.

[otolith]

I think if you are wasting your time on here you must mostly still have some petrol head tendencies.

[turboteeth]

I lost interest when Subarus got rusty and the 320d's suddenly became the talk of the town!
The age is the decent interesting and affordable car has gone - replaced by wispy washy micro hifis on wheels

[s m]

wormus said:

I used to buy Evo and in the early days of the mid 90s it was brilliant

Definitely EVO? It didn't start till November 98

[DJFish]

I got a free run of Autocar mags after their subs dept. cold called me.
I cancelled it halfway through, dull Euroboxes.............

[Steve vRS]

And this is why the Pedal Powered forum is growing.

I still love cars but don't get the buzz I used to. I would take a day cleaning and polishing my Puma or Impreza. Now I'd rather squeeze in to my Lycra and clog up the roads

Steve

[bazza white]

I went through the same with the motor show, loved it then realised one year how boring it was. I went to another in Germany in 2011 as part of a trade show it was just so boring and uninteresting the only thing I found decent was the kia stand as I'd never looked at kia's really and was pleasantly surprised.

[Rich1973]

I am 40 now but was buying Performance car long before I was old enough to drive. I used to love reading about the Lambos and the Porsches and Ferraris as well as the group tests. Would read Every month from cover to cover. Clarkson when he had the Chattels feature on the back page was funny too.
I don't buy any car mags at all nowadays.
I think it is just a case of I have changed, and before it was all aspirational, but now I know I will never own a supercar or the like and modern run of the mill stuff doesnt interest me at all.

[BorkFactor]

Not just you, I have been losing my interest in cars over the past year or so.

I still love cars, but find myself looking at cheap Mondeos and Vectras as a contingency if my car kills itself instead of ropey S4s and Volvo T5s.

I don't really drive it fast any more either, but I still like driving it if that makes sense.

[otolith]

Is it a fortysomething thing?