Evo magazine - seems like everyone's leaving
Discussion
I've bought every issue of Evo since day 1 and still have them all. I've been gradually losing interest in reading it for the last couple of years, and can't quite put my finger on why. I used to read it cover to cover, now I just cherry pick items to read.
I'm not sure if it is the quality of writing, the type of cars, the nature of the articles, but I have been thinking of cancelling for a while and haven't quite talked myself into it, but I think I finally have now.
Having read about what you get with Readly for £7.99 per month, this seems great value indeed in comparison, as there is so much else I can read as well. I do like to have a printed copy, but storage is a pain so on-line reading seems a sensible idea on the whole.
I used to like ECOTY and even that now seems to have become dull with another Porsche win, arbitrary reasons why certain cars aren't included, as well as featuring cars you can't buy. Also this month the buying guide is for a Diesel 3 series!
Sorry EVO I'm out. At least I won't have to worry about storing the next 200 odd copies.
I'm not sure if it is the quality of writing, the type of cars, the nature of the articles, but I have been thinking of cancelling for a while and haven't quite talked myself into it, but I think I finally have now.
Having read about what you get with Readly for £7.99 per month, this seems great value indeed in comparison, as there is so much else I can read as well. I do like to have a printed copy, but storage is a pain so on-line reading seems a sensible idea on the whole.
I used to like ECOTY and even that now seems to have become dull with another Porsche win, arbitrary reasons why certain cars aren't included, as well as featuring cars you can't buy. Also this month the buying guide is for a Diesel 3 series!
Sorry EVO I'm out. At least I won't have to worry about storing the next 200 odd copies.
garreth64 said:
I've bought every issue of Evo since day 1 and still have them all. I've been gradually losing interest in reading it for the last couple of years, and can't quite put my finger on why. I used to read it cover to cover, now I just cherry pick items to read.
I'm not sure if it is the quality of writing, the type of cars, the nature of the articles, but I have been thinking of cancelling for a while and haven't quite talked myself into it, but I think I finally have now.
Having read about what you get with Readly for £7.99 per month, this seems great value indeed in comparison, as there is so much else I can read as well. I do like to have a printed copy, but storage is a pain so on-line reading seems a sensible idea on the whole.
I used to like ECOTY and even that now seems to have become dull with another Porsche win, arbitrary reasons why certain cars aren't included, as well as featuring cars you can't buy. Also this month the buying guide is for a Diesel 3 series!
Sorry EVO I'm out. At least I won't have to worry about storing the next 200 odd copies.
I remember my first ever Evo magazine, the year is 2001 my dad had a saab 900 turbo se with a sensonic gearbox - well, the gearbox shat itself and we were stuck waiting to be recovered in a petrol station for an afternoon. Dad returns from the shop with Evo, Car and top gear mag to keep us occupied. I proceed to spend the afternoon glued to Evo after having spent 5 mins flicking through the other two. I was hooked immediately and have been a subscriber ever since, but I know what you mean. I don't read the articles through and through like I used to, I think the writing style has changed massively, possibly a bit too advertising speak as opposed to having a chat with your mate who happens to be a complete petrolhead. Thats what the mag used to feel like to me, like going down the pub and having 15 different super passionate people fighting over themselves, over what layout/engine/brand was the most fun. I'm not rushing to cancel, but it is in the forefront of my mind that I may do in the future.I'm not sure if it is the quality of writing, the type of cars, the nature of the articles, but I have been thinking of cancelling for a while and haven't quite talked myself into it, but I think I finally have now.
Having read about what you get with Readly for £7.99 per month, this seems great value indeed in comparison, as there is so much else I can read as well. I do like to have a printed copy, but storage is a pain so on-line reading seems a sensible idea on the whole.
I used to like ECOTY and even that now seems to have become dull with another Porsche win, arbitrary reasons why certain cars aren't included, as well as featuring cars you can't buy. Also this month the buying guide is for a Diesel 3 series!
Sorry EVO I'm out. At least I won't have to worry about storing the next 200 odd copies.
I even remember the issue!!
Edited by lestiq on Monday 31st October 16:22
Ali_T said:
I religiously bought every issue but sold them all years ago. Great magazine to grow up reading. Most of what I know about classics I got from reading that! Have to agree about Evo and Car as well. I bought every issue of Evo for the first 10 years but rarely bother now. I don't happen to like Porsches or German super saloons so that immediately makes 75% of it immaterial to me. Car is the most painful to watch. I first bought it in the late 80s and religiously bought every issue but, this month, I've decided only to bother if there's anything worth reading in it. My complete collection will be going on eBay, minus anything interesting I want to keep.
I bought my first Car in '67 and it was a revelation to a car mad 14 year old who loved to read; a few years ago I bought the complete set from launch in 63ish to 67 and they are still superb- brilliant design and top drawer writing. The last copy I read in a waiting room was almost beyond parody it was so dire. Gavin Green still excellent but God above , they pay French - Constantt to write quite so badly ? Glib , painful similes - I think Setright or Blain would have put him in permanent detention garreth64 said:
Sorry EVO I'm out. At least I won't have to worry about storing the next 200 odd copies.
iSore said:
Ha!
The other thing about classic mags is that they try to gloss over the fact that some cars were absolute crap when new (see: MGC) with a 'they weren't that bad really'. Read a 1970 edition of CAR and you'll realise the Mark III Cortina was in fact a steaming turd. LJKS wrote an article damning the AC Cobra as being utterly horrid to drive - you won't read this in C&SC.
I buy the odd copy, and Buckley is the first bit I read. He doesn't give a s
t and says what needs to be said.
I remember that Cobra article. I thought LJKS was a bThe other thing about classic mags is that they try to gloss over the fact that some cars were absolute crap when new (see: MGC) with a 'they weren't that bad really'. Read a 1970 edition of CAR and you'll realise the Mark III Cortina was in fact a steaming turd. LJKS wrote an article damning the AC Cobra as being utterly horrid to drive - you won't read this in C&SC.
I buy the odd copy, and Buckley is the first bit I read. He doesn't give a s
t and says what needs to be said.d - I'd drooled over a Cobra until that article. He wrote some truly wonderful stuff. Back seats cramped = fit only for bicrural amputees.coppice said:
I bought my first Car in '67 and it was a revelation to a car mad 14 year old who loved to read; a few years ago I bought the complete set from launch in 63ish to 67 and they are still superb- brilliant design and top drawer writing. The last copy I read in a waiting room was almost beyond parody it was so dire. Gavin Green still excellent but God above , they pay French - Constantt to write quite so badly ? Glib , painful similes - I think Setright or Blain would have put him in permanent detention
Green was good, but for me he marked the very beginnings of CAR becoming 'trendy' when he became editor. LJKS became far too verbose in old age sadly. Bulgin was a truly great writer, but not a particularly nice human being. I had the displeasure of having to ring him once. Autocar and MOTOR both had some great writers - Stuart Bladon and Jeff Daniels were both excellent. Now we have Steve fking Cropley.I have no idea who writes for/edits CAR now and even less interest. I'm sure it will involve some trendy called Ben.
lestiq said:
garreth64 said:
I've bought every issue of Evo since day 1 and still have them all. I've been gradually losing interest in reading it for the last couple of years, and can't quite put my finger on why. I used to read it cover to cover, now I just cherry pick items to read.
I'm not sure if it is the quality of writing, the type of cars, the nature of the articles, but I have been thinking of cancelling for a while and haven't quite talked myself into it, but I think I finally have now.
Having read about what you get with Readly for £7.99 per month, this seems great value indeed in comparison, as there is so much else I can read as well. I do like to have a printed copy, but storage is a pain so on-line reading seems a sensible idea on the whole.
I used to like ECOTY and even that now seems to have become dull with another Porsche win, arbitrary reasons why certain cars aren't included, as well as featuring cars you can't buy. Also this month the buying guide is for a Diesel 3 series!
Sorry EVO I'm out. At least I won't have to worry about storing the next 200 odd copies.
I remember my first ever Evo magazine, the year is 2001 my dad had a saab 900 turbo se with a sensonic gearbox - well, the gearbox shat itself and we were stuck waiting to be recovered in a petrol station for an afternoon. Dad returns from the shop with Evo, Car and top gear mag to keep us occupied. I proceed to spend the afternoon glued to Evo after having spent 5 mins flicking through the other two. I was hooked immediately and have been a subscriber ever since, but I know what you mean. I don't read the articles through and through like I used to, I think the writing style has changed massively, possibly a bit too advertising speak as opposed to having a chat with your mate who happens to be a complete petrolhead. Thats what the mag used to feel like to me, like going down the pub and having 15 different super passionate people fighting over themselves, over what layout/engine/brand was the most fun. I'm not rushing to cancel, but it is in the forefront of my mind that I may do in the future.I'm not sure if it is the quality of writing, the type of cars, the nature of the articles, but I have been thinking of cancelling for a while and haven't quite talked myself into it, but I think I finally have now.
Having read about what you get with Readly for £7.99 per month, this seems great value indeed in comparison, as there is so much else I can read as well. I do like to have a printed copy, but storage is a pain so on-line reading seems a sensible idea on the whole.
I used to like ECOTY and even that now seems to have become dull with another Porsche win, arbitrary reasons why certain cars aren't included, as well as featuring cars you can't buy. Also this month the buying guide is for a Diesel 3 series!
Sorry EVO I'm out. At least I won't have to worry about storing the next 200 odd copies.
I even remember the issue!!
Edited by lestiq on Monday 31st October 16:22
Anyway, after 2001 I thought slowly but surely it went down hill. Too much concentration on porsches and supercars... It was still pretty good until Meaden and Bovington left to do Driver Republic. When they came back, I felt it was like they came back skulking with their tails between their legs and it was never the same!
<Ken Livingston soundalike voice>
Why has nobody mentioned What Car?
</Ken Livingston soundalike voice>
I think that people of a certain age's perspective on Print is just because that's what they're used to.
Magazines of today won't be remembered fondly by 2046's 50 year olds as they will be so used to screen navigation and manipulation that the sensory feel and columned layout of a magazine in the hands won't have the pull it does for many people on here.
Print is dying fast, it's all going on line
Bills, bank statements, even junk mail.
Food: Just-eat ( the internet equivalent of the pile of menus in the "Drawer of things that have no place" in the kitchen)
Local business: advertising on checkatrade, FB and Google, not in the paper shop window and yellow pages
Even billboards are starting to go LED.
I could go on but it would be more dull than I just have been.
Times move on, we're not sat in a smoky pub spouting all this pointless ste to our next door neighbour who we went to school with are we?
I hope Drive tribe does well, and is free to the end user.
And I look forward to it's VR test drives available in 3 year's time.
If I can remember where I put my goggle thingies.
Why has nobody mentioned What Car?
</Ken Livingston soundalike voice>
I think that people of a certain age's perspective on Print is just because that's what they're used to.
Magazines of today won't be remembered fondly by 2046's 50 year olds as they will be so used to screen navigation and manipulation that the sensory feel and columned layout of a magazine in the hands won't have the pull it does for many people on here.
Print is dying fast, it's all going on line
Bills, bank statements, even junk mail.
Food: Just-eat ( the internet equivalent of the pile of menus in the "Drawer of things that have no place" in the kitchen)
Local business: advertising on checkatrade, FB and Google, not in the paper shop window and yellow pages
Even billboards are starting to go LED.
I could go on but it would be more dull than I just have been.
Times move on, we're not sat in a smoky pub spouting all this pointless s
te to our next door neighbour who we went to school with are we?I hope Drive tribe does well, and is free to the end user.
And I look forward to it's VR test drives available in 3 year's time.
If I can remember where I put my goggle thingies.
See I must be one of the optimists you read about, I see the demise of the quality over quantity an opportunity for quality writing/photography to shine. Why bother paying for something that you can get for free right? In ten years when all print based media is dead and we have to pay for access to online copy (the business model has to get money from somewhere, or we may as well just read readers cars threads - which incidentally, some are flipping amazing) We are in a major transition phase, so many things are being held onto for dear life by a generation not prepared to let it go. Until that generation has let go, we will be in limbo.
I'll echo the previous comments on both evo and car.
Most of the articles in both read like 'advertorials' these days. Used to buy car fairly religiosly, but haven't bothered in over a year. Last copy of evo I bought was ecoty from last year, and that was only becuase I saw them filming it up by Kylesku.
To be fair, I think the writing is still a decent standard compared to some of the other dross out there(last copy of classic ford I picked up read like a school magazine), I just think all the imagination has gone out of the articles. There's only so kany times you can write about the latest porsche 911 or BMW M3(4?) Before you start repeating yourself.
I think the biggest problem for both of them are they are now fully restricted to writing about new cars as they are part of publishing houses with other car titles in their catalogue. Part of Evo's appeal when it first came was that they looked at all performance cars, not just the latest and greatest. CAR used to be very good a producing articles that made manafacturers squirm. Don't suppose they are allowed to do that these days as it 'will be bad for business' as most magazines virtually rely on advertising revenue to stay afloat.
Most of the articles in both read like 'advertorials' these days. Used to buy car fairly religiosly, but haven't bothered in over a year. Last copy of evo I bought was ecoty from last year, and that was only becuase I saw them filming it up by Kylesku.
To be fair, I think the writing is still a decent standard compared to some of the other dross out there(last copy of classic ford I picked up read like a school magazine), I just think all the imagination has gone out of the articles. There's only so kany times you can write about the latest porsche 911 or BMW M3(4?) Before you start repeating yourself.
I think the biggest problem for both of them are they are now fully restricted to writing about new cars as they are part of publishing houses with other car titles in their catalogue. Part of Evo's appeal when it first came was that they looked at all performance cars, not just the latest and greatest. CAR used to be very good a producing articles that made manafacturers squirm. Don't suppose they are allowed to do that these days as it 'will be bad for business' as most magazines virtually rely on advertising revenue to stay afloat.
I don't see an end to print any time soon. Look at the mag racks at WH Smiths - rammed with magazines - Smiths make a lot of money from it and they won't let that revenue stream die off without a fight. I'm not against online stuff at all, but there's nothing like having a book or mag to read, put down and read again and again (on the bog too).
I have books bought 30-40 years ago that I'll still dig out from time to time.
I have books bought 30-40 years ago that I'll still dig out from time to time.
iSore said:
I don't see an end to print any time soon. Look at the mag racks at WH Smiths - rammed with magazines - Smiths make a lot of money from it and they won't let that revenue stream die off without a fight. I'm not against online stuff at all, but there's nothing like having a book or mag to read, put down and read again and again (on the bog too).
I have books bought 30-40 years ago that I'll still dig out from time to time.
How do WHS have any control? they're suffering too and not adding any value. I have books bought 30-40 years ago that I'll still dig out from time to time.
their only response is to say to publishers "give us 2 mags for 5.99 retail bundle and we'll promote them"
CABC said:
iSore said:
I don't see an end to print any time soon. Look at the mag racks at WH Smiths - rammed with magazines - Smiths make a lot of money from it and they won't let that revenue stream die off without a fight. I'm not against online stuff at all, but there's nothing like having a book or mag to read, put down and read again and again (on the bog too).
I have books bought 30-40 years ago that I'll still dig out from time to time.
How do WHS have any control? they're suffering too and not adding any value. I have books bought 30-40 years ago that I'll still dig out from time to time.
their only response is to say to publishers "give us 2 mags for 5.99 retail bundle and we'll promote them"
I note that WHSmith are now forcing pensioners (who can't fathom out the world wide thingy) to trudge past all their wares by taking over post office franchises( think it's franchises but happy to be corrected) and then situating the counters right at the back of the store or upstairs/downstairs from the entrance.
Also I thought mags and newspapers were on Sale or Return these days, so Smiths - as the publishers' biggest customer -may insist on quantities, then Return what they don't flog FOC.
Also I thought mags and newspapers were on Sale or Return these days, so Smiths - as the publishers' biggest customer -may insist on quantities, then Return what they don't flog FOC.
sagarich said:
CABC said:
iSore said:
I don't see an end to print any time soon. Look at the mag racks at WH Smiths - rammed with magazines - Smiths make a lot of money from it and they won't let that revenue stream die off without a fight. I'm not against online stuff at all, but there's nothing like having a book or mag to read, put down and read again and again (on the bog too).
I have books bought 30-40 years ago that I'll still dig out from time to time.
How do WHS have any control? they're suffering too and not adding any value. I have books bought 30-40 years ago that I'll still dig out from time to time.
their only response is to say to publishers "give us 2 mags for 5.99 retail bundle and we'll promote them"
coppice said:
God knows how this 60 something manged to get on here then..patronising young whippersnapper. Shouldn't you be playing Pokemon Go or something ?
To Clarify : As you have managed to master the TV with the typewriter on it, you will therefore be able to ask the government to send your pension directly in to your swiss bank account.
The ones that haven't managed to suss it out get a post office account card and withdraw the money every week the same as they used to with the book - They are the ones who are trudging through Smiths.
Gareth79 said:
The magazine section in the Guildford store is pretty big. I wandered in there a while ago when there was a Pi Zero on the front of a magazine and was amazed at what was still being published. It was also completely deserted, on a weekday lunchtime.
The challenge for WHS since the 90s has been the same.....acres of expensive retail space where many people just browse a few magazines for 20mins while they wait for their other half to finish trying on clothes, and then leave without buying anything. And when people do buy, there's precious little margin in a 5 pound magazine. The internet and digital press are just making that equation even tougher. (Plus they lost a lot of margin opportunity when DVDs and CDs died)This is why WHS has become in the last decade a sort of more-hellish and crowded Woolworths which bombards you with 2-for-1 offers on Dairy Milk, wall-to-wall pick n mix and special offers on that new Richard and Judy approved book.
i.e. the mags have always been a loss leader to drive footfall and sell people higher margin goods.
I've been an evo subscriber for a few years now, and sad as I am to admit it, it's definitely gone downhill over the years. ECOTY used to feel like a real event - the whole mag would be the best engine they drove over the year, the worst innovations, the cars they wished they'd been able to include etc. And the format, of "real world", followed by "best of the real world takes on the supercars" was really engaging to those of us who won't own a GT4/ 911R/ Huayra, but who still want to read about them (ie 99% of the readership).
More broadly, I can't put my finger quite on what it is that's changing, I enjoy the mag less than I used to. I still try to get into it, but flicking through each issue looking for the bits that'll stand out and be a really good read, there can be 2 or 3 issues in a row that just don't have much in there that jumps out. Some of it presumably is a function of the cars being launched; but the features just don't do it for me as much as they used to. And even with current cars, a feature on Alpina vs BMW's take on the M3/ M4, for example; secondhand VAG hatchbacks from across the family etc can be made interesting.
I dunno, back in the Metcalfe days, it felt like a bunch of real-world guys just having fun owning, driving and occasionally crashing cars. Now it doesn't.
The photography is still fantastic, and Bovingdon and Catchpole are excellent, but if you find yourself reading a car magazine with the photography being the highlight, that's probably not a good sign.
In short, Trott won't be missed; the others will be.
Oh, and haven't received my ECOTY issue yet, so slightly miffed about the spoilers
(although it's the most obvious outcome possible)
More broadly, I can't put my finger quite on what it is that's changing, I enjoy the mag less than I used to. I still try to get into it, but flicking through each issue looking for the bits that'll stand out and be a really good read, there can be 2 or 3 issues in a row that just don't have much in there that jumps out. Some of it presumably is a function of the cars being launched; but the features just don't do it for me as much as they used to. And even with current cars, a feature on Alpina vs BMW's take on the M3/ M4, for example; secondhand VAG hatchbacks from across the family etc can be made interesting.
I dunno, back in the Metcalfe days, it felt like a bunch of real-world guys just having fun owning, driving and occasionally crashing cars. Now it doesn't.
The photography is still fantastic, and Bovingdon and Catchpole are excellent, but if you find yourself reading a car magazine with the photography being the highlight, that's probably not a good sign.
In short, Trott won't be missed; the others will be.
Oh, and haven't received my ECOTY issue yet, so slightly miffed about the spoilers
(although it's the most obvious outcome possible)Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff