Interesting perspective on car magazines

[Sharp11]

http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#Rant

I agree with the author, car mags have become nothing but brand extensions, me-too shills for the advertisers.

I especially dislike how they all cover the same topics at the same time, as if they don't have any ideas of their own.

Predictable too, I'm usually finished with C&D after about two craps - used to be the thing could sit in the bathroom for a week.

Ed

[Plaz]

Predictable too, I'm usually finished with C&D after about two craps - used to be the thing could sit in the bathroom for a week.


:lol:

[operknockity]

Predictable too, I'm usually finished with C&D after about two craps - used to be the thing could sit in the bathroom for a week.
You leave your craps sitting around for a week :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :lol:

Be that as it may..... It's pretty much the same for a lot of other fields where there are multiple magazines covering the field.... pretty much copycats of each other month after month, and shills for the paying the paying advertisers.

The only time I expect that the stories will run lock-step with each other are the weekly news mags (Time, Newsweek, US News, etc.)

[lemming]

well, the big issue is that manufacturers control (1) advertising moneys and (2) access to new products at launch. and it's much easier for the carmaker to schedule a junket for them all to come at once to test the car and be done with it. but then, as an autozine, you don't want to be left out as the one magazine that DID NOT get to test the new car at its launch.

so, redundancy is always going to be a problem.

what the autozines need to learn is how to better differentiate their product with better, more insightful or more entertaining writing. I think the best of the breed in the US is Automobile because they actively try to be more British like TopGear or Evo (READ: slightly abrasive and humorous).

i find car magazines immensely useful because they help me, the consumer, do my homework when i don't have the time to do it myself and if a theme is consistent among all 7 or 8 magazines, it's a real fault with the car. similarly, as in the case of the c6 z06, it's pretty universal that the car is a rocket.

and at their core, they still do something that none of us can really do: they do multicar comparison testing on the same day at the same track head to head and that's where their conclusions are acutely insightful. i never find their preview articles or single car reviews particularly useful. the thing that keeps me coming back again and again are the comparo's.

[lupinsea]

You leave your craps sitting around for a week :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
You know the old phrase: "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down." I guess Sharp got that one mixed up. :ack:

[operknockity]

You know the old phrase: "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down." I guess Sharp got that one mixed up. :ack:
Now where have I heard that old adage before :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Roadstergal]

Same with the bike mags. If I'm cross-shopping, I get better info from online communities.

[BahnBaum]

If you think automotive magazines are bad, you should try reading mainstream boating mags. Everything is written like ad copy and they rarely talk about shortcomings. I just buy them for the pictures.

Alex

[RMR]

http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#Rant

I agree with the author, car mags have become nothing but brand extensions, me-too shills for the advertisers.

I especially dislike how they all cover the same topics at the same time, as if they don't have any ideas of their own.

Predictable too, I'm usually finished with C&D after about two craps - used to be the thing could sit in the bathroom for a week.

Ed

If you get a chance pick up "Octane" I love it. IMO it will change your mind.

[Rob]

If you think automotive magazines are bad, you should try reading mainstream boating mags. Everything is written like ad copy and they rarely talk about shortcomings. I just buy them for the pictures.

Alex

no doubt. I bought a Water Ski magazine once before I got the now departed ski boat b/c it had a 20 boat "comparison" article. Not one bad word about any of them. Thanks, that was helpful. :lol: Maybe they should review boats that don't advertise with them just to give their ole criticism muscles a work out.

[IndyMike]

Predictable too, I'm usually finished with C&D after about two craps - used to be the thing could sit in the bathroom for a week.

Ed
So to put it graphically (assuming the norm is one per day) C&D's rating has gone from

:dump: :dump: :dump: :dump: :dump: :dump: :dump:

to

:dump: :dump:


:lol: