A few years ago autocar/motor used to do tests on cars which ordinary joe public will be driving, its only when the trend is for testers to road test cars that cost a couple of million pounds, ie bentley,rollsroyce,ferrari,porsche way out of reach for the ordinary blokes.
Now at top gear all they are testing are the sport cars, the luxury mercedes, the flash in the pan types.
I am only intrested in current cars like the new micra v.s the clio and cars that cost under £5000
Do you think that mags have gone more elitist, is there no more coverage on the latest advances in cars etc...
why??
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Sajid,
Try putting "Top Gear" into the search, there have been a few threads on the subject of whether TG and other media cater for "ordinary" motorists.
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Yes, absolutely right.
I\'m very upset at losing my favourite mag \"Diesel Car\" with Dr.Diesel, D.M@il, and all the other columns I treasured.
Regular subscriber, waited for each ish... you know all that.
Look at it now.
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I would have thought you would have known by now what is likely to get deleted here and what is not. This time I\'ve edited your e-mail, next time I shall simply delete it. Twice more and I\'ll disable your registration.
Mark.
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Sorry Mark,
I don't know whether it was the emotion at losing a very good read, or the lager.
The logic was that your software deletes expletives, so I included a few.
Sorry for the offence.
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The logic was that your software deletes expletives, so I included a few.
It would be preferable if you didn't post the expletives in the first place; software deletion, or no software deletion, Mark and I still edit out the words regardless, which causes us unnecessary work. Please remember it is far easier to delete than edit.
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I have to agree that Top Gear etc irritate me. I would be interested in programs that show whats available for 2000£ or 1000£ or 3000£ as you say. How to buy, what to look for etc. I am sure many people would watch.
The closest magazine I'd recommend, though not orientated to buying as such, is Car Mechanics which I have found excellent. I would be interested what other magazines people read which they think are in the real world rather than the writers dream world...
It irritates me when Clarkson etc dismiss common cars 'It's a Vauxhall, though, isn't it. Enough said.' Well no, not enough said at all. I really don't care a Bentley can go sideways, and I'm sick of you flashing the headlights of every car you test (has anyone else noticed that??).Grow up.
Now, haven't you touched are raw nerve, Sajid
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On TV, 5th Gear is half decent (but then it's simply a carbon copy of the old Top Gear), Wrong Car Right Car is OK, but Dream Deals on satellite is probably the best of the bunch, with more 'ordinary' cars than any other program I have seen.
As for the printed world, I only read Evo, so I can't comment. I'm too busy drooling over some 200mph monster.
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What channel is dream deals on?
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What channel is dream deals on?
Men & Motors (before it loses the Motors bit - ie pre 11pm)
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Used Car Heaven which is also on men & motors (usually around 7.30 or 9.30) is also a good watch and deals with more ordinary cars.
teabelly
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I used to buy this magazine and enjoyed reading Doctor Diesel and the other regular columnists.
However the new version is extremely garish,looks more like a mail order catalogue AND now no Dr Diesel.
Looks like Honest John is now the sensible place to get advice and abuse in one.
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I can't really agree with this. Autocar, Car etc. all do just as many tests on smaller cars as larger ones. Autocar in particular do full roads tests on lots of small cars.
There have been a lot of tests and coverage of large executive saloons and sportscars recently as there have been a lot of these launched. Virtually the entire maket for large executive cars (Audi A8, BMW 7, VW Phateon, facelifted S-Class, Jag XJ6) has been replaced by new models in the last 12 months.
Cars like the Citroen C3 and Nissan Micra received just as much coverage and tests and are both being long term tested by Autocar.
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But the advice is always whether a 02 Micra would be a good buy not a L or M reg one.
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But the advice is always whether a 02 Micra would be a good buy not a L or M reg one.
I agree that in principle it would be good to have some section on 2nd hand buys. I think that the problem is that the magazines are also targeted at overseas readers, or at least CAR is. They always have many letters from the US.
I gave up with TG magazine as I found that they had too many adverts and the car data at the back (which is basically the same month on month) took up another 100 pages.
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Like others, I cannot believe what they have done to this once excellent publication.
Unfortunately, I took out a special offer two year subscription to it about six months ago. Mind you, on the basis that what I subscribed to bears no relation to the trash that now comes through the door once a month perhaps I can cancel.
Loosing Ivor Carrol could be terminal IMHO.
I think "Autocar" is the nearest thing to normal in the car mag market and includes reviews of older cars, plus performance data etc of modern classics.
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The only real 'everyday mags for everyday people' are really the likes of Auto Express and What Car.
Autocar is almost an industry mag now rather than a consumer mag and the relentless pursuit of scoops over who drove the latest Lammaserrari strikes me as just a wee bit out of tune with the consumer audience; if you want that, try Car, which certainly does it with more flourish and style.
Wasn't a Diesel Car man, but it wouldn't be the first time a publisher has come along and done a shallow, predictable, fashion-following makeover. Problem is, unoriginality usually makes money.
It's a crowded market with all sorts of lookalikes and imitations, but there's always room for solid, well-researched journalism. Not easy to find, though.
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Er... have I missed something? I used to buy Diesel Car from time to time and found it a very good read. Haven't bought one for a few months though. Horrified to hear it may have changed for the worse.
Generally I rapidly lose interest when magazines/programmes concentrate on expensive exotic cars. I may never drive a Ferrari let alone own one so I've only the most superficial interest in them and don't quite understand this fascination with the unattainable .
Am I supposed to be grateful that a mere ordinary mortal should be allowed to share in some small way the millionaire experience?
Well excuse me for being bored witless instead.
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Some years ago there used to a mag called 'Buying Cars' - all about getting a sensible s/hand car. Was very good, but disappeared for some reason.
Can't really think of a good one now. TG is far too painful to read - I don't even look at it in the dentist's waiting room.
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Its a pity the publishers (new) have resorted to such desperate tactics, but losing money apparently. I haven't bought the last 2 editions as they are so marred by the trashy extras. Maybe the real backbone of the mag. (Carrol and other stalwarts) will be able to get another publisher for this formerly unsensational but interesting title?
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Absolutely agree on diesel car. It would be excellent if an alternative consumer focused magazine appeared, irrespective of fuelling. What I liked about Diesel Car was its independence and sense of the underdog. The new owners have a forum which has suffered a torrent of criticism and responded by threatening posters and, in my case, deleting posts without explanation. My crime? Supporting/defending another reader/customer who does not like the new style. The new editor lasted one issue. I give the current owners six months.
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Another problem for "Diesel Car" is that other car mags have embraced diesel and give it the attention and ratings that it deserves.
What Car and Top Gear often rate the diesel as the best model of a car e.g. A4, 3 series, Focus, Megane etc.
I preferred readiong Diesel Car back in the early 90's when I was breezing past 2.0L Sierras/Mondeos/Cavaliers on the motorway in my ZXtd, getting 45 mpg in the process. Now the secret is out the appealing maverick streak has gone.
Perhaps it has simply run its course, but what a sad exit with ludicrous Daily Star style "babes". Dear oh dear.
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The appeal of Diesel Car has been its technical detail about developments both spark and compression ignition related. Unlike What Car and others with its tedious "pulling power" nursery-school speak, and breathless prose. It may have run its course, as you say. Pity.
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speaking as an EX diesel car subscriber I too am appalled.
To be fair Dr D had run his course and was struggling in the last couple of years with the result that the sarcasm got worse and worse. Plus the increasing focus on chips and chipping got tedious.
Maybe one could say that the magazine has been a success in overall terms as they must have contributed to the increased awareness that compression ignition has changed out of all ecognition.
But I agree in essence the mag will fade away.
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I used to buy numerous car magazines each month, but now only get Classic Ford, which obviously isn't the place to go for modern road tests! A while back I used to enjoy CarWeek, a magazine that lasted for a few years I think, I liked it because it was impartial and was set up more like a Neswpaper.
Nowadays I occasionally will get What Car, or just Parkers Guide/ Car Auction News which give a good indication of prices with a bit of info about cars. Other than that if one of the aforementioned magazines such as top gear has a road test of a car i'm interested in, then i'll just read the one review and not buy the magazine. I get bored of the jazzing up (or smutting up) of the magazines, a trend that started in Max Power I think before moving across to more mainstream publications....and yes I did buy and enjoy Max Power for the first couple of years, now it just bugs me.
There endeth the rant.
Paul
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Lets face it. Oil burners used to be bought by boring old people. Would a boring old person be seen rushing around in a Seat Ibiza 130d sport? (seriously quick even un chipped) Nah.
Diesels have become mainstream, almost trendy. Diesel Car's traditional audience has moved on or died. Cars are now Cars, diesel or not, and its a crowded market for car mags. Kiss the mag goodbye readers, its time has gone and will not last long.
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You pays your money,I suupose. Personally I subscribe to Car Magazine. Read it since I was a spotty teenager, OK its full of exotica but a boy could and still can dream can't he ? Personally I like its style, although of late it has become a bit more blokish with some undesirable words creeping into the text - the moderators there are not as keen as this site's !
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What I really liked reading was a book called bangernomics, a very interesting read, could magazines, print out reprints of cars in the 80s, 90s, and sell them to joe public, as the library only holds car mags over 1 yrs only due to the lack of space, which is a pity.
There used to be a prog in the 70's on tv, which showed diy on cars, just wondering whether a prog on diy on cars be suitable for people like myself, as i would like to save money, in fixing simple things rather than go to the garage.
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Practical Classics is a good read. It's not as hard going, or as upmarket (in terms of cars) as Classic Car. It's interesting as it has both heavy duty tech stuff (to please Dad) and less tech but interesting stuff (that suits me.)
It's a shame Technoprat has already taken the line about writing what he knows about cars on a bacterium: that is about the limit of my technical know-how. If I turn the key and it works, that's fine. If it doesn't, I'm stuck. Practical Classics helps even halfwits like me understand just a little more without treating me like an imbecile or a youth.
O
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