Little bit of input please

[SPendrey]

When I was new to owning a Land Rover (about 10 years ago now) I used to subscribe to LRO.  Then after a couple of years it seemed they were recycling articles... probably not exact repeats, but similar stories to what I'd read before.  They also seemed to be getting more pages of adverts and less of content.  I switched to LRM for a couple of issues, but much the same as LRO.  Then I tried Total Offroad... this was more generic, of course, but also seemed to be more about the readers than the sponsors.  However, after a tear or two that also started to repeat stories.  Thus, I've now cancelled all subs.

[Simon Smith]

I pretty much agree with everything everyone has said. I used to get all the mags when I first switched from kit cars to LRs, which would have been around 1986-87. Every now and then a new one would appear and there seemed to be a lot of competition on who could produce the best technical articles and the best adventure storys etc. I stopped buying them quite a few years ago when they switched to being "bolt on bling" catalogues. I have occasionally picked one up when bored, but to be honest the boredom relief is usually very short lived.

[steve_a]

The magazines are really of interest to those with vehicles until about 2004 (last D2's) and Defenders till last year. But even the defender stuff hasn't changed since forever, the engine being the only evolution.

I just don't see your majority of D3, 4, 5 et al and Range Rover owners being interested in a land rover mag. 

So if your subject hasn't barely changed in 10 years, how can you write new stuff?

Personally I'd be interested in a worldwide mag (probably online) with articles written about travel in rovers, bush repairs and home fixes with less than ideal kit.

* Home mechanics (and not using 4 posters, specialist tools you can't get etc.)

* Bush mechanics

* Designs and 3D print files for specialist tools/home made tool solutions

* Competition coverage

* Travel articles

With the workshop manuals, microcat, the tech forum here, AULRO good oil and others the 3 pages of coverage for how to do something is pretty lame.

[missingsid]

Like most here I gave up mags years ago, but this is not surprising!

When we made friends in pubs we choose a, a pub that is likely to have similar people in it. And b, people in that bsr that are discussing things you like. This is exactly how Forums work and why we are here.

When I came to this forum it was full of incredible builds "Mouse" was one and there were too many others to list, these posts were followed by the exploits in Russia etc. this all blew my mind.

Magazines can't follow that kind of build as it takes too long and has long gaps (look at Project Binky how many years of work?), mags are like politics it has to be quick (all Discovery Chanel car and bike builds are time controlled they have to fit in two episodes) its all about deadlines and quick returns.

The only mag I occasionaly buy is LRC or CLR? as I know JC and he features a friend now and again plus he did an amazing job for the Series 1 Club mag. JC does try to have a mix of short and long term builds but this is not the norm for mags.

It is not surprising that mags feature bling either as the Top Gear format so the likes if Icon etc. will feature, TBH things like Bowler and other mega expensive racers whilst amazing tech and quality are omly dreams to most.

 

So for me forums (only 3 for me) are the way forward,

May offroad mags RIP.

Marc

[Retroanaconda]

CLR is the only one I've bought in a long time, indeed I subscribed when it first came out. But now generally buy issues individually if there is something of interest.

It's a good magazine and far better than the others, but still quite a lot of coverage of 'chequebook builds' which don't really appeal to me. The greenlining segments are generally enjoyable to read though, as well as journals of trips father afield.

I keep getting given a load of LRO/LRM magazines by someone who keeps forgetting to get around to unsubscribing, like almost everyone else above there is little of interest in there these days so I certainly wouldn't want to pay for it.

[mmgemini]

Well, well, well everybody seems to have hit the nail firmly on the head regarding the magazines. All mags have the same idea. Throw money away at the vehicle. It doesn't matter that it doesn't do the job the editor likes the read and he/ she is always right. Do you know I don't even bother to look at them now in Smiths

[Happyoldgit]

Agree with most of what has been said.

The early Land Rover magazines were new and thus a novelty but as time went on the market became saturated ...and mainstream offerings stale. Over the years I ended up with groaning ceilings due to the huge piles of mags in the loft where they were stored and only disturbed when searching for that illusive and oh so hard to find bit of info.  I don't recall buying them after the freebies dried up when LRE etc shuffled off this mortal coil.

[Tal]

Same reason I don't watch television I refuse to pay good money so some one I am not interested in can try and sell me something. If I want something I go out and research it I have never responded to and advertisement "on impulse" in my life.

If i paid for media it would be without adverts......or with considerably more content than adverts not the other way round.

[Quagmire]

I won't go on too much as it has all been covered already but I used to buy the magazines and now don't bother. Reasons for me are:

1- Too many ads

2- Too many chequebook builds and bling

3- Writers with little technical know-how

4- Price. 

5- The killer. I can see much more interesting stuff here on the internet, done to a better standard by someone who actually knows what they are doing (and gives a carp) all for free. I spend most of my time on here, retrorides, classicroverforum and v8forum, all of which are excellent. The standard of some of the stuff on retrorides especially is astounding (and here of course ).

Having said all this I bought a copy of Classic land Rover at the airport recently and that was ok... 

 

 

[ejparrott]

I read through the latest LRM last night while my machine was running on a long slow job......well I say read....used it in the loosest of terms.....  too full of ads, too full of same old overlanding trips I'm just not interested in.  Really did think last night I'll not bother renewing the subscription.  The technical section felt really small, and was of no interest to me

[missingsid]

13 hours ago, Tal said:

Same reason I don't watch television I refuse to pay good money so some one I am not interested in can try and sell me something. If I want something I go out and research it I have never responded to and advertisement "on impulse" in my life.

If i paid for media it would be without adverts......or with considerably more content than adverts not the other way round.

Hi Tal,

This seems a great time to become a supporting member and remove the adverts here!

 

Marc

[Exmoor Beast]

Like most of us I haven't bought a mag for years. Reasons for not buying them now:

Writers are lazy and lacking in knowledge and passion.

I have no interest in 'ultimate challenge 90s'

I don't give a tinkers cus about buyers guides to torque wrenches

I don't give a tinkers cus about classic LR price guides

I don't want to read 15 pages of Insurance Company adverts

The advertisers are lazy and never change their adverts, if I was paying for 4 pages I'd use those pages to draw people into feeling they were part of my company.

Overland articles rarely give an insight to the vehicle prep.

 

Things I would like to see:

More about the people, LR folks are often fascinating people.

Les bling, more patina

Tips and tricks that are actually useful, such as upgrading an Alternator using a Mondeo one.

 

Will :-)

 

[darthdicky]

The discussion is probably over now but if it helps, the two magazines I now subscribe to are Evo and Adventure Bike Rider.

Both put photography at the top of the list - the photos are stunning and they use decent paper so they look good

Both focus on the story behind things as well as the technical detail, with decent writing. ABR has a lot of stories written by readers which are really good

ABR only does 6 issues a year, LR mags could be far better with a less-is-more approach too - give them some time to find some decent content

Both have accepted the internet is the way forward and have websites and social media presence that make you want to read the magazine too, even if most of the story/news is available online. Engage your readers and they'll stay subscribers - the LR mags always seemed reluctant to bridge the gap

Admittedly Evo has a far larger subscriber base and budget and ABR seems to be produced amazingly well on what is probably a shoestring, but there's a lot to be learnt from them both

Richard