Classic Cars Magazine
Discussion
I subscribe to the digital and the hard copy.
In November's edition, it says December's is out on 16th October. The December hard copy has dropped through my letterbox today (4 days early), but the digital version, which usually comes first, isn't available yet.
Not sure why I'm posting this, it's just odd.
In November's edition, it says December's is out on 16th October. The December hard copy has dropped through my letterbox today (4 days early), but the digital version, which usually comes first, isn't available yet.
Not sure why I'm posting this, it's just odd.
I have had Classic Cars magazine delivered on subscription for donkey’s years. Sure you get it early, but it’s often full of spelling mistakes, printing errors and so on. I think they always struggle to meet their deadlines, so sometimes send out the subscription magazines before any proof reader gets to take a look. Some of the text in my October copy was illegible.
On a related point I do get cheesed off by the annual “Hot 30 Classics to buy in 20XX” feature. It’s invariably the same cars every couple of years, usually with dealers trying to big up the models that they coincidentally specialise in!
On a related point I do get cheesed off by the annual “Hot 30 Classics to buy in 20XX” feature. It’s invariably the same cars every couple of years, usually with dealers trying to big up the models that they coincidentally specialise in!
LotusOmega375D said:
I have had Classic Cars magazine delivered on subscription for donkey’s years. Sure you get it early, but it’s often full of spelling mistakes, printing errors and so on. I think they always struggle to meet their deadlines, so sometimes send out the subscription magazines before any proof reader gets to take a look. Some of the text in my October copy was illegible.
On a related point I do get cheesed off by the annual “Hot 30 Classics to buy in 20XX” feature. It’s invariably the same cars every couple of years, usually with dealers trying to big up the models that they coincidentally specialise in!
Whenever they do the Top 30, or Quentin does his Smart Buys feature, I check the previous years and their predictions are almost always wrong. On a related point I do get cheesed off by the annual “Hot 30 Classics to buy in 20XX” feature. It’s invariably the same cars every couple of years, usually with dealers trying to big up the models that they coincidentally specialise in!
I've stopped buying magazines. I've read all I need to read about cars I'll never own, and know more than the magazines about the cars I do own. If I do read an article about Quattro's or TR6s I just sit there muttering "wrong... that's not right... no that was the following year... that old nonsense..." etc.
I get the magazine on subscription and there are a couple of things I can comment on,
1. Why is, for instance, December edition issued mid October?
2. The feature when they road tests their own Adverts. Invariably they conclude the car is good value, even though the asking prices are considerably more than their Price Guide listings. I have never read, in all the years I have been reading the magazine, where their conclusion is the car is not worth the asking price.
1. Why is, for instance, December edition issued mid October?
2. The feature when they road tests their own Adverts. Invariably they conclude the car is good value, even though the asking prices are considerably more than their Price Guide listings. I have never read, in all the years I have been reading the magazine, where their conclusion is the car is not worth the asking price.
I hope nobody wishing to buy a classic as an investment takes any notice of the Top 30 article. Absolute load of twaddle written by supposed market experts. Couple of examples;
An early 2014 Jag F Type R is apparently still £50k against its original retail price of £70k. A quick sense check by the author or editor would reveal you can buy a nice low miles one from a dealer for £30k and have been able to since the end of last year.
A classic car dealer recommends some expensive 50s/60s cars, even though that market is in decline. But what they trade in are generally rough examples of the lower end of the market and they have a reputation as the dealer you only ever buy one car from.
And don't get me started on the readers dream drives. I was misled into doing one of those.
An early 2014 Jag F Type R is apparently still £50k against its original retail price of £70k. A quick sense check by the author or editor would reveal you can buy a nice low miles one from a dealer for £30k and have been able to since the end of last year.
A classic car dealer recommends some expensive 50s/60s cars, even though that market is in decline. But what they trade in are generally rough examples of the lower end of the market and they have a reputation as the dealer you only ever buy one car from.
And don't get me started on the readers dream drives. I was misled into doing one of those.
SFTWend said:
And don't get me started on the readers dream drives. I was misled into doing one of those.
Feel free to get started. I always think that's one of the best bits in the mag - a genuine point of difference with rival publications. But it's a shame to think they might not always do things by the book.Yertis said:
I've stopped buying magazines. I've read all I need to read about cars I'll never own, and know more than the magazines about the cars I do own. If I do read an article about Quattro's or TR6s I just sit there muttering "wrong... that's not right... no that was the following year... that old nonsense..." etc.
15 years ago I read a lot of car mags, then they just started selling more and more advert space till they just became nothing more than a catalogue, even the articles were just there to sell stuff. I guess its not changed much since then.SFTWend said:
I hope nobody wishing to buy a classic as an investment takes any notice of the Top 30 article. Absolute load of twaddle written by supposed market experts. Couple of examples;
An early 2014 Jag F Type R is apparently still £50k against its original retail price of £70k. A quick sense check by the author or editor would reveal you can buy a nice low miles one from a dealer for £30k and have been able to since the end of last year..
That claim surprised me as well. The actual wording was “you’ll struggle to find a V8, even an early one, for less than £50k”. It doesn’t even mention the R model. PH classifieds has V8s starting from £25k and even V8 Rs from £29k. Sytner Jaguar, Northampton has a 2021 facelift 31k miles V8 convertible for £39k.An early 2014 Jag F Type R is apparently still £50k against its original retail price of £70k. A quick sense check by the author or editor would reveal you can buy a nice low miles one from a dealer for £30k and have been able to since the end of last year..
You could literally buy two cars for the price they claim you will have to pay.
I wrote for Classic Cars for a while and got on very well with the editor in the day. Suddenly, out of the blue, a new contract appeared in my inbox wherein I would still, be paid for my articles but that I would sacrifice my copyright for the six photos I used each month. If you are wondering, that is why both the editor and I are no longer there.
LotusOmega375D said:
The Group Editor who writes the Forward each month, Phil Bell, has been there for years. Rarely does a month go by without him writing about dismantling and replacing some failed component on his E-Type! I am sure he has done most jobs at least twice already!
Very strange that. Having owned my e-type for nigh on forty years I have only had three occasions when the car has had a breqkdown that we were not able to fix at the roadside, and all were a failed dynamo, where the bronze busy had worn and destroyed the commutator. A call to a supplier and the offending part overnighted and changed the next day. Yes, we have had problems,especially bearing in mind that the car has covered well over 100,000 miles, but I carry a number of parts in the boot well and the most usual failures have been the oil pressure sender, carb gaskets and a fuel pump. I can't remember even changing a light bulb in all that time.Mr Peel said:
SFTWend said:
And don't get me started on the readers dream drives. I was misled into doing one of those.
Feel free to get started. I always think that's one of the best bits in the mag - a genuine point of difference with rival publications. But it's a shame to think they might not always do things by the book.I took Thoroughbred and Classic Cars from 1977, when it was good. Tony Dron, Lionel Burrell, Jonathan Wood etc. It was a genteel publication and not just about old crocks. Stags and XJC's featured when they were still youthful and rapidly depreciating but still lovely to behold. I stopped around 1992 ish.
I get the current incarnation free with a bank account. Some good articles but it's still a bit shouty and lightweight. I wouldn't buy it but I don't buy any car magazines now. There is very, very little proper motoring journalism left.
I mean - Quentin Willson? f
k off! 
I get the current incarnation free with a bank account. Some good articles but it's still a bit shouty and lightweight. I wouldn't buy it but I don't buy any car magazines now. There is very, very little proper motoring journalism left.
I mean - Quentin Willson? f
k off! I-am-the-reverend said:
I get the current incarnation free with a bank account. Some good articles but it's still a bit shouty and lightweight. I wouldn't buy it but I don't buy any car magazines now. There is very, very little proper motoring journalism left.
Yes I get the same through my Bank. The top 30 articles are rather tedious and throw away. And the magazine seems obsessed with the value of classic cars. For me I just love cars and I'm not bothered how much some classic car is worth or could be worth. There are better ways to make money than through classic cars.Too true. If you add on Quentin’s annual top buys, that’s 2 out of every 12 issues dedicated to scribblings about perceived values, rather than actual road tests. Mind you the road tests themselves are usually just re-hashes of previous efforts, rather than based on real driving experiences. CC tested the car of my username and you’d think it was a road-going rocket ship from what they wrote. In reality I think the journalist thought he was driving a diesel minicab with Miss Daisy dozing in the back.
LotusOmega375D said:
... CC tested the car of my username...
Wow, a Monteverdi 375? Or a Ferrari 375? Or maybe, a Ford Consul? 
I haven't bothered with Classic Cars for decades now, but still have Classic & Sportscar on subscription, not that I get much time to read it these days. The articles I enjoy most are on newer classics - the sort of things I grew up with between 1970-1990 - or older cars with an interesting back story.
For everything else there's YouTube (although I immediately turn off anything with generative AI voiceovers).
clive_candy said:
Mr Peel said:
SFTWend said:
And don't get me started on the readers dream drives. I was misled into doing one of those.
Feel free to get started. I always think that's one of the best bits in the mag - a genuine point of difference with rival publications. But it's a shame to think they might not always do things by the book.A (long) while ago I was approached by the magazine in question to make my car available for 'dream drives'. I had the perfect excuse to delay proceedings as the car's restoration wasn't finished. Having then read some of the articles, I couldn't help but think it was a potential minefield, as some random person is let loose in your car with a journalist. What could possibly go wrong?!
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