HonestJohn is no more
HonestJohn is no more
Author
Discussion

RafflesNH

Original Poster:

114 posts

148 months

Tuesday 11th August
quotequote all
Goodbye email received today from HonestJohn.co.uk to announce it has closed after 25 years and its car reviews have been incorporated into Drive.co.uk.

"Drive is a digital car marketplace backed by Volkswagen Financial Services. It brings different ways of getting on the road into one place, so you can explore your options, compare what matters and decide what works for you."

I found it a genuinely useful source of solid motoring related advice, both from the editorial staff and forumites. Another very sad day for the British motorist.

sixor8

8,435 posts

296 months

Tuesday 11th August
quotequote all
I got the email today too. frown

I remember reading the Honest John articles in the Saturday edition of the Daily Telegraph, in about 1993. Been very useful to me over the years; there was motoring media before the internet.

forsure

2,225 posts

296 months

Tuesday 11th August
quotequote all
I'll miss the Saturday 'Q&As'

RafflesNH

Original Poster:

114 posts

148 months

Tuesday 11th August
quotequote all
forsure said:
I'll miss the Saturday 'Q&As'
Yes, got my Saturday off to a good start over breakfast. frown

this is my username

424 posts

88 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
Although it had lost its way a bit over the last few years, it was one of the very few places where you could get an honest review and specs for every single type of car sold in the UK for the last 20+ years, along with a rundown of common faults and issues. Really useful if, like me, you are often looking at 10+ year-old cars. It's a real shame to lose that resource.

Sheepshanks

40,694 posts

147 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
Had a glance at Drive yesterday snd can’t really work out what’s gone there. Drive is owned by VWFS and is all about VW Group - if the HJ content is there then it isn’t obvious

vindaloo79

1,234 posts

108 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
https://web.archive.org/web/20260618113151/https:/...

Existing pages remain available for posterity

Edited by vindaloo79 on Friday 14th August 14:38

RafflesNH

Original Poster:

114 posts

148 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
Had a glance at Drive yesterday snd can t really work out what s gone there. Drive is owned by VWFS and is all about VW Group - if the HJ content is there then it isn t obvious
I think some of the HJ stuff carried over under the section labelled 'Guides'. I found the 2015 review of the Land Rover Discovery Sport in the Reviews/See all reviews section and it looked pretty much identical to what I remember reading on the HJ website.


Edited by RafflesNH on Wednesday 12th August 13:45

blueST

4,850 posts

244 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
this is my username said:
Although it had lost its way a bit over the last few years, it was one of the very few places where you could get an honest review and specs for every single type of car sold in the UK for the last 20+ years, along with a rundown of common faults and issues. Really useful if, like me, you are often looking at 10+ year-old cars. It's a real shame to lose that resource.
I agree, I would always check on there when I was used car shopping.

WPA

14,556 posts

142 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
this is my username said:
Although it had lost its way a bit over the last few years, it was one of the very few places where you could get an honest review and specs for every single type of car sold in the UK for the last 20+ years, along with a rundown of common faults and issues. Really useful if, like me, you are often looking at 10+ year-old cars. It's a real shame to lose that resource.
Agreed, I have been car shopping for a while and it has been a really handy guide and will be a shame to see it go

CSR Performance

638 posts

16 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
Shame, I always enjoyed reading the HJ page in the saturday Telegraph after my dad had finished with it!

Doesitdrive

1,887 posts

9 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
Maybe the name killed it, not that much honesty about these days

soad

34,594 posts

204 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
That’s a shame. frown

JQ

6,755 posts

207 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
CSR Performance said:
Shame, I always enjoyed reading the HJ page in the saturday Telegraph after my dad had finished with it!
That was my childhood too.

Sebring440

3,186 posts

124 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
Doesitdrive said:
Maybe the name killed it, not that much honesty about these days
Yeah, that's gotta be it... rolleyes

RazerSauber

2,877 posts

88 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
The Real MPG was good for me. Actual data about MPG, not this WLGBTQ+ numbers that says a 1.2 Fiesta or something will do 75 to the gallon when most people have it in the 40's.

SydneyBridge

11,571 posts

186 months

Wednesday 12th August
quotequote all
CSR Performance said:
Shame, I always enjoyed reading the HJ page in the saturday Telegraph after my dad had finished with it!
Same here, when the telegraph had a seperate motoring section.

Lotusgone

1,645 posts

155 months

Friday 14th August
quotequote all
RazerSauber said:
The Real MPG was good for me. Actual data about MPG, not this WLGBTQ+ numbers that says a 1.2 Fiesta or something will do 75 to the gallon when most people have it in the 40's.
Agreed - some startling differences in the figures and has definitely been worth a shufty in the past.

The link to the stats transferred across from HJ, I could not find on Drive and the search option didn't work. I reckon the manufacturers will be very pleased to see the demise of this particular resource. Maybe the Martin Lewis website could take it up.






dunc69

910 posts

275 months

Friday 14th August
quotequote all
Agreed! Great resource now sadly apparently gone.

I’m hoping more of the HJ content will make it across onto the new site, but as it is no longer independent (i.e. VAG owned), I’m not sure all the older reviews will be kept.

A shame.

dirky dirk

3,423 posts

198 months

Saturday 15th August
quotequote all
Great resource ruined.
What a shame