The magazines

[Jon]

Reading the magazines has been and still is a big part of my hobby, I keep a subscription on both the english ones and read the American one from time to time. On the German and Frech I'm down to looking at pictures, or the drawings when it comes to SuperVW. I remember reading every word in every magazine I got hold of for a long time, but something has changed I don't know if its the style of writing stories or whether its just me. I seem to remember there being more background info stuff before? I guess I'm a sucker for build pictures and pictures of the bodywork (in other words LEARN). Maybe thats why I LOVE the pages in the pages called "Our projects" in Volksworld. BTW that Pye car is going to be GREAT when its finished! I have been into VW's 18 years now, could that have something to do with it?
How about you, what do you like about the magazines, and how long have you been a VW reader?

[Rick Meredith]

I'm sure this won't be popular

Back in the day, I always disliked the magazines and consequently never bought a lot of them. I always found them full of misinformation.

[Lids]

I always like to look at "special" cars, things that come from left field or are amazing build quality.

Today with so many mags fighting over pictures, I think there are two many ordinary cars.  And I hate RAT LOOK.  Its not clever, finding a rusty car, just about making ir road worthy and sticking an old suitcase on the roof! WTF.

Oh and i mustn't forget the VW trends Bikini Issues

[j-f]

I think I buy my first vw magazine back in 95 or so. I was 13 years old.

But only magazine I subscribe is Ultra VW. Good choices of car, nice to read. A great one.
 I don't buy French vw magazine any more. I no longer find what I'm looking for in it   

[Neil Davies]

I subscribe to both the UK mags. I used to have more of a preference for one of them, but now I don't. They are both very good and I wouldn't like to choose one over the other. Like Lids tho, I hate ratters, they take no imagination and are generally unsafe piles. I'm not a fan of buses either, and to see a third of an issue devoted to a vehicle which already has it's own magazine from the same publisher seems ridiculous. But, if it's what people are building... 

[Jon]

Today with so many mags fighting over pictures, I think there are two many ordinary cars.  And I hate RAT LOOK.  Its not clever, finding a rusty car, just about making ir road worthy and sticking an old suitcase on the roof! WTF.

Yes, I think you are right, tha standard has been lowered to the point that you get a lot of "also ran cars" in there.... in a pack of show cars they wouldn't stick out. There are may cars like that in the magazines today, all the right parts, but no soul/ personal ideas. But it's those cars breaking the mold that keeps me subscribing.
 

[Luftkraft]

I started reading vw mags in 1995. In the beginning I only knew the german mag "VW Scene" which had features of both aircooled cars and waterpumpers. A year later or so, I discovered the french Super VW mag. It was so different and just so much better! Besides of being "aircooled only", there were reports from vw shows in California and I discovered the california look. I read every issue until some years ago. I also used to have a subscription of Ultra VW, but I haven't renewed it. I still like both of the UK mags and I check them out frequently as some of my friends have them.

But at the moment, I don't buy any VW mags anymore. There are several (some personal) reasons for that:

- The internet is faster. You have seen most of the cars online, before they're featured in the magazines.
- Same stuff everywhere. Some cars are featured by several mags.
- Too much uninteresting stuff. I don't like buses after 1967, nor 1302 oder 1303 beetles. I generally don't have a big interest in stockers, either.
- Same style of photography / layout. Most of the mags (especially the french one) always have the same kind of photography. The shots are mostly static, one from the front, one 3/4 view, one from above, some close-ups of the engine and the interior etc. Hey, why don't you go one step beyond? I absolutely LOVE photos of rolling cars, why are the shots always so static? Or how about cool photo locations. The quality of the layout is sometimes questionable, too. It doesn't have to be the VW version of the Rodder's Journal, but you get the image... The "Type" magazine was a good try, does it exist anymore, btw?
- And finally, I simply don't have the space anymore to store all of those mags. 

[Fastbrit]

I can't really spend too long on this as I am trying to write a book chapter today! 

All I can say from a personal point of view is that all magazines are damned if they do, and damned if they don't. If you write about stockers, they hi-po guys complain. Write about drag racers and the vintage crew get upset. Write about Buses and everyone else complains. Rat-look? I complain! The thing is that, at present, Buses and 'patina cars' sell mags. It's all a fad, and in a few months (years) it will probably all have changed. 

Also, one of the most common complaints levelled against magazines on both sides of the Atlantic is that they "only ever show perfect, high-dollar cars". We try to publish a broad cross-section of what's out there, but obviously not every car is going to appeal to every reader. I don't like some of the cars featured in Ultra VW, but then I'm sure not everyone likes cars I've owned over the years (especially my Ford Zephyr...).

As for the Internet being faster and already seeing cars online before they appear in print, well, if all people want is a pic or two of a car taken at a show, rather than detailed pics and the full story behind it, then fine. I believe magazines such as Ultra, VoksWorld and Hot VWs have a duty to give the reader more info about the cars. And I'd personally rather sit in front of the fire reading about a car than staring at a computer screen all night (which I do anyway! ). But that's just me.

I began reading VW magazines seriously back in 1974 and boy have they changed for the better...

[qubek]

I read English mags and French Super VWs.
That's true, I don't enjoy reading them as I used before. I thought that it's just me. As for the features, you can read the same one in few mags (thanks Stephan ) but that's better then not being able to read it at all.
Still, reading something in internet is a totally different thing than on paper. I like receiving a new mag, opening it etc. Takes more time, you focus more. I like when there is more text, not just photos and a short article that seems like a template with owners name, car's color and year changed.
Oh, and I don't have a computer in a toilet
Of course not all the cars featured are of the kind that I like the most. But I'm just one of many readers. I can't effort hiring staff of people doing one copy of magazine just for me.
What was not mentioned here is supervw's VW Tech. Something different, but still - my favorite.
I regret not knowing German - they still seem to have a slightly different approach, and you can see that in their mags.       

[LuftsickTero]

I don't think that the VW scene wouldn't survive without the magazines. Internet doesn't replace magazines, I should probably know, having spent 13 years maintaining my boring old Cal Look / Resto Cal site I subscribe Hot VWs, Super VW, Volksworld and Ultra VW and much rather sit back and relax with a magazine or Keith's next Cal Look bible than have a laptop in my arms heating up.

Like Rick said magazines have errors, the UK ones are better and more informative. Same cars have been in most of the magazines, but Ultra and Volksworld avoid quite nicely not to feature a same car. Yeah, they feature lot of shit boxes that I couldn't care less and somewhere is someone who thinks exactly the same about the cars I like. I would rather read in features would be more about the specific car and learn from it, not about VW production figures or recapping history of certain model once again. The commercial aspects like pleasing large variety of readers or having huge number of ads (like Hot VWs) is just something no publication can be free from.

[LuftsickTero]

It doesn't have to be the VW version of the Rodder's Journal, but you get the image...

Well, how many other magazines have you ever seen in that level  But who would do magazine like Dice but with Volkswagen content 

[louisb]

I subscribe to HVWs, mainly for the tech articles. Still the best tech in the business. I pick up UVW and VW when they have a car that interests me. Of the two, I probably buy UVW more often. Due to size, format & paper quality, I think the Euro mags have better feature articles. You can take a car that has been featured in HVW and UVW, usually by the same author or photographer, and the UVW article will tend to be more visually appealing.

I like a variety of cars from restos, to cal-looks, buses, T3s, buggies and bajas. Pass on the trikes and hoodrides. It keeps things interesting. As far as the quality of cars, I think they have gone up greatly in the past 15 - 20 years. Go back and look at some of the HVWs, VWTs & VW from the late eighties to early nineties. A lot of the cars featured would barely be considered today. Over all detail and presentation were much worse. I may not be a big fan of the GFK cars or some of the resto-cal cars being built today, but you have to admit they have raised the bar on what is considered a quality car.

I really wish that there was another VW mag in the US. There have been some half assed attempts, but nothing has lasted.

--louis

[outlaw]

I buy everyone I can get my hands on, the more the merrier !!!........they are the lifeline for me, internet is something I use at work 

Subscritions can work out very expensive due to living in Spain so I get friends to bring them over (sometimes free, sometimes not  )

I have an obscene stash by the john.........I really should get out more 

[Joe_G]

But who would do magazine like Dice but with Volkswagen content 

Given the support I think Type magazine could fill that gap

I'm a bit of a magazine addict so buy what is out there and try to have complete sets of the old ones, not doing too bad

[Ivan]

All I can say is that today I feel the reader is far, far better off than back in 1988 - you are now able to get focussed input from a number of magazines written by dedicated fellow enthusiasts from various countries. I enjoy every new issue of every VW magazine, I crave input virtually as badly as Number 5, or Johnny as he was later known, from the film Short Circuit.
No one has mentioned the Japanese mags - I can't read any of them, except the odd random English word, but I still love seeing every copy.
I enjoy reading thoughts on Rat Look - and agree with some people's views, but I can remember the response when I decided to throw the rulebook out of the window for the January 2000 issue and make Mark Herbert's Super Shit Box the cover star - with the cover line Dung Beetle. The pics were by Keith Seume.
I knew I had to do it - even if it meant having to stand my corner and fight for it... And it created one of the most memorable covers we've seen. I my opinion, doing so probably helped to promote Rat Look as 'accepted' - and if so, who really cares?
The beauty of this hobby is that there are so many sub-divisions of interest and whilst you might not personally like stockers, bajas, buggies, coachbuilts, Resto Cals, Buses or whatever - the next man or woman may well love them.

I say celebrate diversity, the fact we have so much choice, and the internet for making our world so much smaller and faster.     

[alfie the monster]

Most of the mags (especially the french one) always have the same kind of photography. The shots are mostly static, one from the front, one 3/4 view, one from above, some close-ups of the engine and the interior etc. Hey, why don't you go one step beyond? I absolutely LOVE photos of rolling cars, why are the shots always so static? Or how about cool photo locations.

The best magazine I've seen for photography? Has anyone ever read EVO magazine? Now I know that they fly all around the world driving Ferrari/Porsche/Pagini, but they take some awesome photo's! How about some of the editors buying a copy for inspiration?  

[Ivan]

Front cover - VolksWorld Feb'08 and March '08 - photographer works for EVO as well as us.

OK to close the stable door now James? 

[alfie the monster]

Not enough sideways shots in snow covered locations Ivan 

Seriosly though, they're the best cover shots I've seen in any VW magazine for a longtime. You should keep him on the books my friend 

[Joe_G]

Of the 'other' car mags I'd have to say apart from RJ my favourite at the moment is Garage, since Jesse James took over as publisher it's a great read. Octane seems to pretty good at the moment as well, seems to be taking over from Classic and Sportscar?
Oh and Rolls and Pleats for a little read

[Sarge]

I think the key to the magazine deal is diversity.  I subscribe to Hot VW's and I'd be miserable if that was all I looked at every month as it's the pretty much the same every issue...much like a McDonald's cheeseburger.  Not that that's a bad thing (same as the cheeseburger)...I feel that I'd be sort of out of the loop if I wern't reading it.  The other mags I look at are Hot Rod which, even though it's V'8's, still inspires by telling stories of people who spent very little to achieve BIG horsepower or featuring stories from the halcyon days of drag racing.  Another is Rodder's Journal which, to my eye, has the best photography of any magazine on the market...not to mention the stories from the early days of car clubs (which can be seen today in our VW culture).  I like Ultra VW and Volksworld, too, and seek out issues that feature cars I'm interested in.

[Zach Gomulka]

Rodders Journal, Volksworld, and UltraVW are my mags of choice.

[Ivan]

much like a McDonald's cheeseburger.  Not that that's a bad thing.

When it comes to burgers, I can only envy the choice you have. But I'd drive past 10 McDonalds with a grumbling stomach to get to In & Out burgers if we had them here in the UK.

Sadly, we don't!

[Rick Meredith]

I can't really spend too long on this as I am trying to write a book chapter today! 

Go Keith GO!! 

I began reading VW magazines seriously back in 1974 and boy have they changed for the better...

I think that's true.

[Rick Meredith]

I have an obscene stash by the john.........I really should get out more 

Can we keep this focused on VOLKSWAGEN magazines???   

[Sarge]

much like a McDonald's cheeseburger.  Not that that's a bad thing.

When it comes to burgers, I can only envy the choice you have. But I'd drive past 10 McDonalds with a grumbling stomach to get to In & Out burgers if we had them here in the UK.

Sadly, we don't!

Double Double grilled onions, please! 

[Rennsurfer]

Can we keep this focused on VOLKSWAGEN magazines???   

Oh, sure... no prob.



Okay, back to my only and favorite sport... EATING. I'll take a 3x3, everything plus onions and pickles. Also, an order of fries, a chocolate shake, and I'll supply the Guinness to wash it all down.

[Zach Gomulka]

much like a McDonald's cheeseburger.  Not that that's a bad thing.

When it comes to burgers, I can only envy the choice you have. But I'd drive past 10 McDonalds with a grumbling stomach to get to In & Out burgers if we had them here in the UK.

Sadly, we don't!

Double Double grilled onions, please! 

Now I know where Im going for lunch today, thanks!!

[Ivan]

[

Double Double grilled onions, please! 

Now you're just teasing me because you can!

Usually the first thing I do after getting a rental car at LAX is head for In & Out - the one down near Huntington Beach on Beach Blvd.

Oh, and before anyone starts moaning like a little girl about this thread going off topic - no one said you can't read a VW magazine while you're munching on an In & Out burger, did they?

[Jon]

Ok, before things get out of hand, let's get back to the subject. We all have styles/cars we don't like, and yes the photos could probably be done more cleverly, but how about the TEXT/stories?? I think you are far off Keith when you say the magazines are way more detailed than on the net, take the most popular project threads for instance... True you cant tell a story like that in a magazine, but considering how popular project threads are in general I would say people are interested in the steps... not just the freshly painted result. I say this with all possible respect for you magazine workers.

While the Rod magazines may not really compare due to the number of readers and titles, but it raises a interesting post, they specialize on different styles...  Why are the VW magazine all the same? Not enough readers?

[Ivan]

We try to provide the best tech features possible. And the current feature on a turbo engine build is an example.
Stay tuned - we've got a lot more really good material waiting to be published.
You will be happy!