Why do car magazines from the UK have to be SO expensive?

[spi-ti-tout]

My aunt in NJ is a librarian and so she gets to read about 10,00090 different type of magazines on subscribtion from the library. She knows I'm a petrolhead so she said she'd be able to subscribe a car mag for me (of my choice) if it didn't come to more than 100 dhs which is about $35. Since she's in the US her first choices were C&D and Motortrend but I wanted either Top Gear or EVO because from personal reading-in-the-supermarket experiences C&D have a few screws to tighten. There was a comparison once between the Exige and another car in it's class - the Exige came on top. But nooo, they still had to find some faults, and you know which?

PROS:
- Racingcar Build
- Racingcar Go
- Racingcar Brakes

CONS:
- No Creature Comforts
- Racingcar Soul

I shut the magazine there because that was one of the stupidest cons I've ever read. It's obvious that if a car has all those track-oriented properties it's meant for the TRACK and they just wanted to fill out some blanks. Anyways getting back on point I checked out on EVO and TG and for overseas both came to nearly 570 dhs! That's just crazy for magazine subscription and I don't think the paper quality is too good compared to the Americans. Well what makes British car magazines SO expensive? I understand UK is expensive but surely it doesn't equate to THAT much? In the supermarkets C&D and Top Gear (no EVO though ) are sold at nearly the same price!

[Rockefella]

My aunt in NJ is a librarian and so she gets to read about 10,00090 different type of magazines on subscribtion from the library. She knows I'm a petrolhead so she said she'd be able to subscribe a car mag for me (of my choice) if it didn't come to more than 100 dhs which is about $35. Since she's in the US her first choices were C&D and Motortrend but I wanted either Top Gear or EVO because from personal reading-in-the-supermarket experiences C&D have a few screws to tighten. There was a comparison once between the Exige and another car in it's class - the Exige came on top. But nooo, they still had to find some faults, and you know which?

PROS:
- Racingcar Build
- Racingcar Go
- Racingcar Brakes

CONS:
- No Creature Comforts
- Racingcar Soul

I shut the magazine there because that was one of the stupidest cons I've ever read. It's obvious that if a car has all those track-oriented properties it's meant for the TRACK and they just wanted to fill out some blanks. Anyways getting back on point I checked out on EVO and TG and for overseas both came to nearly 570 dhs! That's just crazy for magazine subscription and I don't think the paper quality is too good compared to the Americans. Well what makes British car magazines SO expensive? I understand UK is expensive but surely it doesn't equate to THAT much? In the supermarkets C&D and Top Gear (no EVO though ) are sold at nearly the same price!

MotorTrend is slightly improving in quality, but you're right, it's not to the same level of Top Gear and EVO. (Motor Trend is a good magazine for casual automotive readers and American automobile fans)

Where in NJ does she live?

[spi-ti-tout]

MotorTrend is slightly improving in quality, but you're right, it's not to the same level of Top Gear and EVO. (Motor Trend is a good magazine for casual automotive readers and American automobile fans)

I'm into the Americas but I like a nice detailed explanation of all areas. I read online versions of EVO and the articles they do on history and racing are awesome.

Where in NJ does she live?

I'll ask

[spi-ti-tout]

Where in NJ does she live?

Got that wrong, sorry. She lives in Richmond, Virginia. My other aunt lives in NY.

$35 for a whole year?

That was the budget. If I want the subscription it works out to $28 with 13 issues.

[Piacki_117]

That was the budget. If I want the subscription it works out to $28 with 13 issues.

Awesome. A one-year subscription to Sport-Auto (the best french mag) costs €55 (12 issues).

[Piacki_117]

$35 for a whole year?

[:Exige:]

Evo and Top Gear are huge magazines with excellent photography and incredibly indepth writing. Quality costs money.

For a months worth of writing, £4 isn't bad. Autocar magazine is £2.20 a week ... £8.80 a month!

[spi-ti-tout]

Evo and Top Gear are huge magazines with excellent photography and incredibly indepth writing. Quality costs money.

I understand photographs take money but I'm not very sure if writing does too much. Then again it's probably the ideology. Just look at the difference though - about 490. That's nearly how much I earn on one job per month.

Awesome. A one-year subscription to Sport-Auto (the best french mag) costs €55 (12 issues).

Going to join?

that was a comparison between the Cayman and the Exige and the Cayman won because it was FASTER around the same track as the so called "track car" and had a better interior/comfort at around the same price. AND the lows did not include racecar soul (where ever you got that info) the lows were Race car noise limited rear view and race car creature comforts. Race car soul was actually in the HIGHS.

Yeah I forgot that. I didn't read the full issue but did C&D mention the cornering of the Exige and top end power of the Cayman?
Either way I stand by what I said, if it's going to be a race car yes you want the noise not an SL500. Race car creature comforts were sparco racing seats and stereo, carpets and I think even air con were optional so you can't really say much there now can you. Anyways thanks for posting that up.

So which is considered best: Evo, Top Gear, or CAR?

Good question. I've already been told Top Gear isn't very good by many Brits but can anybody here verify that and answer the rest?

The reason magazines from other countries are expensive is mostly postage costs. When we did inserts on my mag, the biggest cost for the advertiser was the extra price incured through the additional few grams. And that didn't even go abroad.

The thing is I cannot understand how overseas package with C&D in the US takes just 8 more dollars wherever you are and I'm here in the ME than UK which is understandibly nearer. Are the planes fitted with super fuel and the packages kept on leather seats?

[MrKipling]

The thing is I cannot understand how overseas package with C&D in the US takes just 8 more dollars wherever you are and I'm here in the ME than UK which is understandibly nearer. Are the planes fitted with super fuel and the packages kept on leather seats?

I have no idea - publishing companies rarely ship their own magazines; they pay a different company to distribute them, but I'm not sure who decides how much it will cost to ship internationally. My guess is that if it goes to the postage company they're probably making a few easy pounds.

I reckon EVO is the the best car mag by a long way. They have the best features and the Richard Porter and Gordon Murray columns are always good. Top Gear have Clarkson but all his best rants are on his page on timesonline.co.uk and he doesn't do reviews or features for the magazine.

[carbrochuretom]

Evo and Top Gear are huge magazines with excellent photography and incredibly indepth writing. Quality costs money.

For a months worth of writing, £4 isn't bad. Autocar magazine is £2.20 a week ... £8.80 a month!

Months worth of reading...£4 acceptable....except Im a fast reader, so it only takes me a day

[Ferrer]

Here they are quite expensive compared to the local magazines, but as Exige says you pay for quality. I don't buy them as often as spanish car magazines, but from time to time I buy Car or EVO, and it's really worth it.

[dydzi]

i can say as i'm subscripting a british mag (CAR) and i'm living outside england

the reason why are they so expensive (for people outside uk) is that in uk everything is more expensive than in other countries

Awesome. A one-year subscription to Sport-Auto (the best french mag) costs €55 (12 issues).

i'm not an expert in french literature, but isn't 'automobiles classiques' better?

[Piacki_117]

i'm not an expert in french literature, but isn't 'automobiles classiques' better?

It depends on what you are looking for. I you want an equivalent of EVO or Top Gear, Sport-Auto is clearly the best mag you can buy. Automobiles Classiques is rather about classic cars.

[henk4]

the English Pound is an expensive currency, and magazine sellers add a significant margin.

I bought a copy of Octane recently in amsterdam and paid 10.49 Euro. At the current exchange rate of about 1.6 Euro to the pound, that would be equivalent to 6.55 pound. However the selling price in the UK is only 3.85.....

[:Exige:]

I bought a copy of Evo in Denmark ... came out to like £7. I almost cried.