Opinions on Australian 4WD magazines?

4wd monthly is my pick Fleggy, usually get a DVD or something, if not there's usually a nissan on the cover......and the crew are funny....Pat & Ruthy crack me up and they know their stuff! Just my opinion anyway!

personally, i have never bought one. even after reading a free one (library, left around at work etc.) I feel ripped off. to me, they are a waste of money and I cannot recommend any of them as a regular purchase sorry mate. :)))

Get ready for the "nay-sayers" who complain about the amount of advertising as opposed to actual articles. They make a fair point but every magazine published in OZ has about 50% ads so what's the big deal. I suppose they all make interesting reading but I've enjoyed the "free" DVDs I get with Aust 4X4 monthly, they are a bit of fun.
I won't renew my subscription when it runs out as there is only so much you can read without it becoming repetitive (bit like this forum???)
Oskar

I subscribe to 4wd monthly but sometimes wonder why.I don't go much on the comp trucks.Some time's Roothy is a pain with all his jono,robo type bs.

But at times I can't put it down.
Last time I signed up we got a self inflating mattress and a sleeping bag chucked in.You can't complain about that.My daughter ended up with both and she needed a bigger s-bag anyway.

Cheers Scoof. (SA)

I think they are all great .

Ads, Ads & more Ads - and plugs for products that hint of bias with advertisers and not enough on Jeeps :-)
Overall - disappointing - akin to the WA Sunday Times - love a good Sunday Paper read - however the paper never fails to let ya down - best leaving the Sat paper till Sunday to read
Thats my mumble about em
Cheers
Graeme

Well got to admit , a Nissan or pretty girl on front cover does influence me a little
so like some others I subscribe to 4wd monthly.

Don't mind reading adds as it keeps you informed , but main reason for this mag for me is that it has more technical content and by subscribing (for short periods)the cost is not to great as they keep ringing you up offering deals when time is nearly up.

Think last was for $69 / year (10 mags)

Robin Miller

Fleggy,
4x4Mthly for me! I got a 12 month subscription for Xmas.
I used to get 4x4aust years ago but got sick of seeing old stories rearranged in later issues. I think that 4x4mthly is more open minded when it comes to reviews and new products / brands.
The DVD's which I beleive are going to be in every 2nd issue this year are a bonus as well. With other mags you usually have to send in money for that sort of thing.

And No I do not work for them.

Rob

The only ones I buy these days are:

1. Western 4 Wheel Driver, and
2. Fishing and Outdoors WA.

Both are local publications to WA but contain the material I like to read about - that is local (WA) trips and places - I find reading articles about the Eastern States places and trips etc are a bit pointless as it will be sometime before I ever venture over that way again.

Karl

I used to buy 4WD Monthly - well, monthly - but that was when I was hunting around for a 4WD to buy, and then looking at different accessories - I was buying it FOR the advertising.

Now that our vehicle is basically configured how we want it, I've got no need for the ads, so I stopped buying it. I do check out the editions with DVDs though to see if they're worth buying - I've only bought the one with the 4WD basics DVD on it, so I had something to loan out to people who were interested in 4WDing!

I subscribe to 4WD Monthly, I find that their "Free Gifts" are worth the cost of subscription, so you get a good head torch, sleeping bag or whatever with a free magazine. All depends on which way you look at it. I read the Overlander from the Library too.

GB

I used to subscribe to Overlander till they gave the BMW the 4WDOTY....That killed their credibility for me, mainly because they didn't put the Big Money Wagon through the same tasks as the Nissan or Cruiser yet they scored it as if they had.....

I am an avid Roothy fan now, can't get enough of the free DVD's they stick on every second issue so its 4WD Monthly for me...

I like to think I can do without any but in reality I can't. I buy 4wd Monthly when the mood takes me (almost every month). I am tempted to subscribe but haven't yet.

I used to buy 4x4 Aust but as I am not going to buy another NEW fourby, what's the point.

I actually end up reading all the mag including the ads which is unusual for me.
It's really a matter of what you are into. I used to enjoy Roothy when he wrote for AMCN (bikes). Then a couple of years ago I picked up 4wd monthly and there he was again. My tastes had changed by then and I thought he was journalistically uncouth (liberal use of non-english). I also started reading other material and found he was actually better than the current crop and much more "truthful".

Guess it's a matter of taste. I can't expect better than 4wd monthly though with it's offers and material.
Cheers Cam

Firstly I'd ditch OL because as a 4wd magazine, it's pretty crap. Not aimed at anyone and seems to be more of a new vehicle brochure these days.
Both 4wd Monthly and 4x4 Australia are good but aimed at different groups. 4WD Monthly is more hardcore offroading whereas 4x4 Australia is more offroad touring.

The best mag by a long, long way is Western 4WDriver. Good articles, good product reviews (although a bit brief sometimes), good tech (but this could be increased dramatically). Just buy it I reckon.

I get 4x4 monthly by subscription when they have good incentives. A free set of Staun's which retail for the same price as the subscription - well why not? Nothing to lose. Did the same with the head torch deal because my old one died and I was going to buy one anyway. The newie is LED and miles better too.

Best parts are the 'buying used' section with what to look for in specific models and years.

No affiliation with either.

I stopped buying subscribing to them all.

I got sick of reading about Roothy and his dopey mates who all seem incapable of doing up their shoes before cracking a tinny. Very boorish.

This forum and a couple of others gives me all the info I need.

Jack

I find this website to be my only regular 4WD related reading, and even that is slowly fading out these days. The same people answer the same questions about the same things all the time. It's great to search the archives, and great if I have a question that hasn't been asked before, but pretty boring otherwise.

The magazines are usually pretty biased in my opinion. If I want someone elses opinion on what the best product is, I'd rather it came from people that have themselves bought it with their own money, and can give a proper opinion. Not someone that was given it for free, or paid to write something.

And the whole "I'm an Aussie, I'm in the bush, I need a Beer in my Hand" mentality is just plain stupid. Yes a beer is nice. No, I don't need one all the time I'm out of my vehicle in the bush.

I'd rather be outside playing with my kids, or camping, or doing 100 other things these days. Mabey I'm getting old.....lol.

Thats just my 2 cents worth.....

Chris

I subscribe to OL and Austn 4WD Monthly, and occasionally buy 4x4 Aust. My comments:
- OL: Higher production values than the others. Some excellent travel articles (with good writing and high quality pix) are the main reason I get it. Vehicle reviews OK, but waste a lot of scarce space with $80k+ models. Do we really care about the latest Volvo soft-roader? Product reviews often poor: e.g. here are pictures of a few compressors on the market and this is what the press releases say about them. I agree with the comment above about the BMW winning 4WDOTY - but the worst part was that they rated it good value for money!! (Only if it's someone else's money, and you only want to drive around Vaucluse/Toorak.) They also rated the Disco 3 as 4WDOTY, whereas Austn 4WD Monthly took it to the Cape and it died crossing an ordinary stream.
- 4x4 Aust: Packer production, and rather like the Nine News and junk food: every time I consume it, I tend to regret it afterwards. The "product reviews" are usually just re-hashed press releases. Travel stories are sometimes OK but too much "what Moonie did next". Alan Whiting is worth reading. Vehicle reviews are sometimes OK. Very very commercial.
- Austn 4WD Monthly: more substance than the others. Product reviews can be excellent: e.g tests of AT tyres, fridges, compressors, driving lights, etc. Vehicle reviews and comparos aim at off-road users, which suits me. Good tips on buying used. As for the modified vehicles, who cares about yet another GQ with a 6" lift and 35" muddies? And I agree with others about the juvenile quality of Rooth and co. Travel articles are a mixed bag: too many amateurish ones ("we went down this track, then it rained, so we went down another" - please!!), and too many based on the idea that the only reason to go bush is to find 1-in-3 slopes with deep ruts.

All three are too blokey in my view, with Austn 4WD Monthly the worst offender. I don't think we all fit the stereotype.

I think they also all tend to wage a fake war against "greenies" and "bureaucrats". We should be beyond that kind of tabloid nonsense. I think many 4WD owners love the environment, want it preserved and expect their governments to do so - the hard part is striking a balance between competing demands.

For all that, if you have ever looked at the overseas counterparts of these mags, the Aust ones are not too bad.

Waste of paper the lot of them, rarely get a good in depth article and most come across as advertorials.
I used to buy every 4wd mag that came along from the late 70's but gave up around 10 years ago as I got sick of the crap.

Let my subscription go, on 4WD Monthly and 4x4 Australia, as I don't like the articles on the vehicles and most equipment.
The beer swilling, illiterate (could not call him a journalist) in 4WD Monthly, turned me right off that magazine.
Only good thing in them is the adds.
My bitch for the day.
Cheers
Shawn

I found that 4wd Monthly was the best. They actually review 4wding with new and old cars. Teach you how to do up and prepare cars encouraging you to do it yourself. The other mags seem to only look at how many drink holders are in the new Landcruiser, and I really couldn't care.

There are too many ads though, and what passes as a story many times no doubt is a paid advert. Roothy is a funny bugger, although sometimes I am actually interested in what he's talking about and he goes on about XXXX.

Barnesy

Hmmm .... I only look at them for the pictures :)))))

I buy 4WD monthly at the newsagent. I occasionally skip a copy and wait for that one to appear as a freebee in the future. The other free mags are usually just a collection of related article from previous issues
I borrow the other two from the local library.

Western 4Wdriver - don't be put off by the name - it's just as relevant to other states.

WHOA!! I thought I might get a few responses, but this is great!! Rather than reply to everyone individually (sorry, I'd be here all night!) I'll summarise here.

Just about every reply I can probably agree with (sounds like a contradiction, but I know what I mean :) ). I hadn't really noticed it before - eg. OL seems to be high end, glossy stuff etc (I also agree with the remarks re: 4WDOTY) - but when I think about it, most of what you are all saying rings true (I especially agree with the remark about WA's Sunday Times; it's more like a bl**dy tabloid paper than news paper - just can't take it seriously).

On reflection I have probably enjoyed 4WD Monthly the best so far, and also enjoy the ramblings of Roothy & co; I do agree he lays the ocker attitude on a bit thick sometimes. Knows his stuff though, can't argue with that and the dvd's are a good laugh. There was a good point made re: taking the subscription offers up when they are giving away good stuff as well - thanks for the tip.

I think that probably settles it for me then - 4WD Monthly AND I will be checking out Western 4 Wheel Driver, since I'm in WA and all and it's been a given a good wrap here.

Thanks again everyone for your input!

Cheers
Fleggy

When was the last time ANY magazine said "This is car/accessory really bleep house.." instead of pussy footing around the truth?

Any magazine's tests... which I find mostly the winner is followed by a large advertising spread and a regular new large page ad for the next 12 mths ($) always go against what the last magazine said..

EG> Brand A wins in one mag, while Brand Z comes last... then the next maggo has the total opposite. How can they be so opposite.

And same as the others - how can something win the top 4wd of yr prize if it doesnt even do the same tests? It was something like "this machine isnt designed to do this work, so we didnt do it".. then if it isnt designed for it, it isnt a 4wd!

I've been subscribing to both OL and 4WD Monthly for many years and often go through the back issues when I'm about to do a trip to a particular area for ideas.
I'm finding they are now starting to get repetitive and recently dropped the 4WD Monthly sub. I'll also review the OL sub when it comes up but prefer it as it seems to cover a wider spectrum of topics. Used to buy 4X4 Aust from time to time but never subscribed.

4X4 Monthly for me, have subscribed for years..... love the "freebies" they chuck in, and some of the stories are pretty good as well. And while Roothy's yarns get a tad off topic, I find that I have to keep reading them to find out what the heck he is on about, and usually I learn something from it! To me, (maybe not everyone else) I find his writing easier to learn from rather than some boring old text stating the bleedin' obvious in step X step form.

My only gripe is they often leave themselves open for abuse..... the latest DVD is the Fraser Island epic, which shows a couple of quick scenes at Eli creek and Lake McKenzie, and I think Indian Head gets a mention.... There is much more to Fraser Island than those places alone..... they show a snatch recovery where they have "spectators" standing only a few metres away from an "un-damped" snatch strap...... they show their convoy driving around rocks, probably either Poyungan or Yidney with waves washing up under their cars, obviously tempting the fate of the car drowning tide with a bit of background commentary saying they decided NOT to use the bypass track.
To me, that's just the sort of thing that gets novices into trouble and also fuels the fires of the "Anti-4WD'ing" movement.... if they are gonna demonstrate something like either of the above, surely it's not that hard to get it right?
There is more on that DVD, but I've probably said enough.
It's just my opinion.

Cheers

Brian

I signed up to 4WD Monthly at the last Adelaide camping show to get a free set of Stauns. I liked some of the DVDs but found the writing in the mag juvenile.

It was nice to look at the adds as a shopping list, but after 10 months it almost went straight from the post box to the recycling bin. And the paper is too shiny for other purposes.

We are going to subscribe to the RM Williams Outback magazine. My parents get it and it is a good read.

Pete

Just on this people, since they are no use as dunny rolls, when your finished with your mags, take them to the local primary school.

I took 50+ to my sons class was covered in 4wd's and touring photos and the boys loved the "BIG MONSTER TRUCKS"... yes.. they were all Nissans.