4x4 mags, is it time to pick up their game

Stopped buying 4wd mags for that very reason nearly twenty years ago, no more than advertorial for the most part with only a few contributors columns worth reading

Somebody must be buying them or they wouldn't be printing them.

cheers

Pick up their game how? Have less advertising? That would send them broke. I'm willing to sift through the product catalogues in case there is something there. You often see something you wouldn't have thought to search for on the net. The car reviews can be interesting. Also, the trip reports can give you good ideas on where to go. I especially like it if the trip is on the dvd. I'm not interested in comp rigs or people's trucks they have modified but they have to fill the pages and suit a wide variety of tastes. It would be tough doing it every month.
Having said that, I probably buy around 2 a year and only when the car review or trip report is of interest to me. I'm going back up to Fraser later in the year due to seeing a mag dvd on it. I haven't been there for over 10 years and the dvd spurred me on to do it again. You have to take the good with the bad.

My guess is that Colarado spend more money on advertising than the Ranger and that's why they came out on top.
Des

i used to be into jeeps pretty heavily, it always amazed me how they would test the top of the range cruiser/patrol/disco/defender and the bottom of the range wrangler, i mean the unlimited rubicon would be hands down the most capable 4wd out of the box, diff locks, sway bar disconnects, 32" AT from factory. And the Jeep would always get battered and smashed and they would say how bad it was, there really was no continuity in thier testing so i stopped reading any comparission, it all comes down to how much money is spent in advertising as to who wins!

Dont but em but am happy to borrow them from the library to keep in touch of new products etc.
Pointless whinging about advertising, it's simply needed, a bit like this site I suppose.
MM

Yeah, have to agree wholeheartedly.
The only magazine I read is the freebie I get from ARB, being a previous customer.

As for comparing vehicles, one just selects a vehicle that is suitable for the purpose they want it for and the price you can justify and afford.

I have a 2009 Colorado and love it. The only other vehicle I can compare it to was the Holden Jackaroo I had before. That was OK too.

I selected the Colorado primarily on the fact I saved in the order of $12,000 off the new price for an LT/R turbo diesel, due to employee discount. (My Wife, not me)
My intention was to keep this vehicle for "ever", or at least until I'm too old to travel any more.
This may change when the new "wagon" version of the current Colorado is released towards the end of the year:-)

Adding to your point, majority of us have a 4x4 vehicle so that we can explore remote areas and enjoy a lifestyle that gets us away from cities.

Unfortunately, the magazines have been built on the need for a 4x4 industry to sell stuff... buy spotlights, but we don't recommend you drive at night ; spend money on your vehicle, money which could be used for fuel to go exploring.

I realize its a tough one... the magazines needs advertising to publish ; the product companies need us to buy to sustain their business. As a result its a never ending circle of getting consumers to buy product.

As a I write this, I have a flashing advert on the screen attempting to sell me four products (fridge, GPS & ready made meals)...

Personally, I think for good relevant content, it might be back to club newsletters written by people we know, and people that have similiar interests...

My contributing rant is over...

I used to subscribe but don't bother any more as it is all 'same same'
What I find more annoying is the constant barrage of deals that they are sending out, buy this and get that free etc etc.
I appreciate they need to promote their mags but with the amount of spam type mail they send you they look desperate for a sale which is off putting.

Member - Des Lexic replied:
My guess is that Colarado spend more money on advertising than the Ranger and that's why they came out on top.
Des

thats like cooper tyres.
but with no back up when you put them to the test, their waranty!.

u used to loove 4wd action, but the people at accounts thought it was a good idea to get us 4wd custom as well, soo didnt find out for ages as i worked away, and they were not one bit interested.
magazines unopened....
chick was being a mole on the phone, refuse to but their mag now.
i feel same stuff over and over, like if i went and tracked the article back a year or soo, id find the same article.

it was pretty good, before they got realy big and custom utes, blah blah blah magazine this and that, camper trailer touring.
dvds were awesome!! though

It seems to me that the 4WD mags and TV shows are out to convince us all that whatever we bought is crap without several thousand dollars of aftermarket accessories. ALL ex works suspensions are rubbish. You won't get anywhere without a suspension or chassis lift; never mind the extra fuel and loss of stability. An, no matter what engine you have, you NEED MORE POWER.

I think they are designed to be read by blokes without girlfriends.

Member - Keith Berg replied:
It seems to me that the 4WD mags and TV shows are out to convince us all that whatever we bought is crap without several thousand dollars of aftermarket accessories. ALL ex works suspensions are rubbish. You won't get anywhere without a suspension or chassis lift; never mind the extra fuel and loss of stability. An, no matter what engine you have, you NEED MORE POWER.

I think they are designed to be read by blokes without girlfriends.

new vehicles are built to a price. thats a fact.
there wouldnt be a aftermarket business if they were good straight from the showroom.
thousands of people kit their car up before they even drive it from the dealer!


we ALL want more power, towing the boat, camper or the caravan.
chips improve that damn turbo lag we all haaaaate, response and performance, and safer overtaking. and sometimes better economy.
their wouldnt be a suspension market if the factory stuff was any good for what we do.
everything you go away with has weight associated with it, fridge, camp gear, recovery gear and the extra fuel you dont normaly carry.
i put arb stuff on my cruiser, it is superb when i got a load on the back like when im heading bush, full of fuel 160ltrs to increase my range, feels like ive got coils its that good.
every 2nd real 4wder has spent serious coin to make their 4by go further, safer along with more stable at speed!! and more in line with what they want from their vehicle.

most of the guys i go with have all the fruit except lockers, and married, kids...
we build our vehicles because thats what real 4wders do.
on the next what to buy list, gotta get myself that!, or that didnt work, and improve it.
then some say well next project, once happy, then sell the car, and the bug bites hard, on the tinker my 4by never ending search for working under the hood.

we improve on what we have than make do with what were given.
same on life.

drive a stock vehicle, then a kitted out one, youll notice the difference unless your blind.
we are all out to improve our rigs....
thats what its all about.
and they do that well!!

just get out their buddy, let the bug bite, its only money.
i work too hard for my coin! and the 6days a week that im doing, soo i can get out their, more often later on.

Simple....if you dont like it.....dont buy it.
I personaly dont bother reading it very often, but there are obviously plenty who do and like it or they wouldnt still be printing them?

Like you I have got sick of Mags with Roothy all over them.
What mag isn't in:)

He may be an OK bloke but I just got fed up with 'buy the mag and get Roothys shirt or what ever'

The guy must be making a fortune as he is so many of them I suppose good luck to him but not from me.

Rich

Have been subscribing to 4WD Action for a lot of years, mainly because the nearest newsagent was almost 240km away. A quick "read" was going to take you all day!!!

Also liked to keep in touch with what was available, and the ads, so many of them, took care of that.

Now living in Winton, there's not too many ARB or OL's out here either, so it's handy to have the mag as a reference. The local newsy took offence when I wanted to borrow a copy, to read in bed that night.

Anyway the mags are a product of you, me and all the other hairy chested 4WDers out there. They want to keep selling their product, and they do it through advertising, by any means possible.

Don't like it, don't buy it! But don't put any greasy fingerprints on that "borrowed" copy, I might want to read it too.

Bob.