What content do you want in a 4wd or camper trailer magazine !!

[McGirr]

Interesting to read how many subscribers to magazines whether its 4wd or camper trailer magazines are not happy with the content. Here is your chance to say what you want to see or read in them to make them worth the money. I too have not renewed my membership in some magazines.

Do you like the free gifts or perceived value in subscribing such as saving money !!

This is not an opportunity to rubbish them but to give honest feedback that would make you re invest in them.

I have no affiliation with any magazine.

Mark

[D4D]

I like reading reader's campers for the mod ideas, trip reports to not common places, I only re-subscribed because they did a 12 month deal for $60. I do watch the DVDs when the destination interests me.

[JCOJ]

One thing I would like to see is "How long it took to erect as seen photographed" - and this is done from the time they touch the hitch to the time they are ready for the photographs.  Not like the Trak Shak up in 2 minutes video where the ropes and pegs are convenient already banged in and are the right length and the poles already sitting on the ground prior to the clock starting.  I wish I could rock up to a campsite with my pegs and poles already in.

I too like the campers mods, but would go further and do the complete set up of both their 4by and campertailer.

[BigJules]

I like the trip reports and also the DIY segments.

The DVDs are usually entertaining.

[Kit_e_kat9]

Excellent Idea McGirr! 

So I'd like to read:

Camping articles that are more than "we drove there, we camped here, we drove here, we went home ... what about the local history, natural features ... other reasons to go than just drinking beer and extreme 4wd-ing as some of us do neither.  Stay away from The Simpson, GRR, Canning, The Cape, Coffs, Vic "high" country, Fraser, particular 4x4 parks ... I'm sure there are more places than those to report on and they've been "done to death" ... there is thousands of k's between them ... and I feel sure you can camp somewhere in between.  Agreed that many of us save for years to do the one Big Trip of a Lifetime, but we are all doing those little quick insignificant trips in between more often than not.  I would like to hear more about those.

Reader Modifications:  these are fantastic!  There is always something that can be done better by someone who actually goes camping and has thought things through well to suit the lifestyle.  Save some mod's for other issues though.  A full article on everything one bloke modified can become rather boring, if he's basically changed everything on his camper.  Stick with things that make camping easier or more fun or less frustrating ... if that makes sense.

If the competitions state "must have people and your camper in the photo" then don't award the winning prize to someone who hasn't complied to the rules.  Don't make the prize something we probably already have ... what's wrong with making the prize a list we can choose from ... like a kayak for two or a GPS mapping pack or a "goodie bag" of assorted products or a dunny or a fancy invertor ... but we get to pick which one?

Cut back on the advertising.  I do understand it pays the bills, but it's hard to find 10 pages of articles amongst 50 pages of adverts.

Love the DVD's (and the fact you can just play the "travel" part without having to see all the boring bits.  Can you try to get the volume up to television standards ... I don't have a tele remote any more and it's a PITA to have to adjust it continually as I don't have any slaves kids to change it for me.  Yeah I might be a tad lazy there, but I think it's a valid issue.

Don't keep changing the price just because you added a DVD or stubbie cooler this month that doesn't usually come with the mag.  If you throw it in, then the extra expense is your worry and changing the price of your mag is just annoying for the consumer.

Ensure your editor reads the articles and looks at the added maps and such.  It's embarrasing (for your mag) to read about a place to visit in Qld and the map shows it in Vic.  If you are giving us a map to see, please make it legible and/or larger.  A tiny little map with itsy bitsy writing on it makes it difficult to see where you are talking about ... not all of us have 50/50 vision or can find our glasses 

I'm as keen as the next camper to see what's new on the scene, so why are you making a small page or two at the back for all the wonder inventions that can afford to "advertise" in your mag.  Jump out on a limb and feature some of these items so we can see how they might be used, rather than giving us the advertising speal and a photo of the item.

I could probably come up with more, but my fingers are getting tired ...
Kit_e

[bussoboy]

I find myself buying the Caravan magazines because they have so much more on the area they are going too, not just the how they got there. I'ld like to see some stuff about regular 4wd's and the places they can go, not about the rock climbing 6" lifted monsters they think we all drive.

CTT need to start making DVD's on travel, mods etc.not the rolling adverts for GIC, Jimboomba, Xtrail, Complete Campsite etc that they currently run - I mean most of us that buy the mag have already got a CT and I for one would like to know what to do with it rather than what they think I should of bought

just my 2 cents worth

[MDS69]

further to what has been posted already, if you could get an honest no holds barred opinion, a report on different CT's 12-24 months down the track by the purchasers. Maybe topics covered could be, ease of set up, what you like/don't like, manufacturer support/after sales service/warranty issues (seems to be a hot topic lately), mods you have done and why.
I don't think the majority of road tests go far enough.

kit_e has covered quite a few good ideas too.

[DeLuxHiLux]

Yeah, how about something new, something based on the real world and the vehicles most people drive, and not Rock Crawling machines. Show me how to do a mod at home, not a full mechanical workshop (or at least tell us what the get done professionally)

Some unbiased reporting based on an honest opinion, not the sized of the advertisers cheque book. if its crap, say so!!

Mods done by real people to improve their experience with their campers and trucks, not some crazy 6" lifts and "converting your live axle trailer to Independant trailing arm airbag suspension in 20mins with a Leatherman and a roll of Gaffer!"

Comparo's are great as long as the bias rules as mentioned eariler apply. Maybe even some owner "interviews" about what they use, why they use it, what they have done to it and why, and what they plan to do. One of these articles per issue would be great. Using a template of questions as well as a p[art where owners get to give their opinion on their rig

And make a subscription worth while. 12 for the proce of 10 or the like. Makes it worth subscribing.

[barneys]

what kit e said  kit e have you looked at (on the road) you mite like it

[Bird]

Cut back on the advertising.  I do understand it pays the bills, but it's hard to find 10 pages of articles amongst 50 pages of adverts.

While we all agree, you'd be happy to pay 5x the cover price? I struggle to see value in paying the current price. Most wouldnt pay more per and then the magazine would go under. its my dream in a mag too, but won't ever happen. but there are other options...

My wishes
 - have the Content page on the inside of the first page (not inside the cover), not adverts. You open the mag, you wanna find that thing shown on the cover, you dont want to have to battle to find it. Table of contents should be first thing you see.

 - bung all the ads at the back of the magazine, they used to do this, it worked really really well, with an index of the adverts EG: batteries, lights, trailers, etc..

 - get all the articles at the front of the magazine - get people interested in reading.

 - submitted articles on trips - try and make them to different places. We have all read about 1290840129384023894089 trips to the High Country.

 - followed by the "tests"... But instead of making it a 1.5page quick speil really go into things - if your unsure of indepth buy yourself a car magazine from the 1970's and see how they used to do tests - they were usually 10 pages with all the nitty gritty. Each test should have at least 1 photo of the trailer from each side - same inside and underneath. No photo's of the little tester bloke with the trailer hooked to his GU while he is leaning on a fence pointing at a tree. Thats not any use.

- if you find something in a test on an item that is real Shit, say it how it is... dont sugar coat it.

No chance of any of it happening, but you asked.

I'ld like to see some stuff about regular 4wd's and the places they can go, not about the rock climbing 6" lifted monsters they think we all drive.

Yeah, how about something new, something based on the real world and the vehicles most people drive, and not Rock Crawling machines.

but then the hardcore 4wders and non tourers will not buy the mags cause bolt on bandits are of no interest to them.

This comes up every time theres a thead like this, its impossible to please everyone

[DeLuxHiLux]

but then the hardcore 4wders and non tourers will not buy the mags cause bolt on bandits are of no interest to them.

This comes up every time theres a thead like this, its impossible to please everyone

I get that people have different interests, but dont assume we all drive some crappy 6" lifted, 350 Chev machine with rock sliders, double diff locks and fron and back winches! I enjoy 4x4ing, andeven though my idea of a good time involves more driving than winching, it doesnt mean that they need to fill the mag from front to back cover with these machines. If i had one of these trucks, id buy a mag dedicated to this type of vehicle. A CT mag should appeal to the mainstream market which i'd have thought was tourers and people with mildly modd'ed toenhance safety and bush capability trucks, not competition rock crawlers.

And I too an sick of the pic of  3 knuckleheads standing and pointing at a truck/trailer/tyre/air compressor/winch. It is totally pointless and just means that the "writer" (I shudder to use the journalist) has to write less as more column inches are taken up by pics!

[dno]

I'd like to see some themed trips.
Maybe river fishing.
Weekends in the swag.
Weekends or trips away prospecting.
Trips away shooting.
I'd also like to see maps of roads and tracks traveled and more input on the history side of an area.
Would also like to have a list of real world questions that all story writers answer,something like.
Faverite mod you've done.
Whats the next mod on the list.
Best tyres you've run.
Favorite destination.
What trip do you plan to do but haven't done yet.
Theres a few more that could be added.

[Bird]

I get that people have different interests, but dont assume we all drive some crappy 6" lifted, 350 Chev machine with rock sliders, double diff locks and fron and back winches!

They dont. Thats what sells magazines.

Dont assume that all 6"lifted 4wds are crappy.

point being that your arguement is the exact arguement that the other side of 4wding have towards your idea of 4wding.

[bussoboy]

my arguement is EMG have "extreme 4wd" for the hard core guys.................why do they need to make the flagship mag mainly extreme as well?

surely they can throw tourer built 4wd's into the mix a bit more often?

i don't have a problem with the big rock crawlers (unless they chew up the track i want to drive down), i just don't aspire to make my ute into something i need a rope ladder to get into

surely i cant be alone in this?

[Prado BB]

I was going to simply post that "can of worms" pictures again, but really, can we all see now how hard it is with all these different tastes, wants and needs? 

[bert56]

Most articles in 4wd magazines are either about toyotas or nissans. I know there is a majority of these out there but how often do you see a good article or follow up on a Ranger, BT50, Triton or any lesser know 4wd.

Bert

[Heiny]

Most articles in 4wd magazines are either about toyotas or nissans. I know there is a majority of these out there but how often do you see a good article or follow up on a Ranger, BT50, Triton or any lesser know 4wd.

Bert

I totally agree with you Bert, even the possibly 3rd best selling 4x4 the Pajero never gets a mention and this would give the magazine's more material to write about

[hookedon4wding]

I'd like to see some consideration taken to vehicle safety when comparing vehicles. It's never a factor and it should be. Especially when singing the praises of the benefits of old against new vehicles.

Likewise a new 70 Series might be tough and simple blah blah but no ABS, TC, side airbags (they've only just received front airbags) etc. This should count against it heavily in comparisons with safer vehicles. Especially when considering the high number of high speed kms involved in serious touring.

Oh and no more f'ing GIC ads, advertorials or taking the GIC bloke on every DVD trip! Over exposed much...

Ah, now I feel better

[Gunna Do]

Much much better maps of the areas travelled, maybe even full page maps with a bit of detail.  Very hard to see the detail on most.

And more articles with modified Patrols.  Can't get enough of this sort of thing, but then again that's what I own and that's what interests me, much the same as others would like articles on other brands of 4bys.

I would much rather buy a magazine worth $10.00 with 30 pages of adds, than buy one worth $15.00 with 20 pages of adds.  It's a fact of life, magazines need adverts to offset the cost of production.  How hard is it to turn the page over when there is an add on it?  Some of these adds can give you other options on jobs you are doing or things you want to buy, as not everyone can drop their 4by off at the local ARB shop and pay to have all the work done, the same as some of us don't own a brand new 4by which doesn't require any maintenance outside it's service periods, the same as some of us use our 4bys for what they were built for, not just running up to the local supermarket, and so things go wrong which require ideas on fixing or making stronger or better.

Everyone's interest and wants are different.

This thread seems to be slowly swinging its attention and complaints towards the 4WD Action magazine which I would like to think wasn't McGirr's original intention.

What content do you want in the mags, not what are the mags doing wrong?

[Redback]

I prefer reading the trip reports in all the forums I visit, gives you a better idea on what places are like without the bias reports on places and items that sponser the magazines, trek notes and GPS points are much better and more accurate, there are more photos and much more deverse types of vehicles and campers.

I'll only read a mag if it's given too me.

Baz.

[hookedon4wding]

I prefer reading the trip reports in all the forums I visit.
Baz.

X2

[Bird]

How hard is it to turn the page over when there is an add on it?

Simple, but the next 2 pages will be full of ads... and the 2 after.

[cdustbehindme]

long weekend trips with a small map or pic of where it is in aus.... dont know how many times i have to do google searches or read 3/4 of the article to work out if the place they are talking about is within driving distance or on the other side of the country... 

mods are great and other teckky stuff

funnily enough i always really enjoy the pics of other readers and what they are up too....

pics are always good so you can see why you are going there (not all of them of the 4wd, good to see the countryside your going there to look at), pictures tell a thousand words.... 

i reckon less emotion more info...  its great knowing that everyone had a great time, but what do you need to know to do the trip....

rough budgets on things could be good... even if its rough.... below $100  over $10,000  am I going to plan a trip to cape york to find out i havnt got ennough money to do it for ten years......  wow installing HID drivers is great but if i need to fork out over $500..... 

 

[DANBRI]

Unedited opinions, no need to bag products, just point out where they could improve. Upsetting an advertiser is a concern however, loosing credibility because of the obvious is a greater one. 4WDA has lost the ability to influence its audience.

More 'New Products' we all love to look at shiny stuff, related to 4wding or not.

Less pushing the same GIC crap, insulting our intelligence.

More humour in articles, less 'we went here, and then we did this, then a train came past' BORING. I seriously read the first paragraph and if it hasn't caught me by then, it gets binned. This is leasure reading, not study or scholar work that needs to be read and remembered. It needs to be entertaining, interesting, humorous and somewhat in depth (in depth could be detail or controversy).

Anyone submitting articles PLEASE, PLEASE do your best to make the story interesting, not just a trip report.

[Traveller]

I agree with Danbri, Lost and Bussoboy.

Keep the extreme stuff for the extreme mags.

I can remember when CTT did a lot of camper tests in each issue, mainly by Brendan Batty. I liked this because it meant that one person could compare the campers and you could judge what he really thought. The first thing I looked at was the box at the start of the article that showed the pros and cons of each trailer, but I noticed that stopped after one manufacturer took offence at their review. Now we only get the positives and no the true picture.

I realise GIC, Jimboomba, etc are paying the bills but please give us some variation. I know most people want family friendly soft floor reviews but there are a lot of couples now travelling (grey nomads and the soon to be), and they can have spending power at that stage in their life, so how about a few of the top end hard floor reviews.

Maybe if we only received DVDs every 2-3 months then the need to pack them with the same manufacturers might diminish, and reviews that stated the facts, not the advertising, might become more prevalent.

And, as said, more humour. I think Graham Cahill was a great presenter and writer, and is still quite good, but is slowly being pressured into following the set EMG line.