Calypso-E34 Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 I got a letter with my latest (and apparently last) issue of BMW Car, along with information on Facebook, that Kelsey are to produce a new BMW orientated magazine called Total BMW (name from the past), and that my subscription will be transferred to that title. BMW Car has been a regularly read title for me since 1994, mostly under the ownership of Unity Media I think, and then Kelsey. The same Kelsey that killed off the previous Total BMW titled magazine. I would love to know what happened there, and the reasoning behind it. Why stop one just to start another? I wonder how many of the contributors from BMW Car will write for the new title? Anyone have the inside track on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan-uk Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 I stopped on BMW Car a good few years ago after it went to Kelsey, after which i just had PPC magazine but thats stopped now too. Classic Retro Modern is good but thinking i might not even take any these days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkfan Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 Bob Harper used to be the Editor of BMWCar when it was at its best but a shuffle left him writing as independent contributor. I must admit I haven't bought one in years despite having a stack of older issues on my shelf at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calypso-E34 Posted October 31, 2022 Author Share Posted October 31, 2022 1 hour ago, Sharkfan said: Bob Harper used to be the Editor of BMWCar when it was at its best but a shuffle left him writing as independent contributor. That is what I was thinking about when I heard about the demise of the magazine. I really hope that the people who really made BMW Car magazine what it was have not been treated shabbily in all of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calypso-E34 Posted October 31, 2022 Author Share Posted October 31, 2022 2 hours ago, duncan-uk said: Classic Retro Modern is good but thinking i might not even take any these days! I was thinking about taking that one - is it decent quality Duncan? At the moment I get BMW Car and Classic Ford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan-uk Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 Its sold in WH Smiths so you can have a look but its quite interesting content and a quality feel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calypso-E34 Posted November 2, 2022 Author Share Posted November 2, 2022 Golden oldie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve VH Posted November 2, 2022 Share Posted November 2, 2022 Perhaps ARP may know something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr H Posted November 28, 2022 Share Posted November 28, 2022 On 31/10/2022 at 11:51, Calypso-E34 said: That is what I was thinking about when I heard about the demise of the magazine. I really hope that the people who really made BMW Car magazine what it was have not been treated shabbily in all of this. Some of them, including Bob, seem to have moved across to Toatl BMW .............. Was all very sudden; clearly, some articles in the final edition of BMW Car did not reflect that it was the end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calypso-E34 Posted November 28, 2022 Author Share Posted November 28, 2022 (edited) I got my copy today, and was pleased to see Bob. I’ll take the next few issues and see how things turn out. Performance BMW (which has merged with BMW Car to create the new publication) is not a magazine I would have even thought about subscribing to - not my thing really. When it first arrived, the original Total BMW was great, and I subscribed to that as well as BMW Car. I hope it works out. Mags I like are getting thin on the ground. Edited November 29, 2022 by Calypso-E34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calypso-E34 Posted April 4, 2023 Author Share Posted April 4, 2023 Okay, so I’ve taken a few issues to give the new title a chance - but the issue that dropped on my mat today has helped me make my decision. There was so little of interest to me in it, that I threw it straight into the bin. it’s basically Performance BMW now. Gaudy as Max Power, class is gone. I have plenty of old BMW Car and the original Total BMW to read, along with books and other stuff. Disappointing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 I have a complete collection of Total BMW in the loft. I'd completely forgotten about them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve VH Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Social media is killing off the sale of car magazines, and magazines generally, and even causing a decline in newspaper sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted April 6, 2023 Share Posted April 6, 2023 I 13 hours ago, Steve VH said: Social media is killing off the sale of car magazines, and magazines generally, and even causing a decline in newspaper sales. Yep. I used to read Club International on the toilet. Now I just browse Xvideos.com 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 I never got into the BMW magazine scene despite owning BMWs for nearly 20 years. I always found forums were a more useful source of information for me, as I wanted to learn about oily bits and how to fix them, rather than how to stick go faster stuff on to my BMW. It's why I read Car Mechanics magazine, its more technical than the BMW mags were and the variety of cars and how to fix them is far more interesting. https://shop.kelsey.co.uk/single-issue/car-mechanics-magazine On 05/04/2023 at 23:15, Steve VH said: Social media is killing off the sale of car magazines, and magazines generally, and even causing a decline in newspaper sales. But this is a problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan-uk Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 I felt that mags like total BMW, BMW Car and even PPC at the end were getting so thin on content and price was rising so i'd given up on them. Only so many times you can read an M3 buyers guide... As a youth i would devour a magazine the day it came out now i dont even read it all sometimes! I was saddened to see PPC go but at least meant I didnt feel I had to buy it (i have the full set) and now I dont really buy magazines. I think people still want printed media though, I have subscribed for a year to the Road Rat which is a 1/2" thick and on quality paper and long form articles - its quarterly and £15 an issue but thats same as 3 monthly mags or less and classic. retro. modern is now bi-monthley which is a good read again decent arcticles and quality print. I think this is the market - less issues, more content/ quality. If i want a quick fix for a holidy say i'll grab a copy of classic car weekly news paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calypso-E34 Posted May 4, 2023 Author Share Posted May 4, 2023 Unhappily, although I cancelled my subscription, there are a few issues I will still receive. The one that dropped on my mat yesterday was even worse than last month. Not a single new or unmodified car on the cover, and very little of interest through the magazine. Nothing from any of the old BMW Car team. They should just have been honest and called it Performance BMW, as that is what it is. I have subscribes to a couple of quarterly magazines now. Perhaps they should have retained BMW Car as a quarterly. Oh well. Recycling bin got a nice Max Power style meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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