My son is selling subscriptions and unfortunately a MINI magazine is not available. My favorite automotive magazine Car is not an option. Which is the best of the following choices: Automobile; Autoweek; Car And Driver; European Car; Motor Trend; Road & Track? I'm leaning toward Automobile, Autoweek and European Car--will go to a bookstore today and check them out.

 

I've thought about getting a subscription to European Car myself. A friend of mine said they have some good things in it.

Brad

 

AutoWeek is a great weekly for racing news and breaking news. I get Automobile and Car and Driver for car tests, news and entertainment and I don't know which of the two I'd give up if I had to.....

 

Autoweek is the best US based auto mag IMO. Automobile, Road and Track and Car and Driver are all top quality monthlies, MotorTrend has had its ups and downs in the past, they seem to be doing things right at the moment but I reserve judgment until I've seen a bit more. I'm about to let my subscription lapse for European Car. I was really disappointed, not so much because the copy or photos were poor, but seven of the eleven issues I've received in the mail have come in with ripped covers, pages and worse. How can this be? My Autoweek subscription hasn't had two damaged issues in over five years, yet European Car has a greater than 50% chance of arriving at my door in horrible condition. No other mags have ever been so poorly shipped to me in all my years of subscribing.

EOR (sorry, got carried away).

 

I lean toward European Car since I began my short-lived freelance writing career with a few articles that I submitted to them many, many moons ago. They cover a wide spectrum of automobiles, from classics to modern eye candy.

 

I'd go with the European Car mag. Good coverage. Mind you, I'm a sucker for MINI, Mini, and BMW, so that's why I like it.
I've had 3yrs of R&T subscriptions though, and they cover a vast selection of vehicles and good coverage. No complaints with them from me
Cheers,

 

I guess if I had to choose just one, it would be AutoWeek. Car is my very favorite magazine. Expensive, but my wife got me a subscription for Christmas.

Mark

 

From those choices i would pick European Car, however, i have been reading auto mags all my life and i think the best is Evo. It is a British magazine like Car which i also get, and two others that are exceptional are Autocar and Octane, unfortuneately each of these subscriptions(Evo, Autocar and Car) is about 100 bucks, but i think they are all worth it.

 

I get several but if I had to choose two, I'd pick AutoWeek and Automobile. If I had to pick three, I'd be stumped.

 

I stopped getting AutoWeek after 15 years. Anyone remember Satch? It went downhill IMO. Automobile is the way to go.

 

Of Course we remember Satch Carlson and his tales of derring-do driving his Saab 99 on studded tires around Alaska. But good news Buck, ole Satch himself is the editor of Roundel, the BMW Car Club of America's (and incidentally MINI's) club magazine. His comments on reader's letters are worth the membership price alone. Roundel is a monthly, I highly recommend it.

http://www.bmwcca.org/

Join up and relive your yoof.

MGC

 

Buckeye, I tracked down Satch and emailed him last year. He's the Editor of Roundel I do believe. I thanked him for the years of entertainment he provided me and my friends. He said it made his day.

 

Thanks guys!
I seam to remember a bit of controversy when he left Autoweek. Didn’t it involve a child?

 

Grassroots Motorsport:

http://www.grmotorsports.com/

Also "Sports Car International" from Ross Periodicals

 

My memory fails me, but I do believe that I heard the same rumor ('course it just might have been an Ohio based rumor, or something that spilled over from Detroit). Don't recall the details, nor can I say that his writing has suffered because/in spite of it.

 

For domestic mags I'll second Sports Car International and Grassroots Motorsport. I'd also add Classic Motorsports for classic cars. IMHO AutoWeak is hit and miss and the rest of the monthlys aren't worth bothering with, unless you like reading about SUV's and Minivans.

Ciao,

 

If I recall correctly, Satch was a high school teacher and got into some trouble about a student.

I also forgot to mention Grassroots Motorsports. Good magazine! If you're into vintage racing, Vintage Racecar Journal is a fun magazine (and a couple of us here shoot for them, too!)

Mark

 

Very true, I learned about this when I found the guy's face in my wife's yearbook. Happened in Alaska and apperantly was quite the scandal at the time.

 

Do tell, we automotive culture vultures wanna be in the know.

 

Do a search for "Satch fired"

http://groups-beta.google.com/

FWIW, I picked up a copy of European Car and a copy of Euro Tuner the other day. Each was down to 98 pages and had almost no hint left of their excellent "VW & Porsche" magazine heritage.

 

I can tell you that I don't think he was officially convicted of anything at the time due to the nature of Alaska law. Shortly thereafter he did have the dubious honor of having a new law named after him - "The Satch Carlson Law". Appearantly he pissed alot of people off up there. If you want to know more PM me.

For the vultures, I've attached Satch, circa 1989.

As far as the magazines go, despite Carlson, Roundel is a good one and worh the $35 BMWCCA membership. If there is a track near you the club will often sponsor driving schools and things of that sort as a side benefit. I had a sub to Motor Trend for the last year, and it's excellent bathroom material, but nothing that special.