Is TBMW magazine becoming boring

[jahsean]

Every month I pick up my copy and wonder why bother. It just not very interesting any more. I only buy it because I need my regular Bmw fix (-:
This month they had a car labelled 320is. It was a e30 316 with a s14 engine from a M3. They did state it was not a 320is. It wasnt even a replica of one. Why mention the label 320is. Was this a ploy to keep up with the jones over at PBMW.

I was very dissapointed. Is it just me?

Peace

[Richy325iTouring]

Personaly i find it ok. Tech guides are good and you dont get the barryed bm's that you get in pbmw. Ok i said barryed perhaps that going to far but you know what i mean

[bootyman]

Each to their own mate. I buy PBMW every month and i think it's really good. Especially since Iain Curry took over a while ago. They always place the emphasis on trying to get hold of good mooded UK BMW's and that can only be good in my book (My car and Dips's car are in the next issue coming out in a couple of weeks). I couldnt imagine spending my money on either of the other BM mags. Not because they are not good, but simply because i coudn't imagine myself owning a standard or next to standard BMW. I have to have my fix and do some mods on it, unless it's the M3 of course

[Jimbob]

I don't see boggo BMW's in TBMW bootyman...
Just buy both, can't argue with Ԛ£7.50 a month for the best of both worlds.

[E30Adam]

TBMW is my favourite but I only ever buy it if there's something in it that I want to read about.

This month has Chris Heath's M3 cab which is gorgeous and the Irish D1 drift car, which although isn't an actual 320iS, it's a pretty good drift car and the article was interesting. I still didn't buy it though, I just read the good bits in WHSmiths on my lunch break.

I never buy PBMW because it's just not my scene, there are only so many hideously modified American E36's that a person can stomach.

I might make an exception next month with Dip's and Bootymans cars being featured though

[jahsean]

Thats true they not filled with bog standard BMs. Even though the cars look standard, They tend to have upgrades which were of theie era, which are not always obvious.

I tend to get all three each month. Now I am finding that TBMW is usually the least interesting. I am into the old school BMWs as well.

Peace

[bootyman]

E30Adam, You are right about the amount of American clones in PBMW. Iain (Editor) is trying very, very hard to feature more UK cars, but unfortunatly we're a very small Island, and there's only so many BMW's worthy of a feature that can be found here. After that, the mag is forced to look elsewhere for feature worthy cars (Or wot they think is feature worthy anyway) That's why we see so many American cars in the mag. If more of us Brits were to start putting our hands in our pocket and started churning out highly mooded BM's, then i'm sure we'll take over again, but i dont think that will really happen, cause as we all know the modding game is a very expensive one, and for some reason, our American friends seem to have a much bigger budget than us for that purpose.

[Lizzie]

Shame there isn't a magazine that is simply about E30's. How cool would that be.

They should be able to fill the mag from cover to cover with useful articles, ie, modifications, rare finds etc, etc.

I would think that there is a market for this still. After all, weren't there over 2 million E30's manufactured!

I must admit I find most of the BMW magazines all the same - not worth the paper they are printed on. Full of adverts.

[bootyman]

I see your point Liz, but we musn't forget that selling mags is a business first. Yep it would be very cool to have a mag just for E30's but how long could you really operate for before you run out of decent cars to fill your mag with? And how much useful tech can you give before you run out of things to give advice on? A year, maybe two? It cost an awful lot of money as you know to start something like a mag, so i dont think anyone will ever do a mag just for E30's because it just wouldnt be commercially viable for them. Shame like you said, but that's reality.

I've followed most of the car mags right from when they 1st hit the shelves and they have all changed. Take Max P for example, over the years it's become more like a porn mag than a car mag now. The reason for that is simple really. The quality of the cars featured has dropped quiet badly, so to make Mr Chave go out and spend his beer money, they stick the naked women in there to compensate for it and it's working cause they sell over 500k copies a month

[CaesarBob]

I still buy TBMW every month, don't bother with the other 2 (just read 'em in Smiths).

Usually enjoy TBMW but it does have good and bad months for me. Not interested in the first couple of pages with the new stuff like X3s and 318d but the old stuff is a good read.

[bootyman]

I might buy the other 2 this month. It seems a bit unfair for me to be passing judgement on them without actually reading them 1st. So roll on end of the Month

[Russ]

Tbh, I've always found TBMW to be a bit dull

[Jimbob]

Can't say I have that many copies of both PBMW and TBMW, but you just have to glance through, TBMW is more of an enthusiasts mag. Can't diss PBMW though, often finding awesome-powered E30's!

[fat_3]

TBMW doesn't do it for me anymore.
expect to see my complete set from issue 1 to date for sale soon.

[e30_Turbo]

I do buy both PBMW & TBMW every month, purley as mentioned it's only Ԛ£7.50 and thats alot cheaper than most bits I purchase to do with my car!

TBMW is more laid back and usually a good informative read, some good articles and some nice cars too. PBMW certainly shows you what can be done with the right amount of know how and Ԛ£Ã”šÃ‚£Ãƒ”šÃ‚£ obviously.

I'd say between the two I get my fix each month....

As Giles mentioned about MAXP, I used to buy that regluar, but I found my little one looking at one a while back and it dawned on me that 90% is just tits and arse.....and kids can buy them at any age.....guess I'm getting old as I think it's sick and they're just playing on kids hormones too keep them selling mags. Car mags are for cars, the porn is for top shelf.

Still the best e30 information you can get is FREE online at your local E30 ZONE!!

[bootyman]

Well said that man. Have you noticed a bit of porn slowly starting to crep into PBMW too? I was commenting to my lady a few weeks ago that PBMW is the only car mag i can comfortablly read on the train cause i no some bird with her chuff hanging out wont jump at me everytime i turn a page (Some people also look at you and you know they are thinking YOU PERVERT, even though you are reading a car mag. Anyway, i've noticed the dirty adverts have started to appear in the back pages now and there are also a few bikini clad ladies in the last few issues. I did ask Iain about it when i had my shoot and he said it was an experiment to guage peoples reaction. If they got a positive responce then it will be a regular feature, but if peeps dont like it then it will be dropped. I told him to leave the filth to the other car mags and concentrate on producing a mag i can feel proud of and comfortable to read without having to sneak a quick look at the next page when i'm reading before opening it fully in-case some granny on the train slaps me with her handbag for reading filth. So i guess at the end of the day, It's up to the guys who buy the mag to let their feelings be known about the subject

[e30_Turbo]

Ben,

First off, I got you and Geeman mixed up, my bad, it's Friday......

And I have noticed the bikini clad barbie doll type ladies have been in PBMW for a couple of issues, I think the 2002 with the M20 in had a some american twins standing around in bikinis and I think it was the 6ltr hartge e34 had one this month too.

As for the adverts at the back......why?? There is a WHOLE top shelf for those.......grrrr....why do they need too???

It's kinda like saying..."if you love cars. then you're obviously a pervert!"

Someone post me a email add for the people at PBMW and I'll state my reasons for NO PORN PLEASE!!

We want more cars, more features, more tech help, more specialist and one off conversions...just more about bmw's and how too make yours better.

Leave the porn too the mags that need it to keep afloat and concentrate on finding some top UK cars to share with the rest of the bmw community.

Rant over now....promise!

[bootyman]

There you go buddy. I made the point that if i want to read porn, then there are dedicated mags that cater for that and i will go buy them. I dont expect to spend my hard earned Ԛ£'s on a car mag and end up seeing more pumpum than cars. Like you, i have a little girl and i too caught her flicking through a copy of Max P that i'd forgteen was on the table and she was going "Yuk" about every page she turned.

Dont get me wrong, I'm a red blooded not so young geezer, and i've been known to get jiggy with a few nice ladies in my time, but there is a right time and a right place for everything, and i'd hate for PBMW mag to start thinking it had to compete with Max P, cause the readership of both couldn't be more different

[e30_Turbo]

By no means must my comments be taken as I'm not a lover of ladies....I love em, well my two anyway.....

and for those with only one....two is total mayhem!!

[e30nerd]

I used to subscribe to TBMW but have not for the last year and a bit. However, sat next to me as I type this is a copy of the Feb issue of BMW Car, with 7 pages of info about e30 racing in the form of the guys from SELOC.

These are the guys I was following last year (have some piccies under the racing section of my web page http://www.e30nerd.co.uk Just thought I'd drop that in

there is also an article on a e30 Alpina C2 2.7 - anyone here?

All in all it's nice to see that the e30 can still fill a few pages of reasonable magazine

[placey]

i used to buy revs because back in the day it was about hands-on modifying with no burds. burds are everywhere just go out and 50% of all people are burds what's the big deal? but then sales must have been slipping as burds starting popping up in front of and all over the cars max power stylee and i lost interest.

so then i started on tbmw. trouble with that one is if i sit down for 2 hours it's finished - and that's every word - adverts included. compare that to bike magazine - 2 hours every day for about 4 or 5 days till that's done and fascinating too - including 'roadcraft' - some of their techniques have not only helped my riding but made me a significantly faster car driver too - things like lines into corners that i have never seen in car mags - why not?

for the last couple of months i have walked into whsmiths and flicked through tbmw to see if mine is in it - it isn't yet so i've put it back and walked out with 'bike' and 'retro cars' and enjoyed them both.

the bmw mags just don't have enough in them to win my hard earned unfortunately. maybe i should write for them - i go on enough!

paul

[Simon13]

practical classics is very good and they don't hate bmw! good tips for looking after your motor

[Hap]

The C2 is Simon Alcorn he is a member but rarely comes on here, car was at Donnington Show last year E30nerd

Hap

[e30nerd]

Certainly looked good in the article - have not got around to reading it yet

[Hap]

he`s spent loads on it getting it right i need to buy it and see what he has actually done.
Hap