MMM

[Dancer]

Sorry People.

 

Looks like I made a pigs ear of putting my signature on the bottom of the message.

 

I have spanked myself soundly and put myself in my room with no supper.

[Guest starspirit]

Dancer,

 

Oh bl##dy hell - another Frank!

 

I don't really know how many sites there are in the UK Frank, mainly 'cos I don't use 'em but I do know that most site books you can buy in WH Smiths etc are a lot thicker than the MMM freebie and that is without any CC and CCC sites being included.

 

Mental picture of you spanking yourself conjures up Basil Fawlty type images?

[Mike Hol]

I can understand new motorcaravanners buying MMM, but for the more experienced, it is no longer worth buying on a regular basis.

 

Many of the current articles/contributors are poor in comparison with the MMM that we had when John Hunt was at the reins, but thats progress, I suppose.

 

I personally only enjoy a small percentage of the articles and so, in that respect, find it poor value for money. Far too many of the test reports state personal opinions as if they are facts. They quiet often omit information that I would regard as important. I prefer the more factual type reports, not a story that might do justice to a TV soap.

 

Sadly, I won't be renewing my subscription, when it becomes due.

 

Happy Camping,

 

Mike Hol.

[Dancer]

8-) Starspirit.

Having mental pictures of me spanking myself is bad for your eyes.

 

I think this direction is called 'loosing the thread'.

[Guest starspirit]

Partly agree Mike. John Hunt was a real enthusiast who grew up with motor caravans right from the start - I met him once at a show many years ago and was struck by his quiet calm, keen mind, love of the outdoor life and kindness.

 

Whereas today's so called 'journalists' can't live without a 250 bhp turbo charged supercharged engine and an umbilical cord for their microwave, sky TV, laptops and games consoles for when they get bored and frightened in the dark evenings etc.

 

I am certainly not knocking users of such kit in any way, but I do feel that the current editorial staff of all the magazines have kinda lost the plot with their noses so far up the clubs and manufacturers bums they could not smell a decent story if it came out and bit their ears.

 

What happened to free spirit and spontaneous camping?

[Clive]

"free spirit and spontaneous camping" I'll go along with that.

 

Yes John and Audrey Hunt were lovely people and Audrey is still around.

Some of the photo,s in MMM taken by Andy Stothert are just fantastic, I wish I had his eye for a picture and his patience for the right moment to press the button.

 

When MMM say they do a "live in test they actually do it. Some of the smaller mags I suspect don't actually do any "living in".

 

But each to their own. I still think MMM is way out in front.

 

I shall now wait to see what hits the fan! Captions that is!. ???

 

All the best

 

C.

[flicka]

Starspirit

I have to agree in part, back in the 60's early 70's when we all had less time and money, I had a selfbuild and MMM was an absolute nmust every month, for ideas and sources.

I remember lots of features by Terry Acreman on a Transit or Bedford CF cross between a Custom Van & Motorhome.

As you say John Hunt was a real enthusiast, but things were less commercial than today and I seem to recall that John had difficulties keeping MMM commercially viable.

I don't think MMM (or any other Mag) could operate in the way they did back then. Without enbracing the current technolgy, I doubt if mant Magazines could continue to exist today.

There was also a lot less regulations and we just got on with doing our own thing alot of the time.

As you say "what happened to the free spirit and spontaneous camping"

Well, like everything else in life things change, sometimes for the better or unfortunately for the worse, and sometimes because we change our aspirations or needs. We also tend to forget the hardships we were prepared to endure, but remember the good times. vehicle reliability comes to mind and to go back to being under the Van skinning my knuckles or trying single handedly to lift a cylinder head out of a Bedford CF, no thanks.

Now having returned to Motorhomes, it good to see there are still many of the old names still around, and MMM was the first Mag we headed for.

Subscription now renewed after a lapse of 20 years.

It is always better to see more than one point of view, so I do find the alternative give a wider picture.

And always turn straight to Dave's article in PM. Can't miss that, which alone warrants a trip to the newsagents.

So whether it's Laptops, Sat Nav, Microwaves or even Base Vehicle changes, the majority all take advantage of it in some form, basically because it is more affordable and enhances the pursuit of our hobby.

Flicka

 

[sax]

Hello All,

Interesting to read the comments re the Mag. One lunch break I wandered into WH Smiths and out of boredom, instead of buying my usual Sea Angling mag picked up both MMM and PM/H. That was it, Simpsons are close by and an early 90's Talbot Harmony was acquired within the week from amongst their large selection of new/used.

 

Not many years on I still receive both mags and still feel they are the best. Like all specialist mags they do get a bit repetitive after a time but each month I do learn something new. We are lucky to have them.

 

As for this MMM forum I now look in every night and continue to learn although seldom post. Keep it up posters both here and on Chatterbox.

 

Have a good years travelling,

sax

 

PS MMM delivered yesterday, Pm/h the day before.

 

[Dave Newell]

Well I for one think its time all these whingers about the standards of journalism and writing quality try doing it themselves! I write a regular monthly column for a motorhome magazine and trust me when I say that after the first six months it becomes very difficult to find new and interesting material to write about.

 

D.

 

Oh yes, while you're at it you need to produce at least six photographs of publishable quality to illustrate your story.

[livewire]

Dave Newell - 2007-01-27 7:41 AM

 

Well I for one think its time all these whingers about the standards of journalism and writing quality try doing it themselves! I write a regular monthly column for a motorhome magazine and trust me when I say that after the first six months it becomes very difficult to find new and interesting material to write about.

 

D.

 

Oh yes, while you're at it you need to produce at least six photographs of publishable quality to illustrate your story.

 

You're correct. I fully admit I couldnd't do it. So I don't.

 

A decisision that some of these poor quality amateur journalists should consider when they have no ideas.

 

But writing drivvel just to fill column inches and then expect the rest of us to pay for it and waste time reading it is not acceptable.

 

As for the photos, I seem to remember that the Sheppey article had a photo of the supermarket car park, the local park and a zebra crossing. I think I could manage that.

 

Yes, buy it you need a few addresses or are new to the scene. But the rest of it misses the mark.

 

The site reports are another example, I want to read about that tiny farm site that someone stumbled across on their travels or that tiny site next to the beach that does not advertise... Instead you get to read about someone's visit to a CC site. These are well publicised elsewhere and they all look the same anyway.

 

 

[Dave Newell]

livewire - 2007-01-27 8:40 AM

 

Dave Newell - 2007-01-27 7:41 AM

 

Well I for one think its time all these whingers about the standards of journalism and writing quality try doing it themselves! I write a regular monthly column for a motorhome magazine and trust me when I say that after the first six months it becomes very difficult to find new and interesting material to write about.

 

D.

 

Oh yes, while you're at it you need to produce at least six photographs of publishable quality to illustrate your story.

 

You're correct. I fully admit I couldnd't do it. So I don't.

 

A decisision that some of these poor quality amateur journalists should consider when they have no ideas.

 

But writing drivvel just to fill column inches and then expect the rest of us to pay for it and waste time reading it is not acceptable.

 

As for the photos, I seem to remember that the Sheppey article had a photo of the supermarket car park, the local park and a zebra crossing. I think I could manage that.

 

Yes, buy it you need a few addresses or are new to the scene. But the rest of it misses the mark.

 

The site reports are another example, I want to read about that tiny farm site that someone stumbled across on their travels or that tiny site next to the beach that does not advertise... Instead you get to read about someone's visit to a CC site. These are well publicised elsewhere and they all look the same anyway.

 

 

Well obviously somebody has a different view to you regarding amateur journalists or their writings wouldn't get published. As for your comments regarding the site reviews, this months mag has four sites featured, two british ones, neither of which are CC or CCC one in Spain and one in Greece!

 

Andy Stotherts travel articles are wittily written, entertaining to read and factual. His photography skills are way beyond anything the majority of us could ever hope to have.

 

Mary Tisdall's piece on Eastern Scotland is factual and interesting reading, at least I enjoyed it! David Chapman's piece on Cerrediggion and wildlife has more than just a " I came, I saw, I went home again" element to it and details some of the flaura and forna of the area. I confess I haven't read Nicholas Corder's piece about Nancy yet but there are some fine photographs to illustrate it. Richard Bunce has done a nice little piece about the gardens of Wicklow, again with some good photography to illustrate it.

 

I confess to not being wild about Frances Kitchin's occasional articles but then I don't expect to like everything in any mag I might read.

 

On top of all this, and more, you have reviews of new and often second hand motorhomes which are done by people who own and use motorhomes themselves. Not, as in some other publications, written by professional journalists who've never set foot in one (this is not to say that MMMs testers aren't professional). They actually go out and use the 'vans they write about and if they don't like something they say so, I refer you to Jonathan Lloyd's review of the Mobilvetta Kimu published last month.

 

D.

[Roy]

Interesting comments.  Why don't you tell the editor's what you think about the magazine?  All I can say is that the vast majority of motor caravanner's seem to read MMM, so they must be doing most things right.

Roy.

[Basil]

Dave Newell - 2007-01-27 7:41 AM

 

I write a regular monthly column for a motorhome magazine and trust me when I say that after the first six months it becomes very difficult to find new and interesting material to write about.

 

D.

 

 

Hi Dave and all,

 

I believe that this is the problem, I have the utmost respect for, well most of, the authors but unless there is something new it must be hard to find something different and still of interest without diversifyingor repeating something done earlier (very boringly common).

I still subscribe though last year went through the shall I shant I syndrome, I must say that whilst I agree that the quality was better under the John Hunt years some of the changes and improvements will keep me subscribing this year in the hope that it will be better still.

The better coverage of used vans is good and although I realise that it is not Practical Motorhome I would like to see more on improvements and DIY, perhaps from you Dave!

Interchange is good and the letters, when they are not whinging on about trivia or sucking up to the editor/ publisher are worthwhile. The Classic section is also a good read, I wonder when ours will become a Classic!!

I am not into the travel or site experience articles and skip every one, we prefer to follow our noses and discover for ourselves, nine times out of ten if you go to someones destination it is a disapointment (well that has been our experience). I also skip the adverts, they are just a total pain in the **** I would like to see them put in a seperate cover to be thrown on reciept, that's probably why they don't!

 

Bas

[howie]

Pat - 2007-01-24 10:14 PM

 

I spotted a copy of the February MMM in a newsagent today that surprised me as my copy hs not been delivered yet!

 

Am I alone? I thought that one of the perks of being a subscriber was that we recieved our copy 2 or 3 days before it went on general sale 1

 

Regards Pat

Hi Pat. All other comments apart, the reason I subscribe is simply to gaurantee that I recieve my copy every month. They don,t stay long on the shelves, and while I agree its strange that they appear in the shops before subscribers get them occasionally, this is far more preferable than the disappointment of not recieving it at all.

[Dave Newell]

The only point I'd make about the advertising is that its a necessary evil. Without it the mag would cost so much that no one would buy it. Putting it in a separate cover wouldn't work for exactly the reason you suggest Bas, it would be thorwn away by too many people and then the asdvertisers (of which I am one) would not place their adverts and the whole shebang goes down the pan. Also worth bearing in mind is that lots of people search through MMM and other mags looking for specific ads or ads for specific items.

 

D.

[Guest Frank Wilkinson]

I find myself saddened by the attitude of a great number of people these days, whose only role in life seems to be to complain and whinge.

I don't think that I've ever read one edition of MMM, Practical Motorhome or even the CC Magazine, in which I haven't found something interesting and informative. It may be a travel article, a technical piece or a review of a 'van but there's always something.

As for adverts, of course they're necessary. Has anyone any idea what a mag such as MMM would cost, including posting to our door (which must cost a quid at least judging by the weight of it!) if it wasn't heavily subsidised by advertisements?

I actually enjoy some of the adverts, especially the accessory ones and let's face it, many people buy magazines for advertisements because they're wanting to buy a new 'van, or anything from a 12v TV to a reversing camera.

If you don't like a magazine, don't buy it, but please don't assume that what you may dismiss as 'rubbish' isn't appreciated by others.

[Guest starspirit]

Like I said, on balance MMM is good vfm, with such a mixture of articles and informative adverts that some things will appeal to one reader and not to another.

 

That does not mean that, as a broadly in any way.

 

It does seem that some folk are unable to accept that anyone else's point of view other than their own is inadmisable.

 

And that I do not understand?

[breakaleg]

i find mmm excelent, the first thing i look for is john dinning's letter, theres one most months.

subscriber offer's, wind me up, i have bought every copy since 1975, but don't want a magazine sticking out of my letter box, whilst i'm out.

perhaps we who don't subscribe could keep, say the front page and use these as proof of purchase, to obtain the subscriber discounts on offer, or even a printed code like the one used to access the forum.

pete

[Clive]

 

My Mrs is first always to grab it!

Then its a quick scan to the Interchange section to see how many technical answers have my name on them. OK OK so I have all the doors widened at home!! But quite a few more technical answers are provided to help people with questions that never get published, but I enjoy doing them. Exactly the same applies to the other consultants on the team. And some of the tail end comments by GC make me fall about.

 

The desipline of the magazine is that one cannot have one,s tounge planted in ones cheek anywhere near as much as one can on this forum. I hope I don,t offend anyone here but sometimes its hard to resist.

 

The reviews of new vans and adverts are often inspirational and result in mods and additions to our own motorhome. Andy Stothert photo,s without doubt.

Another interest is following people in the trade move around the dealers or start up them selves. For instance when we comissioned Brownhills for our MH back in 97 the finance director was Tony Masding. He now and for several years trades independantly with that blue advert regularly in MMM.

 

But its correct, there is a limit of the things that one can cover in a MH mag before the same things are covered again. But technically things are a changing as vans get more sumptious.

 

I did drop an email to the editors suggesting a regular "Camping Recipe" page following on from the posting on this forum.

 

I am sure that if any readers have constructive comments to improve the magazine they would be welcome by the top knobs.

 

Long may it continue.

 

C.

 

 

[Basil]

Strange that Frank, did anyone say they were not neccesary? Still does not mean that I don't find them a pain in the proverbial, Perhaps you will be happy if everyone was a clone of you, heaven forbid!

 

I agree with you starspirit.

 

Bas

[empress]

Recently I filled in a reader's survey at the end of which I apologised for sounding rather negative in my comments. Having complained about sections of the magazine - there are many articles which I enjoy. I am lost in envy at the clever improvements people make to their vans, if only.

 

I now admit to having just renewed my sub. Must be a great relief to Warners!

 

Empress

[Guest Frank Wilkinson]

Basil - 2007-01-27 1:04 PM Strange that Frank, did anyone say they were not neccesary? Still does not mean that I don't find them a pain in the proverbial, Perhaps you will be happy if everyone was a clone of you, heaven forbid! I agree with you starspirit. Bas

Why do you think that I was in anyway refering to you or anyone else or that I even suggested that you or anyone said that they were unnecessary?

If you read the post immediately before mine you'll find that Dave Newell made the point that adverts are necessary and I was agreeing with him.

[Basil]

Fair comment Frank.

 

Bas

[Usinmyknaus]

I have confessed many times on this forum to being new to motorhomes and I appreciate that my inexperience will affect my perception of MMM.

 

I tried several MH mags but MMM happened to suit me. I found it was very helpful and informative. Yes there are always articles I skip over but I expect to do that with all the magazines for which I have subcriptions on various subjects. Every issue of MMM has contributed something useful and I have already built up a substantial list of sites to visit, equipment to take (with one eye on Brian's post on weight!) pitfalls to avoid etc, The enthusiasm of the contributors, both professional and amateur, reconfirmed my own desire to take up motorhoming and encouraged me through almost a year of searching for the right van to buy. The magazine also introduced me to the wealth of knowledge which is this forum.

 

MMM has given me a degree of confidence to part with a mountain of cash and hopefully, hit the ground running when the motorhome is delivered and for that latter point alone I feel I have had VFM.

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

[Keith T]

Over hte years have looked atm, and frequently bought, many of the MH magazines. They are all different to a degree, and I think we must accept that it's another case of 'each to his own'.

For our part, I have now reduced to one by subscription, MMM, and still think for the time being at least, this is the most useful. From time to time there are articles of interest in the others, and I will buy them - to some extent, I think they all have to be a little repetitious.

After almost 15yrs of motorhoming, I guess we have learnt a lot - from personal experience, by talking to other owners, and inded from our reading of the various magazines.

The ads do often make intersting reading, and can be a good source of reference when looking for anything particular, especially now that most have websites, which can be accessed for more detailed info.