MBM Buyers Guide, Opinions Please!

[Medskipper]

Hi All,

Is it really necessary to reprint this guide which takes up over twenty prime pages of our beloved magazine month after month?

I don't know what other readers feel, but I think it is a real cop out rather than producing interesting articles! I know it can't be easy filling a magazine every month but surely a quarterly pull out would be quite sufficient!

I have to say at this rate I will not be renewing my subsciption! or am I just a miserable old bu**er!

Barry



<hr width=100% size=1>I just want to retire with my boat to the Med!

 

[longjohnsilver]

Their argument is that this is not taking up editorial space, therefore considered to be an extra. Still annoys me to see it each month.

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[BrendanS]

I like it, and it's an additional (as has been explained here several times), so doesn't take up any prime space. Can't see why people seem so against it. You don't have to read it, and it's really useful to have on hand when various models are mentioned here on the forum. Pain in the backside to go searching for the last copy with it in.
Good for newbies too - they are the ones who will want it most when buying a boat, and they'll go looking in WH Smiths or whatever for help. THey want advice in that months edition, not a notice telling them a guide was printed 2 months ago.

I say keep it

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate

 

[Chris_d]

I think its a good idea, similar to what many car magazines do, but its absolutely useless!
The text is too short to give any real idea if the boat is any good and the technical stuff is limited and riddled with mistakes, with loads of models ommitted.
eg: The Broom range misses out the 345, this was even tested recently by MBM so they must have the spec, Glastron 249/285: quotes diesel option but only lists petrol speed and horse power figures, Sea Saga; which is a range of shaftdrive diesel boats but the largest 32 apparently only has a single petrol outdrive!
I could go on...

Its a shame Boattest.com don't cover UK boats

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[MedDreamer]

Read it the first time it was in but just ignore it now, but I suppose its useful for reference when you need it. Once every quarter would make more sense I think.

Dont quite go along with the "its a free extra" argument; those pages cost money to produce and print, (there is no advertising content) and that money could be better spent on more editorial I would have thought.

This topic is becoming a bit of an old chestnut on here and I repeat the point I made previously ie Why do people have a go at Hugo and MBM about this when MBY has its Buyers Guide every month which never changes much and most of which appears to have been directly lifted from the "Your Motorboat" special that some of us forked out our £3 this summer.


<hr width=100% size=1>Do you think a Fleming 55 would look out of place on Windermere?

 

[itsonlymoney]

I kind of agree with you although apparently its an addition so we are not technically losing any editorials. However you could argue that if an extra twenty pages can be fitted into the mag, then they could be put to better use. As a compromise why not print the buyer guide quarterly ?

Ian



<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[itsonlymoney]

Martyn

Well theres a thing, while I am composing my post, you come along with pretty much the same point.

Ian



<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[MedDreamer]

You put it much more succinctly Ian



<hr width=100% size=1>Do you think a Fleming 55 would look out of place on Windermere?

 

[jhr]

Extra 20 pages

<<you could argue that if an extra twenty pages can be fitted into the mag, then they could be put to better use>>

But I think the point is that these 20 pages are relatively cheap to do since, apart from the odd update, you just wallop the same stuff in month in, month out. To fill an extra 20 pages with new editorial material would be stunningly expensive and would require a massive additional number of copy and/or ad. sales to make it a going proposition. The extra paper and printing needed is an additional cost but a very limited one. All of which goes to explain why this sort of thing is popular in car and other consumer durable mags, giving perceived added value (tho' not amongst you lot, apparently!) at very low cost.

I reckon it's not doing much harm and I occasionally consult it, so let's leave it in.



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[apollo]

Yes, we have heard this one before on here a few times.

BUT if you took the supposedly EXTRA survey pages out, then MBM would just "flutter" down to the hall carpet from the letterbox instead of the current "Thump".

Personally I am not convinced.

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[Hugo_Andreae]

Re: Extra 20 pages

You've hit the nail on the head.

1) Every one of the Buying Guide's 22 pages is in addition to the regular magazine editorial. If it wasn't there you would get exactly the same magazine minus the guide.

2) Although it does cost us time and money to produce, it is a relatively small sum when compared with the time, effort and money needed to produce 22 'normal' editorial pages. We simply do not have the resources to do that.

3) We have had a great many comments from new readers, boat buyers and even the trade who find it a hugely useful reference source. The fact that it runs every month and is updated to reflect new model launches, price rises etc is an essentail element of its appeal and usefulness.

4) You don't have to read it. You can ignore it, tear it out, burn it or even send it to President Bush if it offends you that much.

5) Rather than moaning about innaccuracies it would be a huge help if you could e-mail any errors you spot to claire_frew@ipcmedia.com and we will put them right.

Bah humbug etc

Hugo

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[DepSol]

Re: Extra 20 pages

LOL

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>

 

[mjf]

Why not expand it a little (a la car mags) ie more info when model launched etc etc and stick it in the back after the classified.

I get fed up having a heavy mag that is full of 'repeats' frankly.

Michael

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[Renegade_Master]

Re: Extra 20 pages

I think its a good thing, and whilst one doesnt need to refer to it each time one reads a new copy its usefull to have. Why only the other day a customer spotted lots of Montereys around our area, and I was able to give him a guide price by picking up the mag.

This week I used it because our skipper Philcool has just flown off to Barcelona to bring a boat round for an existing client, a brand new Cranchi 40 Atlantique.
I start wondering how much they are (nosy bugger I am) so I look in MBM (Dec issue just arrived, damn post) and there is the price in the guide.
Lot easier than finding a Cranchi dealer then telephoning them
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>

 

[whisper]

Re: Extra 20 pages

IMHO if its removal would mean that no other editorial or features replaced it then leave it in. It then needs someone to pester the providers of the data to check on its accuracy.

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[PhilF]

Re: Extra 20 pages

is it my imagination or is everyone a bit shirty. P'haps its the weather.

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[EME]

Crawler !!

Is the same Clive that we know and love? Hugo's comments were right on the space..

definitely gone (I)PC, you after an advertising discount or what?

P.S. Interested if Phil says that the heads stunk on the Cranchi.. they have on every endurance 39 that I have been on..

Looking foreard to mobbing the stand at LBS



<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>

 

[Medskipper]

Re: Look at the size of your past mags!

OK,OK, I can accept some people like it, but I have just dug out a few back copies, of about 2 years ago and the average page length was 160 pages! As we still only get 160 pages inclusive of the 20 pages of this guide I think we are losing interesting articles from the mag. Come on IPC the mags getting very boring!

Barry


<hr width=100% size=1>I just want to retire with my boat to the Med!

 

[apollo]

Look who has been on a diet!

Not sure if this will work as its my first attempt at Markups....

But........

[image] http://arweb.co.uk/aralbums/album08/mbm.jpg [/image]

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[Renegade_Master]

Re: Crawler !!

Me a crawler , no what I stated was fact. I'll ask Phil about the heads, mind you it is brand new remember. You'll see Phil & Neil, I'll be in Spain, enjoy yourself.
Regards Clive

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>