Those magazines!!!

milo · Guru

Those magazines!!!

countryroad · Senior Member

oh Milo, what's the good of that, who's paying the person to write the story, no advertiser as no money to be made. It's a sorrowful world at times but at the end of the day it's all about selling STUFF.

This is where you come for that type of story, except it doesn't seem to be even here much.

We need to have folk tell their stories, but generally everyone seems to like quick and short, and some answer and you realize they really didn't read it.

I like the longer reads, perhaps there could be a Stories Section on here then if you weren't interested you could bypass.

I'd like a bit more detail as to why someone bought a particular travel home. Then follow it up with how it's all going the good, the bad and the not so good and the great too.

Cheers
Robyn

Sheba · Guru

VKPORTABLE wrote:
I want to do Cape York, although since the main road appears to end at Embley River

That doesn't seem right to me Stewart. What about all the people who got to Bamaga and the Tip ? What Maps are you looking at ?
There are a hell of a lot of vehicles going up every year now. When I first lived up there, they were lucky to get 2 or 3 thousand a year. A lot of driving up there is basic common sense. People who get into trouble, usually have done something stupid.
Cheers,
Sheba.

-- Edited by Sheba on Tuesday 10th of September 2013 07:42:49 PM

VKPORTABLE · Senior Member

Slighty annoying isn't it. Although as Countryroad says, it's what keeps those magazines in business without the advertisers they wouldn't be available at all.

It's the same deal with 4WD mags to - all the latest and greatest toys, which unless you are on a healthy income (or cleaned up with super/tatts/compo) most can't afford. Same goes for the DVD's that come with these, it's all the hard tracks that get covered. Stuff that most people don't have the required skills to tackle, or the expensive set-up to tackle.

You may have seen my other post re TJM/ARB and how I said I was interested in getting diff lockers - yep I was, until today! I went down to the local TJM joint and was quoted a rough price of $5000 for front/rear lockers. Now I can't justify that, it's twice what I paid for the damn vehicle. So I've trashed that idea, which means there may be a few tracks I can't do, or just find another way around.

I want to do Cape York, although since the main road appears to end at Embley River that may well be as far as I can get. As the tracks from there on are pretty hairy with a lot of steep ascents and descents and also tidal issues you need to be aware of, or you can quickly become an artificial reef.

Anyway getting back to the topic... All these DVD's that come with the mags, most of the tracks/drives/trips whatever you wish to call them are typically for very experienced off-road drivers, whilst I may have come from a farming background and drove all sorts of vehicles well before having a licence, most of these tracks are well beyond my level of experience and my vehicle set-up. Don't get me wrong, some would be excellent to do - if you had the right skills and set-up. Some would be just plain insane to tackle one-up.
Even doing the Simpson one-up isn't all that advisable, yet it's not an overly hard trip it's just the environment your in that's the killer - literally.

Who knows Milo, one day someone will produce a magazine for us lowly, got bugger money types :)

Bunkerbob · Senior Member

It's actually surprising how often you read in this forum that people have sold their home and bought a brand new van/MH without what appears to be a lot of experience. We bought a brand new Camper Trailer about 12 years ago, spent 11 years doing the Vic High Country, Kangaroo Island, parts of SA, NSW and Qld before we opted to go full time on the road. Still bought a 2nd hand unit. We found it on a website after looking for over a year. Not exactly what we want but we didn't know 'exactly' what we wanted. This one is too short, I am 6'4" but any taller and SWMBO can't reach the lights or anything as she is 4'10". Still, it will do us until we get a newbie set up to what we want in a couple or three years. Caravan magazines give us something to aspire to until that day happens. Some of the units are 'nice, others ordinary and still others definitely have the 'Yuk' factor but they all sell.
We have a friend that had a unit specially built by a non member of the CVMHA and it nearly blew apart on the first trip.
My advice for anyone would still be to buy a 'pre-loved' first. Ours was absolutely immaculate and would be close to 98% of what we want apart from being to short (or just right for SWMBO) and was over 30k less than a new van. Read the mags but use them for inspiration.

GaryKelly · Guru

Same with the NRMA's mag Open Road. I have a pile I've never read, still with the plastic covers, because they're full of new cars and glossy ads for ocean cruises or caravan parks or expensive resorts. I'm a bloody pensioner with a 20 year old car and an even older slide-on. That's what I'm interested in... and free camping. Better throw in op shops as well. Yesterday, I splurged $25 on a hammock from China and I can't wait to get it. It's all part of the dream ya know.

herbie · Guru

I also think a lot of the gear tested out by these type of mags are payed for from the maker/dealer/.

I have never read one of these reviews in these type of mags that ever have any thing but tip top remarks regarding the product they are reviewing/ selling.

Surely every product reviewed can not have the WOW factor,

I would like to see NORMAL people review products,not people who get payed by the companies.

deconuts · Veteran Member

GaryKelly wrote:
Same with the NRMA's mag Open Road. I have a pile I've never read, still with the plastic covers, because they're full of new cars and glossy ads for ocean cruises or caravan parks or expensive resorts. I'm a bloody pensioner with a 20 year old car and an even older slide-on. That's what I'm interested in... and free camping. Better throw in op shops as well. Yesterday, I splurged $25 on a hammock from China and I can't wait to get it. It's all part of the dream ya know.

Can't wait to get it but it's coming from China!! Wouldn't hold my breath Gary.

-- Edited by deconuts on Thursday 12th of September 2013 10:09:21 PM

VKPORTABLE · Senior Member

Yep your right Sheba. I've since discovered that you can get to Bamaga on the PDR. And I think a 30 min drive from there and a 30 min walk to the signpost.

Google Maps sometimes suck in overdrive :)