TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:15 pm

Thanks T3N,

Thanks for the well wishes. I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised with the changes we have in store for VW Trends this time around. We've an AMAZING photographer on staff, and the positive feedback we've gotten from our focus groups has been really awesome, so we're sure we're heading in the right direction.

If you'd like to support the new VW Trends, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and pick up one of the Founder's Packages. If you don't want to do that, feel free to donate to the cause. Thanks for your comments and feedback!

Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:17 pm

What's the anticipated retail cost per magazine?

What's the annual (4,6,12) subscription cost going to be?

Will they be avail on national newsstands/bookstores/airports...or by exclusive subscription only..

Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:32 pm

We figure the per issue price will be $7.99, as that's the going rate.

We're still figuring out the final subscription rate (it will be comparable to other 4/6/12 sub prices), obviously there will be a savings from buying individual copies. I'll know more on the pricing structure of that next week.

As of right now, VW Trends will be subscription only. I know there are some former magazine people who read this site who know it's not the easiest thing to get your magazines on the newsstand (so many hoops to jump through). THEN you have to pay for placement on the newsstand. It's a whole can of worms we will eventually have to open, but for right now, we'll do single issue sales and subs only, as it's the most fiscally responsible thing as a start up.

Our goal is to make VW Trends as available and accessible to as many people that want to read it. We're going to be reaching out to local VW shops across the nation and see who wants to carry it in-store. So it's possible that it could be at your local VW parts place.

That's the plan as it stands right now. Hope this answers your questions. I do appreciate all the questions!

If you'd like to support the VW Trends comeback, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of participation!

Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:59 pm

I used to love reading VWtrends back in the late 80’s early 90’s. It seemed more fun oriented kind of a Freiburger vibe type deal (the girls helped :D). I’m really not that interested in seeing freshly restored $100k busses for the most part, although occasionally it’s nice. I’d rather see more of a roadkill, pull some pos out of the junkyard, drive it across country, pour some nitrous to it and see what happens with lots of pictures type of magazine. Also, please don’t do a sand special like Hot vw’s, I hated those, lol.
Anyway this has been my useless opinion. I’m looking forward to the re-birth!

Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:25 am

Onceler wrote: Also, please don’t do a sand special like Hot vw’s, I hated those, lol.
To be fair, you’re forgetting the first two words of that magazine title “Dune Buggies and Hot VWs”.

Back in the 90s when I worked in an air cooled specialty shop, we carried both magazines for sale. I enjoyed VW trends more than hot VW‘s simply because VW Trends was more for the street crowd whereas Dune Buggies and Hot VWs was more for the off-road crowd.

Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:21 am

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement!

We're working hard to put together a really solid magazine. To answer your questions, it'll be predominately air-cooled, but we'll be touching on ALL areas of VW.

Can't wait to hear the feedback.

If you'd like to support the VW Trends comeback, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of participation!

Sat Mar 27, 2021 5:50 pm

DanLeadbetter wrote: . I know there are some former magazine people who read this site who know it's not the easiest thing to get your magazines on the newsstand (so many hoops to jump through).

Yeah, there's a few... \X/ ;)

Sat Mar 27, 2021 7:19 pm

out of curiosity, are you looking to promote a certain type of vw?
air cooled only? Fresh cars only with fresh paint, or patina cars, race cars, rat rods, electric? Is it going to feel like the 80's version w/ or w/o models?
VWT was fun at that point, but that last series, well..was not good. IMO, the 80's with a big spread of the car shows (like jamborees) and bikini contests were undeniable to the scene at that time.
Good Luck!
Jon

Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:44 am

I’ll bite at $8 a month. That’s less than I tip my escorts

Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:33 am

Thanks for the well-wishes Jon!

I don't mean for this to sound trite, but we're going to be covering ALL aspects of the VW scene. Air-cooled (mostly), water-cooled, electric, rat rods, patina, new car reviews, pretty much any and everything.

Thanks for asking, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. And if you'd like to support the effort to bring VW Trends back, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of support!

Thanks in advance!

Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:11 am

i gave up on magazines years ago...both HVW and VWT got the ax from me in the late 90's.

problem with these mags back then was it they were full of the same old regurgitated shit. how many stock bugs 1776's and 2180's can one person see?

i got into the vw thing around '88-'89. after years of being 'in the scene' i realized all of the 'inter-brand' hate....early guys hate the late guys, split guys hate the bay guys, the bay guys hate the vanagon guys and if you were watercooled or swapped....you were labeled an outcast.

i mean even the T3 guys had their own deal...if it wasn't a notch or a ghia it was a pile of shit.

i went with some of the euro mags for a while, it was more of a 'anything goes' and it was nice to see so many different builds.

i wish you well on your project and hope it takes off in a positive direction. i hope you include new technologies like FI, ITB's etc. looking at hex bar linkages hooked to dual 48's is cool but totally yawn to me

Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:25 am

Quote: i hope you include new technologies like .....

Patina.

Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:46 am

Patina does not belong in a magazine. Rusted shit is rusted shit.

I don't give a rat's ass about any water cooled VW.

Racing is cool IF you really focus on the VW engine and transaxle

Sun Mar 28, 2021 12:54 pm

Hey everyone!

Thanks for all the feedback! This is what I love about the VW community, everybody likes something different. I get that you really can't please everybody, but our goal is to create the most well-rounded magazine possible. There will be something for everyone in each issue.

Please keep the feedback coming.

If you'd like to support the effort to bring VW Trends back, go to www.vwtrendsmagazine.com and choose a level of support!

Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:09 pm

I haven’t read a magazine for years so not sure what magazines are doing these days. I used to receive DB&HVW’s in my e-mail but didn’t subscribe. Seemed like just a online version of a magazine. Might be cool to have feature cars or how to articles that could link to videos of the cars or certain aspects of a technical procedure. Like if it was a drag car feature, have a link to the car making several passes. Don’t have to be long drawn out affairs, just a 15 second clip. Something that compliments the article. I dunno know

Sun Mar 28, 2021 7:18 pm

People don’t read anymore and if they do it’s on their phone. Good luck guys.

Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:27 am

Boomers and Millenials read, GenZ does not.

Boomers and Millenials have the money

Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:10 am

I got a great idea I’m going to launch a magazine all about Model Ts.

Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:54 am

Zundfolge1432 wrote: I got a great idea I’m going to launch a magazine all about Model Ts.
Model T Trends :lol: What "trends" will it feature? First issue will have a "Patina T Bucket" on the cover. Second issue will never make it to print.

Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 am

I have been reading HVWs and VWT when it was in print for many years..since the late 80s. I would like to see more write ups and photo layouts that feature VWs that are used daily and not a Trailer Queen. The slick photos are OK but I would guess that most of the cars in the current magazines are not what most of us really drive, I have had a few "Show" cars over the years and hosestly for me they werent fun to own. More real world VWs would be my vote. :?