Event Coverage RIP: Rod & Custom Magazine

Same here, got Motor Trend yesterday with a subscription till 2017. I called last night and told them I used to have R & C and Pop Hot Rod and got a sub to MT, before I could tell her I wanted my sub to Street Rodder extended, she says "Let me guess, you don't want MT so you want to extend SR!" Me-thinks they are getting "LOTS" of calls!!

 

The local Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Walgreens, etc all have a lot of car magazines, including Hot Rod, Hot Rod Deluxe, Car Kulture Deluxe, Traditional Rod & Kulture, and others that are HAMB-friendly. Walmart had a bunch of the last R & C issue, so apparently not everyone is rushing out to get them before they're gone. I count far more hot rod oriented magazines at the newstand now than I ever did 40-45 years ago.

It's amazing to me when HAMBers talk like it's the end of the world as we know it because R & C has gone under. But it has gone under THREE times and the world has carried on. Talk about hyperbole!

A class action lawsuit? Really? And after the law firm's expenses, and their percentage, what will be left?

Must be freaky Friday on the HAMB!

 

got in a Motor trend yesterday. I called Rod & Custom this morning. Since I already get SR and Hotrod, they thought I might like that mag. I called and had them extend the sub on a mag I currently get and told them to keep MT (not a fan of that mag, it went into the recycle bin last night).

 

I've read most of the way through this thread and seen a lot of repetitive comments about how "they don't care about us. I was a R&C subscriber and now they give me Motor Trend. They obviously don't pay attention to who I am as a customer."
I haven't seen any suggest the alternative reasoning. That maybe Motor Trend is in trouble. Maybe MT has a declining subscriber-ship and advertisers are pulling out. Maybe the mass switch of all R&C subscribers is more of an attempt to bolster readership and save the magazine, rather than some corporate big wig subtly trying to tell you that they don't care about you.

As for 'our' part in killing off the magazines, I agree. Since the 50's, as we all know, the cost of everything has gone up. Publishing costs are not exempt.
I know The Rodders Journal has been referenced a lot on here, as an example of a quality magazine with minimal/no advertising that appeals to its readership. However, the trade off is cost! Up here in Canada, a 1 year subscription (4 issues) is $75. In the US, it's still $50 for a year. Yes, it's a high quality magazine with lots of content and quality paper stock, but it's still expensive.
For $50, you could subscribe to Hot Rod Magazine for the next 4 years, get 48 issues, and still have $10 left over to buy coffee.
How can Hot Rod afford to offer such good deals? We've answered that, through advertising sponsorship. And to keep the advertisers happy, they align the content of the magazine accordingly.

We can't have it both ways. We either pay a good chunk more for magazines that put the customer first, or we pay substantially less, and don't complain when the magazine doesn't cater to us.

 

Just renewed mine also SAD

 

They sent me Street Rodder although it has a second "cover" glued to it advertising Motor Trend YouTube on the front and streetrodderweb on the back.

 

I had to make the call last night as well after getting my first issue of Motor Trend to replace R&C. I had 36 months remaining for R&C, but they would only give me 24 months of Street Rodder - apparently due to the higher cost of a Street Rodder subscription. I asked for Hot Rod Deluxe instead, but was told that was not an available option. Go figure.

 

I got Motor Trend as well. So what number are you calling?

 

I got an issue of MT . Threw it in the trash. Called them asked for my money back . did the same for R&C too.Bill

 

I'm another one that they automatically switched to Motor Trend after the demise of R&C. Got the first issue today and the inside back cover says they moved all former R&C subscribers to MT. Called and got that straightened out for sure! Don't want no stinkin' MT!! Not that I'm a great fan of Street Rodder but it's better than Motor Trend.

 

Got my first "replacement" mag for R&C today. TEN is sending me Motor Effing Trend. F* ck that. Worst part is that I am paid thru 2015 because I got a free cap at a Good Guys event. Some poor min wage employee will get an ear full before I am done. Motor Trend can kiss my lily white Celtic hot rod loving ass!

 

Shit happens!

 

I got a very courteous reply to my email today. The lady apologized for the inconvenience, and said she has added the time left on my R&C sub to my HRD sub. I used the address below.
mailto:[email protected]

 

I called 800-274-1971 just took a couple minutes to covert full time left to street rodder. It was easy and she was very polite. Now my great grand kids will have a life time of free mags. Of some kind. Mabey !

 

Well I received a copy of Motor trend as my R&C replacement so I wrote them an EMail explaining my displeasure with their choice of substitution. I received a note within a few minutes that said they would look into it. Today I received a message that said they had extended my Street Rodder subscription and apologized for the inconvenience.

Although I am not happy that they discontinued one of my favorite magazines I am satisfied that I will at least get a few more issues of Street Rodder in it's place instead of Motor Trend which I have no interest in at all. So if you want to change your substitution write them an Email, Give then the sub numbers off of your address on the cover and let them know what you want. I know they should have asked what you wanted first. I suggest that you can rant about how stupid and inconsiderate the management is but don't take it out on the employee that will be handling your case.

 

I wonder if they would trade my MT subscription for 12 back issues of Rod & Custom.

 

But... if you can get 12 issues / year on a subscrition for say $15.00-25.00, where did all the profit go between those very reasonable costs (to me) and the crazy news stand prices of $6.00-7.00? Gary

 

Profit? If there was profit, you'd have a magazine still.

I'm not sure you aware of what it costs to operate a large-scale printing operation?

 

As was pointed out very early in this thread, it wasn't the profitability R&C that caused it to be shut down (along with a bunch of other titles) - the parent company's distribution network collapsed.

 

And why was that, exactly?

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

I want to thank Aaron, Rob, Kevin etc for the TWO awesome little pages issues they put out (not just because I got my name in print ) I would forgo monthly R&C if they could do 4-6 quality issues like these!

 

Completely agree. The little page books were very nicely done. Hell, if they just did one annual little pages a year, I could be happy with it.

 

Agree Dean.

 

I am betting we/'the faithful' will see Rod and Custom ' SPECIAL EDITIONS' from time to time--on-the-new stands! Reason why.... No mailing expense, less publishing overhead, defined distribution.... all adding up to greater profit! Let's face it this is a business decision. Robert 'Pete' Peterson did the same thing back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth....Rod and Custom was reborn, and we/'the faithful' came running back! HOWEVER, when the SPECIAL EDITIONs' appear I will not purchase one! ( I got my motor trend earlier this week , using the email option detailed earlier in this thread I will demand an extension of another of the 3 SourceInterlinkMedia magazines I am 'still' subscribed to! I have 6 years of subscriptions 'still out there'....you betcha I'm an unhappy subscriber! thanx....red

 

I got switched to Motor Trend, I don't get that at all. I call and got one of my other subs extended. Apparently you can ask for your money back or some portion of it.

 

what's a magazine?

-W

 

The internet, for old people.

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

SOB sad! My subscription ran out this month. Hope it wasnt my fault?

 

I called today and had my subscription changed to Hot Rod Deluxe. They too had sent me Motor Trend. I lead the conversation with "this seems like a nice magazine, however, I'm not into new cars, especially foreign ones." She said she heard that quite a bit. A couple of clicks and I had HRD for a period of time.

She said HRD is a more expensive magazine, therefore, couldn't be extended thru Apr 2023 like my R&C was. I got about half the time put on to HRD. Whatever. I'll likely not buy another magazine subscription that far out. Some of the deals seemed too good to be true. Ya know what, they probably were, hence, the demise of R&C.

On the flip side, 2 weeks ago, I got my first ever edition of The Rodders Journal. WOW. Good job guys!!