Car Mechanics Magazine

Car Mechanics magazine, November 1980 issue

Car Mechanics magazine is a British motoring magazine currently published monthly by Bauer Media in Peterborough and edited by Martyn Knowles who recently took over from long standing editor Peter Simpson. It is aimed at DIY motorists and the motor repair trade. The coverage ranges across all major car manufacturers and models sold in the UK chiefly in the last five to thirty years. It is currently the only news stand magazine of this type covering servicing, repair and restoration, with its nearest equivalent Practical Motorist having ceased publication in 1997.

History

Car Mechanics was launched in April 1958, originally published by Mercury House, who along with its successors published Car Mechanics until 1989 when the infamous Robert Maxwell bought the company. However he sold the AGB motoring publications within a matter of weeks to EMAP after stealing the pension fund. EMAP relaunched Car Mechanics as a performance orientated magazine, however in this form the magazine was not successful and in early 1992 Car Mechanics was taken over by the Kelsey Publishing who took it back to its DIY/practical routes and turned a title's fortunes around.

Publishing transferred to Bauer Media (who had acquired EMAP's consumer magazine division in the meantime) from 3 December 2010, as part of a tit-for-tat dispute following Bauer's decision to take another licenced title (Classic Car Weekly) away from Kelsey, and Kelsey launching its own Weekly title (Classic Car Buyer) in response. As cars have become more complex, with a corresponding increase in the cost and complexity of tools and diagnostic equipment needed, more people are having repairs carried out professionally. This has led the magazine to broaden its appeal to include the independent motor trade whilst still retaining a focus base with the private DIY enthusiast.

Project cars

In the early days of Car Mechanics, project cars were an important part of the magazine and Kelsey reintroduced them, having now had over 50 project cars since 1992. Recent project cars have been an Audi A6 TDi Avant, and a Land Rover Discovery, and currently the March 2011 issue has started on the restoration of a 1995 Ford Escort Mexico. Past projects have ranged in price from free - Volvo 240, Rover 600, Ford Granada MkIII Ghia to three or four thousand pounds - BMWs etc. They include a Ford Escort MkIV, Ford Mondeo MkI, Citroen 2CV restoration, MGB restoration, Austin Metro , a Jaguar XJ40, an ex police Vauxhall Astra MkIII, ex-customs seizure Citroen XM TD, even a Sherpa minibus and, more recently, an ex-police Ford Mondeo MkIII, Jaguar X300, Volvo V70 diesel, Mazda MX-5, MG ZR, Saab 9-5, Land Rover Freelander, Volkswagen Golf MkIV and Skoda Octavia.

See also

• publications
• magazines

External links

Car Mechanics Magazine website http://www.carmechanicsmag.co.uk/ Auto Mechanics Workshops across Sydney Australia http://www.nswautomechanics.com.au