Sections: MF Feature Oct 4th, 2005 39 Comments We just received word that the UK based MINI magazine, GoMINI will be ending publication. Reportedly Issue 24 will be the last to hit bookstores and newsstands. We’ll have more on MINI magazines and this surprising news in the coming days.
acetonic Oct 4th, 2005 Link
Is that US based MINI mag still scheduled to come out this year? Go MINI was a bit too pricey as an import. Good to read while having coffee at the bookstore though!
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minihaha Oct 4th, 2005 Link
This is not good news, however I guess it is not a complete surprise. The articles were getting weaker and weaker, plus they carried the same stuff over into each edition (buying a new/used mini etc.). I agree with acetonic it was expensive and in these parts (Ontario, Canada) supply was less than consistant. Subscriptions were totally out of line for overseas buyers. It will be intersting to see how the U.S. based magazine makes out, if and when it arrives.
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James Oct 4th, 2005 Link
I don’t suppose we get partial subscription refunds on this very expensive magazine.
I posted information on the forthcoming MC². magazine on the Sunshine MINIs forums last week. Here are the basics:
(EDITED: sorry I had to edit your post James. I’ve been asked to hold off on the MC2 info on MF for a few more days.)
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Jon Roberts Oct 4th, 2005 Link
It’s a shame, I had a 5 pager written about me and my old Coop. I had a few gripes about the magazine, but all in all at least they were trying to publish our passion for a great little car. RIP!
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Tom Oct 4th, 2005 Link
Darn – I just sent in money to get a subscription to it and I have not received my first (their last) issue. They should just roll back to a quarterly or semi-annual issue – I liked the magazine it was a good read!
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nervous Oct 4th, 2005 Link
Glad that I didn’t renew when it went to monthly – too expensive for US delivery! Guess my non-renewal would have happened naturally, anyway. It will be missed.
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Bill Lawrence Oct 4th, 2005 Link
I subscribed to it for a while, but then I had to choose between paying my mortgage and renewing my subscription. I decided to stay in my house.
Much of it did not apply as much to US readers. It looks like the next magazine will have to appeal to a worldwide audience.
Plus, it is hard to get people to buy print magazines when they can go on Motoringfile, MINI2 and NAM for free and get information quicker.
Starting a print magazine, when so many of the potential subscribers are online could be a challenge.
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John Hooker Oct 4th, 2005 Link
As a subscriber I have just been in touch with the publisher, Future Publishing.
They tell me that they have no knowledge of the magazine being discontinued.
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Josh Wardell Oct 4th, 2005 Link
I certainly did not want to see GoMINI go away, it was an excellent magazine that I would flip through if I found it in a store, but I guess it leaves even more of an opportunity for MC2 to be successful.
I don’t think it is tough to get people to buy print magazines. I subscribe to C&D, autoweek, and many others even though the magazines post their articles on their website often before it is in my hands. Photos and print are still much better to read on paper.
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Casey Oct 4th, 2005 Link
John – it is true – the decision was made yesterday…we have as well as all of their advertisers been made aware of this…they wanted to let their advertisers know first before posting official word themselves as they didn’t want their advertisers to hear it through the rumor mill…but since the MotoringFile moles have already uncovered the story I can confirm it.
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Mini2Go Oct 4th, 2005 Link
Gabe, when did you hire the moles? What do moles eat? Grubs? Whatever it is, give them a little extra for this apparently exceptional scoop! :P :P
As for the mag – it was too pricey for me. I’m looking forward to the much rumored MC2.
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CooperJon Oct 4th, 2005 Link
Nice for the guys that started the magazine and then sold it to Future Publishing. Mission accomplished from that perspective!
I too was a subscriber, but let it drop after 1 year due to cost (£85(ish)/year). Looking forward to the US MINI mag.
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beken Oct 4th, 2005 Link
I’ve been religiously buying my price inflated GoMINI at my local bookstore since they went monthly. I liked the photography, especially the ones in the travel sections, and the New Products section. Sometimes there are good stories and sometimes, like most magazines, there are some duds. But overall, it was a quality magazine. The paper stock it was printed on made a good argument for the higher price. But it was a pricey magazine on this side of the pond and a month behind.
I figured something was up when the website stopped being updated.
Anyways, I’m sad to see it go and hope MC2 gets on the market soon.
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Roderick Gamboa Oct 4th, 2005 Link
The few issues i have , i had to get through a buddy in Malaysia. These magazines do not reach our shores. And just to get a copy, an arm and a leg. Magazine costs, and courier services……..
GoMini will be missed.
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Paul! Oct 4th, 2005 Link
Grrr… I hate Future Media. I have a list of about 6 different mags that they started or took over, then killed…
Hopefully the new US MINI mag will be around for a while!!
-Paul!
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doug Oct 4th, 2005 Link
Am I sad to see it go? No.
Let’s blame Gabe for all his darn fine reporting and breaking news!
Grabs a pitchfork and skewers an old GoMINI Magazine
Good bye GoMINI, you were neat for a minute.
Seriously, when you have big business dumping 80% of their marketing into the internets and stepping out of print media, this is going to happen.
With GoMINI’s weak audience, poor publication, and overpriced printing, this was overdue.
Websites like TEAMMIGHTYMINIZ, Motoringfile, GoMotoring and MINI2 have killed the option of print media PLUS News and “the Latest”.
You can travel over to http://www.teammightyminiz.com and see the latest in MINI culture, style and performance.
You can jump onto this fine site for the latest and greatest breaking news stories.
You can hop onto http://www.gomotoring.com for a thrill ride of many a MINI site.
It’s too much for a print magazine to deal with when it concerns our passions. We are a small audience but we are set on where we gather our information.
So… Goodbye GoMINI and Hoorah for the established internet fellas.
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Todd! Oct 4th, 2005 Link
Im not shocked at all… GoMINI was skating on thin ice with me for a long time, there is only so many ways you can skin a cat.
Web sites like mini2 Motoringfile and NAM are not in the buiness of putting pbulications out of business, but when they scoop a magazine by 6+ weeks, it is bound to happen.
The new MINI crowd are a techno savvy bunch that are in touch with ways to access information.
The forums provide somewhat unbias reports of modifications and upgrades unlike the publications that favour thoir advertisers. Which I dont think there is anything wrong with as without the advertising there would be no magazine – but they do not always tell the complete story.
I stopped buying the magazine months ago, doubt I will buy the upcoming US version as I feel it will suffer from the same problems.
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Baker Oct 4th, 2005 Link
I’m an Australian subscriber to GoMini, and I think the thing that killed it was simply the move to a monthy mag. Theres only so much you can talk about the Mini (in a mag, anyway), and it seemed like the Eds/Journo’s didn’t really know that much about the car either..
I’ll miss it.
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Sean Bancroft Oct 5th, 2005 Link
Big surprise @ roughly $170 dollars I had to drop my subscription after they moved to monthly.
I did like the magazine inspite of the fact that alot of the content had nothing to do with the US. The highlight for me was being able to see my MCS in the arial shot of the parking garage at AMVIV.
Too bad.
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Nick16vcooper Oct 5th, 2005 Link
Gutted. So whats the alternative, i need my monthly mini mag fix!!!! grrrrrrrrr
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acetonic Oct 5th, 2005 Link
I worry that the new mag, MC2, may be shooting itself in the foot by putting more focus on the classic Mini. I love the old Mini but just how many of them are in the US compared to the new ones? If they hold to this pattern, the new mag will be, like the departed Go MINI, mostly filled with articles that do not apply to me and one that I’m not likely to subscribe to.
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CooperJon Oct 5th, 2005 Link
If MC2 is mostly classic, I won’t be a subscriber. Love the old cars, but I don’t own one, and gasp, I love the BMW engineering of the new MINI. But hey, that’s just me! ;^)
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Charlie Oct 5th, 2005 Link
From the Publisher of Go MINI in an email to me this AM:
Sadly, I can confirm that issue 24 will be the last issue of GoMini. All subscribers will be contacted soon by letter, but in the meantime we would like to thank all readers for their support and enthusiasm.
Kind regards, Helen Webster Future Publishing
There was no mention of subscription refunds, sadly. Contact your credit card companies and contest the charges, anyone?
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Vicki Oct 5th, 2005 Link
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Gutted about this! thought the magazine was great and its the only thing worth getting excited over what comes through my letterbox! Its not the info on the MINI or new releases etc ill miss its the events and show write ups with great pictures and the community spirit :(
Sent a cheque off last week renewing subscription for another year.
Gutted!!!
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Paul! Oct 5th, 2005 Link
BTW, what Future Media has done in the past is rather than offer refunds, they have changed the subscription to a ’similar’ magazine. I think though that if you pressed the issue, they gave refunds though.
-Paul!
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Charlie Oct 5th, 2005 Link
Paul,
I’ve been to Future’s website, http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/store/custompage.asp?customid=46&custid= and nothing they have appeals to me; nor do I want a magazine that focuses on the “classic” Mini. Think I’ll just inquire about disputing the charge on my credit card.
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Joe Oct 6th, 2005 Link
Given the advent of the internet and proliferation of online resources, I don’t know that this development is overly surprising. I think that one way in which a devoted following of subscribers might be created would be to have a national club such as the BMW Car Club of America, PCA, etc. Witness the success of the Roundel, etc in these intances. Of course, such a club would need to offer more services than just a subscription (i.e. organized driving events, meetings, etc) – but wait, there are already well organized regional clubs which meet these needs well, thus it’s unlikely something such as this would transpire.
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dgszweda Oct 6th, 2005 Link
I just got a letter from them in the mail yesterday asking me to renew. Glad I didn’t
What is funny is that the magazine failed for reasons we all knew. Just can’t figure out why the editors didn’t see that. I could tell at the end they were starting to get pretty bad. You can only have so many articles about ProMini. The problem was that they never did any good reviews of any products for the Mini, whether they were performance or not performance. A good review like what Gabe provides would be awesome. A comparison between performance parts, weights on new wheels. Something!
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Steve Oct 6th, 2005 Link
Gutted in NZ too. Suggest emailing “Go MINI” to let them know how you feel. Hats off to them for answering emails though! Address is: helen.webster@futurenet.co.uk
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rb Oct 12th, 2005 Link
I got to see some of the page layouts and the new logo for MC2 last Tuesday. Looks interesting. Good Luck to Barry & Gary.
GoMini was way too expensive but I did enjoy it for a few years. Ya gotta wonder about their scruples as I was hounded until recently to re-subscribe.
Stuck 300 miles from home with a hole in my radiator! Botts dot (lane marker) went through my grill and punctured my radiator. Has taken Mini of Mountain View, Ca. 4 days to secure a radiator but no grill. Not their fault just none available, hope to see home by Friday of this week.
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///ACS330Ci Oct 15th, 2005 Link
So what happened to MC2? Neither URL listed on their earlier releases works. Is it going to happen or is it just a vapor-mag?
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RB Oct 18th, 2005 Link
I have no information as to what is happening with MC2 I just happened to be in the Los Altos, Ca. area.
Gary, of MC2, has an impressive background in auto magazines and seemed quite confident that the mag would be published.
But that’s all I know.
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