Model Cars Magazine, The Future Ahead Of Us

[Gregg]

I wanted to post this here first on the forum, since the forum is, and has been, the backbone of the magazine. Many of you have wondered what’s going on, not only with the magazine, but myself as well. Well, there's good news, and bad news.

First the bad news. This past February I had my eighth back surgery, where they implanted an electrical spinal stimulator, and so far, it’s been a failure. The temporary test/trial period in January had good results, but the permanent implanted one has not given the same results. Hopefully, it’s fine tuning, or reprogramming, but for now, it’s still laying down most of the time, I’m still on way too many pain pills, and now I’m just trying to deal with it.

Now for the good news. With this surgery behind me, and no real hope in the near future for any sort of pain relief, I’m going to be going full steam ahead as if nothing is going to stop me. I’m putting all my efforts into getting the magazine back on track, back on the newsstands, and back in your hands. However, I need your help. I’d like to offer a limited amount of Lifetime Subscriptions to our loyal readers to get the next three to four issues printed and mailed out. This will only be for 200 subscribers, for a limited time. There will be some neat swag to offer, Lifetime Member Model Cars Magazine patches, dash plaques, and t-shirts, and the big news will be unlimited access to all the current digital back issues that we have. 

So, what’s this going to cost? Right now, crunching the numbers, we are looking at a Lifetime Subscription to go for $150 (sorry, I had put $200, which is the limited number of orders. My brain cell (the last one), got stuck on that number. It's $150 for Lifetime Subs). This will raise the capital we need to really get going, and to hire some help so that we can work on the rest of the digital back issues. Currently, we have easy access to all digital files only back to 2012, but we have all digital files down to 2003, but they have to be converted in a time-consuming process. Long story short is I first did the layouts for the magazine using the computer program called Quark, but I lost the original CDs/DVDs for the first three years. The 2003 and later files need to be converted from Quark to InDesign using proprietary plugins that have been purchased. 

Some have asked about the viability of doing a lifetime subscription offer, and that that would hurt or affect subsequent renewals. With a “regular” magazine, that may be the case, but one thing about Model Cars that makes us special is that with our direct dealer sales, those sales almost pay for the full printing and mailing of our regular issues. Granted, once our numbers go up, and they will, we will be better equipped to deal with the increased circulation, and go after even more newsstand and dealer sales. 

I hope this all makes sense. I’m not trying to pull anything over on anyone. I want to make this magazine work, and if the past twenty years have shown you guys one thing, it’s that I don’t give up. Twenty years, wow, that’s a long time. This October 2019 will be our 20-Year Anniversary, and that will be huge and special issue.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you want to become one of the only 200 lifetime subscription members, you can go to: www.modelcarsmag.com/lifetime and use the PayPal form. I’ll also set up in the next few days a mail-in form for those that like doing things the old fashioned way.

Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much)

 

Gregg

Edited May 7, 2019 by Gregg
Sorry, had wrong amount posted, it's $150 for lifetime subs.

[Bobdude]

Count me in,Gregg

[mikemodeler]

What about the previous subscribers and the issues they are owed? Will they get the issues they paid for from the past?

This is very intriguing, might have to consider it.

[Xingu]

Obviously, the lifetime subscription isn't for everyone. I don't think Gregg will have any problem finding folks willing to take the risk. If it works out, it gets the magazine back on the shelves and puts a little money in the bank so that publishing can get back on schedule.

[mikemodeler]

6 minutes ago, Xingu said:

Obviously, the lifetime subscription isn't for everyone. I don't think Gregg will have any problem finding folks willing to take the risk. If it works out, it gets the magazine back on the shelves and puts a little money in the bank so that publishing can get back on schedule.

But what about those that paid for a subscription and are waiting on the magazine? Will they get a copy of the magazine when it is printed? That wasn't very clear in the message posted.

 

[Xingu]

6 minutes ago, mikemodeler said:

But what about those that paid for a subscription and are waiting on the magazine? Will they get a copy of the magazine when it is printed? That wasn't very clear in the message posted.

 

Gregg has mentioned several times that if you subscribed to the magazine you will get the number of magazines you paid for, no matter how long it takes.

[Dave Van]

I'll just say the best of luck to you.......I hope it works out.......our hobby needs both the website and magazine. Thanks

[Dave Ambrose]

2 hours ago, mikemodeler said:

What about the previous subscribers and the issues they are owed? Will they get the issues they paid for from the past?

This is very intriguing, might have to consider it.

I believe I can answer this. Obligations to current subscribers will be honored.

[David G.]

I just bought my lifetime subscription. Easy-Peasy, just follow the link in Gregg's post above and it takes you to a Pay Pal page and it's only $150.00 rather than $200.00. The way I see it, that's about four years of issues at the current $6.50 cover price. Not a bad deal.

David G.

[randyc]

I DO wish this situation would work out.   I also wish I had the $200 to spend.   This is THE best of the two magazine forums - I find what I like here so I don't look for others actively..    MCM is the best magazine right now, from my memory of the last issue I bought compared to the new issue of the other that I received Saturday.   I'm facing renewing my subscription to the other one and am seriously debating if it is worth it.  I'm not sure I like the direction they are going.  

I know Gregg has had a lot of issues that keep the magazine from being regular.  That is unfortunate.   Print media is still a wonderful resource to me.  I love to hold the magazine.  I don't want to read that on my phone or tablet.  So I get that it is hard to find the printers and such as well.  

I wish this endeavour luck so that we can continue to have the great discussions we have on here.   And I hope the mag gets back on track.  

I will be studying on a way to make it happen.

[pt20094dr]

I am paid up to issue 220, and last one I got was 205. Will I get my other 15 issue.

[Rob Hall]

1 minute ago, pt20094dr said:

I am paid up to issue 220, and last one I got was 205. Will I get my other 15 issue.

I'm paid up to 210 IIRC....so at the current rate of an issue a year, 5 years? 

[Ramfins59]

5 hours ago, randyc said:

I DO wish this situation would work out.   I also wish I had the $200 to spend.   This is THE best of the two magazine forums - I find what I like here so I don't look for others actively..    MCM is the best magazine right now, from my memory of the last issue I bought compared to the new issue of the other that I received Saturday.   I'm facing renewing my subscription to the other one and am seriously debating if it is worth it.  I'm not sure I like the direction they are going.  

I know Gregg has had a lot of issues that keep the magazine from being regular.  That is unfortunate.   Print media is still a wonderful resource to me.  I love to hold the magazine.  I don't want to read that on my phone or tablet.  So I get that it is hard to find the printers and such as well.  

I wish this endeavour luck so that we can continue to have the great discussions we have on here.   And I hope the mag gets back on track.  

As Randy stated, "I also wish that I had the $200 to spend"  At 72 years old with Social Security being my only income, I have all I can do to keep the roof over my head (Taxes, utilities, etc..), along with getting supplies for this hobby, and squirreling away a few bucks each month so I can attend NNL East each year.  I can only stretch my meager income just so far.

[ScottH454]

I think what he is saying is that since he won't be focused on his back he can get back to the magazine. In order to get the next issue out he needs to make quick money. Then what issues he sells to stores would be enough to publish the next issue. The one issue a year was before so we don't know the rate of magazines in the future. Think I got 3 out if a two year subscription so it could be a lifetime subscription.

[Gregg]

On 5/4/2019 at 3:20 AM, mikemodeler said:

What about the previous subscribers and the issues they are owed? Will they get the issues they paid for from the past?

This is very intriguing, might have to consider it.

I don't know if this was an honest question, or something got lost in translation.

What do you mean owed from the past?

Every single subscriber who has a paid subscription has, and will, continue to get their issues.

The subscription is for EACH ISSUE, not per year, although it's been a long time in between issues (last count was one year plus since last issue), I'm not going to quit.

Unless that's what you want me to do?

Or, was this question a sarcastic comment?

 

[Gregg]

One thing that I brain farted on was the amount.

It's $150 for a limited number of 200 Lifetime Subscriptions

For some reason, the number 200 stuck in my head, and I didn't do the coding for the payment button the way that it should be.

If everyone is going to dwell on the past, then obviously, then please don't post such negative comments.
Yes, I know everyone has a tough time, some more than others, but the past is the past.

I'm going to do whatever I can to go forward, and if that's not good enough for you, I'm sorry, really sorry.

But don't spread your negativity here. I'm trying to move forward, and every time someone bashes something I've done, or not done, it really makes me think about why I'm doing this.

 

[mikemodeler]

39 minutes ago, Gregg said:

I don't know if this was an honest question, or something got lost in translation.

What do you mean owed from the past?

Every single subscriber who has a paid subscription has, and will, continue to get their issues.

The subscription is for EACH ISSUE, not per year, although it's been a long time in between issues (last count was one year plus since last issue), I'm not going to quit.

Unless that's what you want me to do?

Or, was this question a sarcastic comment?

 

Just asking a question, no sarcasm or negativity.

[Rider]

I wish you all the best with this new endeavour Gregg. I am considering this offer. My question is, what advantage does a subscription offer a subscriber in addition to a hard copy and an electronic copy,  does the user aspect of this forum change? 

 

Thanks

Curtis

[Belugawrx]

Count me in Gregg!

[Rob Hall]

17 hours ago, Gregg said:

I don't know if this was an honest question, or something got lost in translation.

What do you mean owed from the past?

Every single subscriber who has a paid subscription has, and will, continue to get their issues.

The subscription is for EACH ISSUE, not per year, although it's been a long time in between issues (last count was one year plus since last issue), I'm not going to quit.

 

Actually, on the MCM Subscribe page, it is for a number of issues per year.

Edited May 7, 2019 by Rob Hall

[mikemodeler]

4 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

Actually, on the MCM Subscribe page, it is for a number of issues per year.

To explain my earlier question about "owed" copies, this is what I was referring to. If I had paid for a 2 year subscription two years ago, I would have expected 12 issues when in fact I would have only received 3 and am waiting on the remaining 9. Just wanted to know what the plan was for me to get my 9 remaining issues and when that might be.

[Rider]

WOW, the price for Canadians/foreign subscriptions with the exchange works out to $300, I'll be passing. 

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by Rider

[crazyjim]

I have no problem paying the $150.00 lifetime fee/charge.  It's only money.  My concern is for my subscription that was renewed right after I recieved issue #205.  There's quite a few issues missing.

[Belugawrx]

2 hours ago, Rider said:

WOW, on the price for us Canadians, with the exchange it works out to $300, I'll be passing. 

Right now 150.00 USD is 202.00 CDN

And if that means this site stays up and magazines will be coming, I'm glad to help?

[TooOld]

It sounds like many of you have been burned in the past and have a trust issue . I've been following Gregg's issues (health and otherwise) for a few years now and it sure seems to me that he's always been up front about what's going on , always has kept you up to date and never tried to hide anything or not respond to any questions . Isn't that everybody's big complaint with vendors , lack of communication ? That sure isn't the case with Gregg so maybe he's earned our trust .

I'm also retired and on a fixed income so I don't throw money around like crazy . But spending $150 on models and supplies online happens and I don't complain about that so if a lifetime subscription will help keep the magazine and "This Forum" around for years to come it sounds like a good deal .  I've never subscribed to the magazine before but count me in , $150 sounds like a deal to me ! I just subscribed !