Finally a DIY Mercedes-Benz Magazine - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 06-05-2003, 02:43 AM

Hello,

Just a quick note to introduce myself, my name is Brian Minson, and I'm the Editor of the new magazine for Mercedes-Benz called "Prestige."

Prestige, is a full color, glossy magazine devoted to the owners of Mercedes automobiles. With step-by-step photos on DIY projects, questions & answers, tech tips, market reports, and reviews of the newest models from Mercedes.

We have the support of MBUSA it seems, they recently sent letters to all of their North American dealers announcing the launch of Prestige.

Visit our web site at www.benzmag.com, and I invite you to e-mail me with ideas, and suggestions on what you would like to see in Prestige.

Thank you,

Brian Minson
Publisher/Editor

Techie9 · #2 06-05-2003, 08:46 AM

Brian,

Your hyperlink doesn't work because there's an extra comma at the end of it. I was able to visit your site by removing the comma.

Techie9

stevebfl · #3 06-05-2003, 09:05 AM

I managed to get through the bad link with techie's help.

For a business in the communications business I wonder about such errors. But its just a slip...right? So I go to the site and I see there is a place for repair shops. This has my interest... ah its under construction... another bad sign.

Oh well, I guess I'll contact them and give them my two cents worth on how they should construct that page. If it turns out to be advertising then its junk. So I go to the contact link and my goodness how much trouble is it to make an email address link that works. Well, it too much trouble for me (but thats not my business), as I got to go to work.

wjm · #4 06-05-2003, 09:08 AM

I'm not too interested in the newer mercedes yet.... but anything on the 124's would peek my interest. How do you get a sample copy?

Willy

#5 06-05-2003, 10:19 AM

Steve,

We are working on a state by state listing of independent repair shops. Think of it as a Yellow Pages for the indy MB show industry. This will take a some time to collect and organize the information. I invite you or any other shop to contact us with your information.

Sorry about the links, we would rather be working on the cars than learning how all this HTML relates to Bosch Fuel Injection.

This link here should would work, www.benzmag.com

Thanks,

Brian Minson
Prestige Magazine
Publisher/Editor

Jim's500E · #6 06-05-2003, 12:02 PM

Sounds neat

I'd like to see how/if a 2003 E55 motor would fit into my W124.036 chassis...really, I would if that's possible.

neileg · #7 06-05-2003, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Sorry about the links, we would rather be working on the cars than learning how all this HTML relates to Bosch Fuel Injection.

So why are you trying to publish a magazine?

Sorry to get heavy, but as a former professional journalist, I think that poor presentation damages your profile really fast. Whoever said that all publicity was good publicity didn't try and sell mags.

You need to fix your website fast. I would
- Create a page style and use it on every page
- Remove deadlinks, ie no 'pages under construction'
- Make sure everything has an impact

Remember you are trying to sell your magazine, not just generate a lot of page hits.

Good luck, anyway.

TX76513 · #8 06-05-2003, 12:14 PM

Media guide suggest 18,000 readers? I also believe it would be benificial to see a "sneak peak" of what's in between the "ad stock"

haasman · #9 06-05-2003, 01:38 PM

I think the premise of the magazine is great. There are several troubling problems that I see:

-You have no legal disclaimers regarding Mercedes-Benz

-The URL is not the same as the name of the magazine, unfortunately the prestigemagazine is taken by a Las Vegas business. May I suggest changing one or the other to be consistent and facilitate ease of finding the magazine on the Internet.

-Look again at the comments above. They are full of good advice. The old statement "you only get one chance to make a first impression" is alive and well today. Only supply what you can deliver: No under construction anywhere.

Haasman

NormanB · #10 06-05-2003, 03:12 PM

Hey Prestige Mag - get a grip!

I have no connection to this site (honest) and I am not saying Brits do it better at all but have a look at
this here :

While you are there have a look at the links/communities and forums!!

I will say though, that the UK magazine while quite excellent for enthusiasts does not major exclusively on DIY. However your magazine is a much nicer price.........not sure if that is good or not.

Anyway best of luck - if you would like me to review the magazine, send over a dozen back issues - PM for my address! I am happy to oblige.

jchip · #11 06-05-2003, 04:00 PM

Great! I allways wondered why a marque such as Mercedes had no US based publication other than the dealer rag and the club magazine (STAR). The UK rag, Mercedes Enthusiast is ga good effort but much of it has no relevance to the US market. DIY articles are the attraction for many of us and I, for one, would love to see stuff on the 126 model. Most of these are now in the hands of DIY owners and enthusiasts yet there is nothing available from Haynes, Chiltons, etc. specific to the model. Good luck and count me in.
J.Chip

manny · #12 06-05-2003, 06:29 PM

NormanB

If you are talking about the " Mercedes Enthusiast" magazine, I will tell you, having purchased it twice, it is nothing more than an overpriced rag !
10 pages of reading material and 90 pages of advertising.
They could also take some lessons from a " Road & Track " or " Car & Driver " magazine, how to do a meaningful road test.
Not to say that i have a bee in my " bonnet " ( ha ha could'nt resist that one), but at $ 7.50, you can keep them.

NormanB · #13 06-05-2003, 06:39 PM

Hey Manny

Do not sit on the fence - say what you mean 'an all that!

I agree with it is very expensive for what it offers and as I said not much DIY content. I was (maybe failing to

) draw attention to their website (no duff links) and the fact they linked to us here!!

I was not advertising for them and why anyone outside the UK would want to buy a Brit based car mag (unless maybe MG, Jag et al) defeats me.

I still reckon it would be worth their while sending me a couple of dozen of their back numbers to review though!

#14 06-05-2003, 08:02 PM

Something we did when we launched "9 Magazine" our DIY Porsche magazine two years was to allow potential subscribers to send us a postcard with their mailing address on it for a free copy. We received about 2,000 postcards in which we used as a display in the lobby, plus it gave us great travel story ideas!

We might try it with Prestige...

Sincerely,

Brian Minson
Publisher/Editor
Prestige Magazine
http://www.benzmag.com

Greg in Oz · #15 06-05-2003, 08:30 PM

You guys in much of the northern hemisphere don't know how lucky you are. In the USA you have MB of North America workshop manuals and CDROMS, the club's Star magazine and now this new one. In the UK you have Haynes workshop manuals (among others) and Mercedes Enthusiast magazine. In Australia we have nothing apart from small club magazines produce voluntarily by members from members contributions (club membership here numbers in the hundreds not tens of thousands). We have no professionally produced magazines for the enthusiast. Much of our technical information is by word of mouth from fellow owners and club members. Fortunately, some members are MB techs (or retired techs). We have to rely on difficult to obtain workshop manuals that are not even completely relevant to the MBs we got in Australia. Often we find ourselves working from a manual that is only for a similar car to the one we are working on. If nothing else, I have become aware of the vast differences between the North American and Australian delivered MBs.

I'm not saying that all these magazines offer everything for everyone. I have seen a few issues of "The Star" and whilst not entirely relevant to us here, it is a great mag for the club enthusiast with good info for the DIY owner. I have also enjoyed a few issues of "Mercedes Enthusiast" (despite the occasional technical error), but at $12.50 an issue here it is a luxury I cannot justify regularly.

I would dearly love someone to publish a magazine for the Aussie MB enthusiast. I would love to be able to buy workshop manuals for the exact cars we got here. Neither is going to happen. I will have to continue to enjoy sharing information with fellow club members and great forums such this (and others), and make do with whatever published material I can find or justify the expense of purchasing. Don't forget how lucky most of you guys are when it comes to published material for your cars and embrace any additional publication that comes your way.