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

Peter Simpson

Peter Simpson may refer to:*Peter Simpson , Scottish football striker who played for Crystal Palace in the 1920s and 1930s*Peter Simpson , English football defender who played for Arsenal in the 1960s and 1970s...

. 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

Robert Maxwell

Ian Robert Maxwell MC was a Czechoslovakian-born British media proprietor and former Member of Parliament , who rose from poverty to build an extensive publishing empire...

 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

Rover 600

The Rover 600 Series is a compact executive car produced by the British car maker Rover from 1993 to 1999.The Rover 600 exterior was designed by Rover, a re-skin of the Tochigi-developed Honda Accord, also built in the UK by Honda in Swindon...

, Ford Granada MkIII Ghia to three or four thousand pounds - BMW

BMW

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...

s etc. They include a Ford Escort MkIV, Ford Mondeo

Ford Mondeo

The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk...

 MkI, Citroen 2CV

Citroën 2CV

The Citroën 2CV |tax horsepower]]”) was an economy car produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1948 and 1990. It was technologically advanced and innovative, but with uncompromisingly utilitarian unconventional looks, and deceptively simple Bauhaus inspired bodywork, that belied the sheer...

 restoration, MGB

MGB

The abbreviation MGB may refer to:* Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade, special school, elementary and high school, for gifted in areas of mathematics, physics, and ICT, under University of Belgrade umbrella...

 restoration, Austin Metro , a Jaguar XJ40, an ex police Vauxhall Astra

Vauxhall Astra

Astra is a model name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors , on their small family car ranges since 1979. Astras are technically essentially identical with similar vehicles offered by GM's German subsidiary Opel in most other European countries...

 MkIII, ex-customs seizure Citroen XM

Citroën XM

The Citroën XM is an executive car that was produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1989 and 2000. Citroën sold 333,775 XMs during the model's 11 years of production...

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.

External links

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