[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by burd

When GM muscled GMC into the Pontiac clan, I was PO then, you go to the Dustboff and see GMC trucks next to GTO”s. Not sure why the GMC guys think they’re better than the Chevy boys, hate to tell you, ITS THE SAME TRUCK, just 200 lbs of plastic chrome.

I get your stance, but sometimes things need to change in order to keep a hobby alive & relevant;
Just see the prior posts about the complaints from strato-streak(?) V* proponents against the corporate Pontiacs in HPP.

For a great deal of their history GMC was absolutely just a badge engineered Chevrolet-truck - but if you go back far enough, you can see that they used to be different;
Also, after Pontiac was folded, you could IMMEDIATELY see the Pontiac design influence on GMC vehicle offerings.
I prefer shows were different vehicle types are groups more or less together, so maybe you need to go to a different show, or have some involvement in THAT show so that you don't have a GMC (truck) parked beside a GTO(?).

Originally Posted by OCMDGTO

I also like the printed mags vs online but online is better than nothing. I'm also surprised nobody suggested printing out the online version? I also think POCI and GTOAA should merge, it just makes sense.

I would wager that many like me think that printing a magazine doesn't even come close to the real thing... then there's the downloading issues (that at least) I personally had.
I too thought online was better than nothing, but I found it wasn't much better than nothing.

It would be great if someone with clout from POCI was to read this, and take some of the whining as constructive criticism;
If I could re-subscribe with a printed magazine for a reasonable fee, I would do it in a heartbeat (even knowing that I would often get my printed issue a month late).

[carbking]

Originally Posted by burd

When GM muscled GMC into the Pontiac clan, I was PO then, you go to the Dustboff and see GMC trucks next to GTO”s. Not sure why the GMC guys think they’re better than the Chevy boys, hate to tell you, ITS THE SAME TRUCK, just 200 lbs of plastic chrome.

And then the leadership at POCI allowed GMC to be muscled into POCI; and when I left. Nothing against GMC, just the way it was done.

Jon

[carbking]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

For a great deal of their history GMC was absolutely just a badge engineered Chevrolet-truck - but if you go back far enough, you can see that they used to be different;

Since 1975 GMC is a rebadged Chevy.

From 1911 to 1974, GMC was a truck. Many of the V-6 engines in the 1960's lived more than a million miles.

Jon

[sdbob]

My 2015 GMC 2500 has been a good truck. I've noticed Chevy trucks in the same year their interiors are different. I happen to feel,think GMC is better just like the Pontiacs were compared to Chevy.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by sdbob

My 2015 GMC 2500 has been a good truck. I've noticed Chevy trucks in the same year their interiors are different. I happen to feel,think GMC is better just like the Pontiacs were compared to Chevy.

that's what they have done;
The GMC is a decked out Chevy.

I believe that certain options are only available in the GMC - while the stripped down truck is only available with a "bow tie".

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by sdbob

My 2015 GMC 2500 has been a good truck. I've noticed Chevy trucks in the same year their interiors are different. I happen to feel,think GMC is better just like the Pontiacs were compared to Chevy.

I'm a huge GMC guy. That's usually all I own, unless it's an 88-98, then it can be a Chevy.

[burd]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

that's what they have done;
The GMC is a decked out Chevy.

I believe that certain options are only available in the GMC - while the stripped down truck is only available with a "bow tie".

I’ll take the stripped down, not a fan of chrome plastic. Lol

[MarkS57]

Originally Posted by carbking

Since 1975 GMC is a rebadged Chevy.

From 1911 to 1974, GMC was a truck. Many of the V-6 engines in the 1960's lived more than a million miles.

Jon

I worked on a few of those V6's, you're right definitely hard to kill.

[RocktimusPryme]

Originally Posted by Stuart

If you subscribe to Motortrend+, you get access to back issues of 27 different titles. They have every single issue of Hot Rod and Motor Trend, Car Craft back to 2008, Muscle Car Review back to 2012. There are offroad and truck magazines, Mustang magazines, Mopar Muscle, Hot Rod Deluxe and many more.

I was a long time subscriber to Hot Rod, they gave me a free year access to MT+ when they changed to quarterly issues.

Ive been a motortrend + subscriber since its launch, and I wasn't aware of that. Ill have to see if I can figure out how to access that.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

Ive been a motortrend + subscriber since its launch, and I wasn't aware of that. Ill have to see if I can figure out how to access that.

When you go to their website, click on 'magazines' in the header and it takes you to an overview page of all the magazines they have. Next to each title it says '>see all', click on that and it shows all the back issues available. It may take a moment or two for all the years to load, so be patient.

[Stuart]

The whole thing with POCI admitting GMC owners goes back to the last half of 1950s, when GMC used Pontiac engines. Owners of those trucks had a legitimate reason to be interested in joining the club, and then I think the club officers decided to open it up to all GMC years in order to increase membership. Also, it was common back in the day for Pontiac dealerships to also sell GMC trucks, so that was another connection (I think every Pontiac dealer in my area when I was a kid sold them). I didn't think it was that big a deal and in the end, I don't think there were that many GMC owners who did sign up - I can only remember seeing one or two of them at shows.

[RocktimusPryme]

Originally Posted by Stuart

When you go to their website, click on 'magazines' in the header and it takes you to an overview page of all the magazines they have. Next to each title it says '>see all', click on that and it shows all the back issues available. It may take a moment or two for all the years to load, so be patient.

Ahh, that makes more sense why I didn't know about it. I mostly use the App on my Smart TV or phone. Other than addressing some billing stuff I never go on their website proper.

But thank you, that's really cool.

[sdbob]

Our family always shopped at Pontiac dealership,MT Laurel Motor Cars(Rolling Rock Brewery dealership for salesmans cars) My dad's first new truck was a 1965 GMC,305 3spd 8ft bed,$1800.00 yes. Took a Pontiac starter I changed it once.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by gokitty

The local Pontiac(POCI) club in Greensboro was a super club. Great annual shows. Is is still active?

Don't know for sure if it is still active or not.
It was really great in its best days.
I moved further away from GSO in early 90's and by mid 90's dropped out of the club.

The last yearly show I went to was about 15 years ago.

The same people had been carrying the club for decades and I think they were all getting worn out on the responsibilities that no one else wanted to take over.

[sdbob]

Our local POCI chapter has been very fortunate.The same couple have been the center.Their enthusiasm dedication and leadership have kept us going. Everyone gave something. Just recent change to younger President. It takes time out of your family life which can be difficult.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by Stuart

I imagine POCI is facing the same problems as every other magazine publisher, in particular the cost of making a print magazine. If the big names are going to fewer issues per year, totally online, or shutting down altogether, it has to be even harder for those with smaller budgets.

This right here is the nail on the head. Print magazines are going away, not unlike newspapers. The machines that print and assemble magazines are not always owned by the people who write and edit and put together the magazine - and if the publishing house isn't handling print-to-paper anymore then another source has to be obtained. Those machines are expensive and have to be maintained, plus kept in paper stock and ink and people trained to use them. With demand falling for print, most of those publishing factories are closing up shop or contracting considerably, driving up the cost for those who remain.

I'm sure someone like Don can chime in here - POCI et al may not be able to print a paper magazine for membership much longer at ANY price, even if the members vote to see a doubling or tripling of dues solely to keep the print magazine alive. Unless they have their own machines to print and send out the magazines, there is going to come a time when it will be literally cost-prohibitive if not impossible to timely print a magazine like we're used to reading from the 1960s to 2000s because next to no one will do it outside of very niche craft people.

It's just like the world of photo printing. 20 years ago you could go to any fast photo place in town or one of the multiple professional sources that had nice machines that would print your film for you. Now? You're lucky if you even have ONE place in a decent sized city that still prints photographs. All of the old photo operators in pharmacies and the like have been shut down or retired out and even if you find one that claims to do photos, they send it off to one of a handful of places in the country still doing it.

And even if they do own the machines, there's no guarantee they'll run indefinitely. Our local mom & pop gas station just shut down last month after nearly 50 years in business. Why? The gas pump computer failed and then the pumps themselves had a failure and they couldn't get parts for either of them anymore and the upgrade was quoted as being almost $375k and 6 months of work. Printing machines are in the same boat - less and less people are making them or able to repair them and it is not the same business it was 100, 50, or even 20 years ago. I don't like it either.

[Stuart]

^ If anyone has followed the saga of Rodder's Journal magazine, finding a high quality printer at an affordable price was a big part of their demise.

[fullsize 64]

I've been a member of POCI since the early 80s and supported them 100%. Been a member of the local chapter and enjoyed meeting with all the members and going to the car shows. Unfortunately my job and being a caretaker has limited my time and I can't participate like I'd like to anymore.
I was shocked and disappointed when I read the news. How could they just decide to limit the amount of magazines they put out without at least asking the membership if they would want to pay more to receive a full 12 month subscription??? It makes me very sad to say but I too will quit my membership if they full digital. I'm also sending POCI my concerns FWIW and encourage everyone to do so as well.

[keith k]

I've also been a POCI member since the '80s, and was disappointed to read of the changes. I would have paid 25% more for 12 months of print, rather than get only 9 at the current rate.

[1965gp]

I’ve been a member for a little over 30 years. I really miss the big conventions they had - it was something I did with my dad and grandfather every year. We have tried to go to a few recently and it’s just ghost town. It’s always a competition with GTOAA and neither of them are as good as the Ames show.

I loved being a member of the San Antonio chapter in the 90’s, I met some great friends and learned a lot growing up. If there was a chapter in Houston I would definitely want to be involved.

I understand the issue- as was said even the biggest magazines are having the same problem.

I never go to the POCI website- I did a few years ago and it was terrible. Does anyone think this is the right group to run a 100% online media company?

The magazines are interesting but with their situation I would like to see them find a way to bring something else to the table. Something that involves people driving their cars. An experience that you cannot get online. I know that I would appreciate some motivation to get out with others.

I don’t think they will win competing online.