Keeping It Real-Ly Used
Just got my new issue of SCC (Jan 2008). At first, I usually page through, see what catches my interest and read it throughout the month. Being the owner of an Evo VIII (Tarmac Black) and a black turbo Mirage coupe, my front bumpers are far from the prettiest thing (especially being black).
That never bothered me too much. But when I saw the blue Skyline featured, the front bumper really caught my eye. The first word out of my mouth was "awesome." Really. You guys feature real cars, that get used. Don't get me wrong, I try to keep my cars looking as good as I can, but it's just great to see you featuring things like this. Not like other mags (that shall remain nameless) featuring pristine cars that most likely never see the road. So I wanted to give you the 'Best Magazine in the World' award.
Rich Miller
Enola, PA
Double Down
In the latest issue (February '08), I noticed something interesting when reading Inbox. As I started on Letter of the Month, I felt a sense of dj vu. With every word, I got even more intrigued with the thought: "I know I've read this exact message before." I start digging through my archive of old SCC, Super Street, Modified and Import Tuner magazines and find what I'm looking for. Check out Modified from December '07 (issue 62). Look in the Feedback section on page 154. It's the first letter.
You will either laugh or be extremely pissed when you notice this letter is identical to the one from Brad Schafer in your latest issue. The only differences are a few choice words he changed to make it relevant for the magazine he was writing to (such as the part where he talks of the "sexy set of Evos" on the cover. In Modified, he refers to the "sexy ARC Evo").
I don't know what you guys will think, but I'm pretty pissed off. It upsets me that someone would be so dull as to copy and paste almost an entire message to two different magazines. But the thing that makes me really angry is that this dummy gave Modified the same compliments as SCC. That in itself is ridiculous. I like reading an assortment of sport compact magazines, but none come close to Sport Compact Car's greatness. The information each issue holds within its pages is amazing. I've loved it ever since the first issue I purchased in '99 and I will continue enjoying your mag for as long as you print it.
Andrew Brooks
via e-mail
This time of year, when finals week rears its ugly head, I want to stop reading about metallurgy and retained austenite through the phase diagram of blah, blah, blah. Although a metals minor may some day be useful in my love for the auto, I sometimes want to read something entertaining.
Yes, I read Sport Compact Car from cover to cover, but when I'm done, I need something to fill the void. So while reading this other magazine, I thought I was having dj vu in the letters section. The letter in your magazine was the exact same as the other, but obviously the author was kissing your ass (saying that it's the best) in your mag and kissing theirs in the other. What the hell?
I'm sorry to hear about Project 350Z and the scam Mr. A pulled. It's people like that who ruin an industry and give outsiders to the car culture a false perception of how things are done (kind of like F&F) and how that gives a distorted idea of imports. I ordered an S13 redtop clip from a company out of Malaysia called FlashOptions. It took 14 months to arrive, e-mails every day with limitless excuses and BS, countless calls to various state and national offices, and there was nothing that could be done.
Ben Prindle
Platteville, WI
Thanks for your words on Project 350Z. To this day, we still discover minor bits that were on the car upon drop-off and were not on the car, for whatever reason, upon re-delivery. As far as the duplicate letter, yes, it's quite disheartening. But hey, at least we didn't give him anything. Then we'd have to kick down his door and posthumously rip it out of his triple-winged, quad-exhaust-tipped, Evo-loving hands. -JL