What type of off-roading do you

I began subscribing to JP because it was Wrangler focused and covered a broad range of off-road activities. I own both a Grand Cherokee and a Rubicon and have had Jeeps for the past decade. I spend a lot of time in the snow and commute between a camp on a back road in the mountains and a home two States away. I have been out when even the snow plows were waiting for a break in the weather.

I have limited interest in modifying my own vehicle. The Rubicon gets me anywhere I need to go, but I do enjoy reading about how other folks use and enjoy their Jeeps.

Regards

PS sorry this this may not be of much help with your advertisers.

Your rag is pretty ok . And I did see the humor in the Garbage truck article but it was in poor taste and quite poorly written.

I'm 52 years old and quite frankly I don't buy magazines to learn how to put chicks in my jeep. The article was a waste of space and a waste of my time and money. It was a fluff piece and not too fluffy.

What do I want to see in the magazine? Stuff about JEEPS!!!!! Not some half witted idea of someones take on tasteless humor.

How about some more EAST COAST coverage. NOT everyone lives in the Golden West. East Coast trails, wheeling areas, events would be interesting to some of us. I can't make Moab or the Rubicon on my day off.

How about tech articles like "How to buy a used Jeep" or How to install a Winch ( the right way with a dual battery set-up and the whole nine yards). There are tech topics out there use your brain and figure it out.

The Rental Jeep article was a poor way to write about a good topic. My wife and I put 1800 miles on a rental Wrangler X in 10 days, half of it off road. We based in Vegas and did Death Valley trails, Desert Wildlife Refuge, Mopa reservation, and several other places in that area. We had one of the best vacations we have ever had and plan to do it again next year, if you guys haven't blown it for the rest of us. Wouldn't your article have better served your readers telling them what to do and where to go rather than telling them how to tear up a jeep and change the tires on a rental?

Your readers are not all 18-25 and irresponsible, if that's the crowd you want for readers I'll figure it out after I buy a couple more issues and not subscribe. If on the other hand you want to act like adults and write for adults I'll hang around a bit longer.

Ya know what's funny is that no one acknowledges that Jp readers range from under 8 to over 80. And not only that, we have readers like yourself who want basic simple installs that think hardcore stuff is a waste of space with just as many people who want hardcore stuff and think basic stuff is a waste of space. And we haven't even got to all the different Jeep models (CJ, TJ, YJ, Cherokee, FSJ and so on). It's extremely dificult if not impossible to make everyone happy in a 120-page magazine. If you want every story in the mag to cater 100-percent to you, it ain't gonna happen, sorry for the reality check. However, generally every story has a bit of information for all levels. For example, you may see a super-spendy feature Jeep as some extreme machine but I'm willing to bet there are a few ideas on it that will apply to even the mildest home-built Jeep.

Thanks,

John Cappa

Editor, Jp Magazine

But the fluf is in question.

You had alot of it last issue.

I will never buy a subscription ... but i can't help buying every issue(for all those who say they will cancel ... you will buy it on the news stand).

You do the math.  there is alot of us out here wanting easy access to jeep stuff.

If you want to use that kind of content ... publish online.  at least then we can kill the pop-ups.

ME  

Your points are well made. However, I do want the magazine to cater to my needs, I wouldn't spend the money to buy it if it dealt with import racers with coffee cans coming out the rear bumper. I realize that not every article will have my name on the top, and I do try to glean a bit of knowledge from every article in JP.

Your question was what did I want in the mag, and I told you how I thought it would better sevre me. Question asked and answered.

Beleive it or not I do enjoy the magazine and look forward to it hitting the newstand every month. You do have to weigh the value of it though, do I want articles about putting chicks in my jeep or how to find trails to explore, or how to fix or modify this or that on a jeep. At what point in time do I as a reader of the magazine decide I can get more knowledge and information somewhere else. The more fluff and crap you, as editor, allow to be printed make that decision for me. Since you only have 120 pages every month make them count all the time.  Print articles that are relevant to all your readers from 8 to 80, not articles aimed at a specfic age group or a specfic geographic area.  Case in point: I can pick up any 4x4 mag and find out all the information I ever wanted to know about Moab.  I know the GPS coridinates, I know the trail names, I know the rocks. I live 2000 miles from Moab and I'll bet over 50% of your readers live more than a couple of days drive from there. Is the information relevant to me, yes, but I can't run out there in the next week or two and run the trails. When I get the chance I'll do Moab in supreme confidence because I have all the knowledge on the trails and access aquired from hundreds of articles in hundreds of magazines. However not JP magazine or any other 4x4 magazine that I have seen has written about how to find trails in the national forest system, or the national park system. Both articles are relevant, the second would be much more useful to a greater percentage of your readers. Think outside the box, folks

I have to agree with 2timeloser here.  Do something more in tune with parks and trees rather than rocks all the time.  I'm way over in the Southeast and we don't get much exposure here on the East coast where there are actually trees and adventures to the rides.  We understand that you have to try and cater to everyone but here lately it seems to only be catered to everyone on the West coast with these extremely radical build ups that don't even look like Jeeps anymore.

The whole reason I subscribed to JP in the first place is to see peoples rigs just like mine.  Things people do at home under their carport with minimal tools and materials around.  I have to be honest the best part of the mag I like and usually the first thing I look at (besides the front cover) is the readers rigs in the back.  To me those are the people to be focusing on.  I love articles about folks that actually go through the woods for trails not across a desert and up waterfalls.  This is just my opinion yet I don't think you would ever hear me say I'm going to cancel my subscription just because I don't get everything my way.  That's just a bit to childish for me.  I'll keep reading because it deals with my first love the JEEP.

Hey, let's have an East Coast ,,,,,,West Coast JP. That way JP magazine will grow be more enjoyable,have something for everybody, and each year we can have an east-west battle .......Barton,Jeepreaper and Grmjepr can be the East Coast editors.

East Coast Offroad Experience is were it at. (look out for the trees!)

grmjepr.

Well Jp has the West coast covered so its up to us guys.  And that questionaire they posted wasn't very East Coast friendly.  I didn't know which way to vote.  Adventure sounded good but easy?  Come on guys East coast trails are anything but easy.  Deep mud sounded like what I wanted to vote but its not all about deep mud.  We need just plain ole mountainous trails.  Trails where your riding and you see a bobcat or a mountain lion occasionally.  Now that's adventure not easy.

I love the whole East coast West coast thing.  Good idea grmjepr.

Yep it is always nice when a couple of black bear pass to the side. Plus were else can you get great "scenic" wheeling in the shade during the summer months.... It's all about the trees. Plus they are always there to lend a helping hand.( always use a tree saver of course.)

grmjepr.

I enjoy both Rock Crawling and true 4 wd trail reports, trails where you must have 4wd engaged most of the time.

The September 2003 issue was a blast. It was nice to see you give us readers a “fun” issue for a change. The magazine had an entirely different personality. It was a nice break from the usual pro & tech stuff. It had our entire shop in an uproar! Nice Job. PS: And the chicks… (i.e. attractive young girls) It’s always a welcome addition, in any market, even Jeepin’ Thanks Again!  

While you can't please everyone all the time, maybe Jp Magazine should consider segmenting the magazine into sections for Stock Riders, Hardcore Corner, Vintage Jeepers, etc. in every issue--keep it Jeep related only.

Move away from the articles that create conflict among jeepers, and raise the level of "how to" and technical write ups. Make the magazine more useful as a reference tool than an entertainment guide for juveniles.

I have been a subscriber for many years, and have used the write ups for help with previous jeep projects, but recently (well since Rick Pewe left) it seems that it's all whoopee cushions and wedgies....

 

Cappa,

     I have been a subscriber to JP for a few years now, and you even printed a "hate mail" letter I sent to you entitled "Cappa=Crappa" in a previous issue. Of course nothing has changed with JP since I wrote the last letter. JP is still a juvenile magazine.

     Rather than criticize you, I will offer a few things I would like/not like,  to see in JP magazine.

1. No more negative juvenile B.S.

2. Fewer Tech Articles. (I understand you make your money from advertisers, and there is no better way to advertise than to use a product in a article however, as you know Tech Articles are super easy to write, and take very little skill other than adding a few captions. I am not saying eliminate them, just don't fill 120 pages with tech.)

3. More Comparisons. (I loved the Hummer vs. TJ articles, I also would like tire comparisons, mud, snow, all terrain, etc. You have been doing some of these lately. just saying I would like a few more.)

4. Less Event Coverage. (I mean if you weren't there who really gives a *** who flipped their mega-buck rock crawler?)

5. More show Jeeps. (It would be something different, really, how many dual 60'd, Ram-Jet 350'd, body damaged, pieces of *** can we stand?) 

6. Nicely restored or original Jeeps.  (Jeeps have tremendous history and heritage, how 'bout a look at some of the milestone Jeeps of the last 60 years.)

7. Jeep History. (A nice historical advertisement, and article would be a nice addition.)

     People need to realize that Jeeps are much, much, more than off-road playtoys. They have been a integral part of this nation for the last 60 years. Jeeping is a lifestyle, not a hobby.

      A well rounded magazine with some of everything above, plus some Dr. Vern thrown in for comic relief

i like it all, mud, sand, rock, trail, its all good, and i feel that you cover it all pretty well. i am a subscriber, and when i get my mag i read every page, even if it dont pertain to me. i can pretty much get an idea for my cj or fsj out of each article, so keep up the good work.

                 p.s. how did the vegas to sturgis trip go? wish i could have been there, but some of us got to work. :>