Practical Classics. The Guide to Morris Minors

[oldbuslover]

Hi All,
Am I getting conned? I sent for the fabled hardback book of the above name, advertised in the Minor Matters this month from WWW.greatmagazines at a cost of £20 inc. P&P and received a paperback version. When I complained they sent another, exactly the same. It's beginning to worry me that the book is right as it does have a number, ie 184/300 and that it is signed by Ray Newell and the author!
To me a hardback is like, say, the Beano Annual for instance, but this is to me a softback just like a novel you buy at any newsagent or supermarket. The softback version was £6.99 inc. P&P.
Anyone else wasted their money on this book?
oldbuslover.

[les]

Send it back and ask for the softback version it's 6.99, you've paid 20 for a paperback which is basically the same, doubtfully any harder!

[busguy]

It's a soft backed 'collector's book, not a hardback, so yes, we were conned.

It is an incorrect 'hardback' description in the ads so they should send your money back, or let you have it at the £6.99 price.

We should also boycott their mags if that is the sort of 'take the P' rip off that they think 'collectors' will readily accept.

[bmcecosse]

Signed by Ray Newell indeed! Wow... Is the book worth reading? Anything we don't know already ?

[Bidz]

Signed by Ray Newell indeed! Wow... Is the book worth reading? Anything we don't know already ?

I like the bit that says you can do a disc brake upgrade "From £10"...

[viewsonic1]

I bought the magazine at £6.99 and realised some of the articles have already been published in the regular Practical Classics. These will be familiar to readers and subscribers.

[Bidz]

I bought the magazine at £6.99 and realised some of the articles have already been published in the regular Practical Classics. These will be familiar to readers and subscribers.

I think it's a nice way to collect them all together - I thought £6.99 was a bit steep for a magazine though.

[oldbuslover]

Hi all,
Thanks for the replies, especially busguy, who it looks like bought one too. I will contact them again and ask for my money back and send the other two back on their freepost address. It's just not worth it!
oldbuslover.

[busguy]

When I raised the subject with them I had a comment back from the publishers saying they had never described the collector's edition as a 'hardback', and indeed, their current web site sales article checked today doesn't. I don't know if it could have been changed though, as it would be easy to edit out.

If that is in fact the case then the MMOC interpretation of the sales blurb that was printed in the Minor Matters magazine was badly at fault, describing it as 'hardback' twice, and the £6.99 publication as a 'softback bookazine'.

Can the MMOC please confirm that the 'hardback' interpretation printed in Minor Matters is theirs, and not the result of word for word information supplied by greatmagazines.co.uk? If otherwise, please advise.

[LUR759H]

This is not in hard back as far as I know and most of the content seems to be taken from other books personally I was very disappointed with it, as its not worth paying for if you have other books similar. To be fair the best buy yet has been "The Complete Companion" as it is comprehensive and full of fab pics of our cars...

[LouiseM]

Busguy, I contacted the club about this last night and received a response this morning. I'll post details up a bit later when I am back home with access to a pc.

[busguy]

Thanks Louise.

[LouiseM]

Below is a response I received from Nicola, editor of Minor Matters, to clarify the matter:

This was an error on my part I'm afraid. I saw a report which mentioned one of the two as the 'softback version', so I assumed – wrongly – that the other one was hardback. Please pass on my sincere apologies to anyone who was misled by this. It has a stiffer cover than the 'softback' but obviously is not a hardback.

If people have bought it on the web they would have a right to return it (within two weeks, I think) for a refund, if they're not satisfied with it for any reason – this is a general consumer right for anything bought on the web. The limited edition signed version has more or less sold out I think, so I think PC would have no trouble selling any that were returned.

If anyone has trouble getting a refund, let me know and I'll speak to PC on their behalf.

I hope this helps and once again apologies for the error in Minor Matters.

[busguy]

Thanks again, Louise.