Alex Boyd is one of our Commercial Content Writers at Bauer Media. He writes for CAR and Parkers and specialises in power tools and pressure washers. He joined Bauer as a Content Optimisation Writer in 2022, contributing to titles such as What’s The Best, Modern Gardens, Yours and, of course, CAR and Parkers before joining the ranks of the automotive team early in 2023.
He's had a fairly varied career which started with him repairing TV’s and videos (videos? Yes, he’s that old), becoming a Transmission Controller and Systems Engineer for a TV station before the world of writing and journalism called, starting with writing and reading the news on local TV, writing and producing radio adverts, running a commercial production department and being a DJ on the radio in Edinburgh. Some of the other jobs he’s turned his hand to include summertime work on a farm, being a workshop assistant in a garage and driving buses.
Cars
It was that very first job in a garage that really sparked his interest in all things automotive, an interest that has followed him through life. His first car was a 1976 Vauxhall Viva followed swiftly by a 1976 Mk2 Ford Escort. The reason for the quick turnaround was that the Viva was very huffy and would throw major tantrums and refuse to start for no reason whatsoever, then when it did go it had a top speed of 36mph. The great thing about having old cars early in your driving career is that they give you the opportunity to learn so much about them (by that he means you have to carry out frequent repairs), but it does help you understand and be more aware of how vehicles work which in turn make you a much more sympathetic driver.
Driving has also been a major interest. He passed the Institute of Advanced Motorists (now IAM Roadsmart) advanced driving test, took various driver improvement courses including front and rear wheel drive skid control and performance driving. His interest in larger vehicles led to him sitting his PCV test and working as a bus driver for a time.
With CAR and Parkers, Alex focuses on tools and power washers. He recognised fairly early on that having decent tools is an absolute must. There’s nothing worse than having a screwdriver or spanner slip, damaging the fixing and no doubt giving you a scuffed knuckle into the bargain. It’s a similar story with power tools; you don’t want to be left unable to complete a job because of a battery not lasting as long as expected. Power washers appeal to the (sometimes deeply hidden) clean geek side of his character. There is something deeply satisfying watching dirt and stains being vanquished by strong water.
In his spare time, he enjoys a bit of therapeutic gardening and is always deeply surprised but quietly pleased when any of the flowers or veg he plants actually grow. His electric bike is helping him undertake some fair-weather weekend cycling trips, to help counteract lazy evenings watching films and box sets.
