Media Releases



  • Warning over diesel vehicles

    Small diesel cars are not the bargain they appear to be, says the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide. Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

    “Diesels often seem cheaper because the buyer is hypnotised by the apparently low cost of fuel instead of looking at the entire cost of ownership. Once you add road taxes, increased servicing costs and the high cost of repairs, the average buyer would be far better off with a petrol car.”

  • Warning Over Illegal Car Dealers

    Car buyers should be wary of unlicensed car dealers posing as private sellers, says the car buyer’s Dog & Lemon Guide.

    Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says: “You don’t get bargains from unlicensed car dealers. Often you’ll end up paying much the same as if you had bought the same car from a legitimate car yard, but you won’t get much protection if anything goes wrong.”

  • Car Guide Slams Chinese Vehicles

    The first Chinese-made vehicles to arrive in Australasia have been savaged in a review by the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide, which describes them as: “a clumsy and unsafe copy of several existing Japanese vehicles.”The review slams the Great Wall SA220 and V240 utes on virtually all fronts, including appearance, safety, performance, fuel economy and handling.Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson – whose road safety research was awarded by the Australian Police Journal – adds:

  • ACC Changes Would Penalize Poor People

    Proposals to make owners of older, less safe, cars pay more in ACC levies than those in newer, safer, cars, will simply penalise the poor, says the car buyer’s Dog & Lemon Guide.

    Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

    “Poor people buy old cars because they have little money. Penalising poor people for having little money is something that only someone in Treasury could dream up.”

  • Motorists robbed by trucking plans

    The trucking industry is effectively being subsidised by other road users, says the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide.

    Commenting after the government announced plans to allow trucks of up to 50 tonnes on public roads, Dog & Lemon Guide editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

    “The government’s transport strategy is being driven by trucking industry lobbyists, and the average motorist is the loser.”

  • Call for government to require Electronic Stability Control on all new vehicles

    The New Zealand government should follow the lead of Australia and require Electronic Stability Control on all new passenger cars and SUVs, says the car buyer’s Dog & Lemon Guide.

    Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

    “The evidence is quite clear: Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is the biggest lifesaver since the airbag.”

    ESC uses computers to detect when a driver is losing control and selectively brakes the individual wheels and/or reduces excess engine power until control is regained.

  • Expert Calls For Prosecutions over Unsafe Commercial Vehicles

    The Department of Labour should prosecute employers who make workers use unsafe vehicles, says the car buyer’s Dog & Lemon Guide.

    Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

    “The law is quite clear: employers are required to provide a safe workplace and can be prosecuted if they don’t.”

    “Legally, a motor vehicle is a workplace, yet the Department of Labour appears to be taking no action against employers who put their workers at risk by making them drive unsafe vehicles.”

  • Chinese takeover of Holden “a real possibility”

    Speculation that Australia's iconic Holden brand will be sold to a Chinese company is valid, but this will not save Australian jobs, says the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide.

    Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says China isn’t interested in protecting the Australian car assembly industry.

    “What the Chinese want is the dealers and the technology. The Holden Commodore would make an ideal vehicle to sell from China to America, and the Chinese could probably retail it for around 30% cheaper than a Commodore built in Australia.”

  • Government needs to rethink road safety strategy

    The weekend road toll should serve as a wakeup call to the government, says the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide

    Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says New Zealand’s road safety authorities have largely wasted road safety resources by targeting all drivers instead of drivers within the seven riskiest groups.

  • Car safety expert backs plan to raise drinking age

    One of New Zealand’s leading road safety experts backs proposals to raise the drinking age, as part of a package of measures aimed at easing the damage caused by alcohol.

    Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the car buyer’s Dog & Lemon Guide, says:

    “The rise in youth drinking is mainly the result of younger people having easier access to alcohol. The only real way to reverse youth drinking is to restrict youths’ access to alcohol. It’s that simple.”

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