Media Releases



  • Warning Over European Cars (Australia)

    Australian motorists who buy European brands are unwittingly buying some of the world's worst cars, says the car buyers' bible, The Dog & Lemon Guide.

    Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

    “Australian motorists think they are buying an upmarket vehicle when they buy a European brand. However, European vehicles are often poorly built, unreliable and expensive to fix.”

  • Warning Over European Cars (New Zealand)

    New Zealand motorists who buy European brands are unwittingly buying some of the world's least reliable cars, says The Dog & Lemon Guide and the Consumers’ Institute.

    Dog & Lemon Guide editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

    “New Zealand motorists think they are buying an upmarket vehicle when they buy a European brand. However, European vehicles are often poorly built, unreliable and expensive to fix.”

  • Warning Over European Cars (New Zealand)

    New Zealand motorists who buy European brands are unwittingly buying some of the world's least reliable cars, says The Dog & Lemon Guide and the Consumers’ Institute.

    Dog & Lemon Guide editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

    “New Zealand motorists think they are buying an upmarket vehicle when they buy a European brand. However, European vehicles are often poorly built, unreliable and expensive to fix.”

  • Citroën C5 - a reader’s experience

    Here's the experience of one Dog & Lemon Guide reader, Laurence Scott, who reported the following after buying a Citroën C5:

    “I wish I had seen your article before I purchased the first piece of junk. You would think in this day and age that you can buy a car and live happily ever after (WRONG).The problems with the first car (a C5 Manual Wagon) were as follows:

  • Citroën C5 - a reader’s experience

    Here's the experience of one Dog & Lemon Guide reader, Laurence Scott, who reported the following after buying a Citroën C5:

    “I wish I had seen your article before I purchased the first piece of junk. You would think in this day and age that you can buy a car and live happily ever after (WRONG).The problems with the first car (a C5 Manual Wagon) were as follows:

  • Car Surveys

    There are a number of different surveys that look at all aspects of car ownership.

    Because each survey asks different questions, it gets different answers. For example, in terms of customer satisfaction in Germany, Porsche comes tops. That’s because the survey asks: “Do you like owning and driving this vehicle?”

    However, if you ask: was your Porsche reliable, you get a different answer (No, often).

    Which? magazine reliability index

  • Car Surveys

    There are a number of different surveys that look at all aspects of car ownership.

    Because each survey asks different questions, it gets different answers. For example, in terms of customer satisfaction in Germany, Porsche comes tops. That’s because the survey asks: “Do you like owning and driving this vehicle?”

    However, if you ask: was your Porsche reliable, you get a different answer (No, often).

    Which? magazine reliability index

  • Time to get real over alcohol

    New Zealand should treat alcohol in the same way it treats other addictive drugs, according to a leading road safety campaigner.

    Clive Matthew-Wilson, whose pioneering work on crash testing and seatbelts led to major changes in government policy, said today:

    “It’s time to stop blaming the victims and start restricting the easy supply of alcohol, especially to young people. Alcohol is responsible for one quarter of road deaths and countless broken lives around the country.”

  • UN urges caution over biofuels

    United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon has acknowledged a growing concern over the environmental effects of biofuels. Speaking in Brazil, Ban Ki-moon said:

    “Some fear that land currently used to grow food will instead be turned over to fuel. Others worry that forests will be cut down to make way for biomass plantations. Still more worry about the effects on the environment and biodiversity.”“Clearly, biofuels have great potential for good and, perhaps, also for harm. It is up to national governments to responsibly balance the social costs and benefits.”

  • Government’s biofuels strategy ‘doomed to failure’

    The government’s biofuels strategy will do little to decrease New Zealand’s C02 emissions, while penalising poorer drivers due to higher fuel costs, according to the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide.

    Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson said today:

    “The bulk of New Zealand’s C02 emissions come from transport and the farming sector, especially the dairy industry. Any strategy that doesn’t result in fewer wasted car trips and reduced C02 emissions from the dairy industry is doomed to failure.”

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