Articles by Neil Dowling

Neil Dowling
Contributing Journalist

GoAutoMedia

Cars have been the corner stone to Neil’s passion, beginning at pre-school age, through school but then pushed sideways while he studied accounting.

It was rekindled when he started contributing to magazines including Bushdriver and then when he started a motoring section in Perth’s The Western Mail.

He was then appointed as a finance writer for the evening Daily News, supplemented by writing its motoring column. He moved to The Sunday Times as finance editor and after a nine-year term, finally drove back into motoring when in 1998 he was asked to rebrand and restyle the newspaper’s motoring section, expanding it over 12 years from a two-page section to a 36-page lift-out.

In 2010 he was selected to join News Ltd’s national motoring group Carsguide and covered national and international events, launches, news conferences and Car of the Year awards until November 2014 when he moved into freelancing, working for GoAuto, The West Australian, Western 4WDriver magazine, Bauer Media and as an online content writer for one of Australia’s biggest car groups.

He has involved himself in all aspects including motorsport where he has competed in everything from motocross to motorkhanas and rallies including Targa West and the ARC Forest Rally.

He loves all facets of the car industry, from design, manufacture, testing, marketing and even business structures and believes cars are one of the few high-volume consumables to combine a very high degree of engineering enlivened with an even higher degree of emotion from its consumers.

Australian classics shooting up in value
By Neil Dowling · 04 Apr 2021
Aussie cars are well and truly back in vogue, with record prices on sought-after rare examples seen at recent auctions expected to continue for at least another three years.Shannons national auction manager Christophe Boribon told CarsGuide that the heat
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ALP proposes EV incentives
By Neil Dowling · 31 Mar 2021
An elected federal Labor government will make electric cars cheaper by cutting import tariffs and fringe benefits tax from mainstream zero tailpipe-emissions models, as promised by Anthony Albanese.Dubbed the 'Electric Car Discount and Power to the People
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Best hatchbacks to buy this EOJFY
By Neil Dowling · 17 Mar 2021
Perfect for the city and suburbs, but with legs long enough to gobble up country miles, hatchbacks are still as popular as ever and the end of the Japanese financial year is the best time to get an extra squeeze on pricing.
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Japanese SUVs on sale ahead of EOJFY
By Neil Dowling · 16 Mar 2021
There are still some very attractive bargains in SUVs despite a tight Australian market with some models in poor supply.
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Best ute deals for EOJFY
By Neil Dowling · 15 Mar 2021
Now is the best time to buy a ute or, indeed, anything vehicle from a Japanese manufacturer as March is the end of the Japanese financial year (EOJFY) and some excellent cut-price bargains are floating around.Some brands have slashed more than $10,000 off
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Can't go on holiday? Buy a classic car!
By Neil Dowling · 30 Dec 2020
It's the most depressing year in modern history but it's become a boom time for classic cars as pent up, and locked down, enthusiasts push up prices of collectable Holdens, HSVs and blue-chip Europeans.Auctions have cleared up to 97 per cent of cars offer
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Good first cars: 10 Best first cars for Australian drivers
By Neil Dowling · 21 Oct 2020
Think “first car”, think “budget car”. Price is the key to unlock the best choices in vehicles for first-car buyers, but if you’re in this bracket, your second criterium should be safety.
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Mining focus for new electric ute
By Neil Dowling · 14 Sep 2020
The hardcore underground mining industry is testing a new all-electric ute called Bortana that is designed to survive in extremes of five kilometers - or more - below the surface.
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Looking for a hatchback deal this EOFY?
By Neil Dowling · 19 Jun 2020
Hatchbacks are renowned for their zippy road manners, great fuel economy and easy-to-park dimensions, making them perfect for commuting and getting around the suburbs.
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SUVs on sale with offers to save big dollars
By Neil Dowling · 19 Jun 2020
The weather may be cooling but deals on new cars certainly aren't slowing down with dealers showing a willingness to bargain in the lead up to the end of the financial year.
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