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CarExpert

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CarExpert
Website type
Automotive-related news and car reviews
Available inEnglish
Headquarters
Australia
Area servedAustralia
Founders
  • Anthony Crawford
  • Alborz Fallah
  • Paul Maric
IndustryAutomotive
Websitecarexpert.com.au
Current statusActive

CarExpert is an Australian website that provides automotive-related news and car reviews.[1][2] It also includes a car marketplace, called the CarExpert Exchange, which connects vehicle buyers to car dealerships.[3][4] As of October 2021, the site attracted 1.4 million Australian visitors, with another 1.5 million views on its YouTube channel.[5]

The company is headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, with offices in Sydney and Melbourne.

History

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CarExpert was founded by Anthony Crawford, Alborz Fallah, and Paul Maric as a news publication in 2020.[6][7] They previously founded a similar website named CarAdvice, which was acquired by Nine Entertainment for $30 million.[8] It uses a reverse subscription model in which it charges the car manufacturer for the people that read its car reviews.[9][10]

In 2021, Seven West Media, which owns Australian news service Seven News, acquired a minority stake on the website for $4 million and made the website its automotive partner.[6][9][11] That same year, CarExpert received the website of the year award.[1] CarExpert also opened its first retail store in 2021, showcasing new cars, in Westfield Warringah Mall in Sydney.[12]

In 2022, CarExpert received $10 million in investment gaming billionaire Laurence Escalante. Following the investment, CarExpert acquired Australian valuation and marketplace company Price My Car and announced an expansion of its operations into Western Australia.[13][6] Since its foundation, it was mostly active on the East Coast of Australia.[13] In 2023, CarExpert launched its new car buying platform using the technology acquired from Price My Car technology, using a pay-per-sale model.[14]

In October 2023, CarExpert announced the results of another $3 million capital raise, valuing the company at $50 million with an annual turnover of $15 million. Investors in this round included gaming billionaire Laurence Escalante and Seven West Media.[15][16]

In February 2026, CarExpert entered the New Zealand market via a partnership with New Zealand auction site Trade Me.[17]

The website is in process to be publicly listed.[6]

Awards and recognition

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  • 2021 and 2022: Website of the year[18][19]
  • 2023: Paul Maric, Commonwealth Bank, Entrepreneur of the Year[20][21]
  • 2024: Paul Maric, Presenter of the Year; CarTalk, media outlet of the year[22]

References

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  1. 1 2 "CarExpert.com.au snaps up Website of the Year Award". Cyprus Mail.
  2. ↑ "CarExpert recuts equity raising, Rich Lister tips in". Australian Financial Review. 13 September 2022.
  3. ↑ Palmer-Derrien, Stephanie (2020-10-21). ""An entrepreneur at heart": CarAdvice co-founder Alborz Fallah raises $3 million for new motor media venture". SmartCompany. Retrieved 2026-08-06.
  4. ↑ "CarExpert launches Australia’s first large-scale car buying service". Autotalk Australia. 2025-10-20. Retrieved 2026-08-06.
  5. ↑ Shepherd, Emma (2021-10-28). "Seven's stake in CarExpert more than just a traffic play, says Alborz Fallah". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Macdonald, Anthony; Thompson, Sarah; Sood, Kanika (April 22, 2022). "CarExpert raising $10m to buy Price My Car; IPO next". Australian Financial Review.
  7. ↑ "Coronavirus border closures 'creating ghost flights'".
  8. ↑ "CarAdvice to be sold to Nine for a reported $30 million". Australian Financial Review. 2 September 2016.
  9. 1 2 "CarExpert gears up as Seven West Media takes strategic stake". The Australian.
  10. ↑ "Cameras, AI drive car sales". The Australian.
  11. ↑ Mellor, John (2024-02-06). "On the road to an IPO". GoAutoNews Premium. Retrieved 2026-08-14.
  12. ↑ Cummins, Carolyn (12 August 2022). "Car dealerships hit top gear as the new tenants in town". Sydney Morning Herald.
  13. 1 2 "Escalante-backed car website revs up for WA expansion". The West Australian. 14 October 2022.
  14. ↑ Mellor, John (2023-10-17). "CarExpert reinvents itself". GoAutoNews Premium. Retrieved 2026-08-20.
  15. ↑ "Online new-car classified site CarExpert's valuation hits $50m on capital raising". The Australian. 22 October 2023.
  16. ↑ "Ten Aussie startups that raised $39 million this week". Smart Company. 27 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "CarExpert to enter NZ with listing partner". Autotalk Australia. 2025-11-20. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  18. ↑ "CarExpert wins Brand and Website of the Year at Publish Awards". Seven News. 9 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "CarExpert wins Brand and Website of the Year at Publish Awards". PerthNow. 9 September 2022.
  20. ↑ "Winners and Finalists". Commonwealth Bank Small Biz Awards. 9 September 2023.
  21. ↑ "CarExpert wins CommBank Entrepreneur of the Year business award". Seven News. 25 May 2023.
  22. ↑ Barry, Robert (2024-04-23). "Nissan’s Emily Fadayev voted PR Person of the Year". Autotalk Australia. Retrieved 2026-09-09.
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