Cooke Howlison and Co. began trading at 156 Great King Street, Dunedin in 1895. Founded by Mr Frederick Cooke and Mr Edward Howlison, Cooke Howlison began business as a small bicycle shop manufacturing it's own brand of bicycle from imported BSA parts.



From those early beginnings, the company expanded to provide vehicle sales and workshop repairs and grew progressively over the next century to become one of the largest independently owned motor companies in New Zealand.

Today, Cooke Howlison Holden continues their tradition of commitment to providing a total quality driving experience, by proudly representing the Holden, GM Daewoo and Isuzu brands to the motorists of Otago.

From the initial selection from a top quality range of superior motor vehicles to financing, technical support, back-up and maintenance, Cooke Howlison Holden's commitment to providing quality, expertise and customer satisfaction is second to none.



Company Milestones

1895 F.Cooke and E. Howlison establish Cooke Howlison as a bicycle shop.
1903 Cooke Howlison begin to manufacture 'Record' motorcycles.
1907 Cooke Howlison import their first car, a Rover sold from the Hanover Street premises.
1926 Buick Light 6 Tourer on Round-the-World tour calls at Cooke Howlison.
1938 Record total of 370 Chevrolets sold by Cooke Howlison.
1955 First Holden sold by Cooke Howlison.
1963 Marsh families purchase Cooke Howlison.
1966 Andersons Bay Branch opened.
1977 Purchased Wrightcars Vauxhall-Bedford.
1979 GJ Marsh Family purchased Blackwell Motors Holden Christchurch.
1980 Opened Dunedin's largest specialist truck workshop.
1986 All operations moved to redeveloped Andersons Bay Road site.
1988 Awarded prestigious S.D.S. Master Level Service Award.
1989 Purchased Wrightcars Toyota (Dunedin and Mosgiel).
1992 Toyota dealership relocated to Andersons Bay Road Site, Holden dealership to Princes Street.
1992 Awarded Toyota's Yokoi Cup -Toyota's top award.
1994 New truck dealership opened in Teviot Street.
1995 Holden/BMW to new dealership Andersons Bay Road.
1995 Rover franchise appointment.
1995 Centenary celebrations - over $ 100,000 in donations contributed to region.
1997 Awarded N.Z.'s MVDI "Dealer of the Year" award.
2000 Celebrates the millennium as leaders in all sectors of Otago's vehicle market. Otago's #1 Dealership!
2002 Establishes individual dealership operations for Holden, BMW and Toyota centralised around Andersons Bay Road location