Write for Us: Automotive Contributor Guidelines

Write for MileShift Report

We consider original automotive articles and well-defined pitches about used cars, ownership decisions, parts and systems, and vehicle manufacturing. A useful contribution answers a real reader question with a clear scope and traceable evidence. It should offer more than a rewritten press release or a generic list assembled around a keyword.

Start with a short proposal through Send a contributor pitch. Explain the angle, what you can contribute and which sources will support it. Pitching first helps establish fit before you spend time producing a full manuscript. Submission does not guarantee acceptance or a publication date.

Topics and angles that fit

• Used-car research: a defined model year, powertrain or ownership question, with inspection considerations and clear limits on what the evidence proves.
• Parts and systems: an explanation of a component or documented change, including applicability and the difference between general terminology and verified fitment.
• Repair economics: a transparent cost comparison or ownership decision framework that identifies assumptions, location and the date of the figures.
• Manufacturing reporting: an original analysis of a production, supplier or factory development using dated documents and distinguishing announced plans from completed events.

For example, a pitch about a specific documented powertrain revision is more useful than “the most reliable cars ever” without a defined dataset. US readers are the primary focus: identify when a source or vehicle specification belongs to another market instead of assuming it applies in the United States.

What to send in the first pitch

• A working headline and a short explanation of the question the article will answer.
• A proposed outline, the models or systems covered, and any relevant model-year or market limits.
• Links to the main original sources and a note explaining any evidence you still need to obtain.
• Your name, relevant experience and links to prior work or a professional profile where available.
• Whether the work is original, whether it has been published or submitted elsewhere, and whether you can provide images you have permission to use.
• Any employer, client, sponsor, product benefit, affiliate relationship or AI assistance connected with the proposal.

Put the summary in the contact form’s message field. The form is not a manuscript-upload service. Do not send confidential records, identity documents or customer information; describe the available material first. If the proposal concerns paid promotion, identify that at the start rather than presenting it as an independent editorial pitch.

Evidence, writing and image requirements

Support technical and numerical claims with sources that actually cover the stated vehicle, market and timeframe. Link to original regulator, manufacturer, technical or research material where available. Separate personal experience from a population-wide conclusion, and do not turn owner complaints into a failure rate without a defensible method.

Use clear English, useful headings and a length proportionate to the question. There is no benefit to padding an explanation to reach an arbitrary word count. Explain unfamiliar terminology and use US units where appropriate, preserving and identifying original units when quoting a source. Estimates need assumptions; safety advice needs careful limits.

Do not invent a test drive, teardown, interview, repair record or professional qualification. Photographs and diagrams need appropriate rights, captions and attribution. Stock or generated imagery must not be presented as evidence from a vehicle you inspected. Copied, spun or misleadingly attributed work is not acceptable. Our Editorial Policy sets the underlying standards.

Authorship and AI disclosure

Tell us what work you performed yourself and how AI was used, if applicable. AI assistance is not a substitute for checking citations, specifications, calculations or quotations. A fluent draft with invented references is not suitable for publication.

A named byline or qualification must be supported by verifiable information. Technical-review credit is not automatically awarded to a contributor, and a commercial relationship must not be hidden in a biography. Read Authors & Reviewers for how the publication treats identity and review claims.

Sponsored guest posts and links

We distinguish editorial proposals from paid promotional articles. A sponsored guest post needs clear advertising identification, a named sponsor and truthful, sourced claims; payment does not turn promotion into independent reporting. Commercial proposals should follow the Advertising & Sponsorship requirements.

Links must serve the reader and disclose any commercial relationship. Paid placements use the sponsored link attribute under our policy, consistent with Google’s outbound-link guidance. Do not pitch guaranteed dofollow links, hidden link insertions, unrelated destinations or ranking promises. Publication does not guarantee indexing, traffic, a search position or a permanent placement.

Review and publication arrangements

A proposal may need clarification, further sourcing or a narrower scope before a draft is requested. Acceptance of a topic is not automatic acceptance of every statement or link in the manuscript. Material may require changes for accuracy, relevance, disclosure and readability, or may be declined.

Any commission, contributor compensation, sponsorship fee, publication rights, attribution and reuse terms need to be agreed before proceeding. Sending a pitch is not a purchase or an agreement to a paid assignment. We do not promise a fixed reply time. Send your automotive pitch when you have a specific angle and an evidence plan.