Legal

Privacy & Terms

We write our legal documents in plain English. Here's exactly what we do with your information and what you agree to by using CarCostCX.

On This Page
Overview What We Collect How We Use It Who We Share With Cookies Data Retention Your Rights Children Security Changes Contact
Effective Date: March 1, 2026  ·  Last Updated: March 1, 2026
Plain English summary: We collect what we need to personalize your cost calculations. We never sell your personal data. We share limited data with insurance and lending partners only when you ask for a quote. You can request deletion of your data at any time.

Overview

CarCostCX, Inc. ("CarCostCX," "we," "us," or "our") operates the CarCostCX website located at www.carcostcx.com (the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service.

By using CarCostCX, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Service.

What We Collect

Information you provide directly

  • Profile data: Approximate credit score range, driving record status, zip code, and annual mileage — used to personalize cost calculations
  • Contact information: Email address when you sign up for early access or our newsletter
  • Dealer registration data: Dealership name, contact name, email, phone, DMS provider, and inventory size when dealers register
  • Advertiser contact data: Company name, contact name, email, phone, and company type when advertisers inquire about partnerships
  • Communications: Any information you submit through contact forms or direct email

Information collected automatically

  • Usage data: Pages visited, time on page, clicks, search queries, and vehicle listings viewed
  • Device data: Browser type and version, operating system, IP address, and screen resolution
  • Location data: General geographic location derived from IP address (city and state level — not precise GPS location)
  • Referral data: The website or search query that brought you to CarCostCX

Information we do not collect

  • Social Security numbers or government ID numbers
  • Bank account or payment card numbers
  • Hard credit pull data — we never perform a hard credit inquiry
  • Biometric data of any kind

How We Use It

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • To provide the Service: Calculating personalized vehicle cost estimates based on your credit range, driving record, location, and mileage
  • To communicate with you: Sending early access notifications, newsletters you've subscribed to, and responses to your inquiries
  • To improve the Service: Analyzing usage patterns to understand which features are valuable and where we can improve
  • To connect you with partners: When you click to receive an insurance quote or financing pre-qualification, we share your relevant profile data with the applicable partner. We will always tell you clearly when this is happening.
  • To prevent fraud and abuse: Monitoring for unusual patterns that may indicate misuse of the platform
  • To comply with the law: When required by applicable legal obligations

Who We Share With

Insurance and lending partners

When you click to receive an insurance quote or financing pre-qualification through CarCostCX, we will share your profile data — including your approximate credit score range, driving record status, zip code, vehicle of interest, and contact information — with the applicable partner. You initiate this sharing by taking that action. We will never share this information without your explicit action.

Service providers

We use third-party service providers to help operate CarCostCX. These include hosting providers (Amazon Web Services), analytics services, and email delivery services. These providers are contractually prohibited from using your data for any purpose other than providing services to CarCostCX.

Dealers

When you submit an inquiry about a specific vehicle, your name, email, phone number, and the vehicle you're interested in are sent to the listing dealer. You initiate this by submitting the inquiry form on a vehicle listing page.

We never sell your data

CarCostCX does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes. This is not a legal technicality — we genuinely do not do this and have no plans to.

Legal requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of CarCostCX, our users, or the public.

Cookies

CarCostCX uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate the Service and understand how it's used. The categories of cookies we use are:

  • Essential cookies: Required for the Service to function. These cannot be disabled without breaking the product.
  • Analytics cookies: Used to understand aggregate usage patterns. These do not identify you personally.
  • Preference cookies: Used to remember your settings and profile data so you don't have to re-enter it on each visit.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies will prevent CarCostCX from functioning correctly. Disabling analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use the Service.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. Specifically:

  • Account and profile data is retained until you request deletion
  • Email list subscriptions are retained until you unsubscribe
  • Dealer and advertiser inquiry data is retained for 3 years unless deletion is requested
  • Usage and analytics data is retained in aggregate form for up to 24 months

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
  • Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate information
  • Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information
  • Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format
  • Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time

To exercise any of these rights, email us at privacy@carcostcx.com. We will respond within 30 days.

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Virginia, Colorado, and Connecticut residents have rights under their respective state privacy laws. Contact us for details specific to your state.

Children

CarCostCX is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information to us, please contact us at privacy@carcostcx.com and we will delete that information promptly.

Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including encryption in transit (TLS/HTTPS), access controls, and regular security reviews. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

If we become aware of a security breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify registered users by email. Your continued use of CarCostCX after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

CarCostCX, Inc.
Privacy Team
privacy@carcostcx.com

On This Page
Agreement The Service Accounts Acceptable Use Cost Estimates Partner Services Dealer Terms Intellectual Property Disclaimers Limitation of Liability Indemnification Termination Governing Law Contact
Effective Date: March 1, 2026  ·  Last Updated: March 1, 2026
Plain English summary: Use CarCostCX lawfully and honestly. Cost estimates are estimates — they're not guarantees. Don't scrape our data or misuse the platform. We can terminate access for violations. Disputes are governed by the laws of Indiana.

Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you and CarCostCX, Inc. ("CarCostCX," "we," "us," or "our") governing your access to and use of the CarCostCX website at www.carcostcx.com and all related services (collectively, the "Service").

By accessing or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Service.

If you are using the Service on behalf of a business (such as a dealership), you represent that you have authority to bind that business to these Terms.

The Service

CarCostCX is a vehicle cost intelligence platform that provides estimated total monthly cost of vehicle ownership — including loan payment, insurance, maintenance, and fuel estimates — personalized to user-provided profile data. The Service also includes vehicle listings sourced from dealer partners, blog content, and informational resources.

CarCostCX reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service (or any part of it) at any time, with or without notice. We will not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Service.

Accounts and Registration

Browsing CarCostCX does not require registration. However, certain features — including saving vehicles, setting up price alerts, and contacting dealers — may require you to create an account.

When you create an account, you agree to provide accurate and complete information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. Notify us immediately at hello@carcostcx.com if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.

Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Service only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to:

  • Use the Service in any way that violates applicable federal, state, local, or international law
  • Scrape, crawl, or systematically extract data from the Service without our prior written consent
  • Attempt to access areas of the Service you are not authorized to access
  • Introduce viruses, malware, or other harmful code to the Service
  • Submit false or misleading information, including false credit score or driving record data
  • Use automated tools to submit forms, create accounts, or interact with the Service without our consent
  • Reproduce, duplicate, copy, or resell any part of the Service without our express written permission
  • Use the Service to harass, threaten, or harm any person
  • Attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any software underlying the Service

We reserve the right to terminate or suspend your access for violations of this section without prior notice.

Cost Estimates and Accuracy

CarCostCX provides estimated vehicle cost calculations based on user-provided data, publicly available data, and partner-provided rate information. These estimates are provided for informational purposes only.

Estimates are not guarantees. Actual costs may vary based on factors including but not limited to: final negotiated vehicle price, specific loan terms offered by your lender, your actual insurance rate as determined by a carrier, actual maintenance expenses incurred, and fluctuations in local fuel prices.

CarCostCX is not responsible for any financial decisions made based on cost estimates displayed on the Service. You should independently verify all costs before completing a vehicle purchase or entering into any financial agreement.

CarCostCX does not perform hard credit inquiries. Estimates based on approximate credit score ranges may differ from actual loan rates you receive.

Third-Party Partner Services

CarCostCX integrates with third-party insurance carriers and financial institutions ("Partners"). When you click to obtain an insurance quote, a financing pre-qualification, or any other product from a Partner, you are leaving the CarCostCX experience and entering into a direct relationship with that Partner.

CarCostCX is not a party to any agreement between you and a Partner. Partner services are subject to the Partner's own terms, privacy policies, and rate determinations. CarCostCX makes no representation about, and accepts no liability for, the accuracy of Partner rate quotes, the availability of Partner products, or any Partner's conduct.

The presence of a Partner on CarCostCX does not constitute an endorsement of that Partner's products or services.

Dealer Terms

Dealers who register on CarCostCX agree to the following additional terms:

  • Accurate listings: All vehicle listings submitted must accurately represent available inventory. Dealers may not list vehicles that are not available for sale.
  • Timely updates: Dealers are responsible for ensuring their inventory is current. Sold vehicles must be removed or marked unavailable within 24 hours of sale.
  • Honest pricing: Listed prices must be the actual selling price, not a promotional price with hidden conditions. Destination charges and required dealer fees must be disclosed.
  • Lead handling: Leads received through CarCostCX must be handled professionally. Dealers may not share or sell CarCostCX-sourced lead data to third parties.
  • Compliance: Dealers are responsible for ensuring all listings comply with applicable federal and state advertising regulations for motor vehicle dealers.

CarCostCX reserves the right to remove dealer listings, suspend dealer accounts, or terminate dealer relationships for violations of these terms at any time without prior notice.

Intellectual Property

The Service and its original content, features, and functionality — including but not limited to the CarCostCX brand, logo, website design, cost calculation methodologies, and written content — are owned by CarCostCX, Inc. and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not use our trademarks, trade names, logos, or other brand elements without our prior written consent. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from our content without our express written permission.

Disclaimers

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

CARCOSTCX DOES NOT WARRANT THAT (A) THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, (B) DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, (C) THE SERVICE OR THE SERVERS THAT MAKE IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR (D) THE RESULTS OF USING THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS.

The cost estimates provided by CarCostCX are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, legal, or insurance advice. CarCostCX is not a licensed insurance broker, financial advisor, or lender.

Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL CARCOSTCX, INC. BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE SERVICE EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO USE THE SERVICE IN THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain types of liability, so the above limitations may not apply to you in full.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless CarCostCX, Inc., its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms or your use of the Service.

Termination

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Service immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including if you breach these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease.

All provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Indiana, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved by binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, rather than in court, except that you may assert claims in small claims court if your claims qualify. The arbitration shall take place in Porter County, Indiana.

Class action waiver: You agree that any arbitration or proceeding shall be limited to the dispute between you and CarCostCX individually. You waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.

You have 30 days from when a dispute arises to opt out of arbitration by emailing legal@carcostcx.com. If you opt out, disputes will be resolved in the state or federal courts of Porter County, Indiana.

Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at:

CarCostCX, Inc.
Legal Team
legal@carcostcx.com