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Last updated June 3, 2026Questions? contact@thecarintel.com

Terms of Service

Last updated: June 3, 2026

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Car Intel website at thecarintel.com, the Car Intel iOS app, and any connected web experience (collectively, the "Service"), operated by Car Intel ("we," "us," or "our").

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

For questions, email contact@thecarintel.com.

1. Who may use the Service

You must be at least 13 years old (or the age of digital consent in your jurisdiction, whichever is higher) to use the Service. By using the Service, you represent that you meet this requirement and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms.

2. The waitlist (website)

The Car Intel website is currently in a pre-launch phase. Its primary function is to accept waitlist signups for the Car Intel iOS app. By signing up:

  • You agree to receive email from us about the Car Intel launch, related product announcements, and limited updates about early-access availability.
  • You may unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in any email we send or by emailing contact@thecarintel.com.
  • Signing up does not guarantee you early access, specific pricing, or any particular launch timeline.

3. The iOS app

The Car Intel iOS app allows you to scan or enter a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and receive a report that may include risk scoring, known-issue summaries, fair-price ranges, recall and safety information, market comparables, and a buy / walk / negotiate verdict.

3a. Camera, photos, and on-device data

  • The app uses your device camera to scan VIN barcodes and labels. Camera frames are processed on-device and are not uploaded or stored by us.
  • Vehicles you save to your garage are stored locally on your device and, when you are signed in, sync to our backend so they survive reinstalling the app and can be restored on another device. Attached photo image files stay on your device and are not uploaded. See our Privacy Policy for what syncs.
  • VINs and lookup inputs you submit are sent to our backend to generate reports, as described in our Privacy Policy.

3b. Informational only, not professional advice

Reports, risk scores, verdicts, AI-generated summaries, and other output produced by the Service are informational and are based on public and commercial data sources. They are not:

  • Legal advice;
  • Financial advice;
  • Warranties or guarantees about a vehicle's condition, value, title, or safety;
  • A substitute for a professional inspection, a qualified mechanic, or a licensed dealer.

You are solely responsible for decisions you make based on the Service. Always perform your own due diligence before purchasing, selling, or financing a vehicle.

3c. AI-generated content

Certain sections of a report are generated by a third-party large language model (currently Perplexity AI) using vehicle make, model, year, and trim as inputs. AI-generated content may contain errors, omissions, or outdated information, and may differ across runs for the same vehicle. Treat AI-generated content as a starting point, not a verified fact.

3d. Data accuracy

We work to produce accurate reports, but the underlying data comes from third-party sources that we do not control (including NHTSA, NICB, EPA, FHWA, state DMV records, market listing aggregators, and AI providers). We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any report. Data gaps, reporting delays, and errors in the source data may affect report output.

4. Accounts

You can create a Car Intel account in the iOS app using Sign in with Apple, Sign in with Google, or email and password. Authentication is provided by our authentication processor (Clerk).

  • Your responsibility. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and for all activity under your account. Notify us promptly at contact@thecarintel.com if you suspect unauthorized access.
  • Account data. When you are signed in, your profile information, VIN lookups, AI usage ledger, and feedback are associated with your account and stored on our backend, as described in the Privacy Policy.
  • Cloud sync. When you are signed in, your saved garage syncs to our backend so it survives reinstalling the app and can be restored on another device. Photo image files stay on your device and do not sync. Sync details are described in the Privacy Policy.
  • Account deletion. You can delete your account at any time from Settings → Account → Delete Account in the iOS app, or by emailing contact@thecarintel.com.
  • Suspension. We may suspend or terminate your account if we reasonably believe it is compromised, used in violation of these Terms, or poses a security or abuse risk.

5. Acceptable use

You agree not to:

  • Use the Service in any way that violates applicable law or regulation.
  • Attempt to reverse-engineer, scrape, or systematically extract data from the Service outside of features we provide for that purpose.
  • Interfere with or disrupt the Service, including by overloading, flooding, or attacking our infrastructure.
  • Misrepresent your identity, impersonate any person or entity, or submit false VIN or vehicle information.
  • Use reports or data from the Service to stalk, harass, or otherwise harm any person.
  • Use the Service or AI-generated output to make decisions on behalf of others without their consent (for example, running unsolicited reports on third-party vehicles).
  • Resell, redistribute, or commercially exploit reports without our express written consent.
  • Access another user's account or data without authorization.
  • Attempt to bypass per-account AI usage limits or other rate limits.

6. Intellectual property

All content, branding, design, software, and other materials provided through the Service (other than third-party data we redistribute under license) are the property of Car Intel or our licensors and are protected by intellectual-property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works without our permission.

The "Car Intel" name and logo are trademarks of Car Intel. You may not use them without our written permission.

Feedback

If you submit feedback, suggestions, or feature requests through the in-app feedback board or by email, you grant us a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that feedback to operate and improve the Service, without obligation to you.

7. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and share information, including the third-party processors we rely on (Cloudflare, Resend, Clerk, Convex, Sentry, PostHog, Perplexity AI, MarketCheck, and others). By using the Service, you agree to the practices described there.

8. Third-party services

The Service relies on third-party infrastructure and data providers. We are not responsible for the practices, availability, or output of any third party. Material processors are listed in our Privacy Policy.

9. Service availability

We strive to keep the Service available but do not guarantee uninterrupted access. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service (or any part of it), including individual features, AI-assisted reports, or account functions, at any time, with or without notice.

10. Disclaimers

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE ERROR-FREE, UNINTERRUPTED, OR THAT ANY REPORT, RISK SCORE, VERDICT, OR AI-GENERATED OUTPUT WILL BE ACCURATE, COMPLETE, OR FREE OF HALLUCINATION.

11. Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CAR INTEL SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE, INCLUDING LOSSES RELATED TO VEHICLE PURCHASES, SALES, FINANCING, OR NEGOTIATION DECISIONS, OR LOSSES ARISING FROM RELIANCE ON AI-GENERATED CONTENT.

OUR TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE IS LIMITED TO ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE PRECEDING TWELVE (12) MONTHS, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above may not apply to you.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Car Intel, its affiliates, and their officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the Service or your violation of these Terms.

13. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify waitlist subscribers and account holders by email and update the "Last updated" date above. Continued use of the Service after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time if you violate these Terms or for any other reason. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ends immediately. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (for example, intellectual property, disclaimers, limitations of liability, indemnification, and governing law) will survive.

15. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which Car Intel is organized, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service will be resolved in the state or federal courts of that jurisdiction, and you consent to personal jurisdiction there.

16. Contact

Questions, notices, or requests related to these Terms should be sent to:

Car Intel Email: contact@thecarintel.com