Terms of Use

Last updated: CarValue Optimizer

These terms are an agreement between you and CarValue Optimizer ("we," "us") for your use of CarValue Optimizer (the "Service"). By using the Service, you agree to these terms and to our Privacy Policy and Refund Policy. If you don't agree, please don't use the Service.

1. Who can use the Service

You must be at least 18 years old and able to enter into a binding agreement. You're responsible for keeping your account secure and for activity under your account.

2. What the Service does

CarValue Optimizer is a value comparison tool. It applies a predefined scoring algorithm to the vehicle information you enter, such as the price you were quoted or negotiated, the market value you looked up, and the vehicle's history and condition, and ranks the vehicles you're considering. The Service is designed to compare two or more vehicles.

Every score, ranking, "true cost" and chart is calculated from (a) the information you provide, (b) the general assumptions described on our website, such as typical repair cost estimates, and (c) public safety recall and complaint data published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the make, model and model year you enter.

The Service does not search for vehicles, check listings, inspect vehicles, or verify any information. NHTSA data describes a model year as a whole, not the specific vehicle you're considering, and may be incomplete, delayed or unavailable. We don't control NHTSA's data and aren't responsible for its accuracy. Check any specific vehicle's VIN for unrepaired recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

3. Not professional advice

CarValue Optimizer does not provide legal, financial, investment, tax, insurance, lending or mechanical advice, and it is not a vehicle appraisal or inspection. Results are estimates meant to help you organize your own decision.

Before buying any vehicle, you should get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a qualified mechanic, review a vehicle history report, and confirm the title and all terms of the sale. The decision to buy, and its outcome, are entirely yours.

4. Your information and responsibilities

• Results are only as accurate as the information you enter. You're responsible for the accuracy of your inputs.
• Don't enter personal information about other people, such as sellers' names, phone numbers or license plates.
• You keep ownership of the information you enter. You give us permission to store and process it only to provide the Service to you, as described in our Privacy Policy.

5. Plans, payments and automatic renewal

• Free plan: compare up to the number of vehicles shown on our pricing page, at no cost.
• PDF reports: a one-time payment for each report, at the price shown before you pay.
• Plus plan: a monthly subscription that renews automatically each month at the price shown when you subscribed, until you cancel. You can cancel anytime on the Account page. Canceling stops future charges; you keep Plus until the end of the period you've paid for.
• If a renewal payment fails, your account moves to the Free plan. Your account isn't deleted.
• Payments are processed by Stripe. Prices are in US dollars and may include applicable taxes.
• We may change prices. We'll give Plus subscribers at least 30 days' notice by email before a new price applies to their renewal.

Refunds are covered by our Refund Policy.

6. Data retention

Vehicle information is deleted automatically 30 days after you add it, as described in our Privacy Policy. Please download any report you want to keep before then.

7. Acceptable use

Please don't misuse the Service. For example, don't:

• use it for anything illegal, fraudulent or misleading, including presenting our results as a professional appraisal;
• try to get around payments, plan limits or security measures;
• use bots or scripts to access the Service in bulk, or interfere with its operation;
• copy, resell or rebrand the Service or its reports as your own product.

8. Our content

The Service, including its design, scoring method, text and code, belongs to CarValue Optimizer. You may use the reports you create for your own personal, non-commercial purposes, including sharing them with a seller, lender or family member.

9. Third-party services and sites

We may link to or suggest third-party sites, such as vehicle valuation websites. We don't control them and aren't responsible for their content or accuracy.

10. Disclaimer of warranties

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available." To the fullest extent allowed by law, we make no warranties of any kind, express or implied, including that results will be accurate, complete or suitable for your purposes, or that the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free.

11. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent allowed by law, CarValue Optimizer will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages, or for any loss related to a vehicle purchase or sale decision, even if we were told such loss was possible. Our total liability for any claim relating to the Service is limited to the greater of the amount you paid us in the 12 months before the claim, or $10.

12. Ending your use

You can stop using the Service and delete your account at any time. We may suspend or close accounts that break these terms. Sections 3, 8, 10, 11 and 13 continue to apply after your use ends.

13. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict of law rules. Any dispute will be handled in the state or federal courts located in Sarasota County County, Florida, unless the law requires otherwise.

14. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms. If we make meaningful changes, we'll update the date above and notify account holders by email before the changes take effect. Continuing to use the Service after that means you accept the updated terms.

15. Contact

Questions about these terms: support@carvalueoptimizer.org.