What you should know about us.

How Car Dogs makes money

Advice, tools and answers are free for the person using them. When you choose an introduction to a partner business — a dealership, service shop, agency or other provider — that partner pays Car Dogs a referral fee.

You never pay Car Dogs, and a partner cannot pay to change what our tools tell you. Introductions are based on fit and location, not on who pays the most.

What Car Dogs is not

Car Dogs is not a dealer, lender, repair shop, appraiser or insurance agency, and we are not a party to any transaction you complete with a partner.

Nothing on this site is legal, tax, financial or professional advice. Prices, rates, payments and values shown by our tools are estimates for planning.

Dealer listings, price estimates and availability

Each vehicle listing names the selling dealer, links to the dealer source when available, and shows the last listing observation. An observation is not an availability check or a binding dealer quote. Prices include captured advertised accessories, doc and electronic filing fees. Unposted dealer fees, tax and DMV amounts are estimates; conditional rebates remain separate.

Our comparison indicators use captured dealer prices including doc and filing fees, matched by make, model, condition and year range, with same-trim matching when enough listings exist. They are not independent appraisals or nationwide market valuations. Mileage, options, history and incomplete dealer data affect the comparison. Referral payments do not buy better price indicators.

Report unavailable cars, wrong photos, missing fees or incorrect prices from the listing. Staff must investigate before changing a dealer's data. Keep the source listing and request a written itemized out-the-door total before visiting or signing.

Pricing standards are not a legal certification

The federal FTC CARS Rule was vacated in January 2025 and withdrawn in February 2026. California's own CARS Act (SB 766, Civil Code §§ 1784.20–1784.44) took effect October 1, 2026. It requires total-price disclosure in ads and first written communications, written notice that add-ons are optional, bans add-ons with no meaningful benefit, and gives used vehicles sold or leased for $50,000 or less a 3-day right to cancel (void after 400 miles; restocking fee allowed; trade-in returned or paid at the greater of agreed value or resale price).

Our transparency checks are a site standard, not a certification under any law. Existing federal, state and local consumer-protection and advertising laws still apply.

Describing Car Dogs as a research or referral service does not create immunity from responsibility for our own statements. No badge, disclosure or voucher guarantees legal compliance or dealer performance.

AI-assisted tools

Tools labeled AI — including Ask Ethel (AI) and Photo Check (AI) — generate their output with an AI model. They can be wrong, and they cannot see anything a photo or your description does not show.

AI output is a starting point for what to check and what to ask next. It is not a diagnosis, an inspection or an appraisal. Anything safety-related should be checked in person by a qualified shop.

Your information

We use what you give us to answer your question and, when you ask for an intro, to connect you with a relevant partner. We do not sell your information or auction it across a list of buyers.

Messaging consent

Consent to texts is never a condition of any purchase. Reply STOP to opt out of texts, HELP for help. Message and data rates may apply.

Consent to be contacted is never a condition of purchase. Reply STOP to opt out of messages at any time, or HELP for help.

Editorial independence

Guides, comparisons and market pages are written and reviewed by Car Dogs. Partners do not review or approve editorial content, and being a partner does not earn a favorable recommendation.