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.

AI-assisted tools

Tools labeled AI — including Ask a Car Dog (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 calls or 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.