Summary: We collect information from consumers seeking auto financing and from dealers who join our network. We use this data to match consumers with dealers. We do not sell your personal information to data brokers or unrelated third parties.
1. Who We Are
CarDealerEngine LLC ("CarDealerEngine," "we," "us," or "our") operates cardealerengine.com, a lead generation platform connecting consumers with automotive dealers for special finance vehicle purchases. Our principal place of business is in Connecticut, USA.
For privacy questions: privacy@cardealerengine.com
2. Information We Collect
2.1 From Consumers (lead form submissions)
| Data Type | What We Collect | Why |
|---|
| Identity | First name, last name, date of birth (if provided) | Lead identification |
| Contact | Phone number, email address, home address | Dealer follow-up |
| Financial | Monthly income, employer name, occupation, employment length, housing payment, down payment, preferred monthly payment | Financing qualification |
| Credit | Self-reported credit situation, last 4 digits of SSN (optional) | Lender matching |
| Technical | IP address, browser type, submission timestamp | TCPA compliance documentation |
| Consent | TCPA consent checkbox status, timestamp, IP | Legal compliance record |
2.2 From Dealers (account registration)
| Data Type | What We Collect | Why |
|---|
| Business | Company name, address, phone, zip codes served | Account setup and lead routing |
| Contact | Primary contact name, email address | Account management and notifications |
| Authentication | Email, hashed password | Secure login |
| Billing | Plan selection, payment records | Subscription management |
| Usage | Login times, lead activity, portal usage | Service improvement and compliance |
2.3 Automatically Collected
- IP addresses and approximate location
- Browser type and version
- Pages visited and time spent
- Referring URLs
- Cookie data (see Section 8)
3. How We Use Your Information
For Consumers:
- Route your financing inquiry to the nearest participating dealer in your area
- Send automated follow-up emails as described in our TCPA Disclosure
- Maintain records of your consent for legal compliance
- Improve our matching algorithm and service quality
For Dealers:
- Deliver leads matching your geographic coverage area
- Send lead notifications and account alerts
- Process billing and subscription management
- Provide customer support
- Enforce our Terms of Service
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell personal information to data brokers, advertisers, or unrelated third parties.
We share consumer data with:
- Matched dealers — The single dealer your lead is routed to receives your contact and financial profile for the purpose of discussing vehicle financing.
- Service providers — Email delivery services (Web3Forms) that help us send notifications. These providers are contractually prohibited from using your data for other purposes.
We share dealer data with:
- Payment processors — Billing and subscription management.
- Service providers — Hosting, email, and analytics tools necessary to operate the platform.
We may also disclose information:
- When required by law, court order, or government authority
- To protect the rights, safety, or property of CarDealerEngine or others
- In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (with notice)
5. Financial Data — GLBA Compliance
Because we collect financial information from consumers (income, employment, SSN last 4), we operate in compliance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA). We implement the following safeguards:
- All financial data is transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections
- Financial data is stored in secured, access-controlled databases
- Consumer financial data is shared only with the single matched dealer
- We limit employee access to financial data on a need-to-know basis
- We conduct regular security reviews of our data handling practices
6. Data Retention
- Consumer lead data: Retained for 3 years from submission date for compliance and dispute resolution, then securely deleted.
- TCPA consent records: Retained for 5 years as required for legal compliance.
- Dealer account data: Retained for the duration of the account plus 2 years after termination.
- Billing records: Retained for 7 years for tax and accounting purposes.
7. Your Rights
Consumers have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Opt-out: Stop receiving communications by replying STOP to any text or clicking unsubscribe in any email
- Portability: Request your data in a portable format
Connecticut Residents:
Under the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA), Connecticut residents have additional rights including the right to opt out of the sale of personal data and the right to appeal our decisions regarding your data rights requests.
To exercise any of these rights, email: privacy@cardealerengine.com. We will respond within 45 days.
8. Cookies & Tracking
We use cookies and similar technologies for:
- Essential cookies: Session management and security (required, cannot be disabled)
- Analytics cookies: Understanding how visitors use our site (can be disabled)
- Marketing pixels: Measuring ad campaign performance (Meta Pixel, Google Ads)
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect site functionality.
9. Security
We implement industry-standard security measures including:
- 256-bit SSL/TLS encryption for all data in transit
- Encrypted password storage using bcrypt hashing
- Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel
- Regular security monitoring and vulnerability assessments
No method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
10. Children's Privacy
Our service is not directed to individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has submitted information to us, contact us immediately at privacy@cardealerengine.com.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes by email and by updating the "Last updated" date above. Continued use of our service constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact Us
For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights:
CarDealerEngine LLC
Email: privacy@cardealerengine.com
Website: cardealerengine.com