Terms of use

Last updated October 30, 2026

By using UsedCarWise you agree to these terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the site.

Estimates, not advice

UsedCarWise's reliability scores and cost forecasts are statistical estimates for a make, model, year and engine. They aren't an inspection, history report, appraisal or guarantee about any particular vehicle, and they aren't financial, legal or mechanical advice. Actual costs depend on the individual car, how it was maintained and driven, where you live and the prices you pay.

Before you buy a car, get an independent pre-purchase inspection and check the specific VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Where the data comes from

UsedCarWise uses public data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Owner complaints are unverified reports and over-represent some problems. Reliability ratings divide those complaints by estimated sales figures, some of which are our own ballpark estimates rather than licensed data, so they are approximate. UsedCarWise isn't affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA, the EPA or any vehicle manufacturer. Vehicle names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify vehicles.

Partner links and commissions

Some links, such as those for vehicle history reports, insurance quotes and loans, may be partner links: if you use them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. The site says so next to the links whenever any of them pay us. Partners never pay for, review or influence our reliability scores or cost estimates, and we don't promise that any partner's offer is the best one for you.

Using the site and API

You may use UsedCarWise for your own personal, non-commercial car research and share links to comparisons. Please don't scrape the site or API in bulk, get around its rate limits, or interfere with its operation. We may limit or block access that does.

No warranty

UsedCarWise is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, including accuracy, completeness, fitness for a particular purpose or uninterrupted availability. The data and methods may change at any time.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent the law allows, UsedCarWise and the people behind it aren't liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of, or reliance on, the site, including decisions to buy, sell, repair or keep a vehicle. Some places don't allow these limits, so they may not all apply to you.

Contact

Questions or corrections: [email protected].

Changes

We may update these terms. The date at the top shows when they last changed, and using the site after a change means you accept the new terms.