Privacy Policy

Effective Date: March 15, 2025
Last Updated: May 5, 2026

At Brand Cars (“we,” “us,” or “our”), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website www.brandcars.com (the “Site”), use our services, or interact with us (e.g., via test drive bookings, inquiries, or newsletter sign-ups).

Please read this policy carefully. By accessing or using our Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be linked to you (“Personal Information”).

A. Information You Provide Directly

Contact & Identity Data: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address.
*Example: John Carter, john.carter@email.com, (555) 123-4567, 123 Elm Street, Springfield, IL 62701*
Vehicle Preferences: Make, model, year, budget, financing interest, trade-in details.
*Example: 2023 Tesla Model 3, budget $45,000, trade-in 2018 Honda Accord*
Financial Data: Credit application details (collected via secure third-party lenders, not stored by us directly).
Communication Data: Messages sent via our contact forms, chat, or email.

B. Information Collected Automatically

Usage Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, pages viewed, time spent on pages, clickstream data.
*Example: IP 192.168.1.100, Chrome 122.0, Windows 11, viewed /inventory/tesla-model3 for 4 minutes*
Location Data: General geographic location (e.g., city/state) based on IP address.
Example: Springfield, Illinois
Cookies & Tracking: See Section 7 below.

C. Information from Third Parties

Credit Bureaus (for financing applications, with your consent).
Example: Experian, TransUnion, Equifax
Social Media Platforms (if you interact with our social pages or log in via social credentials).
Example: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for legitimate business purposes, including:

To process vehicle inquiries, test drive bookings, and service appointments.
*Example: You request a test drive of a 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E on June 10, 2026, at 2:00 PM.*
To facilitate vehicle financing, leasing, or purchase transactions.
*Example: Financing application #BRAND-8872 for $38,000 via Brand Cars Credit Union.*
To send you service reminders, recall notices, or vehicle updates.
*Example: Recall notice for 2021-2022 Bronco Sport – brake system update mailed June 1, 2026.*
To improve our website, inventory recommendations, and customer experience.
Example: 68% of users searching “electric SUV” also view the Hyundai IONIQ 5.
To send promotional emails, special offers, or newsletters (you may opt out anytime).
Example: “Summer EV Event – Save $2,500 on select models” sent May 20, 2026.
To comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax, fraud prevention, safety recalls).

3. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your Personal Information. We may share data only in the following scenarios:

Service Providers: With third-party vendors (e.g., CRM, email marketing, analytics, financing partners) who assist our operations.
Example: Mailchimp (email), DealerSocket (CRM), RouteOne (financing)
Legal Compliance: To comply with subpoenas, court orders, or government requests (e.g., DMV, law enforcement).
*Example: Subpoena #2026-CV-0892 from Illinois Secretary of State Police.*
Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, sale of assets, or bankruptcy.
Example: Potential acquisition by AutoNation, Inc. as disclosed March 2026.
With Your Consent: When you authorize a specific action (e.g., submitting a credit application to a lender).
Example: You authorize sharing credit score of 724 with Chase Auto Finance.

4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to:

Remember your preferences (e.g., saved vehicle searches).
Example: Saved search for “AWD SUVs under $40,000 within 50 miles.”
Analyze site traffic and performance (e.g., Google Analytics).
*Example: GA4 property ID: G-BRANDCARS-001, tracking 15,400 monthly users.*
Serve relevant vehicle ads on Google, Facebook, or other platforms.
Example: Retargeting pixel for user who viewed 2025 Toyota RAV4 Prime but did not inquire.

Your Choices: You can disable cookies via your browser settings. However, some parts of our Site may not function properly. To opt out of interest-based advertising, visit www.aboutads.info/choices.

5. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards (e.g., SSL encryption, firewalls, access controls) to protect your data. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Example:

SSL Certificate: Let’s Encrypt R3, issued March 10, 2026.
Firewall: Cloudflare WAF, blocking 1,200+ malicious requests monthly.
Access Control: Only 7 employees (sales managers + IT) have access to full customer financing data.

6. Your Privacy Rights (Depending on Your Location)

Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights:

Right to Access – Request a copy of your Personal Information.
Example: User requested data export on April 22, 2026 – delivered April 25, 2026.
Right to Rectification – Correct inaccurate information.
*Example: Phone number corrected from (555) 987-6543 to (555) 123-4567.*
Right to Deletion – Request deletion of your data (subject to legal exceptions, e.g., transaction records).
*Example: Deletion request #DEL-0426 executed for user jane.smith@email.com on March 1, 2026.*
Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing – We do not sell data; but you may restrict targeted advertising.
*Example: Opt-out via Global Privacy Control signal received February 14, 2026.*
Right to Non-Discrimination – We will not punish you for exercising your rights.

To exercise your rights, contact us at privacy@brandcars.com or (555) 987-1000. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to manufacturers, lenders, or insurance providers. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. Please review their policies directly.

Example:

Manufacturer link: www.tesla.com/privacy
Lender link: www.chaseauto.com/privacy
Insurance link: www.geico.com/privacy

8. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with data, please contact us to delete it.

Example: In April 2026, one account was deleted after discovering the user was 14 years old.

9. International Data Transfers

If you access our Site from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using our Site, you consent to this transfer.

Example: Data center hosted at AWS us-east-1 (Northern Virginia). GDPR-compliant Data Processing Addendum available upon request.

10. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

California residents have the right to request:

Categories and specific pieces of Personal Information collected.
Categories of sources and third parties with whom we share data.
To opt out of “sales” (we do not sell). To opt out of sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising, please enable Global Privacy Control (GPC) or contact us.

Example: In 2025, Brand Cars received 12 CCPA requests – 10 verified, 8 fulfilled, 2 exempted under retention laws.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy periodically. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Material changes will be notified via email or a site banner.

Example: The last material change was on May 5, 2026 – adding details about AI-powered inventory recommendations.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, or complaints, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Brand Cars
Address: 4500 Auto Row Boulevard, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62701
Email: privacy@brandcars.com
Phone: (555) 987-1000
Privacy Officer: Sarah Mitchell, CIPP/US – sarah.mitchell@brandcars.com

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM CST