Privacy Policy

Introduction

DealerSurface is a consumer-facing platform that aggregates and publishes anonymous dealership experience reports, giving car buyers a transparent look at how dealerships operate before they walk into a showroom. The platform is operated by Car Dorx, a Texas-based company.

This Privacy Policy applies to all information collected through the DealerSurface website (currently hosted at dealersurface.com, transitioning to dealersurface.com) and any related services. By using DealerSurface, you agree to the practices described here.

This policy is effective as of April 1, 2026.

Information We Collect

We collect only what's needed to run the platform. Here's a complete list:

• Phone number. Required when submitting a report. Used solely to send a one-time SMS verification code confirming you're a real person. Your number is never displayed publicly and is not associated with your report in any way that can be traced back to you.
• Vehicle VIN. The Vehicle Identification Number of the car involved in your dealership experience. This helps us categorize reports by vehicle and dealership accurately.
• Dealership experience data. The details of your report — things like pricing transparency, add-on pressure, financing terms, and overall deal structure. This is the core content that gets published in anonymized form.
• Approximate geolocation. We capture a rough geographic location at the time you submit a report (city/region level) to help validate that submissions are plausible for the dealership being reported.
• Device and browser information. Basic technical data such as your browser type, operating system, IP address, and referring URL. This is collected automatically and used for security, fraud detection, and platform diagnostics. It is not linked to your report content.

We do not collect your name, email address, home address, or any government-issued identification. DealerSurface has no user account system — you do not create a profile or log in.

How We Use Your Information

Everything we collect has a specific, limited purpose:

• SMS verification only. Your phone number is used to send a single PIN code to confirm your submission is from a real person. Once verified, the session ends.
• Publishing anonymous reports. The experience data you submit — stripped of any personally identifying information — is published on dealer profile pages to help other consumers.
• Improving the platform. Aggregate usage data helps us understand how the site is used and where it can be improved. We never analyze individual users for this purpose.
• Anomaly and fraud detection. Device data, IP address, and location signals are used to detect and block spam submissions, fake reports, or coordinated manipulation attempts. This protects the integrity of the platform for everyone.

We do not use your information for advertising, marketing, profiling, or any purpose not listed above.

SMS Consent

When you enter your phone number to submit a report, you consent to receive a single SMS message containing a one-time PIN verification code.

Your phone number is used exclusively for verification. It is not stored in any publicly visible location, not shared with the dealership being reported, and not used for any follow-up communication after verification is complete.

DealerSurface's SMS service is operated through a third-party SMS provider solely for the purpose of delivering verification codes. Your number is not retained by that provider beyond the delivery of the single message.

What We Don't Do

Data Retention

We keep data only as long as it serves a clear purpose:

• Phone numbers are purged from active storage once SMS verification is complete. They are not retained as part of your report record and cannot be retrieved or linked to your submission after the session ends.
• Submitted reports (the anonymized experience data) are retained indefinitely. This data forms the historical record that makes the platform useful. Because it is fully anonymized, there is no personal information embedded in retained reports.
• Device and IP data collected for fraud detection is retained for a limited period for security purposes, after which it is deleted or further anonymized.

We periodically review stored data to remove anything no longer needed for its stated purpose.

Your Rights

Because DealerSurface does not create user accounts and does not retain personally identifiable information beyond the verification step, the data we hold about any individual is minimal. However, if you believe we have data linked to you and wish to request its deletion or review, you have the right to do so.

To exercise these rights, email us at info@dealersurface.com with a description of your request. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and do our best to fulfill requests consistent with our technical capabilities and legal obligations.

If you are a Texas resident, you may have additional rights under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA). We are committed to honoring applicable state privacy rights.

Cookies

DealerSurface uses minimal cookies to provide basic site functionality:

• Session / functional cookies. Used to maintain your state during a report submission (e.g., remembering that you've been verified so you don't have to repeat the process). These expire when you close your browser or shortly after.
• Preference cookies. Used to remember site preferences such as display theme. These are stored locally in your browser.

We do not use:

• Third-party advertising or retargeting cookies
• Cross-site behavioral tracking cookies
• Analytics cookies that send your browsing data to external services

You can clear or block cookies at any time through your browser settings. Blocking functional cookies may affect your ability to submit reports.

Children's Privacy

DealerSurface is intended for adults and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect any personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has submitted information through our platform, please contact us at info@dealersurface.com and we will promptly delete any such data.

Changes to This Policy

If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we will update this page with a new effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of DealerSurface after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

We will not retroactively change how we handle data collected under a previous version of this policy without clearly notifying users of the change.

Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled, reach out to us directly:

• Operator: Car Dorx
• Platform: DealerSurface
• Location: Texas, USA
• Email: info@dealersurface.com

We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 5 business days.