Terms of Use

The Plain-Language Version

Carivo is a car research tool I built and maintain as a one-person operation. I'm Juan Pablo Afanador — I score cars using publicly available safety, reliability, efficiency, and cost data, then present those scores so buyers can do faster, more informed research.

The main thing these terms exist to communicate: Carivo scores are a starting point for research, not a substitute for professional advice. Before you buy a car based on anything you read here, please also talk to a mechanic, test drive the vehicle, and verify pricing directly with a dealer. A score is a tool, not a verdict.

By using this site, you agree to these terms. If you disagree with any part of them, don't use the site — though I'd also welcome you to contact me if something seems wrong or unfair.

What Carivo Scores Actually Are

Every score on Carivo is built from a weighted formula that draws on data from NHTSA (crash ratings and recalls), the EPA (fuel economy), JD Power (reliability surveys), and manufacturer-published specifications. I've documented the methodology in detail on the How We Score page — I'd encourage you to read it before putting too much weight on any individual score.

A few important caveats that I want to be upfront about:

• Scores reflect the data available at the time of last update. Cars get recalled, reliability data improves over time, and fuel economy estimates change. The "Data updated" date on each vehicle page shows when I last refreshed the numbers.
• The scoring formula reflects my judgment about what matters most in a car. Your priorities might be different. Someone buying a weekend track car should weight things very differently than someone shopping for a family commuter.
• A high Carivo score doesn't mean a car is right for you. A low score doesn't mean it's wrong for you. Use it as one input among many.

Carivo scores are not professional automotive advice, financial recommendations, or endorsements of any vehicle or manufacturer.

Accuracy & Data Sources

I pull data from NHTSA's public API, EPA's FuelEconomy.gov database, JD Power public reliability reports, and manufacturer specification sheets. I review and update the database at least annually, and more frequently when major new model-year data becomes available.

That said, I can't guarantee every number on the site is current. Manufacturer specs change quietly. Dealers adjust pricing constantly. NHTSA opens and closes investigations. If you spot an error — a wrong MPG number, a missing recall, a score that seems obviously off — please let me know. I take those reports seriously and investigate every one.

Always verify current specifications, pricing, and availability directly with manufacturers or authorized dealers before making a purchase.

How You're Allowed to Use This Site

You're welcome to browse Carivo, share links to individual car pages, and use the information for your own personal research. That's what it's here for.

What you're not allowed to do:

• Scrape or automatically download large amounts of data from the site without my permission
• Use Carivo scores or content in commercial applications, advertising, or marketing materials
• Republish or reproduce significant portions of Carivo's content without attribution and permission
• Use the site in a way that tries to break it, overload it, or access systems you're not supposed to access
• Impersonate Carivo or imply that Carivo endorses your product or service
• Use this site for anything illegal

If you want to use Carivo data in a project, partnership, or commercial context, reach out first — I'm open to conversations. Email: juanafanador130@gmail.com.

Copyright & Intellectual Property

The text, scoring methodology, design, and code on Carivo are my original work and are protected by copyright. Car specifications are based on publicly available data from government sources. Vehicle images are provided by Imagin.studio under their licensing terms.

You can share links to Carivo pages freely. You can quote short excerpts with attribution. You cannot copy entire pages, reproduce the scoring system as your own, or repackage Carivo content for commercial use without written permission from me.

For licensing inquiries: juanafanador130@gmail.com.

Limitation of Liability

I've put real effort into making sure the information on Carivo is accurate and useful. But I'm one person running a website, not a professional automotive testing organization or financial advisor. I can't be held responsible for decisions you make based on what you read here.

Specifically: if you buy a car partly because of a Carivo score and the car turns out to have problems, breaks down, gets recalled, or just doesn't fit your life — that's not something I can be held liable for. The same applies if the site goes down, data is temporarily inaccurate, or a third-party link leads somewhere unexpected.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Carivo's liability for any claim arising from your use of this site is limited to the amount you paid to use it — which is zero, since the site is free.

No Warranties

Carivo is provided "as is." I don't make any promises about the accuracy or completeness of the data, the suitability of any vehicle for your needs, or the uninterrupted availability of the site. Things break. Data goes stale. I'll fix issues as fast as I can when I find out about them, but I can't guarantee perfection.

External Links

Carivo links to manufacturer websites, NHTSA.gov, EPA.gov, and other external sources. I don't control those sites and I'm not responsible for their content, accuracy, or the products and services they offer. Clicking an external link means you're leaving Carivo — their terms and privacy policies apply from that point on.

Revoking Access

If someone is scraping the site, abusing it, or otherwise violating these terms, I reserve the right to block their access without notice. This is a last resort — I'd rather send an email first — but I need the option.

Indemnification

If your use of Carivo causes some legal problem for me — for example, because you violated these terms and a third party brought a claim against the site — you agree to cover the reasonable costs that results from that. This is a standard clause; it only applies if you actually did something wrong.

Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the United States. If there's ever a dispute that actually needs to be resolved in court (which I sincerely hope never happens), it would be handled in U.S. courts.

Questions or Concerns

If you have a question about these terms, think a car's score is wrong, or want to report something, email me directly. I respond to every message personally.

Juan Pablo Afanador
juanafanador130@gmail.com

I'll aim to respond within a few days, and definitely within 30 days for anything formal.