1. Who We Are
CompareMyCarParts.com ("we", "us", "our") is a UK-based car parts price comparison website. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use the Site, how we use it, and your rights under UK data protection law (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018).
Data controller: CompareMyCarParts.com
Contact: idris@comparemycarparts.com
2. What We Collect
Information You Give Us
- Vehicle Registration Plate: When you enter a reg plate, we send it to the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service to identify your vehicle. We do not store your registration plate on our servers.
- Part Searches: The parts you search for (e.g. "Front Brake Pads") are logged so we can improve the service and understand which parts are most commonly needed.
- Contact Messages: If you message us via WhatsApp or email, we keep those messages to respond to you.
Information Collected Automatically
- Usage data: Which pages you visit, which supplier buttons you click, approximate location (country/city), device type, browser type.
- Technical data: IP address (anonymised), browser version, operating system, referring website.
- Cookies: See Section 6 below.
3. How We Use It
We use your data to:
- Identify your vehicle via the DVLA so we can show you the right parts
- Show you prices and deals from third-party suppliers
- Measure how people use the Site so we can improve it
- Detect and prevent fraud and abuse
- Track affiliate commissions when you click through to a supplier
- Respond to your questions when you contact us
- Comply with our legal obligations
4. Legal Basis for Processing
Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases:
- Legitimate interests: running and improving the Site, measuring usage, preventing fraud
- Consent: for non-essential cookies and analytics (you can withdraw this at any time)
- Legal obligation: where we're required by law
5. Who We Share Data With
We do not sell your personal data to anyone. We share limited data with:
- DVLA: the registration plate you enter, to look up your vehicle
- Cloudflare: our hosting and security provider — they see IP addresses in order to protect the Site from attacks
- Affiliate Networks (eBay Partner Network, Amazon Associates, Awin): when you click a supplier link, a small tracking token is passed so we can be credited with the referral. These networks have their own privacy policies
- Analytics providers: aggregated, anonymised usage data to help us understand what parts people search for
- Law enforcement: if legally required
6. Cookies
We use cookies and similar technologies for:
- Essential cookies: needed for the Site to work (e.g. remembering your reg plate during a session)
- Analytics cookies: to measure traffic and understand how people use the Site
- Affiliate cookies: set by affiliate networks when you click a supplier link, so the correct site gets credited for referring you
You can disable cookies in your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may break parts of the Site.
7. How Long We Keep Data
- Vehicle registration lookups: not stored long-term (processed in memory, discarded after the search)
- Search analytics (aggregated, anonymous): up to 90 days
- Click tracking logs: up to 90 days
- Email or WhatsApp correspondence: as long as needed to respond, then deleted
8. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Correct data that's inaccurate
- Erase your data ("right to be forgotten")
- Restrict how we process your data
- Object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Port your data to another service
- Withdraw consent at any time
- Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk
To exercise these rights, email idris@comparemycarparts.com. We'll respond within 30 days.
9. Children
The Site is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has provided us data, please contact us and we'll delete it.
10. International Transfers
Some of our service providers (e.g. Cloudflare) operate globally. Where data is transferred outside the UK, it is protected by appropriate safeguards as required by UK GDPR (Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent).
11. Security
We use industry-standard security measures including HTTPS encryption, secure hosting via Cloudflare, and limited data retention. No system is 100% secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted here with a new "Last updated" date. Significant changes will be flagged prominently on the Site.
13. Contact
Questions about your privacy or this policy? Email idris@comparemycarparts.com.