Guides

Guides

Practical answers built on the same EPA and NHTSA data as the rest of the site.

All guides

• How to check a car for open recallsRun the VIN through NHTSA's free lookup, read the result, get any open recall fixed for free, and what to check before buying used.
• Hybrid or gas: how long until the hybrid pays for itselfYearly fuel savings for every model on this site sold as both gas and hybrid, and how long each $1,000 of extra price takes to earn back.
• The worst model year for each popular model, by owner complaintsFor each model on this site, the year that drew the most NHTSA owner complaints in its first three years, and how far above the model's typical year it ran.
• Every do-not-drive and park-outside recall on 2016 and newer modelsThe NHTSA recalls that told owners to stop driving or to park outside until repaired, for 2016 and newer models on this site, with dates and what went wrong.