Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 28, 2025

We're pretty straightforward about how we handle your info. No hidden stuff, no fancy legal tricks.

Look, we get it - nobody actually enjoys reading privacy policies. But here at Crystal Thorne Auto Repair, we figured we'd be upfront with you about how we handle your personal info. We've been working on European luxury vehicles for years, and just like we treat your BMW or Mercedes with care, we treat your data the same way.

This policy covers what happens when you visit our website, book appointments, or drop off your car at our Granville Street location. We're not gonna sell your email to spammers or do anything sketchy - that's not how we roll.

By using our services or website, you're basically saying you're cool with how we handle things as described here. If something doesn't sit right with you, give us a shout and we'll talk it through.

Personal Details You Give Us:
  • Contact stuff - Your name, phone number, email address when you book an appointment or reach out
  • Vehicle info - Make, model, year, VIN number, mileage... the usual stuff we need to work on your car
  • Service history - What we've done to your vehicle over time so we can keep track of maintenance
  • Payment details - Credit card info, billing address (though we don't store full card numbers on our end)
  • Communication records - Emails, texts, or phone conversations about your service needs
Stuff We Collect Automatically:
  • Website usage data - IP address, browser type, pages you visit, how long you hang around
  • Device info - What kind of phone or computer you're using to access our site
  • Location data - General area you're browsing from (not pinpoint GPS stuff, don't worry)
  • Cookies - Small files that help our site remember you and work better
Heads up: We only collect what we actually need to provide service. We're not out here gathering random data for the fun of it.

Alright, so here's what we actually do with your info:

Service Delivery

Schedule your appointments, send reminders, follow up after service, and keep track of your vehicle's maintenance history

Payment Processing

Handle transactions, send invoices, and keep financial records for both of us

Communication

Answer your questions, provide updates on your vehicle, and send occasional service reminders (we won't spam you)

Improvement

Figure out how to make our website better and improve our services based on what folks actually need

Legal Compliance

Keep records for tax purposes, warranty claims, and other boring but necessary legal stuff

Marketing

Send you info about seasonal promotions or new services (only if you've said it's okay)

We're not using your data for anything weird or unrelated to fixing your car. That's pretty much it.

We're pretty selective about who gets access to your info. Here's the short list:

Service Providers & Partners

Sometimes we gotta share details with our payment processors, appointment scheduling software, or email service providers. These folks are contractually obligated to keep your info secure and only use it for what we've authorized. We're talking about companies like Stripe for payments, not random third parties.

Parts Suppliers & Manufacturers

If we need to order parts or check warranty coverage for your European luxury vehicle, we might need to share your VIN or vehicle details with OEM suppliers. It's standard practice in the auto repair world.

Legal Requirements

If the law says we gotta hand over info - like a court order or government request - then yeah, we'll comply. We're not trying to get in legal trouble here.

Business Transfers

If we ever sell the business or merge with another shop (not planning on it, but you never know), your info might transfer to the new owners. They'd still be bound by this privacy policy though.

Important: We will NEVER sell your personal information to marketing companies or data brokers. That's not our style.

Yeah, we use cookies - and no, not the chocolate chip kind (though those are great too). Here's the deal:

What Cookies Do:
  • Essential cookies - Make the website actually work properly, remember your session
  • Functional cookies - Remember your preferences like language or appointment details you've entered
  • Analytics cookies - Help us understand which pages are popular and where people get confused
  • Marketing cookies - Track if you came from an ad so we know what's working
How to Manage Cookies:

Your browser lets you control cookies. You can block 'em all if you want, but heads up - some parts of our website might not work as smoothly. Most browsers accept cookies automatically, but you can usually change that in your settings.

Third-Party Tracking:

We might use Google Analytics or similar tools to see how people use our site. These services have their own privacy policies. We've configured them to respect privacy as much as possible, but if you're really concerned, you can use browser extensions that block tracking.

We take security seriously - like, really seriously. Just like we wouldn't leave your Porsche unlocked in the parking lot, we don't leave your data exposed.

What We Do to Keep Things Safe:
Encryption

SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission (that's the little lock icon in your browser)

Secure Storage

Encrypted databases and secure servers with regular backups

Access Controls

Only authorized staff can access customer data, and we track who accesses what

Regular Updates

We keep our systems patched and up-to-date with security fixes

Staff Training

Our team knows how to handle your info properly and spot phishing attempts

Physical Security

Our shop and servers are physically secured with limited access

Real talk: No system is 100% hack-proof, but we're doing everything reasonable to protect your data. If we ever have a security breach, we'll let you know ASAP and tell you what happened and what we're doing about it.

Under Canadian privacy laws (including PIPEDA), you've got some rights when it comes to your personal info. Here's what you can do:

Access Your Data

Ask us what info we have about you. We'll give you a copy within a reasonable timeframe.

Correct Your Data

If something's wrong or outdated, let us know and we'll fix it.

Delete Your Data

Request that we delete your info (though we might need to keep some stuff for legal or warranty reasons).

Opt Out of Marketing

Unsubscribe from our promotional emails anytime. There's an unsubscribe link in every marketing email we send.

Data Portability

Get a copy of your data in a commonly used format if you want to take it elsewhere.