Privacy Policy

GT Car Life LLC ("GT Car Life," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and safeguard information when you access or use the GT Car Life platform, including our community, marketplace, content, events, live experiences, and payment-enabled services (collectively, the "Services").

GT Car Life operates its platform on the Lyncspot ecosystem, a white-label community and commerce technology provided by Lyncspot LLC. Payment processing for the Services is handled through Stripe via Lyncspot's Stripe Connect integration. By accessing or using the Services, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services.

1. About GT Car Life & Our Business Model

GT Car Life is a specialized community platform that bridges automotive enthusiasts, owners, industry professionals, manufacturers, dealers, and motorsport experts in one ecosystem. We deliver curated content, exclusive events, professional networking, live experiences, and a marketplace where members can buy from and sell to one another — all within an environment built specifically for the automotive community.

GT Car Life LLC operates as a Licensee on the Lyncspot ecosystem. This means the underlying software, hosting, communications infrastructure, and payment plumbing are provided by Lyncspot LLC; the community, brand, content, moderation, vendor approvals, customer experience, and policies are operated by GT Car Life.

What GT Car Life Provides

• A members-focused automotive community with public and members-only spaces.
• Curated editorial content, manufacturer features, technical articles, motorsport coverage, and event calendars.
• Live experiences such as track day coordination, manufacturer round tables, and virtual debuts.
• A marketplace module where approved members can apply to become a "Vendor" and offer goods, services, classes, parts, restorations, memorabilia, or subscriptions to other members.
• Integrated payment processing through Stripe, via the Lyncspot ecosystem.

How Members Earn on the Platform

Vendors earn revenue when other members purchase their offerings on the GT Car Life marketplace. Payouts are issued through Stripe Connect to the Vendor's connected Stripe account on a recurring schedule (typically every 2–7 business days after funds clear and any applicable hold period passes).

Our Fees & the Payout Process

GT Car Life believes in complete fee transparency. For every marketplace sale, the funds flow through the following stages. You will always see the full breakdown in your Vendor dashboard before confirming any sale.

Step	What Happens	Who Receives Funds
1	The buyer pays the full purchase price. Stripe processes the transaction on the Lyncspot platform account that powers the GT Car Life ecosystem.	Funds held by Lyncspot via Stripe
2	Stripe payment processing fees are deducted (per Stripe's published rates — typically 2.9% + $0.30 for U.S. card transactions).	Stripe
3	Lyncspot retains its ecosystem fee (a percentage of the gross sale, set out in our Licensee Agreement with Lyncspot).	Lyncspot LLC
4	The remaining balance is transferred to GT Car Life's connected Stripe account.	GT Car Life LLC
5	GT Car Life retains its marketplace fee (a percentage of the sale, disclosed to Vendors at sign-up and in the Vendor Agreement).	GT Car Life LLC
6	The remaining net balance is transferred to the Vendor's connected Stripe account on the regular payout schedule.	Vendor

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account information: name, email address, password (hashed), phone number, date of birth (where required), profile photo, and biographical details.
• Automotive profile: vehicles owned (make, model, year, VIN where you choose to share it), industry role (enthusiast, owner, dealer, manufacturer, journalist, mechanic, etc.), areas of interest, and event preferences. This information helps us deliver relevant content and connections.
• Vendor onboarding information: business name, business address, tax identification number (EIN/SSN, collected and tokenized by Stripe), bank or payout account details (handled exclusively by Stripe — we never see or store full account or card numbers), and verification documents.
• Content and communications: posts, comments, photos, videos, route shares, garage showcases, build logs, messages, and other content you submit.
• Transaction information: purchase history, items sold, refund requests, support inquiries.
• Survey, application, and form responses (including members-only program applications).

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

• Device identifiers, IP address, browser type, operating system.
• Usage data including pages visited, features used, session duration, click events.
• Approximate location (derived from IP); precise location only with your explicit consent (for example, to suggest nearby events or scenic drives).
• Log data and crash diagnostics.

2.3 Information From Third Parties

• Identity-verification confirmations from Stripe (KYC/AML status, not underlying documents).
• Authentication signals if you log in via Google, Apple, or another SSO provider.
• Fraud-prevention signals from Stripe Radar and similar services.
• Optional vehicle-history or VIN-decoded information from automotive data providers, where you choose to use those features.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, operate, maintain, and improve the Services.
• Personalize automotive content, vehicle recommendations, event invitations, and community connections based on your industry role, vehicles, and interests.
• Process payments, payouts, refunds, and tax reporting (through Lyncspot and Stripe).
• Verify identity, prevent fraud, and comply with anti-money-laundering rules.
• Coordinate events, track days, manufacturer experiences, and live streams.
• Respond to inquiries and provide customer support.
• Send transactional and (with consent) marketing communications.
• Enforce our Terms of Service and protect the rights, safety, and property of GT Car Life, Lyncspot, our members, and the public.
• Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from authorities.

Legal bases (GDPR users): We process personal data under one or more of the following bases: (a) performance of a contract; (b) compliance with legal obligations; (c) legitimate interests (such as fraud prevention and product improvement); and (d) consent (for example, marketing communications and precise location).

4. How We Share Your Information

We share personal information only as follows:

• With Lyncspot LLC as our underlying ecosystem provider, strictly to operate, secure, and maintain the platform on which GT Car Life runs.
• With Vendors from whom you purchase (limited to information necessary to fulfill the transaction, such as your name and shipping address).
• With Stripe, Inc. for payment processing, payouts, identity verification, and fraud prevention.
• With service providers (hosting, analytics, email delivery, customer support, live-experience providers) under written confidentiality and data-protection obligations.
• With event partners, manufacturers, or dealers only where you explicitly opt in (for example, registering for a track day or requesting contact from a manufacturer).
• For legal reasons (lawful requests, court orders, to enforce our agreements, or to protect rights and safety).
• In a business transfer (merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets), with notice to affected users where required.

We do not sell your personal information.

5. Lyncspot, Stripe & Payment Processing

GT Car Life operates on the Lyncspot ecosystem, and all payment processing is performed by Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe") through Lyncspot's Stripe Connect integration. Stripe is certified to PCI-DSS Level 1, the highest level of payment-card security. GT Car Life does not see, store, or transmit your full card number, CVV, or bank account number.

5.1 Linked Stripe Account Explanation

The payment architecture uses Stripe Connect. This means:

• Lyncspot maintains the platform account that processes the initial charge from the buyer.
• GT Car Life maintains a connected Stripe account that receives our share of the sale net of Lyncspot's ecosystem fee.
• Each Vendor maintains their own connected Stripe account that receives their share of the sale net of GT Car Life's marketplace fee.
• Funds flow programmatically and automatically based on configured revenue-share percentages. No party manually handles another party's payout funds.

To become a Vendor on the GT Car Life marketplace, you must complete Stripe's onboarding (Stripe Express or Standard, depending on the role) and agree to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement and the Stripe Services Agreement. Stripe's processing of your information is governed by the Stripe Privacy Policy. Lyncspot's handling of platform-level data is governed by its own privacy policy, available at the Lyncspot website.

5.2 Information Stripe Receives

• Payment-method details (card number, expiration, CVV, billing address).
• Identity-verification information for Vendors (legal name, DOB, address, government-issued ID, tax ID, business documents).
• Bank account or debit-card information for payouts.
• Transaction metadata sufficient to detect fraud and meet regulatory obligations.

6. Other Third-Party Integrations

In addition to Lyncspot and Stripe, GT Car Life may share limited information with vetted service providers, such as:

• Cloud hosting and infrastructure (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud).
• Live-experience and streaming providers (e.g., Agora for voice/video sessions, track day coordination, manufacturer round tables).
• Email and transactional messaging providers.
• Analytics tools to understand product usage.
• Customer support and helpdesk platforms.
• Automotive data providers for optional VIN decoding, vehicle valuation, or history features.

Each provider is contractually obligated to handle personal data in accordance with applicable law and to use it only for the purposes for which it was disclosed.

7. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

7.1 Rights of EU/UK Residents (GDPR/UK GDPR)

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
• Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Erasure ("right to be forgotten"): Request deletion, subject to legal retention obligations.
• Restriction: Limit how we process your data.
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
• Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent.
• Lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

7.2 Rights of California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

• Right to know what personal information we collect, use, share, and disclose.
• Right to delete personal information we hold about you, subject to legal exceptions.
• Right to correct inaccurate personal information.
• Right to limit the use of sensitive personal information.
• Right to opt out of any "sale" or "sharing" of personal information (we do not sell your data).
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights.

7.3 How to Exercise Your Rights

Submit a request by emailing privacy@gtcarlife.com or using the in-app "Privacy Request" form. We will verify your identity and respond within the timeframes required by law (generally 30 days under GDPR; 45 days under CCPA, extendable once for an additional 45 days). You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

8. Data Security Measures

We use industry-standard administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information, including:

• Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) for all data transmitted between your device and our servers.
• Encryption at rest for personal data stored in our databases.
• PCI-DSS Level 1 compliance through Stripe for all payment-card data.
• Tokenization — we never store raw card numbers or bank account numbers.
• Role-based access controls and least-privilege access for our personnel and Lyncspot's platform personnel.
• Multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts.
• Continuous monitoring, intrusion detection, and regular security audits performed at the ecosystem level by Lyncspot.
• Vendor due diligence on all subprocessors.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as needed to provide the Services, meet legal and tax obligations (typically 7 years for financial records in the U.S.), resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

10. International Data Transfers

GT Car Life is based in the United States and the Lyncspot ecosystem is hosted in the United States. If you access the Services from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to, processed, and stored in the U.S. and other jurisdictions where we and our service providers operate. For transfers from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.

11. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember preferences, measure usage, and improve the Services. You can control cookies through your browser settings and, where applicable, through our in-app cookie banner. Disabling some cookies may affect the functionality of the Services.

12. Children's Privacy

The Services are not directed to children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under that age. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact privacy@gtcarlife.com and we will promptly delete it.

13. Refund & Cancellation Policy

13.1 Money-Back Guarantee

We stand behind the experience on GT Car Life. Eligible purchases — including digital products, subscriptions, memberships, and one-time services — come with a 14-day money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you may request a full refund within 14 days of the transaction by contacting support@gtcarlife.com or using the in-app refund form.

13.2 Subscription & Membership Cancellations

• You may cancel a recurring subscription or membership at any time from your account settings.
• Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period; you will continue to have access until that period ends.
• If you cancel within 14 days of the initial subscription start date and have not made substantial use of the subscription benefits, you may request a full refund.
• For annual subscriptions cancelled after the 14-day window, we will, at our discretion, offer a pro-rated refund for the unused portion (less any non-refundable platform fees).

13.3 Marketplace Purchases (Vendor Goods & Services)

Refunds for items purchased from a Vendor are governed primarily by the Vendor's published refund policy, which must comply with applicable consumer-protection laws. Where a Vendor does not publish a policy, the following applies by default:

• Digital goods and downloads (e.g., technical guides, factory documentation, downloadable photo packs): refundable within 7 days if not yet accessed or downloaded.
• Services and classes (e.g., track days, instructor sessions, expert consultations): refundable up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time.
• Physical goods (parts, accessories, memorabilia): refundable within 14 days of delivery if returned in original condition.
• Event tickets: refundable up to 7 days before the event date unless otherwise stated on the event listing.

13.4 How Refunds Are Processed

Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method through Stripe and typically appear within 5–10 business days. When a refund is issued, the Lyncspot ecosystem fee and GT Car Life marketplace fee associated with that transaction are also reversed proportionally.

14. Chargeback & Payment Disputes — Let's Work It Out First

We genuinely want every transaction to end well. If something doesn't feel right about a purchase, please reach out to us first at support@gtcarlife.com before filing a chargeback with your bank or card issuer. Most concerns — whether about a refund, a delivery issue, or an unexpected charge — can be resolved quickly and amicably through our support team, often within 1–3 business days.

Chargebacks are time-consuming and costly for everyone involved, including the Vendors who rely on this platform for their livelihood. Working with our support team directly is faster, friendlier, and usually leads to a better outcome for you. We'll do our best to make it right.

If a chargeback is filed and we determine it was made in error (for example, the buyer received what they purchased and didn't request a refund first), we may share supporting documentation with the card network through Lyncspot and Stripe. We reserve the right to recover associated chargeback fees from the disputed amount, but we always prefer the conversation over the dispute.

15. Dispute Resolution Process

If a disagreement arises between you and GT Car Life, or between a buyer and a Vendor on our marketplace, we follow a structured, good-faith process designed to resolve issues efficiently and fairly.

Step 1 — Direct Contact (Days 0–7)

Contact our support team at support@gtcarlife.com with a clear description of the issue, relevant transaction IDs, and any supporting screenshots or documents. We aim to acknowledge within 1 business day and provide an initial response within 3 business days.

Step 2 — Internal Mediation (Days 7–21)

If the issue isn't resolved through initial support, it is escalated to our Disputes & Trust team. For marketplace transactions, both buyer and Vendor are invited to share their perspective. The team reviews transaction records, communications, and policies, then issues a written determination within 14 days of escalation. Where appropriate, we may facilitate a partial or full refund, reissue a service, or take other corrective action. Where the issue involves underlying platform or payment infrastructure, we coordinate with Lyncspot and Stripe.

Step 3 — Formal Escalation (Days 21+)

If a party remains dissatisfied, the matter may be escalated to formal alternative dispute resolution. The parties agree to first attempt non-binding mediation administered by a neutral mediator (such as JAMS or the American Arbitration Association). If mediation does not resolve the matter within 60 days, the dispute may be submitted to binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, conducted in English, with the seat of arbitration in [GT Car Life's home jurisdiction, e.g., Wilmington, Delaware], unless otherwise required by mandatory consumer-protection law in your jurisdiction.

Class-Action Waiver & Exceptions

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to bring claims only in your individual capacity and not as part of a class or representative action. Nothing in this section prevents you from contacting a consumer-protection authority, filing a small-claims action in your local court, or exercising any non-waivable statutory right.

16. Prohibited Businesses & Compliance

Consistent with the Stripe Restricted Businesses list, Lyncspot's ecosystem policies, and applicable law, Vendors may not use the Services to offer or facilitate, among other things:

• Illegal goods or services, including controlled substances and unlicensed firearms.
• Adult content prohibited by Stripe.
• Counterfeit parts, unauthorized OEM-branded goods, or items that infringe automotive intellectual property.
• Stolen vehicles, vehicles with tampered VINs or odometers, or vehicles being sold without proper title.
• Salvaged parts misrepresented as new or OEM, or safety-critical components (e.g., airbags, brake systems) without proper certification.
• Multi-level marketing schemes, pyramid schemes, or "get rich quick" offers.
• Gambling and lotteries (except where specifically licensed and pre-approved).
• Goods or services that infringe third-party rights or violate sanctions regimes (OFAC, UK HMT, EU).
• Hate speech, harassment, or content that promotes violence.

We monitor for compliance and reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate this section, in coordination with Lyncspot and Stripe.

17. Content Disclaimers

• User-generated content: Opinions, advice, build logs, technical commentary, and content posted by users (including Vendors and other members) are their own and do not reflect the views of GT Car Life or Lyncspot.
• No professional advice: Content on the platform — including automotive technical advice, restoration commentary, modification suggestions, investment opinions on collectible vehicles, financial guidance, or legal information — is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a qualified mechanic, technician, certified appraiser, financial advisor, or attorney before acting, particularly on safety-critical work, vehicle purchases, or valuations.
• Track days, driving experiences, and motorsport events: Participation involves inherent risk. GT Car Life is not a substitute for proper driver training, safety equipment, or licensed event organizers. Participation is at your own risk and may require execution of separate waivers with event providers.
• Manufacturer and dealer features: Where we feature content about manufacturers, models, or dealers, we are not their agent and any purchase or commitment is between you and that party.
• Third-party links: Links to third-party sites or services are provided for convenience. We do not endorse and are not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or terms.
• Earnings claims: Vendor earnings depend on many factors. Past or example earnings are not guarantees of future results.

18. Grant of Rights OPTIONAL — OPT-IN

By posting or uploading content to the Services, you grant GT Car Life and Lyncspot (solely in its role as ecosystem provider) a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, display, and distribute that content solely as necessary to operate the Services and make your content available to other members in the way you intend (for example, displaying your post in a feed, your build log in a community space, or your product listing in the marketplace).

We will not use your content for advertising, marketing, or promotional purposes outside the platform unless you have opted in via your account settings. You retain all ownership of your content, and the license terminates when you delete the content or close your account, except where retention is required by law or to complete pending transactions.

19. Compliance With Applicable Laws

GT Car Life is committed to complying with applicable laws, including but not limited to:

• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR.
• The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the CPRA.
• The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
• The CAN-SPAM Act and similar electronic-communication laws.
• U.S. federal and state consumer-protection statutes.
• Anti-money-laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) requirements, implemented through Stripe.
• Economic sanctions administered by OFAC, the EU, and the UK HMT.
• The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), through Stripe.
• The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act and applicable state lemon laws and consumer-protection statutes relevant to automotive goods.

Vendors are also responsible for complying with the laws of the jurisdictions in which they offer goods and services, including registering for and collecting any applicable sales, value-added, automotive excise, or other taxes, and complying with title-transfer, emissions, and safety requirements for any vehicle or part sold through the platform.

20. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we do, we will revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, for material changes, notify you by email or through an in-app notice at least 30 days before the change takes effect. Your continued use of the Services after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

21. Contact & Support

We're here to help. The fastest way to reach us is through the in-app support chat, but you can also contact us at: