Is there room for a proper Trustpilot-for-cars?
Discussion
Hi all,
I’ve been working on a small side project for fun with my dad while I’m at university, and I’m curious what PH thinks about the idea behind it.
One thing I’ve always found difficult when researching cars is that information is either:
-Marketing material
-Influencer content (good but usually based on a short period of time e.g. car loaned for a few days)
-Or forum threads scattered all over the place
It feels like there’s no single place where you can get real-world owner opinions in a structured, comparable way, something closer to a “Trustpilot for cars”.
As a bit of a learning project, we’ve built a lightweight prototype where:
-Owners can leave short structured reviews
-YouTube reviews are also shown in one place
-The goal is eventually to combine expert opinions + owner experience
It’s purely a hobby project at this stage (completely free, no ads, not monetised) and I’m mainly trying to understand whether the concept itself is useful before putting more work into it.
So I’d love to get PH thoughts on a few questions:
1. Would a proper owner-review database actually be useful, or do people prefer forums?
2. What kind of owner info matters most: reliability? running costs? quirks? pros/cons?
3. Would you trust something like this if it grew, or is it an idea that sounds better than it works in practice?
I’m not trying to promote anything, genuinely just trying to validate whether it’s worth continuing. Happy to take honest PH feedback (brutal included).
Thanks!
I’ve been working on a small side project for fun with my dad while I’m at university, and I’m curious what PH thinks about the idea behind it.
One thing I’ve always found difficult when researching cars is that information is either:
-Marketing material
-Influencer content (good but usually based on a short period of time e.g. car loaned for a few days)
-Or forum threads scattered all over the place
It feels like there’s no single place where you can get real-world owner opinions in a structured, comparable way, something closer to a “Trustpilot for cars”.
As a bit of a learning project, we’ve built a lightweight prototype where:
-Owners can leave short structured reviews
-YouTube reviews are also shown in one place
-The goal is eventually to combine expert opinions + owner experience
It’s purely a hobby project at this stage (completely free, no ads, not monetised) and I’m mainly trying to understand whether the concept itself is useful before putting more work into it.
So I’d love to get PH thoughts on a few questions:
1. Would a proper owner-review database actually be useful, or do people prefer forums?
2. What kind of owner info matters most: reliability? running costs? quirks? pros/cons?
3. Would you trust something like this if it grew, or is it an idea that sounds better than it works in practice?
I’m not trying to promote anything, genuinely just trying to validate whether it’s worth continuing. Happy to take honest PH feedback (brutal included).
Thanks!
It's a nice idea but it sounds a bit... old fashioned, at least in internet years.
People are slow to praise, quick to complain and don't like to feel like they made a mistake. So if someone doesn't do their due diligence and buys a rotter, blame will be apportioned to the dealer / manufacturer / neighbor's gatepost. Most will leave either a 1* or 5* review - see any Amazon product with a few thousand reviews. Nuance dies when browsers open, basically.
I'd also be concerned that a well crafted AI prompt can do what you describe without needing another login, bookmark etc - at least in terms of social listening, trawling video transcriptions, aggregating sentiment on reddit / Facebook groups / forums etc and creating a blended summary of information, dumping a response out with a few popular YouTube links etc. So what's the attraction / USP? I think you may get lost in the no man's land between big websites, niche websites, and AI utility.
I'd also say forums / subreddits / Facebook groups work because there's interaction. I don't care what Bob thinks of his 5 series, nor what he thinks of my car, I don't want to waste time writing letters to the void with no response, so once I've left my review, what am I returning for in terms of engagement / retention?
People are slow to praise, quick to complain and don't like to feel like they made a mistake. So if someone doesn't do their due diligence and buys a rotter, blame will be apportioned to the dealer / manufacturer / neighbor's gatepost. Most will leave either a 1* or 5* review - see any Amazon product with a few thousand reviews. Nuance dies when browsers open, basically.
I'd also be concerned that a well crafted AI prompt can do what you describe without needing another login, bookmark etc - at least in terms of social listening, trawling video transcriptions, aggregating sentiment on reddit / Facebook groups / forums etc and creating a blended summary of information, dumping a response out with a few popular YouTube links etc. So what's the attraction / USP? I think you may get lost in the no man's land between big websites, niche websites, and AI utility.
I'd also say forums / subreddits / Facebook groups work because there's interaction. I don't care what Bob thinks of his 5 series, nor what he thinks of my car, I don't want to waste time writing letters to the void with no response, so once I've left my review, what am I returning for in terms of engagement / retention?
Good that you are thinking along these lines. A problem for this is that drivers who post their experiences are either cross and disillusioned , or as happy as the proverbial Larry. It’s the same with reviews of hotels and restaurants in that consumers don’t tend to comment if their experience was just adequate. Also owners can be wedded to a particular marque and blind to anything else. The project looks worthwhile but will need much refining. With sites like Trusted Traders, many of the traders mates may comment favourably. Also there are some good garage sites into which one can subscribe.
mikef said:
If you're going to collate and publish negative reviews or allow user-generated critical content on a website that you operate, you are likely to need constant moderation, proper legal cover and deep pockets
I think Ian Hislop can help you with that one and don't forget Arkell v Pressdam.It might work. Parkers have done something similar (albeit very basic) for years, more features might make a difference.
The only feedback that comes to mind is that PH is probably a bad focus group as most here think they know best. A forum like Mumsnet might give a more balanced response.
One issue in play is that OEM's dont really make bad cars anymore, its down to features, price, image etc. And with a car purchase being so expensive, people will evaluate these criteria in person, before buying. Reliability data will always be interesting but JDPower seem to have that covered, at least at brand level.
The only feedback that comes to mind is that PH is probably a bad focus group as most here think they know best. A forum like Mumsnet might give a more balanced response.
One issue in play is that OEM's dont really make bad cars anymore, its down to features, price, image etc. And with a car purchase being so expensive, people will evaluate these criteria in person, before buying. Reliability data will always be interesting but JDPower seem to have that covered, at least at brand level.
Stu R said:
It's a nice idea but it sounds a bit... old fashioned, at least in internet years.
People are slow to praise, quick to complain and don't like to feel like they made a mistake. So if someone doesn't do their due diligence and buys a rotter, blame will be apportioned to the dealer / manufacturer / neighbor's gatepost. Most will leave either a 1* or 5* review - see any Amazon product with a few thousand reviews. Nuance dies when browsers open, basically.
I'd also be concerned that a well crafted AI prompt can do what you describe without needing another login, bookmark etc - at least in terms of social listening, trawling video transcriptions, aggregating sentiment on reddit / Facebook groups / forums etc and creating a blended summary of information, dumping a response out with a few popular YouTube links etc. So what's the attraction / USP? I think you may get lost in the no man's land between big websites, niche websites, and AI utility.
I'd also say forums / subreddits / Facebook groups work because there's interaction. I don't care what Bob thinks of his 5 series, nor what he thinks of my car, I don't want to waste time writing letters to the void with no response, so once I've left my review, what am I returning for in terms of engagement / retention?
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback, all fair points.People are slow to praise, quick to complain and don't like to feel like they made a mistake. So if someone doesn't do their due diligence and buys a rotter, blame will be apportioned to the dealer / manufacturer / neighbor's gatepost. Most will leave either a 1* or 5* review - see any Amazon product with a few thousand reviews. Nuance dies when browsers open, basically.
I'd also be concerned that a well crafted AI prompt can do what you describe without needing another login, bookmark etc - at least in terms of social listening, trawling video transcriptions, aggregating sentiment on reddit / Facebook groups / forums etc and creating a blended summary of information, dumping a response out with a few popular YouTube links etc. So what's the attraction / USP? I think you may get lost in the no man's land between big websites, niche websites, and AI utility.
I'd also say forums / subreddits / Facebook groups work because there's interaction. I don't care what Bob thinks of his 5 series, nor what he thinks of my car, I don't want to waste time writing letters to the void with no response, so once I've left my review, what am I returning for in terms of engagement / retention?
I agree reviews are hard to get right. People tend to leave either 1★ or 5★ ratings, so nuance only really appears in the averages once there’s enough volume. That’s definitely a challenge early on.
The main element of the website is an AI-powered quiz where users input things like budget, transmission, use case, features and even free-text requirements and are then given tailored suggestions. This has been working well and consistently gives personalised recommendations for people who don’t know where to begin.
We could extend the AI capability to the review hub as I agree a good prompt can already summarise a lot. It could provide a sentiment score /100 and some of the major benefits/drawbacks it found when searching the internet. We could bring three things together in one place: YouTube critic reviews (we already have), real owner opinions (build over time), and an AI-generated sentiment summary from wider discussions. The AI layer could be there to add value before review volume builds.
I also take your point on engagement/retention. Forums work because of interaction, and Autexa isn’t trying to replace that, it’s more a research tool for all (non enthusiasts especially) providing quick and personal recommendations and then reviews to support.
Thanks again for your feedback!
Lester H said:
Good that you are thinking along these lines. A problem for this is that drivers who post their experiences are either cross and disillusioned , or as happy as the proverbial Larry. It s the same with reviews of hotels and restaurants in that consumers don t tend to comment if their experience was just adequate. Also owners can be wedded to a particular marque and blind to anything else. The project looks worthwhile but will need much refining. With sites like Trusted Traders, many of the traders mates may comment favourably. Also there are some good garage sites into which one can subscribe.
Thanks, that’s a really fair observation.I agree, owner reviews do tend to skew towards extremes, and brand loyalty can definitely cloud judgement. I think the way we can mitigate this at least a little is through the combination of feedback and not relying on any single source. The idea is to combine owner feedback over time with professional reviews (Youtubers) and wider sentiment (AI generated), so individual bias matters less as volume builds.
It’s very much a work in progress and I agree it will need refining. Feedback like this is genuinely appreciated. Thank you!
Inbox said:
Don't forget to request a review on the level of upselling and far this was pushed as part of the service experience.
I think cars themselves are well covered, things like garages and dealers need a light to be shone on them.
Thank you for the feedback.I think cars themselves are well covered, things like garages and dealers need a light to be shone on them.
The service experience often matters just as much as the car itself, and things like upselling pressure are rarely captured well. Shining a light on dealers and garages is an interesting angle and something I’ll definitely keep in mind as the platform evolves.
Thanks again!
Check out https://www.carblah.com/
carblah website said:
Welcome to the home of real reviews of real cars by real people
The best test of any car is real life – and the best reviewer is you. carblah is the home of honest, transparent car reviews made by real drivers - just like you
The best test of any car is real life – and the best reviewer is you. carblah is the home of honest, transparent car reviews made by real drivers - just like you
mikef said:
If you're going to collate and publish negative reviews or allow user-generated critical content on a website that you operate, you are likely to need constant moderation, proper legal cover and deep pockets
Great point thank you.The reviews are currently submitted through a structured template rather than open free text. It helps keep things consistent and reduces moderation and legal risk. It’s still something that needs careful consideration long term, as I’d want to avoid creating issues around defamation or unverifiable claims.
Thanks again!
Jag_NE said:
It might work. Parkers have done something similar (albeit very basic) for years, more features might make a difference.
The only feedback that comes to mind is that PH is probably a bad focus group as most here think they know best. A forum like Mumsnet might give a more balanced response.
One issue in play is that OEM's dont really make bad cars anymore, its down to features, price, image etc. And with a car purchase being so expensive, people will evaluate these criteria in person, before buying. Reliability data will always be interesting but JDPower seem to have that covered, at least at brand level.
Great feedback, thank you.The only feedback that comes to mind is that PH is probably a bad focus group as most here think they know best. A forum like Mumsnet might give a more balanced response.
One issue in play is that OEM's dont really make bad cars anymore, its down to features, price, image etc. And with a car purchase being so expensive, people will evaluate these criteria in person, before buying. Reliability data will always be interesting but JDPower seem to have that covered, at least at brand level.
Parkers was definitely one of the references, and the feeling was that the concept could be taken further and made more personalised. I also completely agree that PH probably isn’t the ideal target user. Enthusiasts tend to enjoy deep research and already have the knowledge and networks to lean on.
The main focus of Autexa is actually the quiz, aimed much more at non-enthusiasts. It’s AI powered, designed to give people a personalised recommendations based on things like budget, use case, features and priorities, to act as a starting point.
The hope is that the platform acts as a solid research layer. Not replacing in-person evaluation, but helping narrow the field and highlight trade-offs in a way that’s quicker and easier for people who find car buying overwhelming.
Thanks again!
jeremyc said:
Check out https://www.carblah.com/
Thanks for sharing that, I hadn’t come across it before. It looks like a really solid site.carblah website said:
Welcome to the home of real reviews of real cars by real people
The best test of any car is real life and the best reviewer is you. carblah is the home of honest, transparent car reviews made by real drivers - just like you
The best test of any car is real life and the best reviewer is you. carblah is the home of honest, transparent car reviews made by real drivers - just like you
The aim with Autexa is to differentiate through the combination of our AI-powered quiz and a review hub in one place. The quiz lets users input things like budget, transmission, lifestyle and use case, key features, and even free-text requirements, then generates personalised recommendations with a clear explanation of why each car fits and what the trade-offs are.
The review hub then supports that with professional reviews and broader owner sentiment, so it works as a single, end-to-end research tool rather than separate steps.
Appreciate you pointing it out, it’s helpful to see what else is out there
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