Cardaps is a free Canadian vehicle intelligence platform. We aggregate data from Transport Canada, NRCan, NHTSA, SAAQ, and real dealer listings to provide safety recall checks, VIN decoding, fuel economy ratings, price estimations, and vehicle history reports - all in one place.

How do I check if my car has a recall in Canada?

Use our free Recall Check tool. Enter your VIN or select your make, model, and year. Cardaps searches both Transport Canada and NHTSA databases and shows all open recalls with severity ratings, affected components, and dealer repair instructions.

Is Cardaps free to use?

Yes - all core tools are 100% free: recall checks, VIN decoding, fuel economy ratings, price estimates, EV charging maps, and car loan calculators. Vehicle history reports require credits, available as single purchases or through dealer subscriptions.

How accurate are Cardaps car valuations?

Our AI scoring engine analyzes real Canadian dealer listings daily using 50+ data points including make, model, year, mileage, province, trim, condition, and current market demand. Valuations reflect actual Canadian asking prices, not US or wholesale book values.

Does Cardaps work for Quebec vehicles?

Absolutely. Cardaps integrates SAAQ data for Quebec, including inspection requirements, winter tire regulations, and provincial incentives. The entire platform is bilingual (English and French) and compliant with Bill 96.

How is Cardaps different from CARFAX or AutoTrader?

Cardaps combines free tools that competitors charge for: recall checks, VIN decoding, and fuel economy data from official Canadian government sources (NRCan, Transport Canada). We also provide AI-powered valuations, EV incentive calculators, and dealer profitability intelligence - features no single competitor offers together.

Does Cardaps share or sell my personal data?

No. Cardaps does not sell your personal data to advertisers, brokers, or third parties. We collect only what is needed to provide our free tools: VINs you decode, recall searches, and price estimates. Vehicle history reports involve sharing the VIN with our data providers (CARFAX, AutoCheck) for that specific lookup, but no personal information is sent. We are transparent about data sources and do not maintain hidden user profiles.

Can I use Cardaps as a dealer?

Yes. Cardaps offers a dedicated dealer platform with vehicle scoring, profit calculators, market intelligence, and inventory acquisition tools. Plans range from FREE (25 lookups/month, 0 credits) to ENTERPRISE ($999/mo with 30 credits, API access, and 5 user seats). Dealers can sign up at cardaps.ca/register?dealer=true. The first 25 vehicle lookups are free with no credit card required.

Is Cardaps available outside Canada?

Cardaps is built specifically for the Canadian market. Vehicle valuations use Canadian dealer listings (not US data), pricing is in CAD, fuel economy uses Canadian L/100km ratings (not US MPG), and recalls integrate Transport Canada plus NHTSA. International users can decode VINs and check NHTSA recalls, but valuations, fuel ratings, and dealer directory features are Canada-only. We currently cover all 13 provinces and territories.

What languages does Cardaps support?

Cardaps is fully bilingual: English and French. All tools, FAQ answers, vehicle data, and customer support are available in both languages. The French version is fully compliant with Quebec Bill 96 requirements and uses Canadian French (not European French). Language can be switched anywhere on the platform with the EN/FR toggle.

How accurate is Cardaps vehicle data?

Cardaps aggregates data from authoritative Canadian sources updated continuously. VIN decoding uses NHTSA vPIC data (98%+ accuracy on year/make/model/trim). Recalls come directly from Transport Canada and NHTSA databases. Fuel economy uses NRCan official ratings. Vehicle valuations have an average error rate of $1,900 across 200 benchmark tests, calibrated against real Canadian dealer asking prices (not wholesale or US book values).

How often is Cardaps data updated?

Different data types refresh at different cadences: Vehicle listings update daily (50,000+ active Canadian listings refreshed each night). Safety recalls sync every 24 hours from Transport Canada and NHTSA. Fuel economy ratings refresh from NRCan when new model years are released. Vehicle history reports are pulled in real-time when requested. Dealer information from Google Maps refreshes monthly. All data carries source attribution and last-updated timestamps.

VIN & HistoryMarch 9, 20267 min read

Rebuilt vs Salvage Title Canada — What Buyers Must Know

Cardaps Research Team

Salvage vs rebuilt title in Canada — what each means, impact on value and insurance — Title branding permanently reduces value by 30–50%

Quick Answer

Salvage = declared total loss by insurer (can't be driven). Rebuilt = previously salvage, repaired and passed provincial inspection (can be driven, permanently branded). Both reduce value 30–50%. Rebuilt vehicles may be uninsurable for collision/comprehensive. Always get full history report + independent inspection. Only consider if discount is 35%+ below market and damage was cosmetic only.

Part of our complete guide:

VIN Check Canada — Complete Guide →

Salvage vs Rebuilt — What Each Means

Salvage: Insurer declared total loss (repair cost >70–80% of value). Can't be driven — parts/scrap/rebuild only. Rebuilt: Previously salvage, repaired, passed provincial structural + safety inspection. Legal to drive. "Rebuilt" brand stays permanently. Irrepairable: Too damaged to ever rebuild. Parts only — can never be re-registered. Title Washing: Fraudulent practice — registering salvage vehicle in another province to get clean title. Vehicle history reports catch this across jurisdictions. Check with CARDAPS → IBC VIN Verify (total loss declarations) and full CARFAX/AutoCheck (title history across North America).

Should You Ever Buy a Rebuilt Vehicle?

Only if: discount is 35%+ below clean-title equivalent (use CARDAPS to verify), damage was cosmetic only (hail, minor panels — no structural), your insurer confirms they'll provide collision/comprehensive coverage, and you accept 30–50% reduction when you eventually resell. Never if: any structural/frame damage (welds never match factory quality), discount is only 15–20% (not enough compensation for risk), or you can't get full insurance coverage. Always: get full vehicle history report + independent structural inspection from a certified body shop.

Try It Free:

Check Vehicle Title History — CARDAPS

Also in this series:

Vehicle History — Free vs Paid Odometer Rollback

Frequently Asked Questions

Salvage = total loss, can't drive. Rebuilt = repaired and inspected, can drive but permanently branded. Both reduce value 30–50%.

Liability usually available. Collision/comprehensive may not be offered by all insurers. Always confirm before purchasing.

30–50% less than clean-title equivalent. The discount should be at least 35% to justify risks.

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Salvage vs Rebuilt — What Each Means

Should You Ever Buy a Rebuilt Vehicle?

Frequently Asked Questions

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