Privacy Policy

Look, we're Pyrelith Bastion Auto Service - just a shop in Vancouver that works on cars. Been doing European and domestic restorations for years now, and honestly, we don't collect much data 'cause we're not some big tech company. We're mechanics.

This policy covers what happens when you call us, email us, visit our shop, or use our website. Pretty straightforward stuff - no weird corporate jargon here. If you give us your info to book an appointment or get a quote, we'll tell you exactly what we do with it.

Our shop's at 1847 Industrial Way, Unit 12, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Y4 if you ever wanna come talk to us face-to-face about any of this.

We're not gonna beat around the bush here - we collect what we need to fix your car and keep in touch. That's it. Here's the breakdown:

• Contact stuff: Your name, phone number, email address. Basic things so we can call you when your ride's ready.
• Vehicle details: Make, model, year, VIN number, service history. Can't diagnose an issue without knowing what we're working with.
• Payment info: Credit card details get processed through our payment provider - we don't actually store that stuff on our end.
• Service records: What we did to your car, parts we used, recommendations we made. Helps us track warranty work and remember what your vehicle needs.
• Website stuff: If you fill out a contact form or request a quote online, we get that info. Our server logs basic things like IP addresses, but we're not analyzing your browsing habits or anything creepy.

We're not collecting anything weird or unnecessary. If we ask for it, there's a good reason related to fixing your car.

So here's what happens with your data once we've got it:

• Getting work done: We use your contact info to schedule appointments, give you updates, and let you know when your car's ready. Vehicle info goes toward diagnostics and repairs.
• Keeping records: Service history stays in our system so next time you come in, we remember what's been done. Saves time and helps us spot recurring issues.
• Billing & invoices: Gotta process payments and send receipts. That's just business basics.
• Following up: Sometimes we'll reach out about warranty work, recalls, or maintenance reminders. If your car needs attention, we wanna let you know.
• Improving our service: We might look at service patterns to figure out what parts to keep in stock or which services are most popular. Nothing invasive, just shop management.

We're not selling your info to marketers or spamming you with junk. Everything we do with your data is tied to getting your vehicle sorted.

Your information mostly stays with us, but there are a few situations where we gotta share it:

• Payment processors: When you pay by card, that goes through a third-party payment system. They've got their own security protocols - we don't see or store your full card details.
• Parts suppliers: If we need to order specific parts for your vehicle, we might share your VIN or vehicle specs. That's just to make sure we get the right components.
• Warranty companies: If you've got warranty work, we'll share service records with the warranty provider. That's how claims get processed.
• Legal requirements: If the law says we gotta hand over information - like for safety recalls or legal investigations - we'll comply. Don't have much choice there.
• Our team: Obviously the folks working here have access to customer records. They're trained on keeping things confidential.

We're not handing your data to random companies or selling contact lists. If someone gets your info from us, there's a legitimate reason tied to your service.

Security's important, even for a small shop like ours. Here's what we do to keep your data safe:

• Physical records (paper files, old invoices) are locked up when we're closed. Only staff members have access.
• Digital records are password-protected and stored on secure systems. We don't leave computers unlocked or share passwords.
• Our website uses SSL encryption - that's the little padlock in your browser. Keeps forms and communications secure.
• Payment processing goes through PCI-compliant systems. We're not handling raw credit card data on our end.
• We regularly update software and systems to patch security vulnerabilities. Can't afford to get sloppy with that stuff.

No system's 100% bulletproof, but we take reasonable precautions. If there's ever a data breach, we'll notify affected customers right away and work with authorities to sort it out.

Your data, your rules. Here's what you can do:

• Access your info: Wanna see what we've got on file for you? Just ask. We'll show you your records.
• Update or correct: If something's wrong - phone number changed, new address, whatever - let us know and we'll fix it.
• Request deletion: If you want us to delete your information, we can do that. Just know we might need to keep certain records for legal or warranty purposes.
• Opt out of communications: Don't wanna get maintenance reminders or follow-up calls? Tell us and we'll stop. You'll still get essential stuff like "your car's ready" messages though.
• Withdraw consent: If you gave us permission to use your data for something specific and changed your mind, that's fine. Let us know.

To exercise any of these rights, just call us at (604) 555-8742 or email info@pyrelithbastion.info. We'll get it sorted within a reasonable timeframe - usually a week or two depending on what you're asking for.

Our website's pretty basic, so we're not doing heavy tracking. Here's what happens when you visit:

• Essential cookies: These keep the site functioning - remembering form data, maintaining sessions, that sort of thing. They're necessary for the website to work.
• Analytics: We use basic analytics to see how many people visit, which pages are popular, stuff like that. Helps us figure out if the site's actually useful or needs improvement.
• No advertising trackers: We're not using those creepy retargeting pixels or selling your browsing data to advertisers. That's not our game.

Most browsers let you block or delete cookies if you want. Just know that some parts of the site might not work as smoothly without them.

We don't keep stuff forever, but we do hang onto records for a while. Here's generally how long:

• Service records: Usually 7-10 years. This helps with warranty claims, tracking vehicle history, and legal requirements around auto repair documentation.
• Financial records: Tax law requires we keep invoices and payment records for at least 7 years. After that, they get purged.
• Contact information: As long as you're an active customer or until you ask us to delete it. If we haven't seen you in 10+ years and you haven't responded to any outreach, we'll likely remove your contact info.
• Website inquiries: If you fill out a contact form but never become a customer, we'll keep that info for about a year, then delete it.

When it's time to get rid of data, we do it properly - shredding physical documents and securely wiping digital records. No point in keeping stuff lying around forever.

Sometimes our website might link to other sites - parts suppliers, manufacturer resources, mapping services, whatever. Just know that once you click away from our site, you're on their turf. We're not responsible for their privacy practices.

If we use third-party services (like payment processors or email providers), we try to pick ones with solid privacy policies. But it's worth reading their policies too if you're concerned about how they handle data.

We're not affiliated with or endorsing everything we link to - sometimes it's just helpful info for customers.

Our services aren't directed at children. We don't knowingly collect information from anyone under 13. If you're a parent and think your kid's info ended up in our system somehow, let us know and we'll delete it immediately.

Generally speaking, our customers are adults who own vehicles. If a minor's car needs work, we'd be dealing with a parent or guardian anyway.

We might update this privacy policy from time to time - usually if our business practices change or new laws come into effect. When we make changes, we'll update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.

For major changes that significantly affect how we handle your data, we'll try to notify customers directly via email or phone. Minor tweaks and clarifications will just get posted here.

Worth checking back occasionally if you're curious, but honestly, we're not planning to dramatically change how we operate. We've been doing things pretty much the same way for years.