How LaneFox Scores a Vehicle

LaneFox matches each vehicle on your auction run list against a curated database of manufacturer warranty extensions, customer satisfaction programs, and class-action settlements. Every vehicle gets scored on five factors and ranked A, B, C, or Pass — so you know which ones to verify before the auction and which ones to pass on.

The Five Factors

Every vehicle is evaluated against every program in the database. These five factors determine whether a vehicle matches a program and how strong that match is.

1Program Match

The vehicle's make, model, and model year must fall within the manufacturer's stated coverage window. A 2017 Forester won't match a program that only covers 2019–2023.

2Mileage

The vehicle must be at or below the program's mileage cap. Some programs — especially settlement agreements — have no mileage limit at all. Others are strict.

3Defect Signal

The announced fault code or defect description from the auction sheet must align with what the program actually covers. A P0741 torque converter code on a Honda matches a transmission program — it does not match an engine oil consumption program.

4Claim Path

Code Required programs need a confirmed fault code present at the time of claim. Goodwill Only programs are dealer-discretion — the manufacturer can approve or deny. Code Required claims are more predictable, so they score higher.

5Confidence Tier

Programs verified directly against NHTSA filings or official settlement documents carry full scoring weight. Programs that are credible but unconfirmed carry less weight — the database is honest about what it knows.

Priority Tiers

After scoring, each vehicle is assigned a priority tier. The tier tells you what to do with the vehicle before the auction.

Tier	What it means	What to do
A	Strong match across all five factors Verify via OEM hotline before it hits the block — high-confidence claim	Verify via OEM hotline before it hits the block — high-confidence claim
B	Good match, one factor weaker Worth verifying — likely claimable with documentation	Worth verifying — likely claimable with documentation
C	Partial match Watch list — useful if seller discloses more in the lane	Watch list — useful if seller discloses more in the lane
Pass	No active coverage found No known manufacturer program in database	No known manufacturer program in database

Confidence Tiers

Not every program in the database has the same evidentiary backing. LaneFox is transparent about this — programs are tagged with a confidence tier that affects their scoring weight. A Tier 3 program can never produce an A or B result on its own.

Confidence Tier	Source	Score impact
Tier 1 — Verified Active NHTSA filing or settlement site confirmed	Active NHTSA filing or settlement site confirmed	Full score weight
Tier 2 — Sourced Real campaign number, no live URL available	Real campaign number, no live URL available	Slight reduction
Tier 2 — Plausible Strong evidence, not yet confirmed	Strong evidence, not yet confirmed	Moderate reduction
Tier 3 — Unverified Goodwill-only, no published program	Goodwill-only, no published program	Cannot reach A or B priority

Worked Example

2019 Subaru Forester — Transmission Issue / CVT Announced

✓

Program Match: 2019 Forester falls within the Subaru CVT extended warranty coverage window.

✓

Mileage: Within grace period. Note: this grace period expires June 30, 2026. After that date, the standard mileage cap resumes.

✓

Defect Signal: Seller disclosed Transmission/CVT issue — defect class matches, but no fault code present. Code Required programs need a confirmed DTC for full confidence.

✓

Claim Path: Code Required — a fault code or documented CVT complaint is needed. More predictable than goodwill.

✓

Confidence Tier: Tier 1 Verified — sourced from active NHTSA filing.

Result: B-Priority

Verify via Subaru dealer before bidding. If the claim is open, estimated repair value is $4,000–$7,000. Use the Bid Math calculator in LaneFox to set your max bid based on your retail estimate and profit target.

Database updated weekly via NHTSA and settlement monitoring. 260+ active programs across Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Nissan, VW, and more.