Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety

What it reported doing in 2025

Highlights of legislative advocacycalifornia: cars successfully advocated for passage of landmark first-in-the-nation legislation, the California combating auto retail scams (cars) act (sb 766), which is projected to save California car buyers over $234 million each year in reduced search costs and another 8.5 million hours in time savings per year. In addition, the new law includes a new, unprecedented 3-day cooling off period, giving consumers and small business owners a new right to reject a used vehicle for any reason and obtain a refund without having to engage in litigation or arbitration.cars built and led the coalition that supported the law, and also wrote and negotiated legislative provisions, provided expert testimony at multiple legislative hearings, ensured that the voices of victims of auto scams were heard by legislators, participated in numerous meetings with legislators and legislative staffers, and generated widespread news coverage to raise awareness about the new law.cars successfully advocated against legislation (sb 791) that would have raised the cap on the amount car dealers are allowed to charge for a junk fee they call a "document processing fee," from $85 to $500. Cars led the effort to defeat the bill, saving California new car buyers - including small business owners - over $400 million each year, not counting sales of used vehicles.news - public educationcars repeatedly generated widespread news coverage about auto safety and affordability issues and also contributed to major investigative reports about auto sales, safety defects, auto lemons, safety recalls, fraud involving stolen vehicles, and lending scams.cars provided consumer information via the organization's website and videos that are accessible to the general public about how to avoid being victimized by illegal activities perpetrated by scofflaw auto dealers, manufacturers, lenders, and others who prey on consumers. One video has received more than 806,000 views.consumer assistancecars provided individual assistance to over 50 victims of unscrupulous auto manufacturers, car dealers, and lenders.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 82.5%; rating input score 82
• Program expense ratio: 91.2%; rating input score 91

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 9.6%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.25; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 69.4%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -0.5% per year; rating input score 0; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 25.8% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings