Any verified owner can nominate their car during the first 7 days of the month; the community then votes for 14 days, and the winner is featured on the homepage and social channels for the following month. Voting is capped at one vote per verified account per day to limit brigading, and nominations require at least 3 photos and a 100-word write-up to qualify.
At a glance
| Phase | Window |
|---|---|
| Nominations open | Days 1-7 of the month |
| Voting window | Days 8-21 |
| Winner announced | Day 22-23 |
| Feature runs | Following calendar month |
| Vote limit | 1 per verified account per day |
Who can enter
Nominations are open to any owner with a Verified Owner badge on their profile — proof of ownership (registration, insurance doc, or dealership paperwork) is required once, at badge verification, not per entry. This keeps the pool to real owners rather than dealers reposting inventory.
What a qualifying nomination needs
- At least 3 original photos of the vehicle (stock photos or manufacturer press images are rejected).
- A 100-word-minimum write-up: what you drive it for, one thing you'd change, one story about it.
- Year, make, model, and trim confirmed against your Garage profile.
How voting and moderation work
Once nominations close, all qualifying entries go live on the Car of the Month gallery for a 14-day public vote. Each verified account gets one vote per calendar day, which can go to a different car each day if you like, but not multiple votes for the same car in one day. This throttling is specifically to reduce the effect of a single person or bot refreshing the page repeatedly.
| Safeguard | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Verified-owner-only nominations | Stops dealer/inventory spam entries |
| 1 vote/account/day cap | Limits vote brigading |
| Manual moderation pass on entries | Removes stock photos, duplicate entries |
| IP/device anomaly checks on voting | Flags scripted or bulk voting |
What the winner gets
The winning vehicle and owner story are featured on the True Motion Auto homepage carousel, the model's dedicated review hub, and the site's social accounts for the entire following month. The owner also gets a permanent "Car of the Month" badge on their profile and Garage page.
Votes from accounts created in the current voting window, or accounts without a completed Garage profile, are automatically excluded from the tally to deter last-minute vote-stuffing.
Common reasons an entry gets disqualified
- Photos pulled from a manufacturer press kit or another listing site.
- Write-up under the 100-word minimum or copy-pasted from a review elsewhere.
- Vehicle details that don't match the owner's Garage profile.
- Evidence of coordinated vote solicitation (e.g., paid vote requests posted publicly).
How to improve your odds
The entries that place highest consistently combine sharp, well-lit original photography with a specific, personal write-up rather than a generic spec list — voters respond to a real story, not a restated brochure.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a verified owner to nominate my car?
Can I vote for my own car?
How many times can I vote per day?
What does the winner receive?
Can a leased or financed car be nominated?
Sources & further reading
Figures, prices and policy details were current at the last-updated date above. Automotive pricing, incentives and regulations change frequently — verify time-sensitive details with the linked primary sources. Read our editorial policy and fact-checking standards.
