Can I promote my car-related product or service here?
No. The rule named 'Self-Promotion and/or Spam' bans it outright and says to message the mods first if you have any doubt about your content.
Subreddit guides
r/Autos rules, stats, and what to post
A source-backed Rankhog guide to r/Autos: public rules, community context, posting fit, and startup-promotion risk before you publish.
By Anthony Riera, founder and operator of Rankhog.
Subreddit guides combine public Reddit source URLs, captured rules, visible verification dates, and Rankhog's account-safety workflow.
Current public stats
- Members
- 1,036,976
- Verified
- September 18, 2026
- Category
- Travel and rental car communities
Rules can change, so Rankhog keeps verification dates and the original public Reddit sources visible.
Rule summary
- Brand Wars / Brand Hate: Brand wars, brand hate or other manufacturer-related discrimination is not tolerated. This type of bickering never leads anywhere positive.
- Homophobia / Sexism / Racism: Homophobia, sexism, racism, or any other derogatory language will not be tolerated. You will be banned from the subreddit. This does not include swearing. Users are permitted to use any language they feel is appropriate, provided it doesn't fit into any of the categories specified above.
- Abusive Comments: Be respectful. We all started somewhere, and not everyone necessarily knows as much as you do. Be helpful and courteous to the new members of the community.
- Memes: Memes are banned in submissions. These submissions will be removed by the moderators. However, you *are* allowed to post memes in the comments section.
- Reposts and Deleting Posts: Duplicate posts are not allowed, Please use the subreddit search function to check if your link has already been posted. Do not delete your post.
- Self-Promotion and/or Spam: Self-Promotion and Spam are banned from this subreddit. **It's perfectly fine to be a redditor with a website, it's not okay to be a website with a reddit account.** What is self promotion? See [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/Autos/wiki/rules#wiki_self-promotion.2Fspam). We reserve the right to remove a post for any reason we see fit. If you have any doubts about the content you're posting, please message the mods first. No link spam or karma farming.
- Clickbait or Contextless Posts: If you are sharing something, tell us what it is in the title. If it’s an ID request, please state so in the title. “Check out this beauty,” does not cut it!
- Survey or poll: Most polls tend to be low effort posts with similarly low effort replies. Need responses for a survey? Try /r/samplesize.
- AI or rendered images: Users of this subreddit have indicated that they wish to see real cars or official concepts/renders. Images created by random entities are no longer allowed to reduce karma farming.
- Spotted: Spotted posts should go in /r/carspotting.
- Estimates: Looking for estimates for body or paint repairs? Check your regional subreddit for shop recommendations. Estimates are usually free.
Works well
- Share a clear photo of a real car with a title that says exactly what it is, like the make, model, and year.
- Ask for help identifying a car by stating 'ID request' in the title and describing what you see.
- Answer questions from new members respectfully and share what you know about cars.
- Post official concept images or renders from a manufacturer, since the rules allow official concepts.
- Message the moderators before posting anything that could be seen as promotional.
Avoid
- Posting memes as submissions. Memes are only allowed in comments.
- Sharing AI-generated or rendered images of cars.
- Deleting your post after submitting it.
- Posting photos of cars you spotted on the street.
- Asking for body or paint repair estimates.
- Running surveys or polls here.
What r/Autos Is For
This community is for anything and everything with four wheels. Based on the rules, people share photos of real cars, ask for help identifying vehicles, discuss manufacturers and models, and talk about car culture. The moderators want genuine participation from people who care about cars, not accounts that exist to drive traffic elsewhere.
Rules That Matter Before Posting
The rule named 'Self-Promotion and/or Spam' is the one that will make or break you. It says self-promotion and spam are banned, and it includes the line that it is fine to be a redditor with a website but not okay to be a website with a reddit account. The rule named 'Clickbait or Contextless Posts' matters because vague titles get removed. The rule named 'Reposts and Deleting Posts' means you should search before posting and never delete a post you submitted. The rule named 'Brand Wars / Brand Hate' keeps the tone civil, so any comparison content needs to stay neutral. The rule named 'AI or rendered images' blocks AI car art entirely. The rule named 'Survey or poll' sends surveys elsewhere. The rule named 'Spotted' redirects car spotting photos to another subreddit. The rule named 'Estimates' redirects repair estimate questions to regional subreddits.
What To Post
A good post here is a real photo of a real car with a clear, descriptive title that tells people exactly what they are looking at. If you are asking for help identifying a vehicle, say so directly in the title. If you want to share something from your automotive business, the only safe path is to message the moderators first and ask whether your content is acceptable. The community values people who are redditors first and happen to have a website or business, not the other way around. So the best approach is to participate as a genuine car enthusiast, answer questions, share knowledge, and build trust over a long time before ever mentioning anything you are connected to.
What To Avoid
Do not post memes as submissions, only in comments. Do not share AI-generated or rendered car images. Do not post spotted car photos, as those belong in /r/carspotting. Do not ask for repair or paint estimates. Do not run surveys or polls. Do not use clickbait or vague titles like 'check out this beauty.' Do not delete your post after submitting. Do not repost content that is already on the subreddit. Do not engage in brand wars or brand hate. Do not use homophobic, sexist, racist, or derogatory language. Do not be abusive or dismissive toward new members who may not know as much as you do.
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Common questions about r/Autos
Can I post a survey or poll to gather feedback?
No. The rule named 'Survey or poll' directs you to /r/samplesize instead.
Are AI-generated car images allowed?
No. The rule named 'AI or rendered images' says users want to see real cars or official concepts and renders only.
Can I post a photo of an interesting car I saw?
No. The rule named 'Spotted' says those posts should go in /r/carspotting.
Can I ask for repair or paint estimates here?
No. The rule named 'Estimates' tells you to check your regional subreddit for shop recommendations instead.