AutoTrader Vehicle Search

AutoTrader Vehicle Search is a United States Autotrader listings API for keyword and optional ZIP-radius discovery, publishing source-linked vehicle results in one normalized 35-field Dataset.

• US-only public market: the focused country input prevents accidental international routing.
• Automatic Autotrader US source lock: every focused run is restricted to the intended marketplace.
• Optional ZIP-radius request: a resolved US postal code applies a 50-mile Autotrader search radius.
• Verifiable output: each publishable record carries source attribution, with unsupported fields left empty.

Run a one-result test · View the API page

For a controlled first run, search Toyota Camry around 90001, set max_results to 1, and budget at most $0.01900 on the FREE tier for one result plus Actor Start. Open source_url before acting on a listing. Local Autotrader-only routing now passes; the Store/API destinations were not live on July 21, 2026 and remain a publication gate.

Why Choose This API

Focused Autotrader discovery

AutoTrader Vehicle Search sends a vehicle phrase to public Autotrader US inventory and publishes qualifying vehicle links. Search results can provide a source title, asking-price text, normalized numeric price, USD currency, country attribution, platform name, and direct vehicle URL. Other shared vehicle fields are populated only when the source response exposes values that can be verified.

The public schema restricts the country to the United States and does not expose a platform selector. The runtime resolves this Actor to Autotrader US before country and location checks, so input cannot broaden a run to any of the other compatible United States routes. Use All Vehicle Scraper when multi-source comparison is intentional.

Honest limits and provenance

The normalized Dataset is broader than an Autotrader search card. Fields such as VIN, mileage, dealer name, specifications, images, and dates can be empty. The Actor does not infer them from the keyword or from a different listing. Source links remain the authority for current price, availability, location, seller, and vehicle details.

This Actor is not affiliated with Autotrader. It is not a vehicle inspection, title report, valuation guarantee, dealer lead product, financing service, or private ownership database.

Quick Start Guide

Run one Los Angeles-area test

1. Open AutoTrader Vehicle Search.
2. Keep country as United States and enter Toyota Camry.
3. Optionally enter ZIP 90001.
4. Set max_results to 1, start the Actor, and confirm platform is Autotrader US before increasing volume.

Use this identical scenario for the Console and integrations:

{
  "country": "United States",
  "keyword": "Toyota Camry",
  "location": "90001",
  "max_results": 1
}

The keyword is used as submitted after trimming surrounding whitespace. A location must resolve to a US ZIP to affect Autotrader. Omit location for a nationwide search. max_results limits published records but cannot guarantee live inventory.

Input Parameters

Configuration fields

Parameter	Type	Required	Accepted value and behavior
country	string	Yes	United States, the only public market for this Actor.
keyword	string	Yes	Non-empty make, model, trim, or vehicle search phrase.
location	string	No	US city or ZIP. A resolved postal code applies a 50-mile source radius.
max_results	integer	Yes	1 to 10,000; maximum records returned by the source-locked Autotrader US run.

Country, keyword, and max results are required; location is optional and has no non-empty default. Source selection is absent because the focused runtime enforces Autotrader US and user input cannot override it.

Geographic semantics

Use a five-digit ZIP for predictable behavior. A city can be normalized to a postal code when available. If the location cannot supply a valid ZIP, Autotrader is rejected for that geographic request instead of silently labeling nationwide results as local.

Output Data Schema

Normalized vehicle columns

Each Dataset item follows 33 normalized vehicle fields plus processor and processed_at, for 35 fields total.

Field group	Fields
Listing identity	title, listing_id, vin, description
Images	main_image, images
Price	price, currency, price_text
Vehicle attributes	year, make, model, trim, condition, body_type, fuel, transmission, engine, drive_type, exterior_color, interior_color
Odometer	mileage, mileage_unit
Seller and geography	seller, seller_type, location, country, platform
Source and dates	source_url, platform_url, official_url, posted_at, updated_at
Processing	processor, processed_at

This abbreviated example shows the supported contract, not a current listing or a promise that every field appears:

{
  "title": "Used 2023 Toyota Camry SE",
  "price": 23580,
  "currency": "USD",
  "country": "United States",
  "platform": "Autotrader US",
  "source_url": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/example",
  "processor": "https://apify.com/username/actor_name",
  "processed_at": "2026-07-21T12:00:00Z"
}

Nullable fields are expected when the search result exposes limited detail. Datasets can be exported using formats documented by the current Dataset items API, including JSON, JSONL, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML, and RSS.

Integration Examples

REST API

The intended owner/name identifier is agentx/autotrader-vehicle-search. The public Store API returned 404 for that identifier on July 21, 2026. A numeric Actor ID, rating, user count, and historical run metrics are therefore omitted rather than copied from old online data.

After publication, the synchronous endpoint can return the controlled result directly:

curl -L "https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/agentx~autotrader-vehicle-search/run-sync-get-dataset-items?maxItems=1" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_TOKEN>" \
  -d '{
    "country": "United States",
    "keyword": "Toyota Camry",
    "location": "90001",
    "max_results": 1
  }'

Consult the official synchronous Actor endpoint for authentication, timeout, response, and charge-limit behavior.

MCP

Apify currently documents its hosted Streamable HTTP MCP service:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=actors,docs"
    }
  }
}

Once published, ask the MCP client to find agentx/autotrader-vehicle-search, inspect the input schema, run the one-result scenario, and retrieve the Dataset item. Autotrader US is selected automatically. Authentication is required to run Actors. See the Apify MCP documentation.

Automation tools

Apify schedules, webhooks, Make, n8n, and official client libraries can reuse the same four-field input. Scheduled runs remain source-locked to Autotrader US. Use the current Actor picker after publication and do not paste an unverified numeric ID.

Pricing & Cost Calculator

AutoTrader Vehicle Search uses pay-per-event pricing. Actor Start is charged when a run begins; one result event is charged for each record written to the default Dataset.

Billed event and tier	Price per event	Billing unit
Actor Start	$0.01000	One Actor run start.
Result - FREE	$0.00900	One published Dataset item.
Result - BRONZE	$0.00870	One published Dataset item.
Result - SILVER	$0.00840	One published Dataset item.
Result - GOLD	$0.00810	One published Dataset item.
Result - PLATINUM	$0.00810	One published Dataset item.
Result - DIAMOND	$0.00810	One published Dataset item.

On the FREE tier, one published record costs $0.01000 + $0.00900 = $0.01900. Actor Start can still be charged when no item is published. Each Autotrader US item written to the default Dataset creates one result event. Verify Store pricing after publication.

Use Cases & Applications

Search-result monitoring

Run a stable keyword and ZIP scenario on a schedule to collect source-linked inventory snapshots. Compare returned titles and prices while treating each value as a point-in-time listing observation.

Regional pricing research

Sample Autotrader results around different ZIP codes and review source pages for price, distance, condition, and seller context. The Actor does not provide an independent fair-value judgment.

Internal data workflows

Send Dataset items to a spreadsheet, database, dashboard, search index, or AI-assisted research pipeline. Preserve nullable fields and source provenance; do not let downstream automation manufacture missing vehicle facts.

Alternative approaches

Use All Vehicle Scraper when multi-source comparison is intentional. Browse Autotrader manually for a one-off buying decision that needs complete page context. Use an authorized native feed when contractual coverage or every platform-specific field is required.

FAQ

Which inputs are required?

country, keyword, and max_results are required. location is optional; no platform selector is exposed.

Can I select another United States marketplace?

No. This focused Actor is source-locked to Autotrader US. Use All Vehicle Scraper for another marketplace or multi-source United States research.

What does location do?

A valid resolved ZIP is sent to Autotrader with a 50-mile search radius. Omit it for nationwide results.

Why is an output record sparse?

Autotrader search results may expose only a title, price, and link. Other normalized fields remain empty rather than being inferred.

Does the result limit guarantee inventory?

No. max_results is a ceiling controlled by live source availability and qualifying unique links.

Can a listing disappear later?

Yes. Availability and price can change after collection. Rerun for current data and treat old output as historical.

Can I schedule this Actor?

Yes after publication. Scheduled inputs use the same four fields and remain source-locked to Autotrader US.

How is billing counted?

One result event is charged per Dataset item; Actor Start is separate.

Trust & Data Quality

• Direct provenance: publishable records use Autotrader vehicle URLs for review.
• Schema transparency: the shared 35-field contract makes nullability visible.
• Source-lock regression gate: a record attributed to another platform is treated as a defect.
• Freshness discipline: old online metrics are not presented as current Store proof.
• Conservative claims: no success rate, coverage guarantee, rating, or performance promise is invented.

For support, provide the run ID, exact input, expected platform, and one public source URL. Do not send API tokens, private data, or dealer credentials.

Legal & Compliance

AutoTrader Vehicle Search is intended for lawful analysis of publicly accessible listing information. Users are responsible for applicable laws, source terms, privacy requirements, intellectual-property rights, retention policies, and contractual restrictions. Do not use output for unlawful profiling, discrimination, fraud, unauthorized resale, or access to non-public information.

Independently verify vehicle condition, price, history, seller, and availability before financial, purchase, insurance, or safety decisions. The Actor does not certify listings.

Related Tools

Vehicle research

• All Vehicle Scraper supports deliberate multi-country and multi-source research.
• Cars Vehicle Search focuses on Cars.com inventory.
• Auto Trader UK Vehicle Search targets the separate UK source and runtime contract.

Enrichment and workflow tools

• Google Maps Store Scraper supports separate public dealer or business research.
• All Shopping Scraper supports retail comparison workflows.
• All Jobs Scraper supports multi-platform hiring data workflows.

These related project directories were verified locally. Recheck every Store link after publication.

Support & Community

• Store: AutoTrader Vehicle Search
• API: AutoTrader Vehicle Search API
• Official source: Autotrader Toyota Camry listings in Los Angeles
• Platform help: Apify documentation
• Community: Apify Actor Telegram
• Direct support: AiAgentApi support

Verified against local schemas, pricing metadata, source-lock regression evidence, and the current Autotrader surface on July 21, 2026. Local Autotrader US-only routing now passes; unresolved Store/API links remain a publication gate.

Run one source-controlled Autotrader test · Review the API page