Automobile Scraper - Cars.com, Autotrader, Edmunds, TrueCar & CarMax

Scrape vehicle listings from 5 major automotive marketplaces: Cars.com, Autotrader, Edmunds, TrueCar, and CarMax. Extract pricing, mileage, VIN, dealer information, photos, and full vehicle specifications. One query searches all 5 sources simultaneously. Essential for dealerships, auto industry analytics, and market research.

Features

• Multi-Source Aggregation - One query searches Cars.com, Autotrader, Edmunds, TrueCar, and CarMax
• Vehicle Details - Make, model, year, trim, price, mileage, color, body type
• VIN Decoding - Free NHTSA API integration for full vehicle specifications
• Dealer Information - Dealer name, location, phone, distance
• Photo Extraction - Vehicle photos from all sources
• Advanced Filters - Filter by year range, price range, mileage, body type, fuel type, color
• Market Comparison - Same vehicle priced across multiple sources
• Anti-Detection - Residential proxies for reliable access
• No Login Required - Works with public listing data
• Demo Mode - Test with sample data before going live

Who Should Use This Actor?

Car Dealerships

Monitor competitor pricing in real-time. See how your inventory is priced relative to similar vehicles on Cars.com, Autotrader, and CarMax. Adjust pricing for faster turnover.

Auto Industry Analytics

Track inventory levels, pricing trends, days-on-market, and market supply/demand. Build reports on regional pricing differences and depreciation rates.

Arbitrage & Wholesalers

Find underpriced vehicles across marketplaces. Compare the same vehicle listed on multiple platforms to identify buying opportunities.

Auto Lending & Insurance

Assess fair market values for lending decisions and claims. VIN-level data provides accurate vehicle specifications for risk assessment.

App Developers

Build car shopping, comparison, or valuation apps using comprehensive multi-source vehicle data.

Market Research Firms

Analyze the used and new car market by make, model, region, and price point. Track inventory trends and pricing dynamics.

Quick Start

Demo Mode (Free Test)

{
  "demoMode": true
}

Search by Make and Model

{
  "searchQuery": "Toyota Camry",
  "yearMin": 2020,
  "yearMax": 2025,
  "maxResults": 50,
  "demoMode": false
}

Advanced Search with Filters

{
  "searchQuery": "Honda Civic",
  "yearMin": 2021,
  "yearMax": 2025,
  "priceMin": 15000,
  "priceMax": 30000,
  "mileageMax": 50000,
  "bodyType": "sedan",
  "fuelType": "gas",
  "zipCode": "75201",
  "radius": 50,
  "includeVinDecode": true,
  "maxResults": 100,
  "demoMode": false
}

Specific VIN Lookup

{
  "vinNumbers": ["1HGCV1F31LA012345", "JTDKN3DU5A0123456"],
  "includeVinDecode": true,
  "demoMode": false
}

Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
searchQuery	string	-	Make, model, or keyword (e.g., "Toyota Camry")
vinNumbers	array	-	Specific VINs to look up
yearMin	number	-	Minimum model year
yearMax	number	-	Maximum model year
priceMin	number	-	Minimum price filter
priceMax	number	-	Maximum price filter
mileageMax	number	-	Maximum mileage filter
bodyType	string	-	Body type: sedan, suv, truck, coupe, hatchback, van, wagon
fuelType	string	-	Fuel type: gas, diesel, electric, hybrid, plugin-hybrid
color	string	-	Exterior color filter
zipCode	string	-	Center point for location-based search
radius	number	50	Search radius in miles
includeVinDecode	boolean	false	Decode VIN via NHTSA for full specs
includePhotos	boolean	true	Extract vehicle photos
maxResults	number	50	Maximum vehicles to scrape
proxyConfiguration	object	Residential	Proxy settings
demoMode	boolean	true	Return sample data for testing
webhookUrl	string	-	Webhook URL for results delivery

Output Format

{
  "vin": "1HGCV1F31LA012345",
  "year": 2023,
  "make": "Honda",
  "model": "Civic",
  "trim": "EX",
  "bodyType": "Sedan",
  "price": 24500,
  "mileage": 18200,
  "exteriorColor": "Crystal Black Pearl",
  "interiorColor": "Black",
  "fuelType": "Gasoline",
  "engine": "1.5L Turbo 4-Cylinder",
  "transmission": "CVT",
  "drivetrain": "FWD",
  "source": "Cars.com",
  "listingUrl": "https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/...",
  "dealer": {
    "name": "Dallas Honda",
    "location": "Dallas, TX",
    "phone": "(214) 555-1234",
    "distance": "12 miles"
  },
  "photos": [
    "https://listings-prod.tcimg.net/listings/..."
  ],
  "vinDecoded": {
    "manufacturer": "Honda",
    "plantCountry": "United States",
    "vehicleType": "Passenger Car",
    "doors": 4,
    "displacement": "1.5L",
    "cylinders": 4,
    "fuelInjection": "Direct Injection",
    "turbo": true
  },
  "scrapedAt": "2026-01-28T10:30:00.000Z"
}

Pricing (Pay-Per-Event)

Event	Description	Price
vehicle_scraped	Per vehicle listing scraped	$0.02
vin_decoded	Per VIN decoded via NHTSA	$0.01

Example costs:

• 50 vehicles: 50 x $0.02 = $1.00
• 100 vehicles with VIN decode: (100 x $0.02) + (100 x $0.01) = $3.00
• 200 vehicles (no VIN decode): 200 x $0.02 = $4.00
• Demo mode: $0.00

Supported Sources

Source	Data Available
Cars.com	Listings, prices, dealer info, photos, specs
Autotrader	Listings, prices, dealer info, photos, history
Edmunds	Listings, prices, True Market Value, reviews
TrueCar	Price estimates, dealer pricing, market data
CarMax	Inventory, no-haggle pricing, vehicle history

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Competitive Pricing Analysis

{
  "searchQuery": "Toyota RAV4",
  "yearMin": 2022,
  "yearMax": 2025,
  "zipCode": "90210",
  "radius": 100,
  "maxResults": 200,
  "demoMode": false
}

Compare RAV4 pricing across all 5 marketplaces in your area.

Scenario 2: Inventory Arbitrage

{
  "searchQuery": "BMW 3 Series",
  "yearMin": 2020,
  "priceMax": 25000,
  "mileageMax": 40000,
  "maxResults": 100,
  "demoMode": false
}

Find underpriced vehicles for resale opportunities.

Scenario 3: Market Trend Analysis

{
  "searchQuery": "Tesla Model 3",
  "yearMin": 2019,
  "yearMax": 2025,
  "maxResults": 500,
  "includeVinDecode": true,
  "demoMode": false
}

Track EV pricing and depreciation trends over time.

Webhook & Automation Integration

Zapier / Make.com / n8n

1. Create a webhook trigger in your automation platform
2. Copy the webhook URL to webhookUrl
3. Route results to Google Sheets, CRM, Airtable, etc.

Popular automations:

• Vehicle data -> Google Sheets (inventory tracking)
• Underpriced vehicles -> Slack alert (arbitrage alerts)
• Price changes -> Email notification (competitive monitoring)

Apify Scheduled Runs

Schedule daily runs to track inventory and pricing changes.

FAQ

Q: Do I need accounts on these car sites?

A: No. This scraper uses public listing data. No login required for any marketplace.

Q: What is VIN decoding?

A: VIN decoding extracts vehicle specifications (engine, transmission, safety features, etc.) from the 17-character Vehicle Identification Number using the free NHTSA API.

Q: Can I search by ZIP code?

A: Yes. Provide a zipCode and radius to search for vehicles near a specific location.

Q: How often is inventory data updated?

A: Listings change frequently. Schedule daily runs to catch new listings, price changes, and sold vehicles.

Q: Can I search for electric vehicles specifically?

A: Yes. Set fuelType: "electric" to filter for EVs only. Also supports hybrid and plug-in hybrid.

Common Problems & Solutions

"No vehicles found"

• Check make/model spelling
• Try broader search terms or remove filters
• Some combinations may have limited inventory

"Rate limited"

• Wait 10-15 minutes between runs
• Reduce maxResults
• Use residential proxies (default)

"Demo data showing"

• Set demoMode: false - no account required

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📞 Support

• Actor Arsenal: Full Actor Catalog
• Developer: John Rippy

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Built by John Rippy | Actor Arsenal