# PistonHeads Scraper — UK Used Cars, Prices & Specs (`hipersoft/pistonheads-scraper`) Actor

Scrape used cars for sale on PistonHeads UK: price, make, model, year, mileage, fuel, gearbox, body, colour, engine size, power, 0-62, owners, seller and dealer phone, location, photos and description. Filter by make, model, price, year. Export CSV/JSON.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/hipersoft/pistonheads-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [hiper soft](https://apify.com/hipersoft) (community)
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.0005 / car

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## PistonHeads Scraper: UK Used Cars with Prices, Specs and Dealer Details

**PistonHeads Scraper** extracts used car listings from **PistonHeads UK**, Britain's favourite marketplace for **performance, sports, classic and enthusiast cars** with **200,000+ cars for sale**. Search by **make, model, keyword, price, year, mileage, fuel type, gearbox, body type, colour, drive train, seller type and postcode**, and get for every car the **price, make, model, year, mileage, fuel, gearbox, body type, colour, engine size, power (bhp), torque, 0-62 mph, fuel economy, gears, doors, seats, drive train, engine layout, previous owners, registration, seller name, dealer phone, seller location, distance, listing date and full photo gallery**. Turn on **Full description** to also get the **seller's description** and **postcode district**. Export to **CSV, Excel or JSON**. Ideal for **car dealers, valuation and pricing models, automotive market research and classic car investors**.

### What does PistonHeads Scraper do?

- 🇬🇧 **UK used cars** from PistonHeads, the full catalogue of 200,000+ cars.
- 🏎️ **Make and model search**: Porsche 911, BMW M3, Ferrari, Land Rover Defender, Ford Focus RS…
- 🔎 **Keyword search**: manual, GT3, M Sport, Clubsport, convertible…
- 💷 **Price, year and mileage** filters.
- ⛽ **Fuel, gearbox, body type, colour and drive train** filters.
- 🏪 **Dealers or private sellers**, with dealer phone numbers.
- 📍 **Postcode and radius** search with distance to each car.
- ⚙️ **Full specs**: engine size, bhp, torque, 0-62 mph, mpg, gears, doors, seats, layout, aspiration.
- 👥 **Previous owners** and registration.
- 🖼️ **All photos** in full size.
- 📝 **Seller's description** (optional).
- ↕️ **Sort** by newest, price, mileage, year or distance.

### What data can you scrape from PistonHeads?

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Listing | ID, link, title, listing date, featured, badges |
| Car | Make, model, year, mileage, registration, previous owners |
| Price | Price (£), price on application, auction, plus VAT |
| Specs | Fuel, gearbox, body type, colour, engine size, bhp, torque, 0-62, mpg, gears, doors, seats |
| Drive | Drive train, engine layout, aspiration |
| Seller | Name, type (trade/private), location, dealer phone, online retailer, distance |
| Media | Main photo, full photo gallery, photo count |
| Text\* | Full description, postcode district |

\* With **Full description** turned on.

### Use cases for UK car data

- **Car dealers and traders**: source stock, monitor competitor dealers and benchmark your prices.
- **Valuation and pricing models**: build price-by-mileage and price-by-year curves for any model.
- **Classic and performance car investors**: track asking prices of collectible models over time.
- **Automotive market research**: measure supply by make, model, fuel type and region.
- **Lead generation**: compile UK dealers with phone numbers and locations.
- **Car buyers**: find the best-value example across the whole UK in one spreadsheet.

### How to scrape PistonHeads

1. Click **Try for free** to open PistonHeads Scraper in Apify Console.
2. Enter **makes**, optionally **models** and **keywords**.
3. Set any **price, year, mileage, fuel, gearbox or body** filters, or a **postcode** and radius.
4. Choose **Sort by**, set **Max cars** and click **Start**.
5. Download the cars as **CSV, Excel or JSON**.

### Input

#### Example input

```json
{
  "makes": ["Porsche"],
  "models": ["911", "Cayman"],
  "priceMax": 60000,
  "yearMin": 2005,
  "gearbox": ["manual"],
  "sortBy": "priceLowToHigh",
  "includeDetails": false,
  "maxItems": 500
}
```

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| **Makes** | Car makes; empty = all makes. |
| **Models** | Models of the chosen makes; "911" matches every 911 generation. |
| **Keywords** | One search per keyword. |
| **Minimum / Maximum price** | Asking price in £. |
| **Year from / to** | Registration year range. |
| **Maximum mileage** | Mileage limit in miles. |
| **Fuel types, Gearbox, Body types, Colours, Drive train** | Spec filters. |
| **Seller type** | Any, dealers or private sellers. |
| **Postcode, Distance** | Search around a UK postcode. |
| **Sort by** | Newest, relevance, price, mileage, year or distance. |
| **Full description** | Adds the seller's description and postcode district. |
| **Max cars** | Stop after this many (0 = no limit). |

### Output

#### Car example

```json
{
  "listingId": "21170277",
  "url": "https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21170277",
  "title": "2011 PORSCHE 987 CAYMAN R",
  "make": "Porsche",
  "model": "Cayman 987 [05-12]",
  "year": 2011,
  "price": 48995,
  "currency": "GBP",
  "priceOnApplication": false,
  "mileage": 30100,
  "fuelType": "Petrol",
  "gearbox": "Auto",
  "bodyType": "Coupe",
  "colour": "White",
  "engineSizeCc": 3436,
  "enginePowerBhp": 330,
  "torqueLbFt": 273,
  "acceleration0To62": 4.9,
  "fuelConsumptionMpg": 30.4,
  "gears": 7,
  "doors": 2,
  "seats": 2,
  "driveTrain": "Rear Wheel Drive",
  "engineLayout": "Mid Engined",
  "aspiration": "Normally Aspirated",
  "previousOwners": 2,
  "sellerName": "Paul Stephens",
  "sellerType": "Trade",
  "sellerLocation": "Halstead, United Kingdom",
  "listedAt": "2026-10-07T11:00:00Z",
  "imageUrl": "https://img.pistonheads.com/processed-advert-images/21170277/29613a22-c94a-4c1b-8874-08370493140d-DSC_0119.jpg",
  "photoCount": 5,
  "postcodeDistrict": "CO9",
  "description": "The Porsche 987 made its global appearance in September 2005…",
  "search": "all cars"
}
```

#### Output schema

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `listingId`, `url`, `title`, `listedAt`, `featured`, `badges` | mixed | Listing. |
| `make`, `model`, `year`, `mileage`, `registration`, `previousOwners` | mixed | Car. |
| `price`, `currency`, `priceOnApplication`, `auction`, `plusVat` | mixed | Price. |
| `fuelType`, `gearbox`, `bodyType`, `colour` | string | Main specs. |
| `engineSizeCc`, `enginePowerBhp`, `torqueLbFt`, `acceleration0To62`, `fuelConsumptionMpg` | number | Performance. |
| `gears`, `doors`, `seats`, `driveTrain`, `engineLayout`, `aspiration` | mixed | Build. |
| `sellerName`, `sellerType`, `sellerLocation`, `sellerPhone`, `sellerId`, `onlineRetailer`, `distanceMiles` | mixed | Seller (phone for dealers). |
| `imageUrl`, `images`, `photoCount` | mixed | Photos. |
| `description`, `postcodeDistrict` | string | With Full description. |
| `search`, `scrapedAt` | string | Source info. |

### How much does it cost?

PistonHeads Scraper uses **pay-per-car** pricing: a small fixed price per car, with automatic discounts on higher Apify plans. See the **Pricing** tab for the exact price.

### More car data

- [AutoScout24 Scraper](https://apify.com/hipersoft/autoscout24-scraper): European used cars.
- [Cars & Bids Scraper](https://apify.com/hipersoft/carsandbids-scraper): US enthusiast car auctions.
- [Arabam Scraper](https://apify.com/hipersoft/arabam-scraper): Turkish used cars.

### FAQ

**Can I scrape the whole PistonHeads catalogue?**
Yes. Leave all filters empty and set **Max cars** to 0 to collect all 200,000+ cars.

**Why is the price sometimes empty?**
Some sellers list cars as "price on application"; `priceOnApplication` is then true.

**Why is the seller phone empty for some cars?**
Phone numbers are included for dealers (trade sellers) only.

**How do I search near me?**
Enter your **Postcode** and a **Distance** in miles; each car gets `distanceMiles`.

**What formats can I export?**
CSV, Excel, JSON, XML, HTML and RSS, or read the results through the Apify API.

**Can I integrate PistonHeads Scraper with other apps?**
PistonHeads Scraper can be connected with almost any cloud service or web app thanks to [integrations on the Apify platform](https://apify.com/integrations). It works with [Make](https://apify.com/integrations/make), [Zapier](https://apify.com/integrations/zapier), [Slack](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/slack), [Airbyte](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/airbyte), [GitHub](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/github), [Google Drive](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/drive) and [many more](https://apify.com/integrations), plus the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2), JS/Python clients and MCP. Or use [webhooks](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/webhooks) to trigger an action whenever a run finishes.

**Is it legal to scrape PistonHeads?**
The scraper only collects publicly listed car adverts. You are responsible for using the data in line with PistonHeads' terms and UK GDPR.

### Related Actors

- [AutoScout24 Scraper](https://apify.com/hipersoft/autoscout24-scraper)
- [Cars & Bids Scraper](https://apify.com/hipersoft/carsandbids-scraper)

### Notes

Original clean-room implementation. Returns only public data. Not affiliated with PistonHeads.

# Actor input Schema

## `makes` (type: `array`):

Car makes, e.g. Porsche, BMW, Ford, Land Rover. Leave empty for all makes.

## `models` (type: `array`):

Optional models of the makes above, e.g. 911, Cayman, M3, Defender. "911" matches every 911 generation.

## `keywords` (type: `array`):

Optional keywords, e.g. manual, GT3, M Sport. Each keyword is a separate search.

## `priceMin` (type: `integer`):

Lowest asking price.

## `priceMax` (type: `integer`):

Highest asking price.

## `yearMin` (type: `integer`):

Oldest registration year.

## `yearMax` (type: `integer`):

Newest registration year.

## `mileageMax` (type: `integer`):

Highest mileage in miles.

## `fuelTypes` (type: `array`):

Only these fuel types.

## `gearbox` (type: `array`):

Only these gearbox types.

## `bodyTypes` (type: `array`):

Only these body types.

## `colours` (type: `array`):

Only these colours.

## `driveTrain` (type: `array`):

Only these drive trains.

## `sellerType` (type: `string`):

Dealers, private sellers or both.

## `postcode` (type: `string`):

Optional UK postcode to search around, e.g. SW1A 1AA. Adds the distance to each car.

## `distanceMiles` (type: `integer`):

Radius around the postcode. Leave empty for the whole UK.

## `sortBy` (type: `string`):

Order of results.

## `includeDetails` (type: `boolean`):

Also collect the seller's full description and postcode district. Slower.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Stop after this many cars. 0 means no limit (the full catalogue is 200,000+ cars).

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Not required for normal use.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "makes": [
    "Porsche"
  ],
  "sellerType": "any",
  "sortBy": "newest",
  "includeDetails": false,
  "maxItems": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

The results as dataset items.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "makes": [
        "Porsche"
    ],
    "maxItems": 50
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("hipersoft/pistonheads-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "makes": ["Porsche"],
    "maxItems": 50,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("hipersoft/pistonheads-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "makes": [
    "Porsche"
  ],
  "maxItems": 50
}' |
apify call hipersoft/pistonheads-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,hipersoft/pistonheads-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/HdHpkCCEsyz5xECdU/builds/2HPItMKLf6gMe2plh/openapi.json