# Carwow UK Used Car Scraper (`miladamirzadeh/carwow-scraper`) Actor Fast and lightweight scraper for Carwow UK used cars. Uses fast techniques to bypass protections and extract clean data (Price, Year, Mileage). - **URL**: https://apify.com/miladamirzadeh/carwow-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Milad Amirzadeh](https://apify.com/miladamirzadeh) (community) - **Categories:** E-commerce, Travel, Automation - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $2.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows. 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. Actors are written with capital "A". ## 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. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. - **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use). - **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`. - **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`. - **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`. - **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Carwow UK Scraper | Enterprise-Grade Vehicle Data Extractor An industrial-strength scraper designed to extract pristine, database-ready vehicle listings from [Carwow UK](https://www.carwow.co.uk). Built for dealerships, market analysts, and BI teams who need reliable data without the headache of dirty JSONs, duplicate listings, or WAF blocks. ### Why Choose This Scraper? Unlike basic scrapers that break on dynamic UIs or return messy text, this Actor is engineered for **Data Quality** and **Resilience**. It bypasses expensive headless browsers by directly reverse-engineering Carwow UK's Hotwire/Turbo-Frame architecture, making it incredibly fast and cost-effective. #### Key Features & Technical Superiority - **Smart EV Handling:** Flawlessly differentiates between ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and EVs. Returns exact engine sizes (e.g., `2.0L`) for petrol/diesel, and intelligently sets `engine_size: null` for electric vehicles to keep your database clean. - **Anti-Ghosting (VRM Deduplication):** Dealerships often post the same physical car multiple times. This scraper uses VRMs (License Plates) as the ultimate source of truth to drop duplicate ghost listings. - **Make/Model Decoupling:** Uses longest-prefix matching to accurately split complex slugs (e.g., `land-rover-range-rover-evoque`) into structured data. - **Dynamic Body Type Normalization:** Fixes frontend dealership typos automatically (e.g., mapping misclassified SUVs back to their correct category). - **WAF/Anti-Bot Resilience:** Utilizes advanced techniques and strictly enforces Residential Proxies to minimize 429 Too Many Requests errors. *** ### Operating Modes: Fast vs. Deep Scan To help you optimize your Apify proxy costs, this scraper offers two distinct operational modes: 1. **Fast Mode (Shallow Crawl):** \* **Best for:** Price monitoring, inventory discovery, and market trends. - **How it works:** Extracts data strictly from the Product Listing Page (PLP) payload. Skips extra HTTP requests. - **Output:** Captures core specs (Price, Year, Mileage, Make, Fast Specs, Cover Image). 2. **Deep Mode (VDP Crawl):** \* **Best for:** Deep valuations, option lists, and building full catalogs. - **How it works:** Navigates into each Vehicle Detail Page (VDP) with exponential backoff. - **Output:** Includes everything in Fast Mode, PLUS exact License Plates (VRM), Dealership Names, top 50 filtered feature options, and full high-res 20-image galleries. *** ### Ideal Use Cases - **Dealerships:** Track competitor pricing and inventory turnover in real-time. - **Automotive Pricing Engines:** Feed clean, normalized JSONs directly into your valuation algorithms. - **Insurance & Finance:** Monitor market values for specific model years and trims. *** ### Input Configuration This Actor is highly customizable. Here are the primary input parameters: | Parameter | Type | Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | `makes` | Array | List of target brands/models (e.g., `["volkswagen golf", "tesla model y"]`). | | `max_items` | Integer | Maximum number of cars to scrape across all brands. | | `deep_mode` | Boolean | Toggle between Deep VDP scanning (`true`) or Fast PLP scanning (`false`). | | `condition` | String | Filter by `used`, `new`, or `all`. | | `min_year` / `max_year` | Integer | Set the manufacturing year boundaries. | | `proxyConfiguration` | Object | **Residential Proxies are highly recommended** for stability. | *** ### Sample Output (Pristine JSON) The output is strongly typed and normalized, ready for immediate SQL/NoSQL ingestion: ```json { "id": "2f23112c9c4b71d61aec4b9a86cf5ba1", "url": "[https://quotes.carwow.co.uk/deals/](https://quotes.carwow.co.uk/deals/)...", "title": "Tesla Model Y", "price": 31705, "currency": "GBP", "year": 2022, "mileage": 20282, "color": "Multi coat - pearl white", "transmission": "Automatic", "fuel_type": "Electric", "engine_size": null, "body_type": "SUV", "registration_plate": "WM72COH", "full_options": [ "15\" Touchscreen display", "Adaptive cruise control", "Lane departure warning system" ], "image_urls": [ "[https://carwow-uk-1.imgix.net/](https://carwow-uk-1.imgix.net/)..." ], "is_electric": true, "is_hybrid": false, "seller_name": "Premium EVs London", "is_new": false, "scraped_at": "2026-05-22T11:55:33Z", "is_detailed_scan": true } ``` ### Important Usage Notes & Best Practices 1. **Proxy Usage:** Carwow has strict Cloudflare protections. **You MUST use Apify Residential Proxies**. Datacenter proxies will likely result in empty datasets or blocked requests. 2. **Rate Limiting:** The scraper includes built-in dynamic delays and exponential backoffs. Please do not set the concurrency excessively high, as it may trigger WAF bans. A concurrency of `5-10` is the sweet spot. 3. **Data Completeness:** Unregistered (Brand New) cars naturally will not have a VRM or mileage. The scraper intelligently assigns `0` to mileage and `"NOT REGISTERED"` to the plate to prevent database null-pointer exceptions. # Actor input Schema ## `makes` (type: `array`): List of car makes to scrape (e.g., 'bmw', 'audi', 'mercedes'). ## `min_year` (type: `integer`): Filter results by minimum manufacture year (e.g., 2015). ## `max_year` (type: `integer`): Filter results by maximum manufacture year (e.g., 2026). ## `fuel_type` (type: `string`): Filter results by fuel type. Leave as 'Any' for all types. ## `transmission` (type: `string`): Filter results by transmission type. Leave as 'Any' for all types. ## `max_items` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of items to scrape. ## `deep_mode` (type: `boolean`): If enabled, extracts full options, plate, color and seller name. Recommended for accuracy. ## `perform_data_cleaning` (type: `boolean`): Enable Auto-Correction for misclassified body types (e.g., correcting Ioniq 5 or Qashqai from 'Hatchback' to 'SUV'). Highly recommended for professional databases. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): REQUIRED: This scraper requires Residential Proxies to bypass Carwow protection. ## Actor input object example ```json { "makes": [ "audi" ], "min_year": 2015, "max_year": 2026, "fuel_type": "", "transmission": "", "max_items": 10, "deep_mode": true, "perform_data_cleaning": true, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `dataset` (type: `string`): No description ## `defaultKeyValueStore` (type: `string`): No description # 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 '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = {}; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("miladamirzadeh/carwow-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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = {} # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("miladamirzadeh/carwow-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{}' | apify call miladamirzadeh/carwow-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=miladamirzadeh/carwow-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Carwow UK Used Car Scraper", "description": "Fast and lightweight scraper for Carwow UK used cars. Uses fast techniques to bypass protections and extract clean data (Price, Year, Mileage).", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "RguplUTJrMYT3gdPQ" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/miladamirzadeh~carwow-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-miladamirzadeh-carwow-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/miladamirzadeh~carwow-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-miladamirzadeh-carwow-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/miladamirzadeh~carwow-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-miladamirzadeh-carwow-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "makes", "proxyConfiguration" ], "properties": { "makes": { "title": "Car Makes", "type": "array", "description": "List of car makes to scrape (e.g., 'bmw', 'audi', 'mercedes').", "default": [ "audi" ], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "min_year": { "title": "Minimum Year", "minimum": 1900, "type": "integer", "description": "Filter results by minimum manufacture year (e.g., 2015).", "default": 2015 }, "max_year": { "title": "Maximum Year", "minimum": 1900, "type": "integer", "description": "Filter results by maximum manufacture year (e.g., 2026).", "default": 2026 }, "fuel_type": { "title": "Fuel Type", "enum": [ "", "diesel", "petrol", "hybrid", "electric" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter results by fuel type. Leave as 'Any' for all types.", "default": "" }, "transmission": { "title": "Transmission", "enum": [ "", "automatic", "manual" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter results by transmission type. Leave as 'Any' for all types.", "default": "" }, "max_items": { "title": "Max Items", "minimum": 1, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of items to scrape.", "default": 10 }, "deep_mode": { "title": "Deep Mode", "type": "boolean", "description": "If enabled, extracts full options, plate, color and seller name. Recommended for accuracy.", "default": true }, "perform_data_cleaning": { "title": "Smart Data Normalization", "type": "boolean", "description": "Enable Auto-Correction for misclassified body types (e.g., correcting Ioniq 5 or Qashqai from 'Hatchback' to 'SUV'). Highly recommended for professional databases.", "default": true }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy Configuration", "type": "object", "description": "REQUIRED: This scraper requires Residential Proxies to bypass Carwow protection.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```