Cars & Bids Scraper

Pull live and completed car auctions from Cars & Bids at scale — current high bids, final sale prices, reserve status, decoded VIN specs, seller location, photo galleries, full bid ladders, and comment threads. Built for enthusiast-car dealers, collector-market analysts, valuation teams, and auction-alert builders who need structured Cars & Bids data without watching the site refresh all day.

Why This Scraper?

• Live bids and completed sale prices in one run — the current high bid and time remaining on auctions running right now, or the final price and outcome (sold, sold after auction, reserve not met, no bids, canceled) from an archive of roughly 39,000 finished auctions.
• The full bid ladder, not just the headline number — every individual bid with bidder name, amount, and timestamp, so you can reconstruct exactly how a price moved in the closing minutes.
• Comment threads with seller replies flagged — author, text, timestamp, upvote count, a seller flag, and who each reply answered, capped at 100 per auction by default so one 400-comment listing does not swamp your export.
• Decoded specs instead of a parsed title — VIN, engine, drivetrain, transmission plus gearbox detail, body style, exterior and interior colour, and title status straight from the listing record.
• A maximum-mileage limit the site itself does not offer — Cars & Bids has no odometer filter; set one here and listings are checked against their stated mileage as each page is read.
• No Reserve filtering that keeps your chosen sort order — combine No Reserve-only with lowest mileage, newest model year, or any other order instead of being forced into the site's own No Reserve view.
• Eight body styles and two transmissions, combinable with a model-year range — coupe, convertible, hatchback, sedan, SUV/crossover, truck, van/minivan, and wagon, each stackable with a year window and one of six sort orders.
• Six entry points, no link-building — the live homepage, the past-auctions archive, the featured and trending feeds, a plain-text make/model search, or a single auction URL. Filters already present in a pasted link are carried through untouched.
• Exact result counts — ask for 8 auctions and you get 8 rows, not a rounded-up page of 100, so small test runs stay cheap.

Use Cases

Collector Market Analysis

• Track realised sale prices by make, model, and model year across the completed archive
• Compare No Reserve results against reserve auctions in the same segment
• Measure how mileage and title status move final prices
• Build a price index for a nameplate from every auction it has appeared in

Dealer & Inventory Sourcing

• Watch live auctions for a target make and model with the current bid and time left
• Surface low-mileage examples under a set odometer ceiling
• Filter to manual-transmission cars in a specific model-year window
• Spot No Reserve listings likely to trade below market

Valuation & Appraisal

• Assemble comparable sales with VIN, mileage, colour, and title status attached
• Feed sold and sold-after-auction prices into pricing models
• Separate reserve-not-met outcomes from genuine sales so your comps stay clean
• Attach seller city, state, and country to spot regional price differences

Audience & Content Research

• Rank auctions by view count, watcher count, comment count, and bid count
• Pull full comment threads to study what enthusiasts flag on a given model
• Track which listings the featured and trending feeds promote
• Mine seller write-ups, highlights, modifications, and known flaws for editorial angles

Monitoring & Alerts

• Run a saved make/model search on a schedule and alert on new listings
• Watch a single auction URL for bid movement into the final hours
• Trigger a notification whenever a No Reserve example of your target car appears
• Feed new results straight into a spreadsheet, CRM, or dashboard

Getting Started

Browse Live Auctions

The simplest possible run — the auctions on right now:

{
    "maxResults": 50
}

Search by Make and Model

{
    "searchQueries": ["Porsche 911", "Toyota Land Cruiser"],
    "auctionStatus": "past",
    "maxResults": 200
}

Filtered Hunt for Low-Mileage Manuals

{
    "auctionStatus": "past",
    "bodyStyle": ["coupe", "wagon"],
    "transmission": "manual",
    "yearFrom": 1995,
    "yearTo": 2005,
    "maxMileage": 60000,
    "noReserveOnly": true,
    "sortBy": "lowest_mileage",
    "maxResults": 100
}

Everything Turned On

{
    "startUrls": [
        "https://carsandbids.com/past-auctions/",
        "https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3xN9qKmL/2018-porsche-911-gt3"
    ],
    "searchQueries": ["BMW M3"],
    "auctionStatus": "all",
    "sortBy": "newest",
    "maxResults": 500,
    "includeDetails": true,
    "includeBidHistory": true,
    "includeComments": true,
    "maxCommentsPerAuction": 50
}

Input Reference

What to Scrape

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
startUrls	array	[]	Cars & Bids links: the live homepage, /past-auctions/, the featured or trending pages, a search results page, or a single auction URL. Filters already in the link are kept. Single auction links always come back fully detailed.
searchQueries	array	[]	Plain-text searches such as "Porsche 911", "Toyota Land Cruiser", or just "BMW". Each one is run for you — no link building required.

Leave both empty to collect the auctions running right now.

Filters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
auctionStatus	string	"live"	live (Live auctions (running now)), past (Past auctions (completed results)), or all (Both live and past). Pasted links keep their own status.
bodyStyle	array	[] (all)	Any of coupe, convertible, hatchback, sedan, suv, truck, van, wagon — shown as Coupe, Convertible, Hatchback, Sedan, SUV / Crossover, Truck, Van / Minivan, Wagon. Each selection is collected separately and merged, so several styles take a little longer.
transmission	string	(both)	automatic (Automatic / automated) or manual (Manual (stick shift)).
noReserveOnly	boolean	false	Keep only No Reserve auctions — these sell to the highest bidder with no minimum price. Honoured alongside any sort order; on a non-default sort the check runs as pages are read, and the run stops early if 20 pages in a row contain no No Reserve auction.
yearFrom	integer	(none)	Only cars from this model year or newer.
yearTo	integer	(none)	Only cars from this model year or older.
maxMileage	integer	(none)	Only cars at or below this odometer reading in miles. Listings whose odometer is unreadable ("No Odometer", "N/A") are left out, and the run stops early if 20 pages in a row contain no match.
sortBy	string	"default"	default (Ending soonest (most recently ended for past auctions)), listed (Newly listed (live auctions only)), newest (Newest model year), oldest (Oldest model year), lowest_mileage (Lowest mileage), highest_mileage (Highest mileage).

Options

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
maxResults	integer	100	Maximum auctions across all links, searches, and pasted auction links. You get this number exactly when no mileage limit is running; with maxMileage (or No Reserve-only on a non-default sort) a run can finish up to one page — 100 auctions — over. 0 means unlimited.
includeDetails	boolean	false	Open each auction for the full write-up, every photo, decoded specs, seller name and type, highlights, equipment, modifications, known flaws, service and ownership history, and the bid, comment, view, and watcher counts. Richer but slower. Auctions are detailed in groups of 100 with a 4-minute allowance per group; anything not reached in time keeps its basic information and the run log says how many.
includeBidHistory	boolean	false	Collect every individual bid — bidder, amount, timestamp — and fill in the bid count.
includeComments	boolean	false	Collect the comment thread — author, text, timestamp, upvotes, seller replies — and fill in the comment count.
maxCommentsPerAuction	integer	100	Cap how many comments are kept per auction. The true comment count is still reported. 0 keeps every comment, up to 5,000 per auction.

Output

Each auction is one row. Fields marked below as detail-only stay empty unless you switch on the option named next to them.

{
    "url": "https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3xN9qKmL",
    "auctionId": "3xN9qKmL",
    "title": "2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI",
    "year": 2004,
    "make": "Subaru",
    "model": "Impreza WRX STI",
    "auctionStatus": "past",
    "soldStatus": "sold",
    "noReserve": false,
    "featured": true,
    "isNotable": false,
    "endsAt": "2026-07-18T21:00:00Z",
    "timeLeft": null,
    "location": "Bellevue, WA 98004",
    "city": "Bellevue",
    "state": "WA",
    "country": "US",
    "currentBid": 42500,
    "currentBidFormatted": "$42,500",
    "soldPrice": 42500,
    "soldPriceFormatted": "$42,500",
    "currency": "USD",
    "bidCount": 37,
    "commentCount": 84,
    "viewCount": 21943,
    "watcherCount": 612,
    "mileage": 70900,
    "mileageText": "70,900 Miles Shown (5-digit odo)",
    "vin": "JF1GD70614L512345",
    "engine": "2.5L Turbocharged Flat-4",
    "drivetrain": "4WD / AWD",
    "transmission": "Manual",
    "transmissionDetails": "6-Speed Manual",
    "bodyStyle": "Sedan",
    "exteriorColor": "World Rally Blue",
    "interiorColor": "Black",
    "titleStatus": "Clean (Washington)",
    "sellerName": "boxer_fan",
    "sellerType": "Private Party",
    "isNotACar": false,
    "description": "I bought this STI in 2016 from the original owner...",
    "highlights": ["6-speed manual", "STI Pink badging", "Recent timing belt"],
    "highlightedPoints": ["No accidents reported", "2 owners"],
    "equipment": ["Momo steering wheel", "Recaro front seats"],
    "modifications": ["Cobb AccessPort", "Invidia catback exhaust"],
    "knownFlaws": ["Rock chips on the hood", "Small scuff on rear bumper"],
    "serviceHistory": ["Timing belt at 68,000 miles", "New clutch in 2024"],
    "ownershipHistory": "Two owners from new, both in Washington.",
    "otherItemsIncluded": ["Two keys", "Owner's manual"],
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://media.carsandbids.com/.../photo-01.jpg",
    "imageUrls": ["https://media.carsandbids.com/.../photo-01.jpg", "..."],
    "photoCount": 148,
    "videoUrl": "https://media.carsandbids.com/.../manifest/video.m3u8",
    "bids": [
        { "bidder": "rally_dave", "amount": 42500, "createdAt": "2026-07-18T20:58:11Z" }
    ],
    "comments": [
        {
            "author": "gc8_guy",
            "text": "That gold BBS setup is period perfect.",
            "createdAt": "2026-07-17T14:02:55Z",
            "isSeller": false,
            "replyTo": null,
            "upvotes": 12
        }
    ]
}

Core Auction Fields

Field	Type	Description
url	string	Link to the auction page
auctionId	string	Cars & Bids auction identifier
title	string	Full listing title, e.g. "2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI"
year	number	Model year
make	string	Manufacturer
model	string	Model name
auctionStatus	string	live for auctions still to finish (including ones queued to open and ones in last-second bidding), past for finished ones
soldStatus	string	live, queued, last_second_bids, sold, sold_after, reserve_not_met, no_bids, or canceled
noReserve	boolean	Whether the auction sells with no minimum price
featured	boolean	Whether Cars & Bids featured the listing
isNotable	boolean	Whether the listing carries the Notable flag
endsAt	string	Auction end date and time, ISO 8601 UTC
timeLeft	string	Human-readable time remaining (live auctions only)
isNotACar	boolean	Flags non-car lots such as experiences and memorabilia (needs Include Full Auction Details)

Seller Location

Field	Type	Description
location	string	Seller location exactly as listed, e.g. "Bellevue, WA 98004"
city	string	City parsed from the location
state	string	Two-letter state code parsed from the location, e.g. "WA"
country	string	Two-letter country code — always "US", the only market Cars & Bids serves
sellerName	string	Seller's username
sellerType	string	Private Party or Dealer (needs Include Full Auction Details)

Pricing & Bidding

Field	Type	Description
currentBid	number	Current high bid on a live auction, or the closing bid on a past one
currentBidFormatted	string	The same figure formatted, e.g. "$42,500"
soldPrice	number	Final sale price when the auction sold
soldPriceFormatted	string	The sale price formatted
currency	string	Always USD
bidCount	number	Number of bids placed (needs Include Full Auction Details or Include Full Bid History)
bids	array	Every bid with bidder, amount, createdAt (needs Include Full Bid History)

Vehicle Specs

Field	Type	Description
mileage	number	Odometer reading in miles
mileageText	string	Odometer as written, e.g. "70,900 Miles Shown (5-digit odo)"
vin	string	Vehicle identification number (needs Include Full Auction Details)
engine	string	Engine description (needs Include Full Auction Details)
drivetrain	string	Front-wheel drive, Rear-wheel drive, or 4WD / AWD (needs Include Full Auction Details)
transmission	string	Automatic or Manual
transmissionDetails	string	Gearbox detail, e.g. "6-Speed Manual" (needs Include Full Auction Details)
bodyStyle	string	Coupe, Convertible, Hatchback, Sedan, SUV / Crossover, Truck, Van / Minivan, or Wagon (needs Include Full Auction Details)
exteriorColor	string	Exterior colour (needs Include Full Auction Details)
interiorColor	string	Interior colour (needs Include Full Auction Details)
titleStatus	string	Title status and issuing state (needs Include Full Auction Details)

Write-ups & History

Every field in this table needs Include Full Auction Details.

Field	Type	Description
description	string	The seller's full write-up
dougsTake	string	Doug's commentary when the listing has one — most do not
highlights	array	Seller-listed highlights
highlightedPoints	array	Short callouts shown on the listing
equipment	array	Factory and aftermarket equipment
modifications	array	Modifications away from stock
knownFlaws	array	Flaws the seller disclosed
serviceHistory	array	Recent service items
ownershipHistory	string	Ownership history narrative
otherItemsIncluded	array	Extras included in the sale — keys, manuals, spares

Media & Engagement

Field	Type	Description
thumbnailUrl	string	Main listing photo
imageUrls	array	Full photo gallery — exterior, interior, mechanical, and documents (needs Include Full Auction Details)
photoCount	number	Number of photos collected (needs Include Full Auction Details)
videoUrl	string	First walkaround video on the listing (needs Include Full Auction Details)
commentCount	number	Number of comments (needs Include Full Auction Details or Include Comments)
comments	array	Comment thread with author, text, createdAt, isSeller, replyTo, upvotes (needs Include Comments)
viewCount	number	Times the auction page was viewed (needs Include Full Auction Details)
watcherCount	number	People watching the auction (needs Include Full Auction Details)

Tips for Best Results

• Start with maxResults at 10–50 to confirm the filters return what you expect, then raise it. You are charged for the rows you receive, and a small run really does return the small number you asked for.
• Turn on Include Full Bid History and Include Comments together — they arrive in the same request, so switching on both costs no more time than switching on one.
• sortBy: "listed" only exists for live auctions. On the past archive it falls back to "most recently ended", and the run log says so — pick newest or lowest_mileage if you need a deterministic order over completed sales.
• Pair noReserveOnly with the default sort when you want an exact, cheap pass. With any other sort order the No Reserve filter is applied as pages are read, which reads more pages for the same number of rows — and stops after 20 pages in a row with no match, so the run can come back short.
• Setting maxMileage drops listings with no readable odometer — "No Odometer" and "N/A" cars are excluded on purpose, since you asked for a verifiable ceiling. It also reads full pages and checks them afterwards, so a run with a mileage limit can finish up to 100 auctions over your maxResults. Leave it empty if you want those listings included and an exact count.
• Selecting several body styles collects each one separately and merges the results, so a four-style run takes noticeably longer than a one-style run. Narrow with a model-year range to keep it quick.
• For clean valuation comps, filter on soldStatus after the run: sold and sold_after are real transactions, while reserve_not_met and no_bids are not — mixing them silently drags your averages down.

Pricing

From $10 per 1,000 results — pay only for the auctions you actually receive. No compute or time-based charges — you pay per result, plus a small fixed per-run start fee. Bronze, Silver, and Gold subscribers pay progressively less; the table below shows the total cost at each discount tier.

Results	No discount	Bronze	Silver	Gold
100	$1.20	$1.13	$1.07	$1.00
1,000	$12.00	$11.30	$10.70	$10.00
10,000	$120.00	$113.00	$107.00	$100.00
100,000	$1,200.00	$1,130.00	$1,070.00	$1,000.00

A "result" is one auction row in the output dataset. Bids, comments, photos, and specs ride along on that same row at no extra charge.

Integrations

Export data in JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or RSS. Connect to 1,500+ apps via:

• Zapier / Make / n8n — Workflow automation
• Google Sheets — Direct spreadsheet export
• Slack / Email — Notifications on new results
• Webhooks — Trigger custom integrations on run completion
• Apify API — Full programmatic access

Legal & Ethical Use

This actor is built for legitimate automotive market research, valuation work, inventory sourcing, and editorial analysis of publicly visible auction listings. You are responsible for complying with applicable laws and Cars & Bids' Terms of Service. Usernames and comment text are user-generated public content — do not use them for spam, harassment, or any unlawful purpose, and handle any personal data in line with the privacy rules that apply to you.