# 🚗 Cars.com Scraper - Deals, Specs & Flip Scores (`benthepythondev/cars-com-scraper`) Actor

Scrape Cars.com with AI Flip Score (0-100) for arbitrage opportunities. Extract Great Deal/Good Deal ratings, price vs market, VIN, CARFAX data, dealer info & photos. Perfect for car flippers, dealers & market researchers. Only scraper with deal scoring!

- **URL**: https://apify.com/benthepythondev/cars-com-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Ben](https://apify.com/benthepythondev) (community)
- **Categories:** AI, Developer tools, E-commerce
- **Stats:** 78 total users, 4 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 7 bookmarks
- **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars

## 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.
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?

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

## 🚗 Cars.com Scraper — Vehicle Listings with Deal Ratings & Flip Scores

Extract **used, new and certified pre-owned vehicle listings from Cars.com** as clean,
structured data. Every listing comes with price, mileage, VIN, full specs, CARFAX
highlights, dealer details, photos, the Cars.com **deal rating** ("Great Deal", "$X under
market") and a computed **flip score** that ranks arbitrage potential. Search by ZIP code
and radius with make/model/year/price/mileage filters, or scrape specific listing URLs.
Export to JSON/CSV/Excel, run on a schedule, call via API, or connect to Make, Zapier or n8n.

### 🚙 What is the Cars.com Scraper?

It turns any Cars.com vehicle search into a structured dataset. Give it a ZIP code and
filters (or paste listing URLs) and it returns each vehicle with full details, pricing,
condition history and a 0–100 flip score that surfaces the best buy-low opportunities
first — so dealers, flippers, brokers and market researchers can size up inventory without
opening every listing by hand.

#### What data does it extract?

- **Title, year, make** and **model + trim** (`model_trim`)
- **Price**, **mileage** and **stock type** (new / used / cpo)
- **Deal rating** (`great_deal`, `good_deal`, `fair_deal`, `high_price`) and **`price_vs_market`** ($ under market)
- **VIN** for CARFAX/AutoCheck lookups
- **Specs** — exterior & interior color, transmission, drivetrain, fuel type
- **CARFAX highlights** — one owner, no accidents, clean title, service records
- **Dealer block** — name, rating, review count, phone, location (optional)
- **Photos** — up to 15 high-resolution image URLs (optional)
- **Flip score (0–100)** ranking arbitrage potential (optional), plus `url`, `source` and a `scraped_at` timestamp

### ⬇️ Input

Run it two ways — search by ZIP with filters, or pass exact listing URLs:

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `mode` | `search` (build URL from filters) or `direct_urls` |
| `zipCode` | US ZIP code for the search location |
| `searchRadius` | Distance from the ZIP in miles (10–500) |
| `stockType` | `all`, `new`, `used` or `cpo` (certified pre-owned) |
| `make` / `model` | Vehicle make (dropdown of 40+) and model (model requires a make) |
| `minYear` / `maxYear` | Model-year range |
| `minPrice` / `maxPrice` / `maxMileage` | Standard filters |
| `dealRating` | Keep only `great_deal`, `good_deal` and/or `fair_deal` |
| `listingUrls` | Direct Cars.com URLs (for `direct_urls` mode) |
| `maxListings` | Cap the run (1–1000) |
| `includePhotos` / `includeDealerInfo` / `includeFlipScore` | Toggle extras |

#### Example input

```json
{
  "mode": "search",
  "zipCode": "90210",
  "searchRadius": 50,
  "stockType": "used",
  "make": "toyota",
  "model": "camry",
  "minYear": 2020,
  "maxYear": 2024,
  "maxPrice": 30000,
  "maxMileage": 60000,
  "maxListings": 100,
  "includePhotos": true,
  "includeDealerInfo": true,
  "includeFlipScore": true
}
```

### ⬆️ Output

Every vehicle is one clean record (view as a **table**, or export **JSON / CSV / Excel**):

```json
{
  "url": "https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/abc123/",
  "source": "cars.com",
  "scraped_at": "2026-06-26T15:30:00.000000",
  "title": "Used 2022 Toyota Camry SE",
  "year": 2022,
  "make": "Toyota",
  "model_trim": "Camry SE",
  "price": 24995,
  "mileage": 28500,
  "stock_type": "used",
  "deal_rating": "great_deal",
  "price_vs_market": 1270,
  "vin": "4T1BF1FK0NU123456",
  "exterior_color": "Midnight Black",
  "interior_color": "Black",
  "transmission": "Automatic",
  "drivetrain": "FWD",
  "fuel_type": "Gasoline",
  "carfax_one_owner": true,
  "carfax_no_accidents": true,
  "carfax_clean_title": true,
  "carfax_service_records": true,
  "dealer": {
    "name": "Toyota of Los Angeles",
    "rating": 4.5,
    "reviews": 1320,
    "phone": "(555) 123-4567",
    "location": "Los Angeles, CA"
  },
  "photos": ["https://platform.cstatic-images.com/xxlarge/in/v2/..."],
  "flip_score": 82
}
```

### 💡 Use cases

- **🔄 Car flippers — arbitrage hunting:** find "Great Deal" cars priced under market and rank them by flip score before the competition.
- **🏬 Dealers — wholesale sourcing & intel:** spot underpriced inventory and monitor competitor pricing by make, model and region.
- **🤝 Auto brokers — client matching:** locate specific vehicles for buyers and know true market position before negotiating.
- **📊 Market researchers:** track pricing, supply and deal ratings across segments and metros over time.

### ❓ FAQ

**How do I scrape car listings from Cars.com?** Choose `search` mode, set a `zipCode` and
`searchRadius`, add any make/model/year/price/mileage filters, then run. Each vehicle comes
back with full specs, pricing, deal rating and a flip score.

**Can I find the best deals automatically?** Yes — filter `dealRating` to keep only
`great_deal` / `good_deal` listings, then sort by `flip_score` to surface the strongest
buy-low opportunities first.

**What is the flip score?** A transparent 0–100 score combining the Cars.com deal rating,
how far the price sits under market (`price_vs_market`), CARFAX condition (clean title, no
accidents, one owner) and resale potential (vehicle age, mileage, stock type). As a rough
guide: 80–100 = strong opportunity, 60–79 = good, 40–59 = average.

**Which vehicle data is included?** Year, make, model + trim, price, mileage, stock type,
VIN, colors, transmission, drivetrain, fuel type, CARFAX highlights, dealer details, photos,
deal rating and flip score.

**Does it include the VIN?** Yes, when shown on the listing — so you can run your own
CARFAX or AutoCheck history report.

**Can I scrape specific listings I already found?** Yes — use `direct_urls` mode and paste
Cars.com vehicle URLs into `listingUrls`.

**Do I need an API key or login?** No. Just set your search filters or paste URLs — no
Cars.com account required.

**How many listings can it return?** Up to your `maxListings` cap (1–1000); in search mode
it collects listing links across result pages, then scrapes each detail page.

**Are the flip scores and deal ratings guaranteed?** No — they're calculated estimates from
listed data to help you prioritize. Always verify with the dealer and run a full history
report before buying.

**Can I run it on a schedule or via API?** Yes — schedule recurring runs in Apify, call it
via the API/SDK, or connect it to Make, Zapier or n8n.

**Is scraping Cars.com legal?** It extracts publicly available listing data. Use it
responsibly for research, sourcing and business intelligence, and follow applicable laws and
Cars.com's terms.

### 🔗 You might also like

- **[AutoTrader Scraper](https://apify.com/benthepythondev/autotrader-scraper)** — AutoTrader vehicle listings
- **[Ecommerce Price Monitor](https://apify.com/benthepythondev/ecommerce-price-monitor)** — multi-store price monitoring
- **[Kleinanzeigen Autos Scraper](https://apify.com/benthepythondev/kleinanzeigen-autos-scraper)** — German used-car listings
- **[eBay Scraper](https://apify.com/benthepythondev/ebay-scraper)** — eBay listings & prices

***

**Keywords:** Cars.com scraper, used car data, car listings scraper, vehicle data, deal rating, flip score, car arbitrage, dealer inventory, VIN lookup, CARFAX data, used car market research, auto pricing intelligence, car flipping, certified pre-owned, vehicle listings API.

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

Search mode or direct URL scraping

## `zipCode` (type: `string`):

US ZIP code for search location

## `searchRadius` (type: `integer`):

Maximum distance from ZIP code (10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 500)

## `stockType` (type: `string`):

New, Used, or Certified Pre-Owned

## `make` (type: `string`):

Vehicle make (e.g., Toyota, Honda, Ford, Ferrari, Lamborghini). Defaults to Toyota so automated quality checks return a small, reliable sample.

## `model` (type: `string`):

Vehicle model (e.g., Camry, Civic, F-150). Requires make to be set.

## `minYear` (type: `integer`):

Minimum model year

## `maxYear` (type: `integer`):

Maximum model year

## `minPrice` (type: `integer`):

Minimum listing price in USD

## `maxPrice` (type: `integer`):

Maximum listing price in USD

## `maxMileage` (type: `integer`):

Maximum odometer reading

## `dealRating` (type: `array`):

Filter by Cars.com deal rating

## `listingUrls` (type: `array`):

Direct URLs to Cars.com vehicle listings (for direct\_urls mode)

## `maxListings` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of listings to scrape

## `includePhotos` (type: `boolean`):

Extract photo URLs (up to 15 per listing)

## `includeDealerInfo` (type: `boolean`):

Extract dealer name, rating, reviews, location

## `includeFlipScore` (type: `boolean`):

Calculate arbitrage/flip opportunity score (0-100)

## `debugMode` (type: `boolean`):

Run browser in non-headless mode for debugging

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "search",
  "zipCode": "10001",
  "searchRadius": 50,
  "stockType": "used",
  "make": "toyota",
  "model": "",
  "dealRating": [],
  "listingUrls": [],
  "maxListings": 3,
  "includePhotos": true,
  "includeDealerInfo": true,
  "includeFlipScore": true,
  "debugMode": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "mode": "search",
    "zipCode": "10001",
    "searchRadius": 50,
    "stockType": "used",
    "make": "toyota",
    "maxListings": 3
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("benthepythondev/cars-com-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 = {
    "mode": "search",
    "zipCode": "10001",
    "searchRadius": 50,
    "stockType": "used",
    "make": "toyota",
    "maxListings": 3,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("benthepythondev/cars-com-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 '{
  "mode": "search",
  "zipCode": "10001",
  "searchRadius": 50,
  "stockType": "used",
  "make": "toyota",
  "maxListings": 3
}' |
apify call benthepythondev/cars-com-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,benthepythondev/cars-com-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/tcwgp4Dp3OyE1hzZ0/builds/SEn5g28oC8QV8LMTv/openapi.json