CarMax Scraper

CarMax Scraper creates a structured dataset of used-car listings collected from CarMax. Each dataset item represents one vehicle and can include VIN and stock number, year, make, model, trim, price, mileage, specs, colors, store location, transfer information, and listing flags. Query the source with a CarMax search URL (searchUrl or searchUrls) and an optional zip code. Control the result limit with maxItems, and retrieve records through the Apify Dataset API or export them as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or another supported format.

Dataset at a glance

Property	Value
Source	carmax.com used-car search
Record unit	One CarMax vehicle listing
Input methods	Search URL (searchUrl) or multiple search URLs (searchUrls), optional zipCode
Main identifiers	vin, stockNumber, listing URL (url)
Delivery	Apify Dataset and API
Export formats	JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML (Apify dataset exports)
Update model	Fresh records per Actor run
Pricing	$1 / 1,000 cars; Actor start $0.00005

Coverage and available records

The Actor collects public CarMax search listings. Filters encoded in the search URL (make, model, body type, price, features) are applied as CarMax shows them.

• Single URL: searchUrl (for example https://www.carmax.com/cars or https://www.carmax.com/cars/suvs/audi).
• Multiple URLs: searchUrls overrides searchUrl when set.
• Zip code: zipCode scopes inventory to that area. Leave empty for a nationwide search. Schema default is 20760.

Record types and limits:

• Listing records include identifiers, vehicle specs, pricing, store location, transfer fields, and listing flags as CarMax returns them.
• Pagination: the Actor continues through search pages until CarMax returns no further listings or maxItems is reached.
• Result cap: maxItems limits cars collected (0 means unlimited; console prefill 20).

Known exclusions: content CarMax only shows after login is not collected; each run captures inventory at run time (no historical snapshots); sold or reserved vehicles may still appear if they remain on the search page.

Data dictionary

Field names below match dataset record JSON properties exactly. Values come from CarMax. Not every listing includes every spec (for example EV battery range on gasoline cars).

Field	Type	Nullable	Description	Example
vin	string	Yes	Vehicle identification number; recommended deduplication key	4S4BTALCXR3155366
stockNumber	number	Yes	CarMax stock number; secondary key	28735752
url	string	Yes	Listing URL	https://www.carmax.com/car/28735752
heroImageUrl	string	Yes	Primary listing image	https://img2.carmax.com/assets/28735752/hero.jpg?width=400&height=300
year	number	Yes	Model year	2024
make	string	Yes	Make	Subaru
model	string	Yes	Model	Outback
body	string	Yes	Body style	4D Sport Utility
trim	string	Yes	Trim level	Onyx Edition
basePrice	number	Yes	Current price in USD	25998.0
originalPrice	number	Yes	Prior price when CarMax shows a drop	26998.0
hasPriceDrop	boolean	Yes	Whether CarMax marks a price drop	false
mileage	number	Yes	Odometer reading (miles)	56484
exteriorColor	string	Yes	Exterior color as shown	Black
interiorColor	string	Yes	Interior color as shown	Black
normalizedExteriorColor	string	Yes	Normalized exterior color	Black
normalizedInteriorColor	string	Yes	Normalized interior color	Black
transmission	string	Yes	Transmission	Automatic
driveTrain	string	Yes	Drivetrain	All Wheel Drive
engineType	string	Yes	Engine type	Gas
engineSize	string	Yes	Engine size	2.5L
cylinders	number	Yes	Cylinder count	4
horsepower	number	Yes	Horsepower	182
horsepowerRpm	number	Yes	Horsepower RPM	5800
engineTorque	number	Yes	Torque	176
engineTorqueRpm	number	Yes	Torque RPM	4400
mpgCity	number	Yes	City MPG	26
mpgHighway	number	Yes	Highway MPG	32
originalBatteryRangeInMiles	number	Yes	EV battery range (miles) when listed	null
fuelType	string	Yes	Fuel type	Gas
features	array	Yes	Feature list	Feature strings from the listing
highlightedFeatures	string	Yes	Highlighted feature text	As shown by CarMax
highlights	array	Yes	Highlight tags	Tags from the listing
storeId	number	Yes	Store identifier	Store id from CarMax
storeName	string	Yes	Store name	Greenwood
storeCity	string	Yes	Store city	Indianapolis
state	string	Yes	Store state	Indiana
stateAbbreviation	string	Yes	State code	IN
distance	number	Yes	Distance from the zip filter (miles)	Distance when a zip is set
averageRating	number	Yes	Store rating	Store rating when shown
numberOfReviews	number	Yes	Store review count	Review count when shown
isTransferable	boolean	Yes	Whether the car can be transferred	Transfer flag
transferFee	number	Yes	Transfer fee in USD when listed	Fee when shown
isSaleable	boolean	Yes	Whether the listing is marked saleable	Saleable flag
isComingSoon	boolean	Yes	Coming-soon flag	Coming-soon flag
isReserved	boolean	Yes	Reserved flag	Reserved flag
isAvailableToTransact	boolean	Yes	Available-to-transact flag	Availability flag
isEVTaxCreditEligible	boolean	Yes	EV tax-credit eligibility flag	Eligibility flag
priorUseDescriptions	array	Yes	Prior-use labels (rental, fleet, and similar)	Labels when listed

Additional store, transfer, package, finance, and RepairPal objects may appear when CarMax returns them (store, badge, packages, bestFinanceDecision, repairPalData).

Example dataset record

Listing from https://www.carmax.com/cars with an empty zip code (nationwide search).

{
  "heroImageUrl": "https://img2.carmax.com/assets/28735752/hero.jpg?width=400&height=300",
  "url": "https://www.carmax.com/car/28735752",
  "stockNumber": 28735752,
  "vin": "4S4BTALCXR3155366",
  "year": 2024,
  "make": "Subaru",
  "model": "Outback",
  "body": "4D Sport Utility",
  "trim": "Onyx Edition",
  "basePrice": 25998.0,
  "mileage": 56484,
  "exteriorColor": "Black",
  "transmission": "Automatic",
  "driveTrain": "All Wheel Drive",
  "engineSize": "2.5L",
  "horsepower": 182,
  "mpgCity": 26,
  "mpgHighway": 32,
  "storeName": "Greenwood",
  "storeCity": "Indianapolis",
  "state": "Indiana"
}

The record above was produced with this input:

{
  "searchUrl": "https://www.carmax.com/cars",
  "zipCode": "",
  "maxItems": 20
}

Query and input reference

Input	Type	Required	Default	Accepted values	Description
searchUrl	string	No	— (prefill https://www.carmax.com/cars)	CarMax search URL	Single search; filters in the URL are applied
searchUrls	array (requestListSources)	No	—	CarMax search URLs	Overrides searchUrl when set
zipCode	string	No	20760	US zip code or empty	Inventory area; empty = nationwide
maxItems	integer	No	0	0 or any positive integer	Maximum cars; 0 = unlimited (console prefill 20)
proxyConfiguration	object	No	Apify proxy, RESIDENTIAL	Apify proxy groups or custom proxies	Residential proxies are recommended

Provide searchUrl and/or searchUrls. If both are omitted, the schema prefill https://www.carmax.com/cars is the usual console starting point.

Minimal request:

{ "searchUrl": "https://www.carmax.com/cars/suvs/audi", "zipCode": "" }

Advanced request (multiple URLs, zip filter, cap):

{
  "searchUrls": [
    { "url": "https://www.carmax.com/cars/suvs/audi" },
    { "url": "https://www.carmax.com/cars/trucks" }
  ],
  "zipCode": "90210",
  "maxItems": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"] }
}

Retrieve the data through the API

Records are delivered through the Apify Actor and Dataset APIs — not an official CarMax API.

1. Start the Actor with a JSON input (console or API).
2. Wait for the run to finish, or use a synchronous endpoint if you want the response inline.
3. Retrieve items from the run's default dataset.
4. Paginate or export the dataset.

Python example:

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR-APIFY-TOKEN")

run_input = {
    "searchUrl": "https://www.carmax.com/cars",
    "zipCode": "",
    "maxItems": 20,
}

run = client.actor("datascrapers/carmax-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item.get("vin"), item.get("year"), item.get("make"), item.get("basePrice"))

Apify generates ready-to-run Python, JavaScript, and cURL examples on the Actor's API tab. Do not put a real API token in shared code or URLs.

Data quality and record handling

• Incomplete specs: engine, MPG, EV range, and transfer fields are omitted or null when CarMax does not list them.
• Source changes: CarMax inventory and field names can change; unreadable fields are omitted rather than fabricated.
• Deduplication: within a run, vehicles are identified by VIN or stock number. Across runs, records are appended. Use vin as the stable key.
• Normalization: basePrice and mileage are numeric. Colors may appear in both raw and normalized fields.
• Zip filter: distance is meaningful when zipCode is set.

Export and pipeline examples

Destination	Recommended method	Typical use
PostgreSQL / Supabase	Dataset API poll or webhook consumer	Store inventory and price history
Google Sheets	Apify Google Sheets integration	Share shortlists by make or zip
Pricing models	Dataset API JSON export	Comp sets and drop detection
S3 / cloud storage	Scheduled export via Apify scheduler + integration	Archival of inventory snapshots

Pricing and cost examples

The Actor uses pay-per-event pricing. Each run also charges a one-time Actor start. Residential proxies are recommended. Proxy and compute are billed by your Apify plan.

Event	Trigger	Rate
Actor start	Once per run	$0.00005
apify-default-dataset-item (car)	Each car written to the dataset	$0.001 / car ($1 / 1,000)

Example costs (Actor start negligible; plan-tier discounts not applied):

Records	Configuration	Estimated base cost
1,000	Cars	$1.00
10,000	Cars	$10.00

Estimates depend on the verified pricing model and the number of cars collected.

Limitations and responsible data use

• The Actor collects publicly accessible CarMax search listings only.
• Field availability depends on what CarMax renders at run time; some specs can be null.
• The Actor does not provide historical snapshots unless you store them yourself. Inventory changes continuously.
• Large runs should use residential proxies; without them, coverage may degrade.
• You are responsible for compliance with CarMax's terms of service, applicable privacy law, and any contractual obligations before using the data.

Dataset questions

What does one dataset item represent?

One CarMax vehicle listing. Features, packages, and transfer details nest on that listing.

Which field should I use as a unique identifier?

vin is the recommended deduplication key. stockNumber and url are reasonable secondary keys.

Are fields nullable or conditional?

Yes. EV range, transfer fees, finance objects, and some engine specs appear only when CarMax lists them.

Can I retrieve the records as CSV or JSON?

Yes. The dataset can be exported as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or HTML from the Apify Console, and queried through the Dataset API.

Does the Actor return historical data?

No. Each run captures inventory at run time. To track price drops, schedule repeated runs and store the outputs yourself.

What counts as a billable result?

Two pay-per-event charges apply: Actor start once per run ($0.00005) and a car charge for every listing ($0.001, or $1 per 1,000).

Related datasets from Data Scrapers

• Autotrader Scraper — US used-car listings that can be compared with CarMax prices.
• Cars.com Scraper — Additional US inventory for the same VIN-level comps.
• AutoScout24 Scraper — European used-car listings for cross-market pricing.
• Facebook Marketplace Scraper — Private-party listings that sit beside dealer inventory.
• Gumtree Scraper — Classified vehicle listings for broader marketplace coverage.

Data Scrapers support

Need an additional field, record type, or export workflow? Contact Data Scrapers at stardustspotlight@gmail.com. Include a sample source URL, required fields, expected record volume, and preferred delivery format.