CarGurus Parser Quick Start

Get started with the CarGurus parser in 5 minutes. Extract automotive data from US, Canada, and UK markets with our step-by-step guide.

What You'll Learn

Complete setup in 5 minutes
Multi-market configuration for US, Canada, UK
First API call with working code examples
Error handling and troubleshooting
Best practices for production use

🚀 Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

:::

Quick Start

info Requirements

Carapis Account - Sign up at dashboard.carapis.com
API Key - Get your CarGurus parser API key
Programming Knowledge - Basic understanding of HTTP requests
Target Markets - Decide which markets you need (US, Canada, UK) :::

📋 Step 1: Get Your API Key

Visit dashboard.carapis.com
Click "Sign Up" and create your account
Verify your email address

1.2 Activate CarGurus Parser

Log in to your Carapis dashboard
Navigate to "Parsers" section
Find "CarGurus" and click "Activate"
Choose your plan based on your needs

1.3 Get Your API Key

Go to "API Keys" in your dashboard
Copy your CarGurus parser API key
Your key will look like: cargurus_parser_sk_1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef

API Key Security

Keep your API key secure - Never share it publicly
Use environment variables - Store keys securely in your application
Rotate keys regularly - Update keys for security
Monitor usage - Track API usage in your dashboard

🔧 Step 2: Choose Your Target Market

The CarGurus parser supports three major markets:

Market Options

Market	Code	Coverage	Currency	Key Features
United States	`us`	2M+ vehicles	USD	Deal Rating, EPA ratings
Canada	`ca`	500K+ vehicles	CAD	Provincial data, bilingual
United Kingdom	`uk`	500K+ vehicles	GBP	MOT data, UK standards

💻 Step 3: Make Your First API Call

JavaScript Example

const axios = require('axios');

// Configuration
const API_KEY = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
const BASE_URL = 'https://api.carapis.com/v1/parsers/cargurus';

// Search for vehicles in US market
async function searchVehicles() {
  try {
    const response = await axios.post(
      `${BASE_URL}/search`,
      {
        query: 'Ford F-150 2020',
        max_price: 45000,
        location: 'New York',
        market: 'us',
        transmission: 'automatic',
        fuel_type: 'gasoline',
        limit: 10,
      },
      {
        headers: {
          Authorization: `Bearer ${API_KEY}`,
          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
        },
      },
    );

    console.log('Success! Found vehicles:', response.data.data.listings.length);
    console.log('First vehicle:', response.data.data.listings[0]);

    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error:', error.response?.data || error.message);
    throw error;
  }
}

// Run the search
searchVehicles();

Python Example

import requests
import json

# Configuration
API_KEY = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
BASE_URL = 'https://api.carapis.com/v1/parsers/cargurus'

def search_vehicles():
    """Search for vehicles in US market"""
    url = f"{BASE_URL}/search"
    headers = {
        'Authorization': f'Bearer {API_KEY}',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    }

    data = {
        'query': 'Ford F-150 2020',
        'max_price': 45000,
        'location': 'New York',
        'market': 'us',
        'transmission': 'automatic',
        'fuel_type': 'gasoline',
        'limit': 10
    }

    try:
        response = requests.post(url, json=data, headers=headers)
        response.raise_for_status()

        result = response.json()
        vehicles = result['data']['listings']

        print(f"Success! Found {len(vehicles)} vehicles")
        print(f"First vehicle: {vehicles[0]}")

        return result
    except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")
        if hasattr(e, 'response'):
            print(f"Response: {e.response.text}")
        raise

# Run the search
if __name__ == "__main__":
    search_vehicles()

cURL Example

# Search for vehicles in US market
curl -X POST "https://api.carapis.com/v1/parsers/cargurus/search" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "query": "Ford F-150 2020",
    "max_price": 45000,
    "location": "New York",
    "market": "us",
    "transmission": "automatic",
    "fuel_type": "gasoline",
    "limit": 10
  }'

🌍 Step 4: Multi-Market Examples

Canada Market Example

// Search for vehicles in Canada
const canadaSearch = {
  query: 'Toyota Camry 2021',
  max_price: 35000,
  location: 'Toronto',
  market: 'ca',
  transmission: 'automatic',
  fuel_type: 'gasoline',
  limit: 10,
};

const canadaResponse = await axios.post(`${BASE_URL}/search`, canadaSearch, { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${API_KEY}`, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' } });

UK Market Example

# Search for vehicles in UK
uk_search = {
    'query': 'BMW 3 Series 2020',
    'max_price': 30000,
    'location': 'London',
    'market': 'uk',
    'transmission': 'automatic',
    'fuel_type': 'gasoline',
    'limit': 10
}

uk_response = requests.post(
    f"{BASE_URL}/search",
    json=uk_search,
    headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {API_KEY}', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'}
)

📊 Step 5: Understanding the Response

Sample Response Structure

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "listings": [
      {
        "id": "123456789",
        "title": "Ford F-150 XLT",
        "price": {
          "amount": 42000,
          "currency": "USD",
          "formatted": "$42,000"
        },
        "deal_rating": {
          "score": 9.2,
          "label": "Great Deal",
          "explanation": "Priced $2,500 below market average"
        },
        "specifications": {
          "year": 2020,
          "mileage": 35000,
          "fuel_type": "Gasoline",
          "transmission": "Automatic",
          "engine_size": "3.5L V6",
          "power": "400 hp",
          "drivetrain": "4WD"
        },
        "location": {
          "city": "New York",
          "state": "NY",
          "country": "United States",
          "coordinates": {
            "lat": 40.7128,
            "lng": -74.006
          }
        },
        "seller": {
          "name": "NYC Ford Dealership",
          "type": "dealer",
          "rating": 4.7,
          "certified": true
        },
        "features": ["Navigation", "Leather Seats", "Towing Package"],
        "images": ["url1", "url2"],
        "url": "https://www.cargurus.com/...",
        "extracted_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
      }
    ],
    "total_count": 1200,
    "search_metadata": {
      "query": "Ford F-150 2020",
      "market": "us",
      "filters_applied": {
        "max_price": 45000,
        "location": "New York"
      }
    }
  }
}

Key Response Fields

Response Structure

Field	Description	Business Value
listings	Array of vehicle data	Core vehicle information
total_count	Total available vehicles	Market size assessment
search_metadata	Search parameters used	Query tracking
deal_rating	CarGurus deal evaluation	Pricing insights
specifications	Technical vehicle details	Product analysis
seller	Dealer information	Business intelligence

🔍 Step 6: Advanced Search Parameters

Complete Search Options

const advancedSearch = {
  // Basic search
  query: 'Ford F-150',

  // Price filters
  min_price: 25000,
  max_price: 50000,

  // Year range
  year_from: 2020,
  year_to: 2024,

  // Mileage filters
  mileage_min: 10000,
  mileage_max: 50000,

  // Location and market
  location: 'New York',
  market: 'us',

  // Vehicle specifications
  fuel_type: 'gasoline',
  transmission: 'automatic',
  drivetrain: '4wd',
  body_style: 'truck',

  // Dealer filters
  dealer_type: 'franchise',

  // Pagination
  limit: 50,
  offset: 0,

  // Sorting
  sort_by: 'price',
  sort_order: 'asc',
};

Market-Specific Parameters

Market Parameters

Market	Special Parameters	Description
US	`epa_rating`, `us_standards`	EPA fuel economy ratings
Canada	`province`, `bilingual`	Provincial data, French support
UK	`mot_status`, `uk_standards`	MOT certification, UK regulations

⚠️ Step 7: Error Handling

Common Error Responses

// Rate limit error
if (error.response?.status === 429) {
  const resetTime = error.response.headers['x-ratelimit-reset'];
  console.log(`Rate limit exceeded. Reset at: ${resetTime}`);
  // Implement retry logic with exponential backoff
}

// Authentication error
if (error.response?.status === 401) {
  console.log('Invalid API key. Please check your credentials.');
  // Verify API key in dashboard
}

// Invalid parameters
if (error.response?.status === 400) {
  console.log('Invalid request parameters:', error.response.data.error);
  // Check parameter values and formats
}

Python Error Handling

import time
from requests.exceptions import RequestException

def handle_api_request(url, data, headers, max_retries=3):
    """Handle API requests with retry logic"""
    for attempt in range(max_retries):
        try:
            response = requests.post(url, json=data, headers=headers)
            response.raise_for_status()
            return response.json()

        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
            if e.response.status_code == 429:
                reset_time = e.response.headers.get('x-ratelimit-reset')
                wait_time = int(reset_time) - int(time.time())
                if wait_time > 0:
                    print(f"Rate limit exceeded. Waiting {wait_time} seconds...")
                    time.sleep(wait_time)
                    continue
            elif e.response.status_code == 401:
                print("Authentication error - check your API key")
                break
            else:
                print(f"HTTP Error: {e.response.status_code}")
                break

        except RequestException as e:
            print(f"Request Error: {e}")
            if attempt < max_retries - 1:
                time.sleep(2 ** attempt)  # Exponential backoff
                continue
            break

    return None

🚀 Step 8: Production Best Practices

Rate Limiting Implementation

class CarGurusAPI {
  constructor(apiKey) {
    this.apiKey = apiKey;
    this.baseURL = 'https://api.carapis.com/v1/parsers/cargurus';
    this.requestQueue = [];
    this.rateLimit = 100; // requests per minute
    this.requestCount = 0;
    this.lastReset = Date.now();
  }

  async makeRequest(endpoint, data) {
    // Check rate limit
    const now = Date.now();
    if (now - this.lastReset >= 60000) {
      this.requestCount = 0;
      this.lastReset = now;
    }

    if (this.requestCount >= this.rateLimit) {
      const waitTime = 60000 - (now - this.lastReset);
      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, waitTime));
    }

    this.requestCount++;

    // Make the request
    const response = await axios.post(`${this.baseURL}${endpoint}`, data, {
      headers: {
        Authorization: `Bearer ${this.apiKey}`,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      },
    });

    return response.data;
  }
}

Environment Configuration

// config.js
module.exports = {
  carapis: {
    apiKey: process.env.CARAPIS_API_KEY,
    baseURL: 'https://api.carapis.com/v1/parsers/cargurus',
    rateLimit: process.env.CARAPIS_RATE_LIMIT || 100,
    timeout: process.env.CARAPIS_TIMEOUT || 30000,
    retries: process.env.CARAPIS_RETRIES || 3,
  },
};

📈 Step 9: Next Steps

Ready for Production?

API Reference - Complete endpoint documentation
Market Analysis - Multi-market insights
Features - Advanced capabilities
FAQ - Common questions and troubleshooting

Congratulations!

You've successfully set up the CarGurus parser and made your first API call. You can now:

Extract vehicle data from US, Canada, and UK markets
Analyze deal ratings for pricing insights
Monitor market trends across multiple regions
Build automotive applications with real-time data

Pro Tips

For Optimal Performance

Implement proper rate limiting to avoid hitting limits
Use market-specific filters for accurate results
Cache frequently requested data to reduce API calls
Monitor your usage in the Carapis dashboard
Set up error handling for production reliability

Common Use Cases

Dealership competitive analysis across multiple markets
Import/export vehicle sourcing from different regions
Market research with comprehensive automotive data
Investment analysis in the automotive sector
Regulatory compliance monitoring across markets

Ready to extract multi-market automotive data? Start building your application with the CarGurus parser today.

Get Your API Key →

🚀 Prerequisites​

📋 Step 1: Get Your API Key​

1.1 Sign Up for Carapis​

1.2 Activate CarGurus Parser​

1.3 Get Your API Key​

🔧 Step 2: Choose Your Target Market​

💻 Step 3: Make Your First API Call​

JavaScript Example​

Python Example​

cURL Example​

🌍 Step 4: Multi-Market Examples​

Canada Market Example​

UK Market Example​

📊 Step 5: Understanding the Response​

Sample Response Structure​

Key Response Fields​

🔍 Step 6: Advanced Search Parameters​

Complete Search Options​

Market-Specific Parameters​

⚠️ Step 7: Error Handling​

Common Error Responses​

Python Error Handling​

🚀 Step 8: Production Best Practices​

Rate Limiting Implementation​

Environment Configuration​

📈 Step 9: Next Steps​

Pro Tips​