Carsome.com Parser FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about Carsome.com parser, API usage, and Southeast Asian automotive data extraction.
Quick Navigation
- Authentication & API Keys - Getting started with API access
- Regional Coverage - Supported countries and regions
- Data Extraction - What data is available and how to get it
- Pricing & Billing - Cost structure and billing information
- Performance & Reliability - System performance and uptime
- Technical Support - Getting help and troubleshooting
Authentication & API Keys
How do I get an API key for Carsome.com parser?
:::
success Getting Started
- Sign up at Carapis Dashboard
- Navigate to API Keys section
- Create a new API key for Carsome.com parser
- Copy your API key (format:
carsome_parser_sk_...) - Start extracting Southeast Asian automotive data :::
What's the format of Carsome.com API keys?
API Key Format
Carsome.com API keys follow this format:
carsome_parser_sk_1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef
Key components:
carsome_parser_sk_- Prefix identifying the parser1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef- 32-character unique identifier
How do I authenticate API requests?
Authentication Method
Include your API key in the Authorization header:
Authorization: Bearer carsome_parser_sk_1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef
Example in JavaScript:
const headers = {
Authorization: 'Bearer carsome_parser_sk_1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef',
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
};
Can I use the same API key for multiple regions?
Multi-Region Support
Yes, one API key works for all Southeast Asian regions:
- Malaysia - MYR pricing and local market data
- Indonesia - IDR pricing and regional insights
- Thailand - THB pricing and market trends
- Singapore - SGD pricing and premium market data
Regional Coverage
Which countries does Carsome.com parser support?
Supported Regions
| Country | Currency | Market Focus | Data Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | MYR | Family vehicles, SUVs | Full coverage |
| Indonesia | IDR | MPVs, compact cars | Complete data |
| Thailand | THB | Pickups, SUVs | Comprehensive |
| Singapore | SGD | Luxury, imports | Premium market |
Can I extract data from multiple countries in one request?
Regional Targeting
Yes, you can specify the target region in your request options:
{
"options": {
"region": "malaysia" // or "indonesia", "thailand", "singapore"
}
}
For cross-region analysis:
// Extract data from multiple regions
const regions = ['malaysia', 'indonesia', 'thailand', 'singapore'];
const results = await Promise.all(regions.map((region) => carsomeParser.extract({ options: { region } })));
Is the data localized for each region?
Localization Features
Yes, data is automatically localized with:
- Local currencies (MYR, IDR, THB, SGD) with real-time exchange rates
- Regional pricing and market data specific to each country
- Local language support where available (Malay, Indonesian, Thai)
- Regional dealer networks and contact information
- Country-specific regulations and compliance data
Data Extraction
What data fields are available?
Vehicle Information
Vehicle Data Fields
| Category | Fields | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Info | Make, model, year, trim | Toyota Vios 2020 1.5G |
| Engine Specs | Engine type, fuel type, transmission | 1.5L Dual VVT-i, Petrol, CVT |
| Physical Details | Color, body type, mileage | White, Sedan, 35,000 km |
| Registration | VIN, registration status, taxes | Current registration, valid until 2025 |
| Condition | Accident history, ownership | Clean title, 1 owner |
| Features | Options, packages, equipment | Keyless entry, reverse camera, ABS |
Pricing Data
Pricing Information
- Current asking price with currency conversion
- Price history and trend analysis
- Monthly payment options and financing details
- Negotiable status and price flexibility
- Regional price comparisons and market positioning
- Down payment requirements and loan terms
Seller Information
Seller Details
- Dealer details and contact information
- Location and service areas covered
- Ratings and reviews from previous customers
- Verification status and trust indicators
- Business information and operating hours
- Specializations and vehicle focus areas
Market Insights
Market Data
- Days on market and listing age
- View counts and customer engagement
- Price positioning relative to market average
- Similar listings and competitive analysis
- Market trends and demand patterns
- Regional market dynamics and insights
How many vehicles can I extract per request?
Request Limits
| Plan Type | Default Limit | Maximum Limit | Pagination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | 25 vehicles | 100 vehicles | Available |
| Standard | 50 vehicles | 500 vehicles | Available |
| Professional | 100 vehicles | 1,000 vehicles | Available |
| Enterprise | 200 vehicles | 5,000 vehicles | Available |
How often is the data updated?
Update Frequency
| Data Type | Update Frequency | Real-time Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Listings | Every 15 minutes | Near real-time |
| Pricing Data | Every 30 minutes | Current market prices |
| Market Analysis | Daily | Daily market insights |
| Seller Information | Weekly | Regular verification |
| Regional Trends | Hourly | Live market dynamics |
Can I filter by specific criteria?
Filtering Options
Yes, comprehensive filtering options include:
- Make and model - Specific brands and models
- Year range (yearFrom, yearTo) - Manufacturing years
- Price range (priceMin, priceMax) - Budget constraints
- Body type (Sedan, SUV, Hatchback, etc.) - Vehicle categories
- Fuel type (Petrol, Diesel, Hybrid, Electric) - Engine types
- Transmission (Manual, Automatic, CVT) - Gearbox options
- Location (city, country) - Geographic filtering
- Seller type (dealer, private) - Seller categories
- Mileage (mileageMax) - Usage limits
Pricing & Billing
How much does Carsome.com parser cost?
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Price | Requests/Hour | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | $0 | 100 | 7-day trial, basic features |
| Standard | $99/month | 1,000 | Basic data extraction |
| Professional | $299/month | 10,000 | Advanced analytics, insights |
| Enterprise | Custom | 100,000 | Full access, dedicated support |
Do you offer a free trial?
Free Trial Benefits
Yes, we offer a 7-day free trial with:
- 100 requests per day for testing
- Full API access to all endpoints
- All data fields included in responses
- No credit card required to start
- Technical support during trial period
- Easy upgrade to paid plans
How is billing calculated?
Billing Structure
Billing is based on:
- Monthly subscription for the selected plan
- Additional requests beyond plan limits (pay-per-use)
- Premium features (market analysis, forecasting)
- Regional data access (multi-country coverage)
- API usage volume and data extraction frequency
Can I cancel anytime?
Cancellation Policy
Yes, you can cancel your subscription anytime with:
- No penalties or hidden fees
- Immediate access until end of billing period
- Data export of your historical data
- Account preservation for future reactivation
- Pro-rated refunds for unused time
Performance & Reliability
What's the typical response time?
Performance Metrics
| Request Type | Average Response | Peak Load | Bulk Requests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Vehicle | 1.5 seconds | 2-3 seconds | 5-10 seconds |
| Search Results | 2.0 seconds | 3-4 seconds | 8-15 seconds |
| Market Analysis | 3.0 seconds | 4-5 seconds | 10-20 seconds |
| Bulk Extraction | 5-10 seconds | 10-15 seconds | 30-60 seconds |
What's the uptime guarantee?
Reliability Standards
- Uptime guarantee: 99.9% availability
- Monitoring: 24/7 system monitoring and alerting
- Backup systems: Redundant infrastructure across regions
- Support: Technical support available during business hours
- SLA: Service level agreements for enterprise customers
How do you handle rate limits?
Rate Limit Management
Rate limits are managed with:
- Intelligent throttling to prevent IP blocking
- Request queuing for high-volume users
- Automatic retry logic for failed requests
- Rate limit headers in responses for monitoring
- Progressive backoff for repeated failures
- User notifications when approaching limits
What happens if the service is down?
Service Continuity
- Automatic failover to backup systems within seconds
- Immediate notifications to affected users via email/SMS
- Service credits for confirmed downtime periods
- Priority support for enterprise customers
- Status page with real-time service updates
- Alternative endpoints for critical applications
Technical Support
What programming languages are supported?
Official SDKs
Supported Languages
| Language | Package Name | Installation | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JavaScript/Node.js | @carapis/carsome-parser | npm install @carapis/carsome-parser | JS Docs |
| Python | carapis-carsome-parser | pip install carapis-carsome-parser | Python Docs |
| PHP | carapis/carsome-parser | composer require carapis/carsome-parser | PHP Docs |
Direct API Access
API Access
- REST API - Works with any programming language
- cURL examples - For testing and quick integration
- Postman collections - Available for download
- OpenAPI specification - Auto-generated documentation
- Webhook support - Real-time data delivery
How do I handle errors?
Error Response Format
{
"success": false,
"error": {
"code": "RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED",
"message": "Too many requests",
"details": "Please wait and retry",
"retry_after": 60,
"timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}
}
Common Error Handling
Error Management
- Retry logic for temporary failures with exponential backoff
- Exponential backoff for rate limits and temporary errors
- Error logging for debugging and monitoring
- Fallback strategies for critical applications
- User-friendly messages for common issues
- Automatic recovery for transient failures
Where can I get technical support?
Support Channels
- Documentation - Complete API documentation
- Email Support - Technical assistance
- Live Chat - Real-time help
- Community Forum - Developer community
- Status Page - Service updates
- Video Tutorials - Step-by-step guides
Common Issues & Solutions
API Key Issues
Common Problems
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| 401 Unauthorized | Invalid API key | Check key format and validity |
| 403 Forbidden | Insufficient permissions | Verify plan includes Carsome.com access |
| Key not found | Wrong key copied | Copy the full key from dashboard |
| Expired key | Trial or subscription ended | Renew subscription or upgrade plan |
Data Extraction Problems
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No results | Filters too restrictive | Broaden search criteria |
| Partial data | Rate limiting | Reduce request frequency |
| Timeout errors | Network issues | Check connection stability |
| Invalid filters | Wrong parameter names | Check API documentation |
| Regional issues | Unsupported region | Use supported country codes |
Performance Issues
Performance Tips
- Use appropriate limits to avoid overwhelming the API
- Implement caching for frequently requested data
- Batch requests when possible for better efficiency
- Monitor rate limits to stay within quotas
- Use regional endpoints for faster response times
- Optimize filter combinations for targeted results
Next Steps
Ready to Get Started?
- Get Your API Key - Sign up for free trial
- Quick Start Guide - Set up in minutes
- API Reference - Complete documentation
- Examples - Live code examples
Need More Help?
- Support Center - Comprehensive help resources
- Community Forum - Connect with other developers
- Video Tutorials - Visual learning resources
- Documentation - Complete parser guide
Pro Tips
Best Practices
- Start with the free trial to test integration
- Use appropriate rate limits to avoid blocking
- Implement error handling for production use
- Cache frequently accessed data for better performance
- Monitor API usage to optimize costs
- Stay updated with API changes and new features
For Production Use
- Use environment variables for API key security
- Implement retry logic with exponential backoff
- Monitor response times and error rates
- Set up alerts for service issues
- Backup data for critical applications
- Test with real data before going live
Get comprehensive Southeast Asian automotive data with reliable API access and expert support.