Cars & Bids Data Parser & API

Cars & Bids is a fast-growing online auction focused on modern enthusiast cars (1980s and newer) — and Carapis extracts its full lot data, including detailed condition write-ups, options, modifications, photos and sold-price history, through one REST API. Founded by automotive personality Doug DeMuro, Cars & Bids pairs thorough condition documentation with public final-sale results, making it a strong source for modern-classic valuation data.

What is Cars & Bids?

Cars & Bids is a US-based online auction platform for modern enthusiast and modern-classic vehicles, typically from the 1980s onward. It runs daily curated lots with detailed condition reports, known-flaw disclosures, extensive photos and active bidder commentary. Every closed auction publishes its final result, making Cars & Bids a useful, transparent source for recent enthusiast-car sale prices.

Market Position

Cars & Bids is a leading modern-enthusiast auction site, with an estimated 3-5M monthly visits. It complements Bring a Trailer by concentrating on newer enthusiast cars rather than vintage classics. Online collector auctions now move 50K+ cars/yr ($2.5B), surpassing live auctions (Hagerty, 2025) — and Cars & Bids’ transparent, well-documented lots with public results make it valuable for tracking the modern-classic segment specifically.

Data Fields Available

Carapis extracts a complete structured record from each Cars & Bids lot:

• Vehicle identity — make, model, model year, VIN
• Condition — mileage, structured condition write-up, known flaws, modifications, factory options
• Auction — final bid / sold price, reserve status, auction end date (the standout sold-price history)
• Listing context — seller type, location, deep photo gallery

The detailed condition disclosures and public sold-price results are what make Cars & Bids’ data valuable: they support modern-classic valuation and trend analysis — delivered as structured fields rather than free text.

API Quick Start

import requests
 
resp = requests.get(
    "https://api.carapis.com/v2/listings",
    params={"source": "cars-and-bids", "limit": 20},
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"},
)
for car in resp.json()["results"]:
    print(car["make"], car["model"], car["year"], car["price"])

const res = await fetch(
  "https://api.carapis.com/v2/listings?source=cars-and-bids&limit=20",
  { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CARAPIS_API_KEY}` } },
);
const { results } = await res.json();

curl "https://api.carapis.com/v2/listings?source=cars-and-bids&limit=20" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CARAPIS_API_KEY"

Get an API key at my.carapis.com  and see the full API reference. Pricing is on the pricing page.

Use Cases

• Pricing intelligence — public sold-price results power modern-classic valuation models for dealers and specialists.
• Market research — track the modern-enthusiast segment, model results and sell-through. See market research.
• Import / export — spec and condition depth help cross-border buyers vet enthusiast vehicles. See import & export.

Frequently asked questions

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