how to add a car database

[wirelessalpha]

Hi,

What is needed to have a current Car Database (filtered, make/model/trim) appear on a site I am designing do I:

a) Need to subscribe to a service? Or
b) Can I get an updated database somewhere of car make/models?

If you have the answer to this question - could you also kindly post some examples places of where I can find this stuff. Thanks.

PS: A good example of what I need would be like the filtering drop-downs that appear on www.autotrader.com. If you pick a make, then the models dynamically change.

[Tweak4]

I have no doubt that such databases exist, but I wouldn't count on finding one that would allow you to add their information to your site for free. It's also such a niche request, there is a significant change that you won't find a service either- most places that have compiled such a list have done so for business reasons, and aren't likely to freely share their information with potential competition.
The easiest solution would probably be to create and maintain your own database. A quick search at Google or Wikipedia should return lists of most makes/models, so from there, you'd really just need to design your tables and import the information.

[wirelessalpha]

tweak - thanks for the reply. However, I am still thinking something like this should exist somewhere....for example.

1. How do all these car websites have their own make/model DB? Is this really the case - where I am to believe that everyone one of these sites don't subscribe to a service and this db is manually updated all the time?

2. Also, I am ok with paying for something like this - I just don't have the time to do all the legwork.

3. Even if I do visit a car websites page (autotrader for example): If it was easy enough to rip then I would do it just by copying the code...however, I haven't ran into a site yet where it's setup like this. I have a list of makes...thats no problem...its the models that takes time to get. For example, if I want a list of all honda cars, then I have to select honda, wait for page to refresh - and then search for the models. I can't do this for every care make...

I mean...there has got to be a better way...no?

[ray326]

1,2. I'm sure they buy that data from someone.
3. Sure you can but the alternative du jour is to use AJAX to get the incremental data and update the options in the select.