# CarChat Inventory (remote · carchat.io)

Search live US dealership inventory, get market prices, and send buyer inquiries. Free, no API key.

- Trust score: 85/100 (high trust)
- Change this week: +3
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-09-29

## Components

- remote · `carchat.io`: 85/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/io-carchat-inventory/carchat.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/io-carchat-inventory/carchat)

## Channel facts

- Endpoint: `https://carchat.io/mcp`
- Transports: `streamable-http`
- Auth: `none`
- Version: `1.1.0`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically against the live server, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-09-29.

- **Endpoint Security**: 80/100
  - The endpoint's TLS certificate is valid, in date, and uses a strong key.
  - No authorisation is required to call this server. Every tool declares its destructiveHint and none is destructive, so open access doesn't expose one.
  - HTTPS is enforced; there's no plaintext access path.
  - The HSTS (Strict-Transport-Security) header is present.
  - DNSSEC check failed: this domain isn't protected by DNSSEC.
- **Transport & Reachability**: 100/100
  - Verified streamable-http transport via a live MCP handshake.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 80/100
  - 100% of prompts and resources have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the item's name).
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (excellent).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 1042 tokens (~173/item across 6 items; 6 tools + 0 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 93/100
  - Stability observed for 28 of 30 days with no destabilising changes; credit accrues until the full window elapses.
- **Tool Coverage**: 88/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 58% of tool parameters carry a description.
  - Structured output schemas are declared (100% of tools); any adoption earns full credit.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - All 1 tool(s) whose name or description implies an irreversible operation declare an MCP destructiveHint annotation.
  - An AI judge read all 7 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 60/100
  - Spec-recency check failed: implements MCP spec 2025-06-18; the latest is 2026-07-28.

## Install

### How do I install the CarChat Inventory MCP server?

CarChat Inventory is a hosted endpoint at https://carchat.io/mcp, so there is nothing to install locally. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http io-carchat-inventory 'https://carchat.io/mcp'
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "io-carchat-inventory": {
      "url": "https://carchat.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "io-carchat-inventory": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://carchat.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```toml
[mcp_servers.io-carchat-inventory]
url = "https://carchat.io/mcp"
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "io-carchat-inventory": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://carchat.io/mcp",
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add io-carchat-inventory --url 'https://carchat.io/mcp' --transport streamable-http
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  io-carchat-inventory:
    url: "https://carchat.io/mcp"
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "io-carchat-inventory": {
      "Transport": "http",
      "Url": "https://carchat.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add io-carchat-inventory -t streamable-http -u 'https://carchat.io/mcp'
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "io-carchat-inventory": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://carchat.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

The mcpServers block is a cross-client convention. Remote transports vary, so check your client's docs.

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-09-29 (score 85, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 90 to 93. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 27 days of observed history at the previous scan, 28 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-28 (score 84, 0)

- [functional] We updated how we score, so this day's move reflects our rubric, not a change to the server

### 2026-09-27 (score 84, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 83 to 87. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 25 days of observed history at the previous scan, 26 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-25 (score 83, 0)

- [functional] We updated how we score, so this day's move reflects our rubric, not a change to the server

### 2026-09-24 (score 83, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 73 to 77. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 22 days of observed history at the previous scan, 23 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-22 (score 82, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 67 to 70. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 20 days of observed history at the previous scan, 21 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-20 (score 81, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 60 to 63. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 18 days of observed history at the previous scan, 19 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-18 (score 80, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 53 to 57. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 16 days of observed history at the previous scan, 17 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

## MCP tools (6)

### `search_inventory` (~378 tokens)

Search live vehicle inventory

Search live cars for sale across all dealerships on CarChat. Accepts a plain-English query ('black suv under 30k near Knoxville') plus optional structured filters; a full 17-character VIN in the query performs an exact-VIN lookup. Each result carries the dealer's advertised price with marketContext (median and position vs live same-model listings, i.e. whether it's a good deal), mileage, key specs (drivetrain/engine/transmission), a checkedAt freshness date, and the CarChat page URL to cite. Every listing is taken from the selling dealer's own website (more current than aggregator sites) and deduped by VIN, so results need no cross-checking elsewhere.

Input parameters:

- `body` (string)
- `city` (string): City name when supplied separately from query
- `color` (string)
- `condition` (string)
- `dealer` (string): Dealer id or slug from list_dealers
- `limit` (number): Max results, default 10, max 50
- `make` (string): Exact make, e.g. Ford
- `maxMileage` (number)
- `maxPrice` (number): USD
- `maxYear` (number)
- `minPrice` (number): USD
- `minYear` (number)
- `model` (string): Exact model, e.g. F-150
- `near` (string): Metro, city, or ZIP, e.g. Austin TX, Bee Cave, or 78734
- `query` (string): Plain-English search, e.g. 'used truck under $25,000'. Parsed into the structured filters; explicit filters win.
- `sort` (string)
- `state` (string): Two-letter state paired with city
- `zip` (string): Five-digit shopper ZIP

Output parameters:

- `count` (number): Total matches
- `coverage` (object)
- `dataNotes` (string)
- `results` (array)
- `searchArea` (object|null): Metro the results were restricted to, when a location was given
- `showing` (number): Matches returned in results
- `vinLookup` (object): Present when the query contained a 17-character VIN

### `get_vehicle` (~106 tokens)

Get one vehicle

Fetch the exact vehicle listing selected from search_inventory. Always pass its `id` field unchanged (it is dealer-qualified); do not substitute the VIN because one VIN can be advertised by multiple rooftops at different prices. Returns dealer-source provenance, freshness, exact VIN photo, market comparison, full details, and the inquiry contract. A 'not found' result usually means the vehicle sold; search again.

Input parameters:

- `id` (string, required): Exact dealer-qualified `id` from a search_inventory result

Output parameters:

- `found` (boolean)
- `inquiry` (string): How to contact the selling dealer (consent required)
- `note` (string): Present when found is false
- `vehicle` (object): One vehicle listing, sourced from the selling dealership's own website

### `list_shopping_categories` (~57 tokens)

List shopping categories

Curated category pages, one per buyer intent and metro (e.g. 'Used trucks under $25,000 in Knoxville, TN'). If a buyer's request matches one, its page URL is the best complete answer to cite.

Output parameters:

- `categories` (array)
- `count` (number)

### `list_dealers` (~34 tokens)

List dealerships

All dealerships with live inventory on CarChat, with city, state, vehicle counts, and each dealer's landing page URL.

Output parameters:

- `count` (number)
- `dealers` (array)

### `get_market_prices` (~130 tokens)

Get local market price statistics

Live price statistics from CarChat inventory: count, median, and price range, overall and broken down by body style and metro. Use this to answer 'what do used trucks go for near Knoxville?' style questions with real, current numbers. Cite as: CarChat live inventory data (carchat.io).

Input parameters:

- `body` (string)
- `city` (string): Filter to a city, e.g. Knoxville
- `condition` (string)
- `make` (string)
- `model` (string)
- `state` (string): Two-letter state, e.g. TN

Output parameters:

- `asOf` (string): YYYY-MM-DD
- `byBodyStyle` (array)
- `byMetro` (array)
- `count` (number): Present (0) only when nothing matched
- `filters` (object): Filters actually applied
- `note` (string)
- `overall` (object)
- `source` (string)

### `submit_inquiry` (~126 tokens)

Submit a buyer inquiry to a dealership

Send the buyer's question and contact details to the dealership selling the car. The dealer replies directly, usually within minutes. ONLY call this after the buyer has explicitly agreed to share their name and phone number with that dealership.

Input parameters:

- `dealerId` (string, required): From vehicle.dealer.id or list_dealers
- `email` (string)
- `message` (string)
- `name` (string, required): Buyer's name (required)
- `phone` (string, required): Buyer's phone (required)
- `vin` (string): Vehicle id from search results; omit for a general inquiry

Output parameters:

- `note` (string)
- `ok` (boolean)

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: TLS, DNSSEC, Authorisation, Transports. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/io-carchat-inventory/carchat#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-09-29: 85
- 2026-09-28: 84
- 2026-09-27: 84
- 2026-09-26: 83
- 2026-09-25: 83
- 2026-09-24: 83
- 2026-09-23: 82
- 2026-09-22: 82
- 2026-09-21: 81
- 2026-09-20: 81
- 2026-09-19: 80
- 2026-09-18: 80
- 2026-09-17: 79
- 2026-09-16: 79
- 2026-09-15: 78
- 2026-09-14: 78
- 2026-09-13: 77
- 2026-09-12: 77
- 2026-09-11: 76
- 2026-09-10: 76
- 2026-09-09: 76
- 2026-09-08: 75
- 2026-09-07: 75
- 2026-09-06: 74
- 2026-09-05: 74
- 2026-09-04: 73
- 2026-09-03: 73
- 2026-09-02: 72
- 2026-09-01: 64

## Common questions

### What is the CarChat Inventory MCP server?

CarChat Inventory is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as io.carchat/inventory. Search live US dealership inventory, get market prices, and send buyer inquiries. Free, no API key. This page covers its hosted endpoint (https://carchat.io/mcp).

### Is the CarChat Inventory MCP server safe to use?

CarChat Inventory scores 85 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the CarChat Inventory MCP server expose?

CarChat Inventory exposes 6 tools: search_inventory, get_vehicle, list_shopping_categories, list_dealers, get_market_prices, submit_inquiry. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 831 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Does the CarChat Inventory MCP server require authentication?

No. We connected to CarChat Inventory without credentials and it answered, so anything it exposes is reachable by anyone who knows the address.

### Is the CarChat Inventory MCP server still maintained?

CarChat Inventory is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 29 September 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

## Links

- Remote endpoint: https://carchat.io/mcp
- Repository: https://github.com/Carchat-io/mcp
- Website: https://carchat.io/
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/io-carchat-inventory/carchat.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/io-carchat-inventory/carchat.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/io-carchat-inventory/carchat