generated: '2026-09-05'
method: probed
status: published
source: >-
  https://carsxe.com/.well-known/api-catalog (linkset naming the MCP endpoint),
  https://carsxe.com/docs/integrations/mcp-quickstart,
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/carsxe/carsxe-mcp-server/main/README.md,
  https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0/servers?search=carsxe
deployment:
  mode: remote
  endpoint: https://mcp.carsxe.com/mcp
  auth: api-key
  auth_alternatives:
    - api-key
    - oauth
  verified: probed
server:
  name: carsxe
  registry_name: io.github.carsxe/carsxe-mcp
  transport: http
  transport_detail: streamable-http
  url: https://mcp.carsxe.com/mcp
  repository: https://github.com/carsxe/carsxe-mcp-server
  registry: https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/?q=carsxe
  registry_status: active
  registry_version: 1.0.0
  registry_published: '2026-03-02'
  docs: https://carsxe.com/docs/integrations/mcp-quickstart
x-evidence:
  fetched: '2026-09-05'
  tools_list:
    url: https://mcp.carsxe.com/mcp
    method: POST
    body: '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list"}'
    http_status: 401
    body_returned: >-
      {"error":"unauthorized","error_description":"Missing credentials. Provide an OAuth Bearer
      token, X-API-Key header, or 'key' query parameter"}
    verdict: >-
      The server is live and reachable but tools/list is auth-gated, so the real inputSchema per
      tool could not be introspected anonymously. The tool names, descriptions and parameters below
      are taken verbatim from the provider's own published README for carsxe-mcp-server, not guessed.
  oauth_discovery:
    protected_resource: https://mcp.carsxe.com/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource
    authorization_server: https://mcp.carsxe.com/.well-known/oauth-authorization-server
    http_status: 200
authentication:
  api_key:
    header: X-API-Key
    query_param: key
    docs: https://carsxe.com/dashboard/developer
  oauth:
    issuer: https://mcp.carsxe.com
    authorization_endpoint: https://mcp.carsxe.com/oauth/authorize
    token_endpoint: https://mcp.carsxe.com/oauth/token
    registration_endpoint: https://mcp.carsxe.com/oauth/register
    grant_types: [authorization_code, refresh_token]
    code_challenge_methods: [S256]
    dynamic_client_registration: true
    scopes: [mcp]
    note: >-
      Used by the Claude.ai custom-connector flow, where the end user signs in with a CarsXE account
      and no API key is copied by hand.
clients_documented:
  - Claude.ai (custom connector, OAuth)
  - Claude Desktop (npx mcp-remote@latest)
  - Claude CLI (claude mcp add --transport http)
  - Cursor (streamableHttp)
  - VS Code / GitHub Copilot (http)
  - Windsurf (npx mcp-remote@latest)
  - Gemini CLI
  - Kiro CLI
  - Codex CLI
marketplaces:
  - https://mcp.so/server/carsxe/carsxe
  - https://mcpmarket.com/server/carsxe
  - https://glama.ai/mcp/servers/carsxe/cars-xe
  - https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/?q=carsxe
  - https://mcpservers.org/servers/carsxe/carsxe-mcp-server
tools:
  - name: get_vehicle_specs
    description: Get comprehensive vehicle specifications by VIN
    parameters: [vin]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-specifications-api-openapi.yml#getVehicleSpecs
  - name: decode_license_plate
    description: Decode a vehicle's license plate to get VIN and basic info
    parameters: [plate, state, country]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-plate-api-openapi.yml#decodePlateV2
  - name: decode_international_vin
    description: Decode an international VIN for detailed info
    parameters: [vin]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-specifications-api-openapi.yml#getInternationalVinDecoder
  - name: get_market_value
    description: Get estimated market value for a vehicle by VIN
    parameters: [vin, state, mileage, condition]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-market-value-api-openapi.yml#getMarketValueV2
  - name: get_vehicle_history
    description: Get a comprehensive vehicle history report by VIN
    parameters: [vin, format]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-history-api-openapi.yml#getVehicleHistory
  - name: get_vehicle_images
    description: Get vehicle images by make, model, and filters
    parameters: [make, model, year, trim, color, transparent, angle, photoType, size, license, format]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-images-api-openapi.yml#getVehicleImages
  - name: get_vehicle_recalls
    description: Get vehicle recall information by VIN
    parameters: [vin]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-recalls-api-openapi.yml#getVehicleRecalls
  - name: read_license_plate_from_image
    description: Recognize and extract license plate(s) from a vehicle image URL
    parameters: [imageUrl]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-recognition-api-openapi.yml#recognizePlate
  - name: extract_vin_from_image
    description: Extract the VIN from a vehicle image using OCR
    parameters: [imageUrl]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-recognition-api-openapi.yml#vinOcr
  - name: get_year_make_model
    description: Get comprehensive vehicle info by year, make, model, and optional trim
    parameters: [year, make, model, trim]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-year-make-model-api-openapi.yml#getYearMakeModel
  - name: decode_obd_code
    description: Decode an OBD code and get diagnosis information
    parameters: [code]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-year-make-model-api-openapi.yml#decodeObdCode
  - name: check_lien_and_theft
    description: Get lien and theft information for a vehicle by VIN
    parameters: [vin]
    source_operation: openapi/carsxe-lien-theft-api-openapi.yml#getLienTheft