Craigslist Search Tools

[kb0nes]

So I keep seeing all these wonderful finds that are posted to the group from various CL postings. I have to assume that the avid CL watchers among us are using some form of search tool to search various area CL listings. Via a Google search I see there are a variety of websites that do CL searching, I'm looking for suggestions of which seem to be worth my time.

I like to search CL for various vintage HiFi and tools but I find it tedious at best and that is only searching my local area. Not to mention that I have to take the time to do it. Ideally I'd like to find an automated service that will email me when a search query is met.

I'm fairly sure I could tweak Google to do searches for me but perhaps what I am looking for already exists...

 

[launderess]

Craigslist Does *NOT* Liike Third Party Serach Engines

Messing about with their site.

A few have come and gone usually because once CL gets wind of what they are up to the lawyers are dispatched and that is that. Being as that may currently SearchTempest.com is about as good as there is. Though to accomodate CL things aren't as easy as before.

 

[washer111]

I Find:

I've found if you want to search CL with Google (rather than wading through each localities craigslist), that you do this (w/o brackets):

"GE Refrigerator site:craigslist.org"

That usually yields good results. One must be careful of the numerous listings that are deleted and haven't been removed from the server (So half the results will often be dead pages), and the long lists of stuff for sale in an area (Classifieds?)

 

And Launderess, what exactly are you saying? Do companies like Google get into trouble when you start searching their site with the method shown above, or is it "against the rules" to post sales items on other websites?

 

[launderess]

Google Trolls The Interent For Postings

Cannot remember what they did to tick CL off but eventually each died out displaying a message about due to complaints from CL or some other they no longer can provide the service. Or a message appears they have changed how they display results. All such remaining services market themselves as search engines and have no affliation with CL.

Problem these sites try to correct is that Craigslist for some unknown reason does not offer multi-location searches. If you want to look for Miele washing machines for example you have to search every single city or maybe state on it's own, though often CL will give results for the area surrounding a certain location.

As you can imagine this sort of thing bugs many so some enterprising persons came up with solutions. Whatever those solutions have been thus far many have ticked off CL.

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www.pirate4x4.com

 

[retropia]

I used to use a program called CraigsPal. It was great. Craigslist sent CraigsPal a cease-and-desist letter, and it frightened the CraigsPal developer into shutting it down.

Now I use: http://www.adhuntr.com/

It's a hopped-up Google search tool. It works ok, not great, and does turn up a lot of expired/deleted listings. I haven't found anything better, though I keep looking.

 

[ovrphil]

search tool

I too wish there were a more effective, time-saving way to search. Never mind the four letter obscenities, the list goes on applying to the frustration.

Retropia - I use this sometimes(formerly allofcraigslist.com, now adhunter.com) and something a little more customizable, to USA regions...try some of these..instructions on the pages how to use are included:

1) http://craigslist.thingweb.com/

2) http://www.clsearchengine.com/

3) www.craigslist.extads.com (for mobile and tablet, and has two links to NY and SF searching, but not sure why they only offer this now...used to be able to select a region)

4) http://craigfind.com/regional.html - only a few regions

I haven't yet figured out how to search and get results that do not show the deleted posts. I typically search by city, whatever is nearest to me.

Good luck - hope this helps someone

 

[kb0nes]

Thanks all for the guidance so far.

I tried the SearchTempest before I posted my query. I was rather dismayed at the number of expired CL posts it turned up. I think I clicked through at least 6 before I got anything still active...

Perhaps I am not going to find what I am looking for. It seems like if CL is going to be picky about 3rd parties providing services they don't then perhaps they just need to do it themselves! Ebay has long had the ability to email notify when items are added that meet an active serch query. With CL being early to the party is often the key to snapping up the good deals.

If I figure out anything good I'll post back.