How to Shop Craigslist for Cars Like a Pro with .RSS

I love Craigslist. Some of my best posts have been a result of this service, including my timely purchase of a Ducati SuperSport. Want to see the postings you’re interested in as soon as they’re listed? Read on!

1. Search Craigslist for the item you’re interested in on your local Craigslist site.
2. Copy the URL that is displaying your results.
3. Sign up for a Bloglines account (it’s free and web based).
   • Bloglines happens to be the service I use, but you can use any application that allows you to subscribe to .rss feeds like my.yahoo.com, feedburner, or a personalized google page.
   • And if you’re thinking ahead, yes, this technique works for any site that offers .rss feeds. Most browsers and web pages have an icon that is displayed if the .rss feed is available for a given page.
4. Now add this link, the one you copied when your results were displayed (even if 0), to your feed list on Bloglines.
5. Viola! Now every time an item matching your search hits Craigslist, you’ll be the first to know if you pay attention to your Bloglines account. Usually updates itself every few minutes! I leave the site open on a browser window while I’m at work so I can keep an eye on ad’s all the time!

Need an even more powerful search option? Check out CrazedList to search multiple local Craigslist sites at once! Props to Revgum for turning me on to this fantastic resource!

So what’s on my Craigslist .rss watch list?

• BMW e30 m3
• Motorcycles for sale with in Portland, Corvallis, and Eugene listings in Oregon
• Lotus, Austin, Alpina, BMW, etc… in Portland ad’s
• You get the idea, I’m addicted!

What’s on your Craigslist .rss search? Leave a comment with a link to your search!

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