Developer Guide: Integrating the SinoAuto360 Spare Parts API

Getting Started with the Spare Parts API

The SinoAuto360 Spare Parts API provides programmatic access to our comprehensive database of 500K+ Chinese automotive parts. This guide walks you through integration from authentication to production deployment.

Authentication

All API requests require Bearer token authentication. After registering, generate an API key from your dashboard:

// Include in all requests
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Content-Type: application/json

API keys have configurable permissions and rate limits based on your plan tier. Keep your keys secure — never expose them in client-side code.

Base URL & Versioning

All requests go to:

https://api.sinoauto360.com/v1/

We use URL-based versioning. The current version is v1. We guarantee backward compatibility within a version and will provide migration guides for major version changes.

Core Endpoints

Search Parts by VIN

The most common use case — find all available parts for a specific vehicle:

GET /v1/parts/search?vin=LGXCE6CB0P0123456

Optional parameters:
  &category=brakes    // Filter by category
  &type=oem           // oem, aftermarket, or all
  &limit=20           // Results per page (max 100)
  &offset=0           // Pagination offset

Search by Part Number

Look up a specific part by its OEM or aftermarket part number:

GET /v1/parts/lookup?part_no=BYD-FBP-3021

Response:
{
  "part": {
    "part_no": "BYD-FBP-3021",
    "name": "Front Brake Pad Set",
    "manufacturer": "BYD",
    "category": "brakes",
    "price_usd": 65.00,
    "in_stock": true,
    "lead_time_days": 5,
    "specifications": {
      "material": "Ceramic",
      "thickness_mm": 15.2,
      "width_mm": 142.5,
      "height_mm": 58.3
    },
    "compatibility": [
      "BYD Atto 3 (2022-2026)",
      "BYD Yuan Plus (2022-2026)"
    ],
    "alternatives": [...]
  }
}

Cross-Reference Parts

Find compatible alternatives for any part:

GET /v1/parts/cross-reference?part_no=BYD-FBP-3021

Response:
{
  "oem_part": "BYD-FBP-3021",
  "alternatives": [
    {
      "part_no": "AFT-FBP-001",
      "manufacturer": "Brembo Compatible",
      "type": "aftermarket",
      "price_usd": 38.00,
      "compatibility_score": 0.98
    },
    {
      "part_no": "TRW-GDB2134",
      "manufacturer": "TRW",
      "type": "aftermarket",
      "price_usd": 42.00,
      "compatibility_score": 0.95
    }
  ]
}

Bulk Lookup

For high-volume use cases, submit up to 100 part numbers in a single request:

POST /v1/parts/bulk
{
  "part_numbers": [
    "BYD-FBP-3021",
    "BYD-HL-4510",
    "GWM-AF-2201"
  ]
}

Code Examples

Python

import requests

API_KEY = "your_api_key_here"
BASE_URL = "https://api.sinoauto360.com/v1"

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

# Search parts by VIN
response = requests.get(
    f"{BASE_URL}/parts/search",
    params={"vin": "LGXCE6CB0P0123456", "category": "brakes"},
    headers=headers
)

parts = response.json()["parts"]
for part in parts:
    print(f"{part['name']}: $" + "{part['price_usd']}" + " - {'In Stock' if part['in_stock'] else 'Out of Stock'}")

Node.js

const axios = require('axios');

const API_KEY = 'your_api_key_here';
const BASE_URL = 'https://api.sinoauto360.com/v1';

const client = axios.create({
  baseURL: BASE_URL,
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
});

// Search parts by VIN
async function searchParts(vin, category) {
  const { data } = await client.get('/parts/search', {
    params: { vin, category }
  });
  return data.parts;
}

searchParts('LGXCE6CB0P0123456', 'brakes')
  .then(parts => console.log(parts))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

Error Handling

The API uses standard HTTP status codes. Common responses:

• 200 — Success
• 400 — Bad request (invalid parameters)
• 401 — Unauthorized (invalid or missing API key)
• 404 — Part or vehicle not found
• 429 — Rate limit exceeded
• 500 — Internal server error

Error responses include a machine-readable code and human-readable message:

{
  "error": {
    "code": "RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED",
    "message": "You have exceeded 1000 requests per minute. Please upgrade your plan or wait.",
    "retry_after_seconds": 42
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Cache responses — Part data doesn't change frequently. Cache results for 1-24 hours to reduce API calls.
2. Use bulk endpoints — For multiple lookups, use /parts/bulk instead of individual requests.
3. Handle rate limits gracefully — Implement exponential backoff on 429 responses.
4. Validate VINs client-side — Check VIN format (17 chars, no I/O/Q) before making API calls.
5. Use webhooks for price monitoring — Subscribe to price change notifications rather than polling.