# TradeBasis Automotive Appraisal MCP (US)

> Free US VIN decoding and research; VIN-optional market appraisals via a separate pilot endpoint.

- name: net.tradebasis/automotive-appraisal
- version: 1.1.1
- connection class: R0 (autonomous)
- trust: 83/100 flags: no-repository
- quality: 66/100 (needs work)
- owner: not claimed
- descriptor: https://api.protogrid.dev/v1/servers/net.tradebasis%2Fautomotive-appraisal
- tools: https://api.protogrid.dev/v1/servers/net.tradebasis%2Fautomotive-appraisal/tools

**An agent can connect right now, no human step.** Remote endpoint, no authentication, reachable on the last probe.

## Connection (mcpServers)

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "automotive-appraisal": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://tradebasis.net/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```


## Trust

- hygiene: 80
- liveness: 100
- freshness: 100
- provenance: 55
- drivers: +dns-namespace +website +reachable +uptime-100% +updated-15d-ago -no-repository
- Derived from observable signals (official registry feed and our own credential-free probes); no code audit performed.

## Quality 66/100 (needs work)

### protocol: 75 (weight 25)

- warn `protocol.modern`: newest supported version is 2025-11-25; 2026-07-28 not supported, older versions are deprecated until 2027-07-28
- n/a `protocol.stateless`: only applies to 2026-07-28 servers
- pass `protocol.transport`: streamable HTTP
- n/a `protocol.list_ttl`: only applies to 2026-07-28 servers

### authorization: n/a (weight 15)

- n/a `auth.prm`, `auth.as_metadata`, `auth.cimd`: no remote uses OAuth
- n/a `auth.secret_in_url`: no templated URL

### tool hygiene: 79 (weight 30)

- pass `tools.descriptions`: every tool has a description
- warn `tools.description_length`: 1 tools have descriptions over 1,024 characters, which crowds the context
- pass `tools.schemas`: every tool has an object input schema
- pass `tools.annotations`: 4 of 4 tools declare readOnlyHint or destructiveHint
- fail `tools.directory_hints`: no tool declares all four of readOnlyHint, destructiveHint, idempotentHint and openWorldHint; missing: tradebasis_about (idempotentHint); tradebasis_research_library (idempotentHint); tradebasis_pricing_and_tiers (idempotentHint); …
- pass `tools.token_cost`: about 911 tokens to load every tool
- pass `tools.api_dump`: tools are not a one-to-one API dump

### stability: 25 (weight 15)

- warn `stability.changes`: 6 tool changes in 30 days
- fail `stability.rug_pull`: 2 tools kept their name but changed most of their description in 30 days; review before trusting them

### dependencies: n/a (weight 15)

- n/a `deps.known_vulns`, `deps.mcp_sdk_version`, `deps.resolvable`: no npm or PyPI package

- tools: 4, about 911 tokens to load them all
- tool set hash: fa1c913a9f20776d6e40c55e1caa29e9
- tools last changed: 2026-10-12T23:53:01.027Z
- badge: [![protogrid quality](https://protogrid.dev/badge/net.tradebasis/automotive-appraisal.svg)](https://protogrid.dev/servers/net.tradebasis/automotive-appraisal)
- Checks run on what our credential-free, read-only probes observe; tools are never called and no code audit is performed.

### Tool changes

- 2026-10-12 `tradebasis_vin_decode` changed (inputSchema)
- 2026-10-12 `tradebasis_research_library` changed (description, outputSchema)
  - before: Search published TradeBasis US dealer research, BHPH (buy here pay here) economics and portfolio benchmarks, the experimental BHPH Macro Conditions Index and its methodology, public blog articles, and legacy briefs. No arguments lists the catalog. topic retrieves a document by ID/slug/title; topic + section retrieves a section or continuation part. query searches; optional limit is an integer 1–20 (default 5). These modes cannot be combined. Returns published Markdown tables, dated evidence, sources and qualifications, not new financial analysis. Long documents return an overview and section directory. Publication is rechecked on every retrieval; unverifiable sources return retryable errors, not cached article text. Blog access uses the public internet. Publication/update dates, CMS modification, data coverage and retrieval time are distinct.
  - after: Search published TradeBasis US dealer research, BHPH (buy here pay here) economics and portfolio benchmarks, the experimental BHPH Macro Conditions Index and its methodology, public blog articles, and legacy briefs. No arguments lists the catalog. topic retrieves a document by ID/slug/title; topic + section retrieves a section or continuation part. query searches; optional limit is an integer 1–20 (default 5). These modes cannot be combined. Returns published Markdown tables, dated evidence, sources and qualifications, not new financial analysis. Long documents return an overview and section directory. Publication is rechecked on every retrieval; unverifiable sources return retryable errors, not cached article text. Blog access uses the public internet. Publication/update dates, CMS modification, data coverage and retrieval time are distinct. Structured output uses operation=list/search/get/section/invalid; retrieval includes the requested Markdown and publisher caveats. Unknown dates and coverage remain null. No search cursor is supported; use returned section/part IDs for long content.
- 2026-10-12 `tradebasis_pricing_and_tiers` changed (description)
  - before: TradeBasis paid subscription tiers — Lite (1 user, $99/mo USD) vs Pro (up to 10 users, $249/mo USD). Separate from the free MCP appraisal pilot. Static markdown; as_of is the explicit content review date.
  - after: TradeBasis paid subscription tiers — Lite (1 user, $99/mo USD) vs Pro (up to 10 users, $249/mo USD). Separate from the free MCP appraisal pilot and the $99 one-time consumer report. Static markdown; as_of is the explicit content review date.
- 2026-10-10 `tradebasis_research_library` changed (description, inputSchema, annotations) **meaning changed**
  - before: Static research/market-report briefs authored by TradeBasis. Call with no arguments to list available briefs, or pass a topic (slug or title) to retrieve a single brief. Returns static markdown.
  - after: Search published TradeBasis US dealer research, BHPH (buy here pay here) economics and portfolio benchmarks, the experimental BHPH Macro Conditions Index and its methodology, public blog articles, and legacy briefs. No arguments lists the catalog. topic retrieves a document by ID/slug/title; topic + section retrieves a section or continuation part. query searches; optional limit is an integer 1–20 (default 5). These modes cannot be combined. Returns published Markdown tables, dated evidence, sources and qualifications, not new financial analysis. Long documents return an overview and section directory. Publication is rechecked on every retrieval; unverifiable sources return retryable errors, not cached article text. Blog access uses the public internet. Publication/update dates, CMS modification, data coverage and retrieval time are distinct.
- 2026-10-08 `tradebasis_pricing_and_tiers` changed (description) **meaning changed**
  - before: TradeBasis subscription tiers — Lite ($99/mo USD) vs Pro ($249/mo USD): what each includes and who each is for. Static markdown.
  - after: TradeBasis paid subscription tiers — Lite (1 user, $99/mo USD) vs Pro (up to 10 users, $249/mo USD). Separate from the free MCP appraisal pilot. Static markdown; as_of is the explicit content review date.
- 2026-10-08 `tradebasis_about` changed (description)
  - before: What TradeBasis is, the problem it solves, what makes it different, and who it's for. Returns static markdown with an as_of date.
  - after: What TradeBasis is, the problem it solves, what makes it different, and who it's for, plus how to connect to the separate free, limited US appraisal pilot. Static markdown; as_of is the explicit content review date.

Full history: https://api.protogrid.dev/v1/servers/net.tradebasis%2Fautomotive-appraisal/changes

## Remotes

- https://tradebasis.net/mcp (streamable-http, auth none, reachable true, uptime30d 1)

## Packages

_none_

## Tools (4)

- `tradebasis_about`: What TradeBasis is, the problem it solves, what makes it different, and who it's for, plus how to connect to the separate free, limited US appraisal pilot. Static markdown; as_of is the explicit content review date.
- `tradebasis_pricing_and_tiers`: TradeBasis paid subscription tiers — Lite (1 user, $99/mo USD) vs Pro (up to 10 users, $249/mo USD). Separate from the free MCP appraisal pilot and the $99 one-time consumer report. Static markdown; as_of is the explicit content review date.
- `tradebasis_research_library`: Search published TradeBasis US dealer research, BHPH (buy here pay here) economics and portfolio benchmarks, the experimental BHPH Macro Conditions Index and its methodology, public blog articles, and legacy briefs. No arguments lists the catalog. topic retrieves a document by ID/slug/title; topic + section retrieves a section or continuation part. query searches; optional limit is an integer 1–20 (default 5). These modes cannot be combined. Returns published Markdown tables, dated evidence, sources and qualifications, not new financial analysis. Long documents return an overview and section directory. Publication is rechecked on every retrieval; unverifiable sources return retryable errors, not cached article text. Blog access uses the public internet. Publication/update dates, CMS modification, data coverage and retrieval time are distinct. Structured output uses operation=list/search/get/section/invalid; retrieval includes the requested Markdown and publisher caveats. Unknown dates and coverage remain null. No search cursor is supported; use returned section/part IDs for long content.
- `tradebasis_vin_decode`: Decode a 17-character VIN into vehicle identity: year, make, model, trim, body style, drivetrain, engine, transmission and fuel type. Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles also return their electrification level and, where stated, battery and charging facts. Identification only — this tool returns no valuation, no comparable listings and no market data.