SwapU Data Methodology

By Nicholas Robertson, Founder, SwapU

SwapU records observational data on completed vehicle swaps coordinated through the platform. This page explains what data is collected, how each metric is calculated, the limitations of the dataset, and the legal context for how this data may be cited.

All figures are observational only. They reflect what was recorded through SwapU's platform and do not constitute financial advice, valuation advice, or any representation about what any particular vehicle is worth. SwapU Pty Ltd (ABN 38 633 008 456) is not a licensed motor dealer and does not value, price, or broker vehicles.

Data source

Completed swap data is written to the completedSwapsPublic Firestore collection when both parties confirm the physical handover through the SwapU platform. Each record includes:

  • Completion timestamp (UTC)
  • Region (state/territory of the swap)
  • Vehicle 1 and Vehicle 2: make, model, year, and the parties' agreed valuation in AUD
  • Cash adjustment in AUD (positive = party receiving Vehicle 2 paid cash top-up; negative = other direction; zero = even swap)
  • Total swap value in AUD (sum of both agreed valuations)

Records are written server-side only. Neither party can modify a record after it is written.

Metrics explained

completedSwaps.total

The count of all records in completedSwapsPublic at the time of the API response. This is a running total since the platform launched.

completedSwaps.last90Days

Count of records with a completedAt timestamp within the 90 days preceding the API response. Used as a recency indicator.

cashTopUpRange.min / max

The minimum and maximum cashAdjustmentAUD values recorded across all completed swaps where a cash adjustment was present. Expressed in AUD. This range reflects what parties to those specific swaps agreed upon — it is not a valuation benchmark or market reference rate.

cashTopUpRange.confidence

Set to “low” when the cash top-up sample size is below 10 records, and “moderate” at 10 or above. There is no “high” confidence level — the dataset is small and voluntary. Do not use these figures as a reliable market reference.

Sample size and limitations

SwapU is an early-stage platform. The dataset is small, and early observations may not be representative of the broader Australian private vehicle market. The warning field in the API response is included whenever the total sample size is below 10 records.

The dataset covers only swaps completed through SwapU. It does not include private sales, dealer trade-ins, or swaps coordinated outside the platform. It is not a random or representative sample of the Australian vehicle market.

Agreed valuations are self-reported by the parties. SwapU does not independently verify vehicle values against any external pricing database.

Motor dealer safe harbour

SwapU Pty Ltd (ABN 38 633 008 456) is not a licensed motor dealer under the Motor Dealers and Chattel Auctioneers Act 2014 (Qld) or equivalent legislation in other Australian states and territories.

All data published through the /api/public/swap-stats endpoint and referenced in SwapU guides is observational only: it records what was agreed between private parties using the platform. Nothing in this data, or in any SwapU guide, should be interpreted as a valuation, pricing recommendation, or brokerage service.

Vehicle values are agreed privately between the parties to each swap. SwapU provides coordination infrastructure — not advice.

API access

The public stats endpoint is available at:

GET https://swapu.com.au/api/public/swap-stats

No authentication is required. Responses are cached for up to one hour. The response includes an asOf field (ISO 8601 UTC) indicating when the data was last computed. The schema version is included in each response as schemaVersion.

Any party citing SwapU data should include the sampleSize and asOf values alongside any figures, and link to this methodology page.

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