Finance tool
Auto loan calculator
Enter vehicle price, trade-in, down payment, term, and APR — see monthly payment, total interest, and true cost above sticker.
Start with the free manual tool. If you want the real document view after that, analyze a statement PDF.
Free tool
What will this car actually cost you?
Enter the vehicle price, sales tax rate, trade-in value, fees, down payment, term, and APR. The calculator computes monthly payment, total interest, total out-of-pocket, and the true cost above sticker price.
Vehicle & payment
Negotiated price before tax / fees.
Cash you're putting down.
Value of vehicle you're trading in.
Your state / local sales tax on the purchase.
Title, registration, documentation, destination fees.
Loan terms
36, 48, 60, 72, or 84. Shorter = less total interest.
Dealer finance rate. Usually negotiable — shop your credit union or bank.
60 months at 8.5% APR, financing $29,690 after down payment, trade-in, and taxes.
Price + tax + fees − down − trade-in.
5 years at 8.5%.
Down + trade + all payments combined.
Tax + interest + fees above vehicle price.
20/4/10 rule: 20% down, 4-year max term, payments under 10% of take-home pay.
Term sweet spot: 60 months and under. 72-84 month loans have high interest and frequent negative equity.
Dealer financing is almost always beatable. Pre-approve with your credit union or bank first.
Natural next step
Can you actually afford the monthly payment?
A monthly payment only tells half the story. Upload your bank statement to see what you currently spend on vehicle-related expenses (gas, insurance, parking, repairs) and whether the new payment fits. Real numbers beat optimistic estimates.
What it gives you
Fast enough for a first pass
Each tool is intentionally narrow. The job here is a clean estimate, not a fake replacement for a full statement analysis.
Honest total cost
Includes sales tax, fees, and trade-in value — the numbers dealers hide in the monthly-payment-focused pitch.
Standard amortization
Standard auto loan amortization — matches what the dealer's F&I system will show at signing.
True cost above sticker
Surfaces true cost above sticker — the real number you pay over the life of the loan.
When it's useful
Standard auto loan amortization with trade-in, sales tax, and fees included.
Anyone shopping for a car
Plug in the dealer's numbers before sitting down to sign. Knowing your target monthly payment locks you out of dealer tricks that extend the term to hide a worse rate.
Buyers comparing new vs used
Run the same vehicle at new-car price and new-to-you-car price — see how much of the difference is principal vs interest on longer terms.
People deciding between rate vs term
Try 48 vs 60 vs 72 months at your actual APR. The monthly-payment difference is usually smaller than the total-interest difference.
Self-employed buyers
Bank-statement auto loans work similarly to mortgage bank-statement loans — the lender underwrites on statement-based income. Pair with our bank-statement loan calculator.
Deeper context
Why the 20/4/10 rule works
The rule exists because most auto loans that violate it end badly.
20% down keeps you above negative equity
New cars lose 15-20% of value in year one. Putting 20% down means you're still above the loan balance after that drop. With 0% down, you're underwater immediately — a problem if the car is totaled or you need to sell.
4-year max aligns with useful life
Most cars incur their big repair costs in years 5-8. Finishing the loan by year 4 means repairs happen on a paid-off car, not on top of car payments.
10% of take-home keeps the car from eating the budget
Cars are depreciating assets. Spending more than 10% of take-home crowds out retirement, savings, and housing. The math of long-term wealth is usually cleaner with less-expensive vehicles.
Deeper context
Auto loan gotchas this calculator surfaces
Three places car buyers lose money that the calc makes obvious.
Extended warranties and add-ons financed into the loan
A $2,500 extended warranty + $1,500 GAP insurance at 8.5% over 72 months costs $5,150 total. Decline them at the F&I desk — you can buy separately for less or skip.
Negative equity roll-over
If you still owe $6,000 on your current car but it's worth $3,500, dealers often roll $2,500 negative equity into the new loan. Now you're financing the new car plus the old car's shortfall — bad math.
The monthly payment shell game
Dealers focus on monthly payment. That lets them hide higher APR or longer term. Always negotiate price, APR, and trade-in separately — then let the monthly payment fall out.
FAQ