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Financial Planning

Auto Loan Calculator

Work out a car loan payment including sales tax, fees, down payment and trade-in, plus total interest and total vehicle cost.

Your inputs

Rules differ by state and country — check yours.

Results

Monthly payment

$581.90

Amount financed
$29,740.00
Sales tax
$2,240.00
Total interest
$5,173.79
Total cost of the vehicle (all payments + down + trade-in)
$42,913.79

✓Exact calculation — rounded only for display

Inputs are never added to links for financial, salary or health calculators.

What this calculator does

The amount you finance for a car is usually the price plus tax and fees, minus your down payment and trade-in. Use this to compare terms and see the full cost of a vehicle before negotiating.

Formula and method

Taxable amount = price − trade-in (if your jurisdiction allows) or price Amount financed = price + tax + financed fees − down payment − trade-in Payment = standard amortizing loan formula.

Worked example

Calculated by this tool with its default inputs:

Inputs

  • Vehicle price: 35000 (any currency)
  • Cash down payment: 5000 (any currency)
  • Trade-in value: 3000 (any currency)
  • Sales tax rate: 7 %
  • Tax applies to price minus trade-in: Yes
  • Fees added to the loan (registration, documentation): 500 (any currency)
  • Interest rate (annual): 6.5 %
  • Term: 60 months

Results

  • Monthly payment: 581.9
  • Amount financed: 29,740
  • Sales tax: 2,240
  • Total interest: 5,173.79
  • Total cost of the vehicle (all payments + down + trade-in): 42,913.79

How to read the results

Longer terms lower the payment but increase total interest and the risk of owing more than the car is worth.

Assumptions and limitations

  • Sales tax treatment of trade-ins varies by state and country — the checkbox lets you choose.
  • Insurance, maintenance and fuel are not included.

Financial results are estimates based on the inputs and assumptions shown. They are not financial advice; confirm figures with your lender, provider or a qualified adviser before making decisions.

Questions

Should I take a longer loan to lower my payment?

It lowers the monthly amount but raises total interest. Check the total cost figure for each term.

Methodology and verification

Result type
Exact mathematical calculation (rounded only for display)
Formula version
1.0
Automated verification
3 reference and validation test cases, checked against independently computed values. The site cannot be built if any of them fail.
Editorial review
Awaiting human editorial review. The explanation was drafted with AI assistance; the formula and examples are verified by the automated tests above.

Privacy

Everything you enter is calculated in this browser and is not sent to Numerith or anyone else. Because this calculator can involve personal financial or health details, your inputs are never added to share links or saved to history. Privacy policy