Daily Figures Edition No Sign-Up • No Tracking • Free Forever Vol. XII — No. 204
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Loans — Auto

Auto Loan Calculator

Enter price, down payment, trade-in, tax, rate and term to get your monthly car payment and total interest.

Filed by The Statistics Desk  |  Method: amount financed × amortization
Monthly payment
—
Your auto loan payment.
Readout
Amount financed—
Sales tax—
Total interest—
Total of payments—
Total cost (with down & trade)—
Show our math
Enter your figures above to see the step-by-step working.
Educational estimate — not a loan offerEverything computed client-side — nothing leaves this page

How the Auto Loan Calculator Works

Financing a car is more than the sticker price. This calculator starts from the vehicle price, adds sales tax, then subtracts your down payment and any trade-in to find the amount you actually finance. From there it applies the standard loan formula to give your monthly payment and the total interest.

In most states, sales tax is charged on the price after the trade-in credit, which is why a trade-in can save you tax as well as cash. The amount financed is price plus tax minus your down payment and trade-in; that balance, your rate and the term set the payment.

financed = price + sales tax − down payment − trade-in

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sales tax charged before or after the trade-in?

In most states the trade-in reduces the taxable amount, so tax is charged on the price minus the trade-in value. A few states tax the full price; check your local rule if you need an exact figure.

How does a down payment change the loan?

Every dollar of down payment or trade-in reduces the amount financed dollar-for-dollar, which lowers both the monthly payment and the total interest you pay.

What term should I choose for a car loan?

Shorter terms (36–48 months) cost more per month but far less in interest and reduce the risk of owing more than the car is worth. Longer terms lower the payment but stretch out the interest.

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