Auto Loan Calculator

See your real monthly car payment — with tax, trade-in and interest baked in — before you ever set foot in the dealership.

📖 How it works & FAQ

Vehicle price ($)

Down payment ($)

Trade-in value ($)

Sales tax (%)

Interest rate (APR %)

Loan term (months)

Sales tax applied to

How the payment is calculated

This calculator first works out how much you actually borrow: vehicle price, plus sales tax, minus your down payment and trade-in value. That amount financed is then run through the standard amortization formula — payment = P × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)⁻ⁿ) — where P is the loan amount, r is the monthly rate (APR ÷ 12) and n is the number of monthly payments. Total interest is simply everything you pay over the term minus the amount you borrowed. Everything runs live in your browser; nothing is uploaded or stored.

Taxes and trade-ins matter more than you think

In most U.S. states, sales tax is charged only on the price minus your trade-in — a $5,000 trade-in at 7% tax quietly saves you $350 before financing even starts. A handful of states (such as California and Virginia) tax the full price, so we included a toggle for both rules. Longer terms lower the monthly number but raise total interest fast: stretching a 60-month loan to 84 months can add thousands to the total cost of the same car. Figures here are estimates only, not financial, tax, insurance or legal advice — your lender&s exact terms, fees and local tax rules will differ.

How to use it

Enter the negotiated vehicle price, your planned down payment and any trade-in value.
Set your local sales tax rate and choose whether your state taxes the full price or price minus trade-in.
Enter the APR from your loan quote and pick a term — the results update instantly as you type.
Compare terms side by side: watch how total interest changes between 48, 60 and 72 months.

FAQ

Does this include dealer fees or registration?: No — add documentation, title and registration fees to the vehicle price field if you want them rolled into the loan.
What APR should I expect?: It depends on your credit score, the lender and whether the car is new or used. Check your bank or credit union for a pre-approval quote and plug in that rate.
Is a 0% rate supported?: Yes. At 0% APR the payment is simply the amount financed divided by the number of months, with zero total interest.
Why is my dealer quote slightly different?: Dealers may round payments, add fees or products into the balance, or use daily interest accrual. This tool gives a clean estimate for comparison shopping.