Auto Loan Calculator
Calculate your monthly car payment with down payment, trade-in, sales tax and loan term — the full US picture.
How to use it
Enter the out-the-door picture: sticker price, your state's sales tax (0% in states like Oregon and Montana, 6–9% in many others), your down payment and trade-in. The result shows your monthly payment, total interest, and the true total cost of the car — the number dealers least like to emphasize.
The 20/4/10 guideline
A popular affordability guide for cars: put at least 20% down, finance for no more than 4 years, and keep total car costs under 10% of gross income. Stretching to 72–84 month loans lowers the payment but means paying years of interest on a car that is losing value — check the total interest line here before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
What APR can I expect?
In the US it depends heavily on credit: excellent credit (720+) often gets roughly 5–7% on new cars, fair credit 10–14%, and poor credit can exceed 18%. Used cars usually run 2–3 points higher.
Does a trade-in reduce sales tax?
In most states, yes — tax is charged on the price minus trade-in value, and this calculator models it that way. A few states tax the full price.
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