Auto Loan Calculator
See your monthly car payment after down payment, trade-in, and sales tax — plus total interest and how extra payments shorten the loan.
Vehicle & loan details
Financed amount vs. interest
Remaining balance over time
What goes into a car payment
A monthly car payment isn't just the sticker price divided by the loan term — it's the price minus your down payment and trade-in value, plus sales tax, financed at your loan's interest rate over its term. This calculator walks through each piece so you can see exactly how a bigger down payment, a trade-in, or a shorter term changes your payment and total cost.
Trade-in value and sales tax
In most U.S. states, trade-in value reduces the amount you're taxed on — trading in a car worth $2,000 against a $32,000 purchase means you're typically taxed on $30,000, not the full price. That's on top of directly lowering how much you need to finance.
Also useful: Loan & Mortgage Calculator and Multi-Loan Payoff Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Both happen in practice — some buyers pay tax at signing, others roll it into the loan. This calculator adds sales tax to the financed amount by default, which is the more common route and the more conservative (higher payment) estimate.
In most U.S. states, yes — sales tax is calculated on the price minus your trade-in value, not the full price. A few states tax the full price regardless of trade-in, so check your state's rule if the estimate needs to be exact.
Shorter terms (36–48 months) mean higher payments but much less total interest and less risk of owing more than the car is worth. Longer terms (72–84 months) lower the payment but often cost thousands more in interest — compare a few terms here before deciding.