Car Buying and Leasing Calculators

Start with the negotiated price, add sales tax at your state and local rate, and add title, registration and dealer documentation fees. Subtract any trade-in credit, and in states with a trade-in credit, figure tax after subtracting it. Ask the dealer for an itemized buyer's order to check your estimate.

A private sale often brings a higher price, but a trade-in is quicker and, in most states, lowers the sales tax on your next vehicle. Compare the private-sale price with the trade-in offer plus the tax it saves. The loan calculators show the tax effect directly. A private sale also takes time and effort, and you will need to handle the payoff and title transfer yourself if you still owe money.

Yes. Many states apply sales tax to each monthly lease payment, so you pay tax only on the part of the vehicle you use. Others tax the full price or total payments upfront. Check your state's rules and add the tax to the lease payment you calculate. A cap cost reduction may be taxed at signing in some states, which adds to the cash you need upfront.

There is no single right amount, but more down lowers the loan, the payment and total interest. It also reduces the chance of owing more than the vehicle is worth early on. Keep enough cash for emergencies before increasing your down payment. Compare the interest you would save on the loan with what that cash earns in savings to see the trade-off in dollars.

Yes, if you have the capitalized cost, any cap cost reduction, the residual percentage, the money factor and the term. The car lease calculator splits the payment into depreciation and finance charge. If the dealer's payment is higher, ask what fees or add-ons are included. The equivalent APR it shows also tells you whether the finance charge is in line with loan rates you qualify for.

Car and truck loans often run 36 to 84 months, motorcycle loans 36 to 60 months, and RV and boat loans 10 to 20 years. Lenders set maximums by vehicle type, age and loan size. Shorter terms cost more each month but much less in total interest. Use the payment calculators to compare two or three terms before you commit to one.

Measure both over the lease term: the cash buyer pays the price and keeps the resale value, while the lessee pays the drive-off and monthly payments. Then account for the investment growth each option gives up. The lease vs pay cash calculator does this on a future-value basis. Testing several investment returns shows how much the answer depends on that assumption.

No. Service contracts, protection packages and similar add-ons are not included unless you add them to the price. Because they are often financed, they raise both the payment and the interest. Ask for each one to be listed separately so you can decide whether you want it. Many add-ons are optional, and declining them is usually allowed even if they are preprinted on the paperwork.