Car Calculator
Estimate the total cost of owning a car, including fuel, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation.
Published by:
isCalculator Editorial Team
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How to use this tool?
How to Use the Car Cost Calculator
This calculator estimates the total cost of ownership for a car, including loan payments, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Enter the purchase price – the car's price in dollars (e.g., 25000).
- Enter your down payment – optional, but reduces the loan amount.
- Set the loan term – in months (1 to 84). Common terms are 36, 48, or 60 months.
- Input the annual interest rate – as a percentage (e.g., 4.5 for 4.5%).
- Add monthly costs – fuel, insurance, and maintenance in dollars per month.
- Enter annual depreciation – as a percentage of the purchase price (e.g., 15 for 15% per year).
- Specify years you plan to own – from 1 to 30 years.
- Click "Calculate Total Cost" to see the results.
Understanding the Results
- Total Cost of Ownership – the sum of all costs over the ownership period.
- Loan Payment – your monthly payment based on the loan amount, term, and interest rate.
- Total Loan Interest – the extra amount paid in interest over the loan term.
- Depreciation Loss – the estimated value lost over the years you own the car (straight-line method).
All monetary values are in US dollars ($). Ensure all inputs are non-negative numbers.
Previous Results
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Frequently Asked Questions
It helps estimate the total cost of owning a car over a period, including purchase, financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation.
Using the loan amount, term, and interest rate with the standard amortization formula.
It includes major costs but may not cover taxes, registration, or repairs not listed.
