Before heading to the dealership, it’s best to know whether you can afford the payment when buying a new or used car. With this free car loan calculator, you can evaluate auto loans and compare options by adjusting the down payment, loan terms, or vehicle cost. Later, you can assess whether a refinance makes sense to lower the payment or shorten the loan term. A comparison table summarizes total payments and interest paid under different scenarios. Car loans and considerations for personal transportation are covered in “What Would Dad Do? Volume 1 - The Early Years.”

Requires the Excel, LibreOffice, or OpenOffice application. The spreadsheet-formatted files are provided at the download link emailed after checkout.