🚗Car Loan Reverse Calculator

Find the maximum car price you can afford from your monthly budget, rate, term, and down payment

$/mo
%
months
$

How to Use the Car Loan Reverse Calculator

Most people shop by finding a car they want and then checking if they can afford the payments. The smarter approach is the reverse: decide what monthly payment fits your budget, then calculate the maximum car price that works at that payment. This prevents committing to a car before knowing if the payments are sustainable.

Enter your comfortable monthly payment, the APR you expect to qualify for, the loan term, and your down payment. The calculator uses the reverse present value formula — Max Loan = PMT × (1 - (1+r)^(-n)) / r — to find your maximum loan amount, then adds the down payment for the total purchase budget. Adjust the rate and term to compare scenarios side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I extend the loan term to afford a more expensive car?

A longer term (72 or 84 months) lowers monthly payments but significantly increases total interest paid. A 72-month loan at 6% APR costs about 25% more in interest than a 48-month loan on the same principal. Use this calculator to compare total costs across terms before deciding.

What if the dealer offers 0% APR financing?

With 0% APR, Max Loan = Monthly Payment × Term months. Enter 0 in the rate field to see the maximum price with interest-free financing. Be aware that 0% offers typically require excellent credit and are often available only on specific models or trim levels.