Monthly payment on a $20,000 car

You are not financing $20,000

The sticker is only the start. Add sales tax at 7% ($1,400) plus title, registration and dealer documentation fees (about $900), subtract a $2,000 down payment, and the amount actually financed is $20,300. This is the single most common surprise at the finance desk.

The 84-month trap

Stretching to 84 months drops the payment but raises total interest from $3,124 on a 48-month loan to $5,603 — an extra $2,479. Worse, a typical vehicle loses roughly 20% of its value in year one and about 60% over five years, so on a seven-year loan you owe more than the car is worth for most of the term. If a car only fits with an 84-month loan, that is usually a signal to buy a cheaper car.

What income do you need?

The payment is not the cost. Add insurance (about $145 a month), fuel ($160) and a maintenance reserve ($80), and running this car costs roughly $789 a month. Under the 20/4/10 guideline — 20% down, 4-year term, all car costs under 10% of gross income — that implies an income of about $94,666 a year. The car affordability calculator works backwards from your own budget.

Before you sign

• Negotiate the out-the-door price, not the monthly payment. Payment-focused negotiation hides term extensions and rolled-in fees.
• Get pre-approved first. Credit unions frequently beat dealer financing, and the dealer must then compete.
• Decline the add-ons — extended warranty, paint protection, VIN etching. Gap insurance is worth having on a small down payment, but buy it from your own insurer.
• Compare 0% APR against the cash rebate using the auto loan calculator. On short terms the rebate often wins.