{
  "id": "how-much-car-can-i-afford-calculator",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "name": "How Much Car Can I Afford Calculator",
  "shortName": "How Much Car Can I Afford",
  "description": "Estimate an affordable vehicle price from a monthly payment budget, financing terms, down payment, trade-in, taxes, and fees.",
  "category": "Finance",
  "categorySlug": "finance",
  "keywords": [
    "how",
    "much",
    "car",
    "can",
    "i",
    "afford",
    "calculator",
    "how much car can i afford calculator"
  ],
  "status": "live",
  "workStatus": "pending",
  "reviewStatus": "pending",
  "migrationStatus": "new",
  "engine": "native",
  "creator": null,
  "reviewer": null,
  "quality": {
    "availability": "live",
    "technicalReviewRecord": "/reviews/how-much-car-can-i-afford-calculator.json",
    "qualifiedReview": "pending",
    "qualifiedReviewer": null,
    "qualifiedReviewDate": null,
    "formulaVersion": "1.0.0",
    "referenceCoverage": "references-pending",
    "releaseTestScope": "Catalog and regression checks are not a professional formula audit; consult release evidence.",
    "historicalMetadataDate": "2026-09-01",
    "historicalMetadataNotice": "The imported date is not evidence of a completed human review."
  },
  "notice": "Affordability depends on your full budget and lender underwriting. This estimate is not lending or financial advice.",
  "urls": {
    "page": "/calculator/how-much-car-can-i-afford-calculator/",
    "definition": "/calculator/how-much-car-can-i-afford-calculator/definition.json",
    "schema": "/calculator/how-much-car-can-i-afford-calculator/schema.json",
    "llms": "/calculator/how-much-car-can-i-afford-calculator/llms.txt",
    "legacyDefinition": "/calculator/how-much-car-can-i-afford-calculator.json"
  },
  "queryExample": "https://askcalculators.com/calculator/how-much-car-can-i-afford-calculator/?monthlyPaymentBudget=600&annualRate=7&loanMonths=60&downPayment=5000&tradeInValue=2000&salesTaxRate=6.25&fees=800",
  "queryParameters": {
    "monthlyPaymentBudget": {
      "label": "Maximum monthly payment",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 600
    },
    "annualRate": {
      "label": "Loan annual rate",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 7
    },
    "loanMonths": {
      "label": "Loan term in months",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 60
    },
    "downPayment": {
      "label": "Cash down payment",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 5000
    },
    "tradeInValue": {
      "label": "Net trade-in credit",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 2000
    },
    "salesTaxRate": {
      "label": "Sales tax rate",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 6.25
    },
    "fees": {
      "label": "Title, registration, and other fees",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 800
    }
  },
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "monthlyPaymentBudget",
      "label": "Maximum monthly payment",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "defaultValue": 600,
      "min": 0,
      "step": 10
    },
    {
      "id": "annualRate",
      "label": "Loan annual rate",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "defaultValue": 7,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100,
      "step": 0.01
    },
    {
      "id": "loanMonths",
      "label": "Loan term in months",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "defaultValue": 60,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 120,
      "step": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "downPayment",
      "label": "Cash down payment",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "defaultValue": 5000,
      "min": 0,
      "step": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "tradeInValue",
      "label": "Net trade-in credit",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "defaultValue": 2000,
      "min": 0,
      "step": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "salesTaxRate",
      "label": "Sales tax rate",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "defaultValue": 6.25,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100,
      "step": 0.01
    },
    {
      "id": "fees",
      "label": "Title, registration, and other fees",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "defaultValue": 800,
      "min": 0,
      "step": 10
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "maximumVehiclePrice",
      "label": "Estimated maximum vehicle price",
      "format": "currency",
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "maximumAmountFinanced",
      "label": "Maximum amount financed",
      "format": "currency"
    },
    {
      "id": "estimatedSalesTax",
      "label": "Estimated sales tax",
      "format": "currency"
    },
    {
      "id": "totalUpfrontCredits",
      "label": "Down payment + trade-in",
      "format": "currency"
    },
    {
      "id": "totalLoanPayments",
      "label": "Total scheduled loan payments",
      "format": "currency"
    }
  ],
  "formula": {
    "expression": "loan principal = payment × annuity PV factor; vehicle price solves financed amount = price + tax + fees − down payment − trade-in"
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "label": "Reproducible default-input example (not a personal recommendation)",
      "inputs": {
        "monthlyPaymentBudget": 600,
        "annualRate": 7,
        "loanMonths": 60,
        "downPayment": 5000,
        "tradeInValue": 2000,
        "salesTaxRate": 6.25,
        "fees": 800
      }
    }
  ],
  "sources": []
}