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Payment Checker

Does the dealer's quoted monthly payment match the price, APR, term and other numbers you've been given? Enter the figures from your written quote to check the math.

1. Enter your deal numbers

Vehicle selling price ($)

Sales tax ($)

All fees ($)Dealer, title, registration and other financed fees

Cash down ($)

Trade allowance ($)

Trade loan payoff ($)Payoff above allowance adds negative equity

Disclosed optional products ($)Service contract, GAP or other products you knowingly selected

Rebates applied ($)Only rebates that reduce the amount financed

Annual percentage rate / APR (%)

Loan term

Dealer's quoted monthly payment ($)

2. Check the payment

Calculated monthly payment—

Dealer's quoted payment—

Difference per month

—

Enter your numbers above.

Amount financed from entered figures—

Amount financed implied by dealer's quote—

Unexplained amount financed (if quote is higher)—

The implied amount uses the entered APR and term. A difference does not establish that a dealer added products, acted dishonestly, or violated any law.

3. What should I ask the dealer?

Could you show me the itemized amount financed and explain how you calculated the monthly payment?

How to use Payment Checker

Ask for the selling price, APR, loan term, taxes, fees, trade allowance and payoff, rebates, and optional products in writing.
Enter those amounts above. Use the actual dollar tax amount from the quote; this tool does not guess your state's tax rules.
Enter the payment the dealer quoted. The checker calculates the payment independently and estimates the amount financed that would produce the quoted payment at the entered APR and term.
If the numbers differ, ask for an itemized buyer's order or retail installment contract and compare each line before signing.

Example

A $35,000 vehicle plus $2,450 tax and $500 fees, with $3,000 down, financed for 72 months at 8.99% APR, produces a payment of approximately $630 per month. If a dealer quotes $700 with those same terms, ask what additional amount, product or different assumption explains the difference. The numbers here are illustrative.

Why quotes may differ

APR or term is different from the figures entered, or the rate is only an estimate pending approval.
Taxes, government fees, dealer fees, rebates or trade equity were entered differently.
Optional products such as GAP, a service contract or maintenance coverage were included in the amount financed.
The quote includes an unusual first-payment date, deferred payments, a balloon payment, or another financing structure that this standard amortizing-loan calculator does not model.

Important: A higher payment alone is not proof of hidden products. Optional products should be clearly explained and agreed to. Ask for an itemized breakdown and review the full written contract.

Educational estimate only. Assumes a fixed-rate, fully amortizing loan with equal monthly payments and the first payment one month after financing. Not a credit approval, lender offer, legal finding, or replacement for your signed agreement. Figures are calculated locally in your browser; this page does not submit your entries to Pearl Industries.