Auto finance, without the markup

Financing resources

• Auto Financing 101

  APR, term length, and the 20/4/10 affordability rule explained.

• Trade-In Guide

  Trade-in vs. private sale, KBB & Black Book valuations, negotiation tactics.

• EV Tax Credits

  How the $7,500 federal credit, point-of-sale rebates, and income caps work.

Calculators & federal tools

Free, official, and not selling you a loan.

• CFPB Auto Loan Tools

  Independent federal calculator: estimate your monthly payment, total interest, and APR sensitivity.

• FTC Buying a Car Guide

  Federal Trade Commission's plain-English guide to financing, leasing, add-ons, and avoiding dealer markups.

• Federal EV Tax Credit Lookup

  Check which new and used EVs qualify for the federal clean vehicle credit at point of sale.

• Annual Fuel Cost Estimator

  Estimate yearly gas or electricity cost for any year/make/model — useful when comparing real total cost of ownership.

At the dealership

• Get pre-approved before you shop

  A pre-approval from your bank or credit union sets a ceiling APR. The dealer can beat it — but never let them set the floor.

• Price the trade-in separately

  Negotiate vehicle price, financing, and trade-in as three separate transactions. Bundling them is how markup hides.