A down payment is the money that you pay upfront towards a vehicle purchase. It can be any combination of cash and a trade-in. And the larger the down payment on your vehicle, the more you’ll save on your monthly payment and in interest. A larger down payment means a smaller principal for interest to accumulate on.
Use Bankrate’s auto down payment calculator to estimate how much money you can save in interest, as well as what your monthly loan payment will be, based on the amount of the money you bring to the table.
How much should you put down on a car?
A down payment between 10 to 20 percent of the vehicle price is the general recommendation. But if you can afford a larger down payment, you can save even more money on interest payments over the life of the loan. By dropping the amount financed, you save some even before you start negotiating the car price.
For drivers with poor credit, a down payment can prove to be instrumental in gaining approval and receiving competitive rates. It is an excellent way to show potential lenders your commitment to the purchase and paying the loan off. If you still can't get a great rate when you first buy with a down payment, you may be able to refinance later for a better rate.
In either case, be careful while shopping. By making sure the vehicle fits, and not just the payment, you will save in the long run.
What to consider when deciding on a down payment
Consider the differences between a new and used vehicle when determining how much money to put down.
Down payment on a new car
New vehicles depreciate at a much faster rate than if you were to purchase used. A high down payment of 20 percent or more can help protect you from that loss of value by making sure you have more equity in the car than what you owe. However, just because you can pay more cash upfront doesn't mean you should sign off on a vehicle that you cannot truly afford. Make sure your monthly payments, insurance and fuel costs are within your monthly budget.
Down payment on a used car
A used car, on the other hand, requires a less steep down payment. Because the value of a used vehicle has already undergone most of its depreciation, your down payment should be a minimum of 10 percent. However, just as with a new car, the higher the down payment is, the more you will save on accumulated interest.
Down payment on a leased car
A large down payment can be helpful when buying a new car, but this approach is typically a bad idea when leasing a vehicle. If something happens to your leased car, your insurance will reimburse the leasing company rather than you, and you won’t get a refund for your down payment. What’s more, one advantage of leases is lower up-front costs. Providing a large down payment defeats this benefit.
The bottom line
If you do not currently have the financial stability or urgency for a new vehicle, it may be worth your while to save for a down payment before shopping for your vehicle. Consider creating a budget with that 10 to 20 percent number in mind before setting your sights on a vehicle loan.
FAQs
A down payment is calculated as a percentage of the final purchase price. For example, if a car you're looking at is $30,000, here are a few different scenarios based on the percentage you may want to put down: A 5% down payment is $1,500. A 10% down payment is $3,000.
What's a good down payment for a $20,000 car? ›
A down payment of 20% for a new car or 10% for a used car is ideal, though any size down payment will reduce your total loan cost.
What is a good down payment for a $60,000 car? ›
As a general rule, you should pay 20 percent of the price of the vehicle as a down payment. That's because vehicles lose value, or depreciate, rapidly. If you make a small down payment or no down payment, you can end up owing more on your auto loan than your car or SUV is worth.
How much is a $30,000 car payment for 5 years? ›
Provided the down payment is $5,000, the interest rate is 10%, and the loan length is five years, the monthly payment will be $531.18/month.
What is 6% interest on a $30,000 loan? ›
For example, the interest on a $30,000, 36-month loan at 6% is $2,856.
What is a realistic down payment for a car? ›
The typical down payment on a car ranges from 11% to 20% of the car's value. The credit bureau Experian says a 20% down payment might help shield you from depreciation. Depreciation refers to the ever-shrinking value of your car.
What credit score do I need for a $20000 car loan? ›
MINIMUM CREDIT SCORE FOR A CAR LOAN
However, most lenders look for a threshold of at least 600. However, this may vary depending on the lender, car, and loan type. A score of 700-850 is what most lenders consider ideal. Borrowers in this range can expect to get offered lower interest rates and more flexible loan terms.
What are the disadvantages of a large down payment on a car? ›
What Are the Disadvantages of a Large Down Payment? Providing more money down doesn't guarantee a lower interest rate, and it can cut into your savings. Depending on the vehicle you choose to buy, 50% can be a lot of money to put down on an auto loan.
Is it better to put a larger down payment on a car? ›
It's good practice to make a down payment of at least 20% on a new car (10% for used). A larger down payment can also help you nab a better interest rate. But how much a down payment should be for a car isn't black and white. If you can't afford 10% or 20%, the best down payment is the one you can afford.
Can I afford a 40K car if I make 60K a year? ›
Can I Afford a 40K Car if I Make 60K a Year? A person making $60,000 per year can afford about a $40,000 car based on calculating 15% of their monthly take-home pay and a 20% down payment on the car of $7,900.
In general, lenders look for borrowers in the prime range or better, so you will need a score of 661 or higher to qualify for most conventional car loans.
How much is a 25k car payment? ›
Example 2: A $25,000.00 secured personal loan financed for 60 months at an interest rate of 8.500% would yield an APR* (Annual Percentage Rate) of 8.496% and 59 monthly payments of $512.87 and 1 final payment of $513.24.
Is 500 a month car payment high? ›
If you're looking for a few tips on managing a high car payment, you're not alone. The average monthly car payment is now a record $733, according to Edmunds. And even if your monthly auto loan payments are around $500 per month, that still may be uncomfortably high.
Who has the lowest auto loan rates? ›
Compare the Best Auto Loan Lenders
| Company | Used APR Range | Used Loan Terms |
|---|
| PenFed Best Overall | 6.49%–17.99% | 3–7 years |
| AUTOPAY Best for Bad Credit/Low Rates | As low as 5.69% | 2–8 years |
| Consumers Credit Union Best Credit Union | As low as 6.84% | 36–84 months |
| LendingTree Best for Refinance | As low as 5.99% (Refinance) | 36–72 months (Refinance) |
3 more rowsSep 6, 2024
If you want to pay off your loan early, here are six ways to make it happen:
- Refinance your car loan. ...
- Make biweekly payments. ...
- Round up your payments. ...
- Put extra money toward a lump-sum payment. ...
- Continue making your monthly payments. ...
- Opt out of any unneeded add-ons.
How do you calculate down payment? Down payment is calculated using the formula: down payment = down payment percent times purchase price. The down payment percent needs to be converted into a decimal for this calculation.
How much do you need to put down on a 25000 car? ›
It's good practice to make a down payment of at least 20% on a new car (10% for used). A larger down payment can also help you nab a better interest rate. But how much a down payment should be for a car isn't black and white. If you can't afford 10% or 20%, the best down payment is the one you can afford.
How do you calculate a good down payment? ›
In other words, the purchase price of a house should equal the total amount of the mortgage loan and the down payment. Often, a down payment for a home is expressed as a percentage of the purchase price. As an example, for a $250,000 home, a down payment of 3.5% is $8,750, while 20% is $50,000.
