Out-the-Door Price Calculator
The price on the windscreen is not what you pay. Tax and fees land on top, and a trade-in usually saves you tax as well as money. This gives you the one number to ask a dealer for in writing.
You drive away paying
-
- Sales tax
- $0
- Taxed on
- $0
- Fees and add-ons
- $0
- Tax your trade-in saved
- $0
- Above the sticker price
- $0
What you pay above the sticker price
The green block is tax your trade-in saved and it stays yours. The orange is sales tax and it does not come back.
Move it and watch
-
at {v} for agreed price
And what you can change
Why your own figure may differ
Line by line
Ask for this list in writing before you agree to anything. A dealer who will not put it in writing is telling you something.
| Line | Amount | Can you argue it? |
|---|
Total = agreed price minus trade-in minus rebate, plus sales tax, plus fees. With a trade-in credit the tax is worked out on the price minus the trade-in. Without one, it is worked out on the full price.
The out-the-door price: real examples
Three ways the final number differs from the sticker. Click any card to load it.
- The usual case
$30,000 car, $8,000 trade-in
A 6% sales tax state that credits the trade-in.
You drive away paying $24,120. the tax is on $22,000, not $30,000, because the trade-in comes off first.
Load this scenario in the calculator → - A state with no trade-in credit
Same deal, no credit
Some states tax the full price regardless.
The same car costs $480 more. That is the trade-in credit, and it is worth knowing which kind of state you are in.
Load this scenario in the calculator → - Loaded with add-ons
$2,500 of extras
Protection packages and a market adjustment.
The add-ons push the total up sharply - and unlike tax, every one of them is refusable.
Load this scenario in the calculator →
Common questions about the out-the-door price
What is an out-the-door price?
It is the single number that actually leaves your account, with sales tax and every fee already inside it. The price on the windscreen is not that number. Asking a dealer for the out-the-door price in writing is the simplest way to stop surprises appearing at signing.
Which fees are real and which are made up?
Sales tax, registration and title are set by your state and cannot be argued away. A documentation fee is the dealer's own charge and varies enormously. Anything described as market adjustment, protection package or fabric treatment is a dealer add-on, and add-ons are negotiable or refusable.
How does a trade-in save me tax?
In most states the sales tax is worked out after your trade-in is taken off the price. Trade in a $10,000 car in a 6% state and you save $600 in tax on top of the $10,000 itself. Some states tax the full price instead, so the tool lets you switch it.
Where do I find my sales tax rate?
Your state revenue department publishes it, and many cities and counties add their own on top. Use the combined rate for where the car will be registered, which is where you live, not where the dealer is. This tool asks you for it rather than guessing, because rates change and local additions vary street by street.
Should I tell the dealer my monthly budget?
No. Once the conversation is about the monthly payment, the length of the loan becomes the lever and the price stops mattering. Negotiate the out-the-door price first, settle it in writing, and only then discuss how it is paid for.
Does a rebate get taxed?
It depends on your state, and it is worth asking directly. Some states work out the tax before the rebate comes off, which means you pay tax on money you never handed over. This tool takes the rebate off the total after tax, which is the more common treatment.