Car Loan Repayment Calculator
Most car calculators start with the loan size the lender wants. This one starts with the repayment your life can actually handle. Plug in a number that feels comfortable, tweak the rate and term, and we'll show you what that really translates to in borrowing power and long-term cost.
Who it's for
For drivers who care more about "Can I comfortably afford this every month?" than "What's the biggest loan I can squeeze out of a bank?". Ideal if you're juggling real-world bills and want your next car to fit your cashflow, not crush it.
What it calculates
This calculator works backwards from your target repayment to estimate how much you could borrow at a given rate and term, plus what that looks like weekly, fortnightly and monthly, including total repaid and total interest over the life of the loan.
Why it matters
Starting with the repayment stops you being upsold into a loan that only works on a perfect month. It turns car finance from "whatever they'll approve" into "what actually fits my budget", so you walk into dealer and lender conversations with a number you've already sanity-checked.
Car Loan Repayment Calculator
Your Estimate
Maximum Loan Amount
$30,301
Weekly
$138
Fortnightly
$277
Monthly
$600
Total Repayment
$36,000
Happy with how the repayments look?
You've seen what fits your budget on paper. The next step is finding real car loans that get close to those numbers without burying you in fees or gimmicks.
See live car loan rates by type
How this Car Loan Repayment Calculator works
This car loan repayment calculator starts from the only number that really matters: what you can comfortably pay each week, fortnight or month. Instead of asking "How big a loan do you want?", it asks "What repayment actually fits your life?" and works backwards from there. You choose a target repayment, an interest rate and a term. The calculator then uses the standard amortising loan formula to estimate the loan amount that fits inside that repayment. Finally, it converts that loan into weekly, fortnightly and monthly repayments and shows your total repaid and total interest, so you can see the full shape of the commitment, not just the short-term hit.
How to interpret your results
When the numbers refresh, zero in on:
- Maximum loan amount – Treat this as an approximate ceiling for what you might sensibly borrow at that repayment, rate and term, not a guaranteed approval.
- Repayments by frequency – Check all three (weekly, fortnightly, monthly) against how your money actually flows. A repayment that works monthly but looks scary weekly may be a sign you're cutting it too fine.
- Total repaid and interest – This is where long terms reveal their true cost. A slightly higher repayment that shortens the term can knock thousands off total interest compared with dragging a loan out just to hit a lower weekly number.
Use the output as your "line in the sand": if a lender's offer blasts past it on total cost, the deal doesn't fit your budget, no matter how slick the pitch.
How to find repayments that fit your budget
- Start from your real surplus, not your salary – Add up your pays, subtract fixed bills and savings goals, and see what's actually left for a car, then choose a repayment well under that figure.
- Play with term length – Shorter term = higher repayment, less interest. Longer term = lower repayment, more interest. Use the slider to see where the sweet spot is between comfort now and cost over time.
- Test a range of interest rates – You might not qualify for the absolute headline rate you saw on an ad. Try a band (for example 6–12% p.a.) so you know what happens if your real rate lands in the middle rather than at the bottom.
- Leave breathing room for running costs – Fuel/charging, rego, insurance, servicing, tyres and surprise repairs all sit on top of your loan repayment. If your chosen repayment leaves no space for those, dial it back.
Once you have a repayment that feels boringly manageable, lock it in as your non-negotiable anchor and use it to judge every loan offer.
Calculator assumptions
This tool is a general guide only. It uses the repayment, rate and term you enter to estimate loan amounts and repayments, but it doesn't include all lender fees, government charges or product features. Actual offers will depend on your credit history, income, expenses, the car you choose and each lender's criteria. The results are not a quote, pre-approval or personal advice, use them as a starting point, then compare real products or speak with an adviser before you decide.