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Use car loan calculators to help you save

Financing a new or used car can be a bit daunting. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools to help ease the calculations involved with a loan. A car loan calculator can help you make the right decision for your situation and help you save in the long run. Here are three different situations along with car loan calculators to help you estimate and save.

The promotional rate analysis

Some dealers and other institutions offer promotional rates on car loans. These promotional rates often have lower monthly payments and can save you a good amount of cash in the long run, but it's still wise to compare them to other offers. Many companies offer tools to compare a few different financing options at once. To compare three different offers at once, check out Bankrate.com's car loan calculator section.

Monthly payment car loan calculator

It's vital to determine if you can afford your monthly car loan payments on a particular loan. The first step to determining what you can afford is to set a monthly budget. If you already have a general idea of what you can pay, start looking for loans. After receiving a few different offers, calculate your monthly payment with each loan and shoot for the lowest you can find. To search for auto loans in your area, use an online auto loan finder.

Figuring out the down payment

How much money should you put down when financing a vehicle? The more money you put down, the more you'll save in the long run, but putting down a large amount isn't always feasible. It's important to put down as much as you can while still keeping your finances stable. Bankrate.com offers a down payment analysis in the car loan calculator section of the website.

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Cars may be slightly less affordable, but this is still one of the best times in history to buy a car.