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Finance the used car, or pay cash?

A loan means paying interest. Paying cash means giving up investment growth. Enter your numbers and see which one costs less.

The car

01 / PRICE
$
Amount to finance or pay$0

The loan

02 / TERMS
%
60 months

Your cash

03 / CASH
$
%
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Keep your emergency fund intact — don't drain your cash reserves to buy the car outright.

Interest or opportunity cost?

Enter the car price, the loan terms you're offered, and what your cash would earn if you kept it invested.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

What's next?

Honed Money provides calculators and educational information for general purposes only. It is not financial, tax, legal, investment, or insurance advice. Estimates are based on the information you enter and the assumptions shown. Actual results will vary. For taxes, retirement, and government benefits, verify with IRS.gov, SSA.gov, or VA.gov. We don’t sell financial products and aren’t paid for calculator results. Use at your own risk.