Form CDA-1 · Free · No signup · Runs in your browser
Know the real out-the-door price before you sign.
Enter each dealer's worksheet. The analyzer normalizes every offer to a true out-the-door number, solves whether the cash rebate or the 0% APR actually costs less for your payoff plan, and flags the junk fees — then hands you the questions to ask.
NOT A PAYMENT CALCULATOR · PAYMENT CALCULATORS ARE HOW THEY GET YOU
| Total MSRP | 36,490.00 |
| Dealer discount | −3,340.00 |
| Selling price | 33,150.00 |
| Doc fee (taxable) | +250.00 |
| Rebates | −2,000.00 |
| Sales tax · pre-rebate basis | +2,505.00 |
| Government fees | +100.00 |
| OUT THE DOOR | 34,005.00 |
Most states tax the pre-rebate price. Most calculators miss it. This one doesn't.
§ 01 — What this tool answers
Three questions dealers profit from leaving fuzzy.
1
What does each offer really cost?
Every offer normalized to its all-in, out-the-door number — selling price, accessories, doc fee, correctly computed tax, and TTL — so they're finally comparable.
2
Rebate or the low APR?
Solved for how fast you plan to pay it off — not the contract term. The tool finds the exact breakeven month and charts the crossover.
3
What shouldn't be on this worksheet?
Nitrogen fill, VIN etching, "appearance protection", market adjustment, doc fees over the legal cap — flagged by dollar impact, with the exact words to challenge each one.
§ 02 — Procedure
How it works
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STEP 01
Transcribe each worksheet
The form mirrors a real dealer worksheet top to bottom. Quick mode needs five numbers and sixty seconds; Detailed mode captures every line.
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STEP 02
Say when you'll pay it off
The slider at the top is the whole game: when will you actually have this paid off? Every figure recomputes live around your answer.
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STEP 03
Read the verdict
Every offer × every financing scenario, ranked by total cost of ownership. The winner is named in one sentence with the dollar gap — the work shown underneath.
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STEP 04
Carry in the checklist
A printable question list generated from your actual numbers — what to get in writing before you go, what to ask at the desk, what to refuse in the F&I office.
Ready when you are
Open the analyzer and enter your first offer.
Quick mode takes five numbers and sixty seconds. Your data never leaves your device.
§ 03 — Reference
Cash rebate vs 0% APR: the actual math
The choice is a trade: take the manufacturer's cash and pay interest at the standard rate, or forfeit the cash for free money. Every "which is better" article answers with the contract term — 60 or 72 months of interest versus the rebate. That's the wrong horizon for anyone who pays a loan off early, and early payoff is exactly when the answer flips.
The real rule: the rebate wins only while your cumulative interest stays below the rebate amount. Interest accrues month by month on the remaining balance, so there is one specific month where the two paths cost the same — the breakeven. Pay off before it, take the cash. Pay off after it, take the rate. This analyzer solves that month for your exact numbers and marks it on the crossover chart.
Two traps to check while you're at it. First, some promotional APR offers carry bonus cash of their own — down-payment assistance that partially closes the gap and sometimes flips the answer back. Second, rebates that require financing through the captive lender don't survive a credit-union loan; a scenario built on both is fantasy, and this tool refuses to build it.
§ 04 — FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is an out-the-door price?
Everything you actually pay: selling price, dealer accessories, doc fee, sales tax, and government title, registration, and plate fees. It's the only number that makes two offers comparable — monthly payments and selling prices can both be manipulated.
Should I take the cash rebate or the 0% APR?
Depends how fast you pay it off. The rebate wins while your total interest at the standard rate stays under the rebate amount — which only happens with a short payoff. Enter your numbers in the analyzer and it solves the exact breakeven month.
Are manufacturer rebates taxable?
In most states, yes — tax is computed on the price before the rebate. A few states (Arizona, Colorado, and others) tax after the rebate. Dealer discounts are never taxed; they reduce the price itself. The analyzer carries a rule table for all 50 states plus DC.
Which dealer fees are junk?
Nitrogen fill, VIN etching, appearance and fabric "protection", dealer prep on a new vehicle, and market adjustment above MSRP are near-pure margin. Doc fees are legal but capped in many states — the tool checks yours against your state's cap. Title, registration, and plate fees are set by statute and are real.
Is it free? Where does my data go?
Free, no signup, no ads. Everything runs in your browser; offers save to your device's local storage and never leave it. Export/import as JSON if you switch devices.
What is a "We Owe" / Due Bill form?
A signed dealer document listing anything promised but not delivered at signing. If an accessory or repair was promised verbally, get it on a signed We Owe with the VIN and a date — a verbal promise is worth nothing after you sign.