What is the out-the-door price on a car?

The out-the-door price is the total amount you owe to take the car home: the vehicle selling price plus dealer fees, sales tax, title and registration, and any add-ons, minus rebates and trade-in credit. It is not the monthly payment and it is not the advertised price.

What is included in the out-the-door price?

Selling price, documentation and dealer-controlled fees, state and local sales tax, title and registration, and optional add-ons such as warranties, GAP or paint protection. Financing charges are separate: interest is paid over the loan term rather than included in the out-the-door total.

How do I calculate my out-the-door price?

Add the selling price, dealer fees, taxes, title and registration, and add-ons, then subtract rebates and net trade-in credit. This calculator does that math for you and also shows the monthly payment and total interest for the APR and term you enter.

Free · No account required

Out-the-door price calculator

The out-the-door price is the total you actually owe to drive away — selling price plus dealer fees, taxes, title and registration, and add-ons, minus rebates and trade-in credit. Enter the numbers from your dealer’s worksheet below and this calculator shows your real out-the-door price, monthly payment, and total interest.

Vehicle price

Selling price$

Fees & taxes

Dealer fees (doc, processing, recon…)$Taxes$Registration & title$

Optional add-ons

Warranty / GAP / paint protection$

Trade-in

Trade value$Trade payoff$

Down payment & rebates

Cash down$Rebate$

Financing

APR (%)%Loan term (months)$

Your deal

$40,439

Out-the-door price

Fair, Check Details

Monthly payment

$655.03

Amount financed

$36,439

Total interest

$10,723

Total of payments

$47,162

Suggested target OTD

$38,145

Removes optional add-ons and trims excess dealer fees to $500.

APR of 8.9% is above typical prime rates.
72-month term is longer than typical 60-month financing.
Optional add-ons of $1,895 are almost always negotiable or removable.
Dealer fees of $899 exceed typical documentation charges.

Want a full report?

Upload your buyer's order to get itemized fee flags, a negotiation script, and a downloadable report.

Analyze a Deal

What’s included in an out-the-door price?

Dealers usually quote a selling price or a monthly payment. The out-the-door price is the single number that tells you what the car really costs, because it includes everything you are asked to pay at signing:

Vehicle selling price: The negotiated price of the car itself, after any market adjustment or discount — not the MSRP on the window sticker.
Dealer fees: Documentation, processing, reconditioning or dealer-prep charges. These are set by the dealership, not the state, and some states limit them.
Sales tax: State and often county or city tax on the taxable amount. Trade-in credit reduces the taxable amount in many states.
Title, registration and government fees: Amounts the dealer collects and passes to your state — tag, title, plate transfer and similar charges.
Optional add-ons: Extended warranties, GAP insurance, paint or fabric protection, alarms, nitrogen tires. Every one of these is declinable.
Minus rebates and trade-in credit: Manufacturer rebates and the net value of your trade (value minus payoff) come off the total you owe.

Interest is not part of the out-the-door price — you pay it over the life of the loan — so this page shows both: the out-the-door total you owe today, and the total interest for the APR and term you entered. Rebates and net trade-in credit are subtracted, which is why two buyers can see very different out-the-door numbers on the same vehicle.

Not sure which charges on your worksheet are normal? Read the fee guides or have your written quote reviewed line by line.

Educational estimate only. Actual amounts depend on your lender, state, and final paperwork. Before You Sign is not a lender or financial adviser.