Cars sources and dates
Where the starting numbers for the calculators in this group come from, and the date we checked each one. They are examples, not quotes.
Sources by Calculator
Back to all sources and dates. Each table lists a calculator's starting numbers, source links and check dates.
Car loan total cost
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60-month new car loan rate | 7.54% | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit Release | 2026-10-16 |
| Sales tax rate | 7.53% | Tax Foundation State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 | 2026-10-16 |
| Trade-in sales tax credit and state car taxes | Full credit against purchase price (national default); per-state rules from the state picker | Each state's tax or motor vehicle agency, linked per state in shared/state-defaults.json (vehicleTax), for example CDTFA Publication 34 https://cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/pub34.pdf, Virginia DMV and N.C. G.S. 105-187.3 | 2026-10-16 |
| Dealer documentation and registration fee | $350 | Edmunds and Consumer Reports Car Buying Studies | 2026-10-08 |
| Vehicle financing term | 60 months | Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market | 2026-10-08 |
| Car loan interest deduction (not counted) | Not modelled | IRS, Working Families Tax Cuts | 2026-10-16 |
0% financing vs cash rebate
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank auto loan rate | 7.54% | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit | 2026-10-16 |
| Manufacturer dealer promo rates | 0.0% | National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Guides | 2026-10-08 |
| Manufacturer cash rebates | $3,000 | Consumer Reports New Car Incentives and Rebates | 2026-10-08 |
| Sales tax rate | 7.53% | Tax Foundation State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 | 2026-10-16 |
| Trade-in and rebate tax base | Trade-in deductible, rebate not (national default); per-state rules from the state picker | Each state's tax or motor vehicle agency, linked per state in shared/state-defaults.json (vehicleTax), for example CDTFA Publication 34 and Minnesota Revenue, Motor Vehicle Sales | 2026-10-16 |
| Car loan interest deduction (not counted) | Not modelled | IRS, Working Families Tax Cuts | 2026-10-16 |
Electric vehicle vs gas car
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles driven per year | 12,000 miles | Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Statistics | 2026-10-08 |
| Gas car efficiency | 30 mpg | fueleconomy.gov | 2026-10-08 |
| Regular gasoline price | $4.35 / gal | EIA Petroleum & Other Liquids: Weekly Retail Gasoline | 2026-10-16 |
| EV efficiency (at the battery) | 3.5 mi/kWh | fueleconomy.gov | 2026-10-16 |
| Wall-to-battery charging loss | 12% | Idaho National Laboratory / SAE J2847 Testing | 2026-10-08 |
| Home charging share | 80% | DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) | 2026-10-08 |
| Home electricity price | $0.18 / kWh | EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A | 2026-10-16 |
| Public DC fast-charging price | $0.45 / kWh | Electrify America / EVgo Pricing | 2026-10-08 |
| Cold-weather efficiency loss | 0% (off by default) | AAA Cold Weather EV Range Study / Recurrent Auto | 2026-10-12 |
| EV upfront price premium | $5,000 | Kelley Blue Book (KBB) EV Watch | 2026-10-12 |
| Home Level 2 charger installation | $1,000 | Qmerit | 2026-10-12 |
| Incentives (Federal / State / Utility) | $0 | IRS IRC § 30D / § 30C, NYSERDA Drive Clean Rebate | 2026-10-16 |
| Auto loan rate | 7.54% | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit | 2026-10-16 |
| Maintenance cost per mile | EV: $0.061 / mi; Gas: $0.101 / mi | Argonne National Laboratory: Comprehensive Total Cost of Ownership (2021) | 2026-10-12 |
| Annual insurance difference | $0 | AAA Your Driving Costs / Insure.com | 2026-10-12 |
| Fuel & electricity annual price escalation | 3.0% each | EIA Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) | 2026-10-12 |
| Ownership horizon | 8 years | S&P Global Mobility Average Vehicle Age | 2026-10-12 |
| End-of-life residual value difference | $0 | Black Book Residual Value Forecasts | 2026-10-12 |
Hybrid vs gas car payback
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPA fuel economy | 30 MPG gas, 40 MPG hybrid | US Department of Energy & EPA FuelEconomy.gov | 2026-10-08 |
| Hybrid price premium | $2,200 | Kelley Blue Book New Vehicle Pricing | 2026-10-08 |
| Gasoline price | $4.35/gal | U.S. EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update | 2026-10-16 |
| Annual miles driven | 12,000 miles | Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Highway Policy Information | 2026-10-08 |
| Brake and maintenance savings | $50/yr | Consumer Reports Auto Maintenance Cost Analysis | 2026-10-08 |
| Hybrid resale bonus | $0 | Black Book / Edmunds Used Vehicle Depreciation | 2026-10-08 |
Car repair vs replace
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle repair and maintenance | $2,800/yr keep, $2,100/yr replace | AAA Your Driving Costs Study and Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index | 2026-10-12 |
| Auto loan interest rate | 7.54% APR | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit Release | 2026-10-16 |
| Trade-in sales tax credit | Full credit against purchase price (most states) | California CDTFA Publication 34 and Virginia DMV | 2026-10-16 |
| Motor vehicle sales tax | 7.53% | Tax Foundation State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 | 2026-10-16 |
| Vehicle depreciation and residual values | 15% to 20% year 1, 10% to 15% thereafter | Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds | 2026-10-12 |
Car lease vs buy
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle purchase price | $35,000 | Kelley Blue Book / Cox Automotive and Edmunds | 2026-10-08 |
| Sales tax rate | 7.53% | Tax Foundation State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 | 2026-10-16 |
| Auto loan rate | 7.54% APR | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit Release | 2026-10-16 |
| Vehicle residual value | 55.0% at 36 months | Edmunds Automotive Depreciation and Residual Value Studies and Black Book | 2026-10-08 |
| Lease fees and excess mileage | $650 acquisition, $395 disposition, $0.20/mile overage | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Consumer Leasing Act (Regulation M) Guide and Federal Reserve Board Consumer Leasing Guide | 2026-10-08 |
| Lease monthly payment | $482/month | Edmunds Car Lease Trends / Cox Automotive Reports 2026 | 2026-10-08 |
Auto loan refinance payback
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remaining auto loan balance | $22,000 | Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market | 2026-10-12 |
| Current auto loan rate | 8.9% | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit Release | 2026-10-16 |
| Car loan interest deduction (not counted) | Not modelled | IRS, Working Families Tax Cuts | 2026-10-16 |
| New refinance auto loan rate | 5.9% | National Credit Union Administration Credit Union and Bank Rates | 2026-10-12 |
| Title, lien, and lender fees | $150 | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Auto Loans | 2026-10-12 |
New vs used car cost
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| New car purchase price | $38,000 | Kelley Blue Book Average New-Vehicle Transaction Price | 2026-10-13 |
| Used car purchase price (3 years old) | $25,000 | Edmunds Used Vehicle Market Report | 2026-10-13 |
| New car loan rate | 7.54% | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit Release | 2026-10-16 |
| Used car loan rate | 9.54% (estimate) | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit Release | 2026-10-16 |
| Sales tax rate | 7.53% | Tax Foundation State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 | 2026-10-16 |
| Car loan interest deduction (not counted) | Not modelled | IRS, Working Families Tax Cuts | 2026-10-16 |
| 5-year residual value retention | 52% new / 58% used | AAA Your Driving Costs Study | 2026-10-13 |
| Annual maintenance and repairs | $350/yr new / $1,250/yr used | Consumer Reports and AAA Your Driving Costs | 2026-10-13 |
| Annual auto insurance premium | $2,100/yr new / $1,750/yr used | National Association of Insurance Commissioners Auto Insurance Report | 2026-10-13 |
Extended car warranty payback
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extended warranty contract price | $2,800 | Consumer Reports Extended Car Warranty Survey | 2026-10-13 |
| Deductible per repair visit | $100 | Federal Trade Commission Auto Warranties and Auto Service Contracts | 2026-10-13 |
| Expected covered visits and repair bill | 3 visits at $750/visit | AAA Your Driving Costs Study | 2026-10-13 |
| Claim approval rate after exclusions | 85% | National Association of Insurance Commissioners Service Contract Alert | 2026-10-13 |
| Auto loan interest rate if financed | 7.54% | Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit Release | 2026-10-16 |
| High-yield savings reserve APY | 4.25% | FDIC National Rates and Rate Caps | 2026-10-16 |
E-bike commute vs driving or transit
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car variable fuel, maintenance, and tire wear cost per mile | $0.34/mile variable driving cost ($0.15/mi fuel + $0.10/mi maintenance/tires + $0.09/mi mileage-driven depreciation) | AAA Your Driving Costs Annual Benchmark Study | 2026-04-01 |
| Commuter e-bike purchase price, safety gear, maintenance, and replacement battery | $1,800 e-bike, $250 helmet/lock/panniers, $140/yr tune-up/wear parts, $500 5-year battery reserve | National Renewable Energy Laboratory Micromobility and Electric Bicycle Cost Analysis | 2026-04-01 |
| E-bike charging electricity cost per mile | $0.005/mile (about 25 Wh/mile from the wall at the 18 cent/kWh U.S. average residential price = $0.0045, rounded up) | U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center Electric Micromobility and U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly | 2026-10-16 |
| Commute distance, hybrid work frequency, urban parking, and transit pass benchmarks | 12-mile round trip, 4 days/wk, 46 weeks/yr, $6/day parking/tolls | American Public Transportation Association and U.S. Census Bureau Commuting Benchmarks | 2026-04-01 |
Level 2 home EV charger payback
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 2 EVSE charger hardware and 240V electrician installation cost | $450 charger hardware + $950 electrician installation | U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center Charging Infrastructure | 2026-04-01 |
| Utility or state rebate | $250 example (enter 0 if none) | IRS FAQs on the One Big Beautiful Bill changes to 25C, 25D, 25E, 30C, 30D, 45L, 45W and 179D | 2026-10-16 |
| Home electricity rate | $0.18/kWh | U.S. Energy Information Administration Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A | 2026-10-16 |
| Public DC fast and commercial Level 2 charging rate | $0.46/kWh | National Renewable Energy Laboratory EV Charging Pricing Benchmarks | 2026-04-01 |
| Level 1 (120V) vs Level 2 (240V) wall-to-battery charging efficiency | 80% Level 1 vs 90% Level 2 efficiency at 3.3 mi/kWh | SAE International and Idaho National Laboratory EVSE Charging Efficiency Study | 2026-04-01 |
Roadside assistance vs pay-per-tow
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Membership dues (Plus) | $105 a year | AAA Western and Central New York, membership terms | 2026-10-17 |
| One-time join fee | $0 (enter 20 for a first-year join) | AAA Western and Central New York, membership terms | 2026-10-17 |
| Free tow distance | Plus 100 miles (Basic 5, Premier 100) | AAA Western and Central New York, membership terms | 2026-10-17 |
| Lockout amount the club pays | Plus $100 (Basic $50, Premier $100) | AAA Western and Central New York, membership terms | 2026-10-17 |
| Free calls a year | 4 | AAA Western and Central New York, membership terms | 2026-10-17 |
| Plan terms in other clubs | Not a default | AAA Mountain West Group, roadside page | 2026-10-17 |
| Plan terms in other clubs | Not a default | Club Alliance, "Is AAA worth it?" | 2026-10-17 |
| Plan prices in Indiana | Not a default | Hoosier AAA, compare plans | 2026-10-17 |
| Tow price: hook-up fee | $75 | Policygenius, how much towing costs | 2026-10-17 |
| Tow price: per mile | $4 a mile | Policygenius, how much towing costs | 2026-10-17 |
| Miles per tow | 10 miles | SuperMoney, cost to tow a car | 2026-10-17 |
| Jump start, flat tire and lockout price | $75 each | ValuePenguin, roadside assistance comparison | 2026-10-17 |
| Fuel delivery fee | $60 | Gerald, last-minute roadside help costs | 2026-10-17 |
| Card pay-per-use fee (note only) | Not a default | ValuePenguin, roadside assistance comparison | 2026-10-17 |
| Breakdown calls a year | 0.5 (0.35 newer car, 0.7 car 10 or more years old) | WJLA, AAA warns of higher breakdown risk as car age hits record | 2026-10-17 |
| Why no yearly chance is derived | Not a default | AAA Newsroom, breakdowns at record high | 2026-10-17 |
| Tow share of calls | 44% | WJLA, AAA warns of higher breakdown risk as car age hits record | 2026-10-17 |
| Battery share of calls | 27% | WJLA, AAA warns of higher breakdown risk as car age hits record | 2026-10-17 |
| Flat tire, lockout and fuel shares | 12%, 10%, 7% | AAA Newsroom, breakdowns at record high | 2026-10-17 |
| Insurer add-on price | $20 a year | ValuePenguin, roadside assistance comparison | 2026-10-17 |
| Insurer add-on price (other ranges) | Not a default | Finder, car insurance roadside assistance | 2026-10-17 |
| Insurer tow miles, lockout amount and calls | 15 miles, $50, 4 calls | ValuePenguin, roadside assistance comparison | 2026-10-17 |
| Roadside help from a warranty, lease or card | Off | Not a sourced input | 2026-10-17 |
| Club discounts you would really use | $0 a year | AAA Newsroom | 2026-10-17 |
| Years to look ahead, yearly price rise | 5 years, 0 percent | Not a sourced input | 2026-10-17 |
Car wash club vs pay per wash
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single wash price: Basic, Mid, Top | $16, $21, $26. Typical, edit this. | Hoffman Car Wash, services (Capital Region, New York) | 2026-10-17 |
| Club price a month: Basic, Mid, Top | $31.99, $41.99, $51.99. Typical, edit this. | Hoffman Car Wash, unlimited plans | 2026-10-17 |
| National chain example: $13, $24, $29 a wash and $23, $34, $39 a month | Typical, edit this. Not a New York price. | Whistle Express Car Wash, home page | 2026-10-17 |
| Yearly price rise: club and single wash | 3% a year each. Typical, edit this. | WashIndex press release, 2026-08-12 | 2026-10-17 |
| Context only, not used as defaults | $34.00 average plan; $3 to $20 or more a wash; 2.6 washes a month; 7.6% churn. Second-hand, from sellers. | WashIndex, June 2026, Jalopnik, 2026-06-30, GHL blog, 2026-07-09 and Rinsed, 2026-01-28 | 2026-10-17 |
| Wash level with the underbody spray | A hint only. Confirm at your site. | Consumer Reports, 2026-02-13 | 2026-10-17 |
| Washes a month in salt season, and the rest of the year | 2 and 1. Typical, edit this. | AAA Western and Central New York, 2023-01-25 and AAA Western and Central New York, 2026-02-09 | 2026-10-17 |
| Routine presets: 1 and 1, 2 and 1, 4 and 1 | Monthly; every two weeks or weekly in salt season. Typical, edit this. Second-hand, from a company. | Reader's Digest, 2025-03-12 | 2026-10-17 |
| Months of salt season | 5 (about November to March). Typical, edit this. No official dates found. | No state road department or extension source found | 2026-10-17 |
| Salt and rust sentence | One quoted sentence | AAA Western and Central New York, 2023-01-25 | 2026-10-17 |
| Notice before the billing date | 5 business days, 7 days or 10 days. Confirm in your plan's terms. | Hoffman Car Wash, unlimited terms, Whistle Express, terms and Quick Quack, terms | 2026-10-17 |
| Sign-up fee, rejoin fee, cancel fee, extra months after you cancel | $0 each. Typical, edit this. Confirm in your plan's terms. | Hoffman Car Wash, unlimited terms | 2026-10-17 |
| First-month offer | $0. Offers end. Confirm at your site. | Hoffman Car Wash, unlimited plans and Tommy's Express, FAQ | 2026-10-17 |
| Club price for each added car | Blank (the full price). Confirm at your site. | ZIPS Car Wash, memberships | 2026-10-17 |
| Mister Car Wash, Take 5, Tidal Wave and Delta Sonic prices | Not used. Unverified. Not opened. | Mister Car Wash (HTTP 403), Take 5 (no prices), Tidal Wave (HTTP 429) and Delta Sonic (HTTP 403) sites | 2026-10-17 |
| Coupons, tips and extra trip cost | $0 each. Typical, edit this. The tip figure is unverified. | Not sourced; second-hand tipping guides | 2026-10-17 |
| Sales tax | 0% (prices on the chain pages are before tax). Enter your local rate. Confirm. | New York Tax Bulletin TB-ST-105, 2010-09-23 | 2026-10-17 |
| Washing at home: $4 supplies a wash, $0 equipment | Typical, edit this. | ThePricer, 2026-08-19 | 2026-10-17 |
| Years to look ahead | 3 years. Typical, edit this. | Not a sourced input | 2026-10-17 |
Winter tires vs all-season tires cost
| Assumption / Input | Starting value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter set price | $700 for a set of four, mounted, before tax. Typical, edit this. | AAA, "How Much Are Snow Tires?" (club article, no date on the page) | 2026-10-18 |
| A winter set at a retailer | 225/65R17 winter set, $711.96 before tax ($177.99 each), before an $80 offer that ended 2026-10-18. Retailer site read through a summary tool, not re-read: confirm. | Costco tire site (retailer; membership needed) | 2026-10-18 |
| All-season set price | $800 for a set of four, mounted, before tax. Typical, edit this. A retailer listed 17 and 18 inch sets at $815.96 to $919.96 (80,000-mile warranties) and $823.96 (45,000): confirm. | Costco tire site (retailer) | 2026-10-18 |
| Swap fee (two visits a year) | $70 a visit with a second set of wheels; $100 a visit to re-mount on the same wheels; $0 if you do it yourself. Typical, edit this. | AAA, "How Much Are Snow Tires?" (undated) | 2026-10-18 |
| Second set of wheels | $400 for a set. Typical, edit this. AAA: steel rims start around $90 and a set of four can cost $400 or more. Pressure sensors $50 to $125 a tire: second-hand, undated. | AAA (undated) and Tractionlife, "Winter Tire Cost" (secondary, undated) | 2026-10-18 |
| Storage | $0 a year (stored at home). A shop or dealer charges $50 to $150 a season (AAA, undated). | AAA (undated) | 2026-10-18 |
| Tread life, all-season and winter | 60,000 miles all-season and 40,000 winter. Typical, edit this. Retailer warranties: 45,000 to 80,000 (all-season), 40,000 (winter): confirm. A warranty is a promise, not a wear test. | Costco tire site (retailer), warranty miles and 49 CFR 575.104(c)(1), Cornell LII | 2026-10-18 |
| Winter set age limit | 4 years. Typical, edit this. AAA: "three to five years (or winters)". Michelin's example reaches about 10 years at 6,000 winter miles on a 60,000-mile warranty. | AAA (undated) and Michelin, "How Long Do Winter Tires Last?" (published 2026-01-28, updated 2026-09-11) | 2026-10-18 |
| All-season age limit | 6 years. Typical, edit this. Some automakers say 6; Michelin says inspect every year after 5 and replace at 10. | Michelin, "When to Replace Tires" (published 2020-11-03, updated 2026-05-05) and Consumer Reports, tire safety (old page) | 2026-10-18 |
| Months of winter | 5 months. Typical, edit this. Months with a normal mean temperature under 45°F: Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Port Jervis 5; Binghamton, Ithaca, Watertown, Lowville and Glens Falls 6; Lake Placid 7. | NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, station files, Michelin, winter tire timing (updated 2026-05-05) and Continental, buying winter tires (undated) | 2026-10-18 |
| New York recycling fee | $2.50 a tire. Not added to the prices: add about $10 to a set if your quote leaves it out. | New York Department of Taxation, waste tire fee | 2026-10-18 |
| Sales tax | 8.54% (New York). U.S. average 7.53%. Use your county rate. Whether a swap or storage is taxed is not confirmed. | Tax Foundation, sales tax rates, midyear 2026, from this site's shared state and market defaults | 2026-10-16 |
| Miles a year | 12,000. Shared with other pages here; not re-checked on 2026-10-16. | FHWA Highway Statistics and AAA Your Driving Costs baseline, from this site's shared market defaults | 2026-10-08 |
| Yearly price rise | 3% a year. Typical, edit this. No source. | Bureau of Labor Statistics tire price index (page not opened, HTTP 403) | 2026-10-18 |
| Tread wear for heavy or electric vehicles | 1 times normal (no extra wear). No number is given by the source. | Michelin, "Do Electric Cars Need Winter Tires?" (updated 2026-07-20) | 2026-10-18 |
| Cost avoided a year | $0. The visitor's own number; the page gives no estimate and no crash figure. | None (the visitor's own number) | 2026-10-18 |
| Prices not used | Not opened or unreadable: Tire Rack, Discount Tire, Walmart, Pep Boys, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, NHTSA, FHWA, the full Consumer Reports guide and eCFR. Unverified. | Pages that did not open from the build computer (names only) | 2026-10-18 |