.lease-calc-container {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
max-width: 800px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 30px;
border: 1px solid #e1e1e1;
border-radius: 12px;
background-color: #ffffff;
box-shadow: 0 4px 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.lease-calc-header {
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 25px;
}
.lease-calc-grid {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
gap: 20px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.lease-calc-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
}
.lease-input-group {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.lease-input-group label {
display: block;
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 5px;
color: #333;
font-size: 14px;
}
.lease-input-group input {
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 16px;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.lease-calc-btn {
grid-column: 1 / -1;
background-color: #0073aa;
color: white;
padding: 15px;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.3s;
}
.lease-calc-btn:hover {
background-color: #005177;
}
.lease-result-box {
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
border-radius: 8px;
border-left: 5px solid #0073aa;
}
.lease-result-row {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
margin-bottom: 10px;
font-size: 16px;
}
.lease-result-row.total {
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #0073aa;
border-top: 1px solid #ddd;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.lease-article {
margin-top: 40px;
line-height: 1.6;
color: #444;
}
.lease-article h2 { color: #222; margin-top: 25px; }
.lease-article h3 { color: #333; }
.lease-article ul { padding-left: 20px; }
MSRP ($)
Negotiated Sales Price ($)
Down Payment ($)
Trade-in Allowance ($)
Residual Value (%)
Lease Term (Months)
Money Factor (e.g. 0.00125)
Sales Tax (%)
Calculate Monthly Payment
Monthly Depreciation:
$0.00
Monthly Rent Charge (Interest):
$0.00
Base Monthly Payment:
$0.00
Monthly Tax:
$0.00
Total Monthly Payment:
$0.00
Understanding How Car Lease Payments Are Calculated
Leasing a vehicle can be more complex than a standard auto loan. Unlike a purchase, where you pay for the entire value of the car, a lease only charges you for the depreciation of the vehicle during the time you drive it, plus a financing fee known as the money factor .
Key Components of Your Lease
MSRP: The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. This is used primarily to calculate the Residual Value.Gross Capitalized Cost: The negotiated price of the vehicle plus any added fees or prior lease balances.Residual Value: The estimated value of the car at the end of the lease. A higher residual value usually leads to a lower monthly payment.Money Factor: The interest rate on a lease. To get the approximate APR, multiply the money factor by 2400. For example, 0.00125 * 2400 = 3% APR.Cap Cost Reductions: This includes your down payment, trade-in value, and any manufacturer rebates that reduce the total amount financed.
The Lease Math Formula
The calculation consists of three main parts:
Depreciation Fee: (Net Cap Cost – Residual Value) ÷ Term in MonthsFinance Fee (Rent Charge): (Net Cap Cost + Residual Value) × Money FactorSales Tax: (Depreciation Fee + Finance Fee) × Local Tax Rate
Example Calculation
Imagine you negotiate a car with an MSRP of $50,000 down to $47,000. If the residual is 60% ($30,000) for a 36-month term, and you put $2,000 down:
Net Cap Cost: $45,000 ($47,000 – $2,000)
Depreciation: ($45,000 – $30,000) / 36 = $416.67
Rent Charge: ($45,000 + $30,000) * 0.0015 = $112.50
Base Payment: $529.17
function calculateLeasePayment() {
var msrp = parseFloat(document.getElementById('msrp').value);
var salesPrice = parseFloat(document.getElementById('salesPrice').value);
var downPayment = parseFloat(document.getElementById('downPayment').value) || 0;
var tradeIn = parseFloat(document.getElementById('tradeIn').value) || 0;
var residualPct = parseFloat(document.getElementById('residualPct').value);
var term = parseFloat(document.getElementById('leaseTerm').value);
var moneyFactor = parseFloat(document.getElementById('moneyFactor').value);
var taxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('salesTax').value) || 0;
if (isNaN(msrp) || isNaN(salesPrice) || isNaN(residualPct) || isNaN(term) || isNaN(moneyFactor)) {
alert("Please fill in all required fields with valid numbers.");
return;
}
// 1. Calculate Residual Value
var residualValue = msrp * (residualPct / 100);
// 2. Calculate Net Capitalized Cost
var netCapCost = salesPrice – downPayment – tradeIn;
if (netCapCost < residualValue) {
alert("The negotiated price minus down payment cannot be less than the residual value. Please check your inputs.");
return;
}
// 3. Monthly Depreciation
var monthlyDepreciation = (netCapCost – residualValue) / term;
// 4. Monthly Rent Charge
var monthlyRentCharge = (netCapCost + residualValue) * moneyFactor;
// 5. Base Payment
var basePayment = monthlyDepreciation + monthlyRentCharge;
// 6. Monthly Tax
var monthlyTax = basePayment * (taxRate / 100);
// 7. Total Monthly Payment
var totalPayment = basePayment + monthlyTax;
// Display Results
document.getElementById('resDepreciation').innerText = "$" + monthlyDepreciation.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resRentCharge').innerText = "$" + monthlyRentCharge.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resBasePayment').innerText = "$" + basePayment.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resTax').innerText = "$" + monthlyTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resTotalPayment').innerText = "$" + totalPayment.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('leaseResult').style.display = "block";
}