.calc-container {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
max-width: 800px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 12px;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
color: #333;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.calc-header {
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 30px;
}
.calc-grid {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
gap: 20px;
margin-bottom: 25px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.calc-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
}
.input-group {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.input-group label {
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 8px;
font-size: 14px;
}
.input-group input {
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 16px;
}
.calc-btn {
width: 100%;
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;
}
.calc-btn:hover {
background-color: #005177;
}
.result-box {
margin-top: 30px;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #fff;
border-radius: 8px;
border-left: 5px solid #0073aa;
display: none;
}
.result-row {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
margin-bottom: 10px;
padding-bottom: 5px;
border-bottom: 1px dashed #eee;
}
.result-row:last-child {
border-bottom: none;
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #0073aa;
}
.article-section {
margin-top: 40px;
line-height: 1.6;
}
.article-section h2 {
color: #222;
margin-top: 30px;
}
Vehicle MSRP ($)
Negotiated Sale Price ($)
Down Payment ($)
Trade-in Allowance ($)
Lease Term (Months)
Residual Value (%)
Money Factor
Sales Tax Rate (%)
Calculate Monthly Payment
Gross Capitalized Cost:
Residual Value:
Monthly Depreciation:
Monthly Rent Charge:
Estimated Monthly Payment (w/ Tax):
Understanding How Car Leases Are Calculated
Leasing a car is often more complex than buying one because the payment isn't just based on the total price of the vehicle. Instead, you are essentially paying for the depreciation of the car over the period you drive it, plus interest and taxes.
Key Components of a Lease
Gross Capitalized Cost: This is the negotiated price of the vehicle plus any added fees or previous lease balances.Residual Value: This is what the leasing company estimates the car will be worth at the end of your lease. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the original MSRP.Money Factor: This is the lease version of an interest rate. To convert a money factor to a standard APR, multiply it by 2,400. For example, a money factor of 0.00125 is equivalent to a 3% APR.Cap Cost Reduction: Anything that reduces the amount being financed, such as a down payment, trade-in, or rebates.
The Math Behind the Payment
A lease payment consists of three primary parts:
Depreciation Fee: (Adjusted Cap Cost – Residual Value) ÷ Lease Term.Finance Fee (Rent Charge): (Adjusted Cap Cost + Residual Value) × Money Factor.Sales Tax: Most states apply sales tax to the monthly payment.
Example Calculation
If you negotiate a car down to $30,000, put $2,000 down, and the car has a 60% residual value on a $35,000 MSRP after 36 months:
Adjusted Cap Cost: $30,000 – $2,000 = $28,000Residual Value: $35,000 × 0.60 = $21,000Monthly Depreciation: ($28,000 – $21,000) / 36 = $194.44Rent Charge: ($28,000 + $21,000) × 0.00125 = $61.25Base Payment: $194.44 + $61.25 = $255.69
function calculateLease() {
var msrp = parseFloat(document.getElementById("msrp").value);
var salePrice = parseFloat(document.getElementById("salePrice").value);
var downPayment = parseFloat(document.getElementById("downPayment").value) || 0;
var tradeIn = parseFloat(document.getElementById("tradeIn").value) || 0;
var term = parseFloat(document.getElementById("leaseTerm").value);
var residualPercent = parseFloat(document.getElementById("residualPercent").value);
var moneyFactor = parseFloat(document.getElementById("moneyFactor").value);
var taxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("taxRate").value) || 0;
if (isNaN(msrp) || isNaN(salePrice) || isNaN(term) || isNaN(residualPercent) || isNaN(moneyFactor)) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers in all required fields.");
return;
}
// 1. Adjusted Capitalized Cost
var adjCapCost = salePrice – downPayment – tradeIn;
// 2. Residual Value
var residualValue = msrp * (residualPercent / 100);
// 3. Monthly Depreciation
var monthlyDepreciation = (adjCapCost – residualValue) / term;
if (monthlyDepreciation < 0) monthlyDepreciation = 0;
// 4. Monthly Rent Charge
var monthlyRent = (adjCapCost + residualValue) * moneyFactor;
// 5. Total Base Payment
var basePayment = monthlyDepreciation + monthlyRent;
// 6. Total Payment with Tax
var totalMonthly = basePayment * (1 + (taxRate / 100));
// Display Results
document.getElementById("resGrossCap").innerText = "$" + adjCapCost.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resResidual").innerText = "$" + residualValue.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resDepreciation").innerText = "$" + monthlyDepreciation.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resRent").innerText = "$" + monthlyRent.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resTotal").innerText = "$" + totalMonthly.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resultBox").style.display = "block";
}