Are you curious as to how much you will and can pay monthly on a given new Chevrolet vehicle, pre-owned vehicle, or leased Chevy?  Maybe you want to know what the ballpark estimate of the total cost of your new Chevrolet vehicle could be while still living comfortably?  If either of these sound like you, Handy Chevrolet's financing and payment calculator tool is the right tool for you!

Using our payment calculators below you can determine what you can afford and/or what your monthly payments could be.  Better yet, after you've calculated one or the other, use our finance calulator's search system to view matching pieces of inventory within your specified range!  With just a click of a button you can see new Chevy vehicles or used vehicles that fall within a range that you want to pay!

If you don't find something that suits you don't forget about our excellent CarFinder tool which let's you enter your desired vehicle's requirements and offers instant email notification when matching queries arive on our lot.

Are you having any trouble utilizing these handy tools?  If so, you have a couple options.  First, email technical support or call them directly at (802) 782-5816, or try our live chat program to live chat with a Handy representative via instant message during normal business hours.

Alternatively, try following the tips below, where we've outlined some step-by-step instructions on how to get the information you desire.

Default costs and finance rates
As you may notice, several things populate the financing and payment calculator above:  MSRP, down payment, APR or finance rate, term, and finally the default estimated payment.  These figures are all set at industry standards or mean values aside from the MSRP which we've set to open at $20,000.  These values are essentially placeholders, giving you a starting point to jump into the calculator tool.  Starting values are as follows:

• MSRP = $20,000
• Down payment = 20%
• APR / finance rate = 5.9%
• Term = 60 months

Though we expect you to use this tool by entering your own numbers, it's important that you understand these figures:  they are not derived from any webpages you personally have viewed, but rather start with our typical starting finance rate of 5.9%, add in generic trade-in values like 20%, and so on.

Entering information
One thing is certain:  the new Financing Calculator is much simpler than the older version, however there is also more information to be had.  Let's take a quick walk through the form and explain where you'll get the information needed.

1. MSRP
   Starting with the MSRP, this number is shown next to any vehicle in our new Chevrolet, used car, and Chevrolet - Buick - GMC Certified Pre-owend Vehicle inventory.  Though this is a suggested retail price and may not be the price a customer pays, this is your starting off point.  Take this number and enter it into the MSRP slot.
2. Down payment
   To be blunt, how much cash do you have to put down for your new or used car purchase or Chevy lease?  Enter that information here, either based on a percentage or a cash value.  Keep in mind the percentage would imply a percent of the MSRP whereas the cash value is simply that.  Now this is all straightforward, but don't forget your trade-in value!  Use our Black Book Online trade-in calculator to get a value range of your car, which you can then use as your down payment.  Since the Black Book Online tool gives you a range, use the various extremes and even the mean to get a range of payment option ideas.
3. APR or estimated financing rate
   This part can be a bit tricky, as financing rates completely depend upon the customer's credit score and other factors.  It would help if you knew what kind of finance rates you can get, and to know that you would need to fill out a finance application.  If you know that information, go ahead and use it!  Otherwise you can use our standard starting rate - 5.9%, as is the default - or try various Chevrolet incentive offers as found on our incentives page.
4. Term
   Again, this can vary greatly, and this is why we start it off at 60 months (a typical 5 year car loan).  Use this dropdown menu to see how your payment will skew from 12 months to 84 months to get a better idea of what you can afford and how long you want to pay for this car.
5. Estimated monthly payment
   As mentioned above, this is initially a placeholder and is calculated off the aforementioned default settings.  Whatever information you put into the various form components as mentioned above will result in a different Estimated Monthly Payment; with this you can nudge the different figures to find your ideal payment and be educated and therefore confident when you walk into our St. Albans, VT new and used Chevy dealership!

What is the "Other Payment Options" chart for?
As you see on the right of the Payment Calculator form, there is a handy little chart showing you a rising scale of cost.  This chart reflects whatever you enter into the main payment calculator form, giving you a high level view of your prospective payments.

In this chart, the monthly payment is shown on the left side of the chart (the y-axis, running vertically); the loan term is shown on the bottom of the chart (the x-axis, running horizontally); and the bars themselves represent your selected financing rate.  As you manipulate the data, hover over the various graph bars for a few extra details.  For instance at the default settings, hovering over the bar furthest to the right, which would represent a 12-month loan at 6.9% on a $20,000 vehicle with $4,000 as a down payment, the payment would be $1,384 per month.  On the extreme left under the same figures the payment would be $241 per month.

This graph allows you to see alternative timeframes based on the choices you made in the form proper.

The Search Inventory button
Finally, when you've decided you like what you see based on the figures you've entered into the Payment Calculator, click the Search Inventory button to see a list of cars that fit the budget you've specified.  This is a quick, simple way to get to see what you've decided you can afford!

For more information on financing, applying for VT car loans, leasing, or any other finance-related question, send us an email or call us toll-free at (888) 295-5380.  If you're ready to see what kind of financing options are available to you, fill out a finance application online and get an answer within 24 or 48 hours (usually much faster), or email rhoward@handychevrolet.com directly to speak with finance manager Reg Howard.  Finally, for technical support, email the webmaster here.