$6,000 car loan for 48 months
$144.99/month principal and interest, before sales tax
$959 total interest over 48 months
Principal $6,000 Interest $959. 14¢ of every dollar paid goes to interest.
48 months at 7.47%, the Federal Reserve's average finance rate on 48-month new-car loans at commercial banks (May 2026 survey).
Source: Federal Reserve G.19, May 2026 survey. An average, not an offer.
By credit score
| Credit tier | Score | New-car APR | Payment | Used-car APR | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super prime | 781–850 | 4.41% | $136.58 | 6.29% | $141.71 |
| Prime | 661–780 | 6.23% | $141.54 | not reported | — |
| Near prime | 601–660 | 9.67% | $151.23 | not reported | — |
| Subprime | 501–600 | 13.44% | $162.28 | not reported | — |
| Deep subprime | 300–500 | 16.11% | $170.38 | 21.62% | $187.80 |
Averages across lenders for loans originated in the quarter, not offers. All tiers combined: 6.35% new, 11.19% used.
By loan term
With sales tax
| State tax rate sales tax (statewide base incl. 1.25% uniform local) | 7.25% |
|---|---|
| Trade-in credit | no |
| Taxable amount | $6,000 |
| Sales tax | $435 |
| Financed (price − trade-in + tax) | $6,435 |
| Monthly payment with tax | $155.50 |
Trade-in is treated as payment and does not reduce the taxable selling price (CDTFA Pub 34). District taxes add on top of 7.25% depending on the registration address. Only states whose rules we have verified are listed.
Payment and income
The $144.99 payment is 10% of gross income at $17,399 a year and 15% at $11,599. Insurance, fuel and maintenance come on top.
Amortization schedule
First 12 months
| Month | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $107.64 | $37.35 | $5,892.36 |
| 2 | $108.31 | $36.68 | $5,784.05 |
| 3 | $108.98 | $36.01 | $5,675.07 |
| 4 | $109.66 | $35.33 | $5,565.41 |
| 5 | $110.34 | $34.64 | $5,455.06 |
| 6 | $111.03 | $33.96 | $5,344.03 |
| 7 | $111.72 | $33.27 | $5,232.31 |
| 8 | $112.42 | $32.57 | $5,119.89 |
| 9 | $113.12 | $31.87 | $5,006.77 |
| 10 | $113.82 | $31.17 | $4,892.95 |
| 11 | $114.53 | $30.46 | $4,778.42 |
| 12 | $115.24 | $29.75 | $4,663.17 |
Year by year
| Year | Principal | Interest | Balance at year end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,337 | $403 | $4,663 |
| 2 | $1,440 | $300 | $3,223 |
| 3 | $1,552 | $188 | $1,671 |
| 4 | $1,671 | $68 | $0 |
| Total | $6,000 | $959 | $0 |
Full schedule, all 48 payments
| Month | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 107.64 | 37.35 | 5,892.36 |
| 2 | 108.31 | 36.68 | 5,784.05 |
| 3 | 108.98 | 36.01 | 5,675.07 |
| 4 | 109.66 | 35.33 | 5,565.41 |
| 5 | 110.34 | 34.64 | 5,455.06 |
| 6 | 111.03 | 33.96 | 5,344.03 |
| 7 | 111.72 | 33.27 | 5,232.31 |
| 8 | 112.42 | 32.57 | 5,119.89 |
| 9 | 113.12 | 31.87 | 5,006.77 |
| 10 | 113.82 | 31.17 | 4,892.95 |
| 11 | 114.53 | 30.46 | 4,778.42 |
| 12 | 115.24 | 29.75 | 4,663.17 |
| 13 | 115.96 | 29.03 | 4,547.21 |
| 14 | 116.68 | 28.31 | 4,430.53 |
| 15 | 117.41 | 27.58 | 4,313.12 |
| 16 | 118.14 | 26.85 | 4,194.98 |
| 17 | 118.88 | 26.11 | 4,076.10 |
| 18 | 119.62 | 25.37 | 3,956.49 |
| 19 | 120.36 | 24.63 | 3,836.13 |
| 20 | 121.11 | 23.88 | 3,715.02 |
| 21 | 121.86 | 23.13 | 3,593.15 |
| 22 | 122.62 | 22.37 | 3,470.53 |
| 23 | 123.39 | 21.60 | 3,347.15 |
| 24 | 124.15 | 20.84 | 3,222.99 |
| 25 | 124.93 | 20.06 | 3,098.07 |
| 26 | 125.70 | 19.29 | 2,972.36 |
| 27 | 126.49 | 18.50 | 2,845.88 |
| 28 | 127.27 | 17.72 | 2,718.60 |
| 29 | 128.07 | 16.92 | 2,590.54 |
| 30 | 128.86 | 16.13 | 2,461.67 |
| 31 | 129.67 | 15.32 | 2,332.01 |
| 32 | 130.47 | 14.52 | 2,201.54 |
| 33 | 131.28 | 13.70 | 2,070.25 |
| 34 | 132.10 | 12.89 | 1,938.15 |
| 35 | 132.92 | 12.06 | 1,805.22 |
| 36 | 133.75 | 11.24 | 1,671.47 |
| 37 | 134.58 | 10.40 | 1,536.89 |
| 38 | 135.42 | 9.57 | 1,401.46 |
| 39 | 136.27 | 8.72 | 1,265.20 |
| 40 | 137.11 | 7.88 | 1,128.09 |
| 41 | 137.97 | 7.02 | 990.12 |
| 42 | 138.83 | 6.16 | 851.29 |
| 43 | 139.69 | 5.30 | 711.60 |
| 44 | 140.56 | 4.43 | 571.04 |
| 45 | 141.43 | 3.55 | 429.61 |
| 46 | 142.32 | 2.67 | 287.29 |
| 47 | 143.20 | 1.79 | 144.09 |
| 48 | 144.09 | 0.90 | 0.00 |
Questions
What is the monthly payment on a $6,000 car loan for 48 months?
$144.99 at 7.47%, the average commercial-bank rate in the Fed's latest survey. Total interest is $959.
How much is a $6,000 car loan with bad credit?
At Experian's Q2 2026 average for subprime borrowers (scores 501–600, 13.44% on new cars), $162.28 a month over 48 months, versus $141.54 for prime borrowers.
Is 60 or 72 months better for a $6,000 car loan?
At the same 7.14% rate, 72 months lowers the payment from $119.20 to $102.70 but adds $242 in interest, and longer loans usually carry higher rates.
What income do I need for a $6,000 car loan?
The $144.99 payment is 10% of gross income at $17,399 a year and 15% at $11,599. Many budgets keep car payments near 10–15% of income.
How much does sales tax add to a $6,000 car in California?
$435 at the 7.25% state rate (no trade-in credit in this state). Financed with the car, it raises the payment to $155.50. Local taxes can add more.
Sources
- New-car loan, 48 months average: 7.47%. Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit, terms of credit at commercial banks, series TERMCBAUTO48NS, as of May 1, 2026; retrieved September 26, 2026.
- Average auto loan APR by credit tier. Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market, Q2 2026; retrieved September 26, 2026.
- State vehicle sales tax and trade-in rules. State revenue departments and DMVs; state rate only, local taxes excluded.
Numbers on this page last changed September 26, 2026. How they are calculated: methodology.