Honest car-money math, shown in full
MotorCrunch exists for one reason: to put the real numbers behind a car decision in your hands before anyone else does the math for you. No spin, no hidden assumptions — just tools built to help you decide.
Our mission
Buying, financing and running a car is one of the largest money decisions most people make, yet the math is usually done for you — by a dealer, a lender or an insurer who knows the numbers better than you do.
We build calculators that close that gap. Each one turns a complicated decision into a clear, editable number you can trust, so you walk into the showroom already knowing what a fair deal looks like.
Standard, auditable math
Loan amortization, compounding depreciation curves and standard running-cost models — the same formulas a lender or actuary would use, shown openly rather than hidden behind a quote engine.
Every input is visible
There are no secret defaults. Rates, terms, fees and cost assumptions all appear on screen and can be edited, so the result reflects your situation, not a generic average.
Built for four markets
Each tool understands the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia — with the right currency, tax treatment and regional cost assumptions for where you actually drive.
How the calculators are built
Every tool runs on documented, industry-standard financial formulas — not opaque scoring.
Loan amortization
Monthly payments, total interest and balance over time come from the standard amortization formula, the same approach lenders use to price a loan.
Compounding depreciation
Resale value and total cost of ownership use compounding depreciation curves calibrated to how vehicles actually lose value, by class and age.
Standard running-cost models
Fuel, charging, insurance, maintenance and rideshare take-home are modelled from documented per-mile and per-period costs, not round-number guesses.
Our editorial principle
“Tools built to decide, not to rank.”
Most car-money content is written to win a search result. Ours is written — and engineered — to help you reach the right decision. If a calculator can't make a choice clearer, we don't ship it.
How we plan to make money
MotorCrunch is free to use, with no account required. MotorCrunch may be supported by advertising, affiliate links or partner offers in the future. We do not let monetization change calculator formulas or editorial guidance, and the tools stay free.
The tools are always free
Every calculator runs in your browser at no cost, with no sign-up and no paywall.
Support may come from ads or future offers
In the future the site may be supported by advertising, affiliate links or partner offers. Looking at any such offer would always be optional — you are never required to.
It never changes the math
Monetization has no effect on the formulas, the default assumptions or the result a calculator shows you. The numbers are the numbers.
Methodology & data note
Default rates and cost figures are sourced from published lender, insurer and government data, and refreshed as those sources change. Where a precise public figure is not available for a given market, we use a clearly labeled, conservative estimate derived from the nearest comparable public data, clearly labeled as an estimate, and never figures collected from readers.
Calculator inputs run in your browser and are not collected. Because every input is editable, you can always replace our figures with your own quoted numbers for a result that reflects your exact situation.
Reviewed by
The MotorCrunch editorial standards team
Our calculators and explanations are reviewed against an internal editorial standard by a team with backgrounds in consumer finance, automotive cost analysis and data modelling. Reviews check that each formula is correct, that assumptions are clearly disclosed, and that the language stays neutral and decision-focused.
We publish a team standard rather than personal credentials: the integrity of a calculator comes from its math and its transparency, both of which you can inspect on every page.
Is MotorCrunch independent?＋
Yes. Our calculators run on transparent, standard financial formulas, and the result you see is never altered by an advertiser. MotorCrunch may be supported by advertising, affiliate links or partner offers in the future, but we do not let monetization change calculator formulas or editorial guidance — and the tools stay free.
Where do your assumptions come from?＋
Default rates and cost figures are based on published lender, insurer and government data where available, with clearly labeled estimates or conservative modeled assumptions where a precise public figure is not available. Every assumption on screen is editable, so you can replace ours with your real numbers at any time.
Are the results financial advice?＋
No. MotorCrunch provides educational estimates to help you understand a decision before you sign. They are not a binding quote and not personalized financial advice. For decisions specific to your situation, speak to a qualified, regulated professional.