Life Admin & PCS
Car Buying at a New Duty Station
Calculate the true monthly cost of a car — payment, insurance, gas, maintenance, and registration. Plus lemon law differences by state.
Covers SCRA protections on auto loans, predatory dealer tactics near bases, and lemon law variations when you PCS to a new state.
Vehicle Details
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$
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Monthly Costs
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$
$
$
True Cost of Ownership
$482
Monthly Payment
$869
True Monthly Cost
$5,080
Day-One Costs
$3,930
Total Interest
$52,130
5-Year Total Cost
$1,680
Sales Tax
Payment
$482
Insurance
$150
Gas
$120
Maintenance
$100
Registration
$17
Watch out for predatory dealers near military bases. Get pre-approved through your credit union BEFORE visiting a dealership. Never share your LES. The true cost of a car is much more than the sticker price.
VTS Duffle Bag tools are for informational purposes only. All calculations run in your browser — no data is collected or stored. Verify amounts with official sources before making financial decisions.