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General information only: Tax, registration, insurance and credit rules can change. Confirm the current position with the linked government authority and your finance or insurance contract before acting.
Quick answer
The complete drive-away budget is the vehicle cash price plus applicable taxes, registration, transfer, insurance and accepted extras, less genuine discounts or credits. The amount financed then subtracts the cash deposit and usable trade-in equity and adds only costs the lender permits.
Why this matters when financing a car
A repayment based only on the advertised vehicle price can understate both the cash needed and the requested loan. On-road and optional costs can raise LVR because they add debt without necessarily adding equal vehicle value.
INTERACTIVE BUDGET BUILDER
Build the complete drive-away requirement
Enter current government and insurance figures rather than relying on a generic national percentage. This is a budget tool, not a duty quote or finance approval.
Separate the transaction into auditable lines
Do not accept one unexplained drive-away number. Ask for the vehicle, factory and dealer options, delivery, duty, registration, CTP, transfer fees, insurance and other products to be shown separately.
Calculate the amount financed after the purchase budget
First calculate the complete purchase and settlement requirement. Then subtract the cash deposit and usable trade-in equity. Add any permitted financed lender fee or verified payout shortfall separately. The result is not an approval; it is the amount that needs to be assessed.
Use official figures for volatile government costs
Duty, registration, transfer and CTP arrangements change by jurisdiction, vehicle and date. Use the relevant government calculator or quote and enter that result into the BaseRate budget builder. The tool deliberately does not invent a national duty percentage.
Stress-test the cash remaining after purchase
A contribution should not leave the buyer unable to pay insurance, registration, immediate repairs or ordinary living costs. Compare the lower loan amount with the loss of the cash buffer rather than assuming the largest deposit is automatically best.
From advertised price to requested loan amount
Assume a $40,000 vehicle, $1,500 duty, $900 registration and transfer, $1,600 annual comprehensive premium and $500 of accepted accessories. The buyer contributes $5,000 cash.
- Purchase and immediate-cost budget: $40,000 + $1,500 + $900 + $1,600 + $500 = $44,500.
- Subtract the $5,000 cash contribution.
- Illustrative amount to fund: $39,500, subject to which costs the lender permits and the value it accepts.
Result: A repayment model based on $35,000—the vehicle price less deposit—would understate the illustrative funding requirement by $4,500.
Primary sources
Government and statutory sources checked on 8 August 2026:
See BaseRate’s editorial policy and the complete car-buying costs hub.
