{"salary":120000,"assumptions":{"mode":"buy","state":null,"down_payment_pct":20,"loan_term_months":48,"apr_pct":6.5,"annual_miles":13500},"budgets":{"conservative":{"pct_of_gross_income":10,"max_vehicle_price":31000,"max_total_monthly_cost":1000,"est_monthly_operating_costs":{"fuel":155,"insurance":139,"maintenance":87,"registration":27,"total":408},"est_monthly_payment":592},"comfortable":{"pct_of_gross_income":15,"max_vehicle_price":50000,"max_total_monthly_cost":1500,"est_monthly_operating_costs":{"fuel":188,"insurance":191,"maintenance":127,"registration":37,"total":543},"est_monthly_payment":957},"aggressive":{"pct_of_gross_income":20,"max_vehicle_price":67000,"max_total_monthly_cost":2000,"est_monthly_operating_costs":{"fuel":241,"insurance":267,"maintenance":172,"registration":48,"total":728},"est_monthly_payment":1272}},"recommended_max_price":50000,"example_vehicles":[{"year":2027,"make":"Buick","model":"Enclave","type":"suv_large","base_msrp":46600,"est_monthly_payment":884,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"GMC","model":"Acadia","type":"suv_large","base_msrp":43600,"est_monthly_payment":827,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Honda","model":"Odyssey","type":"minivan","base_msrp":43195,"est_monthly_payment":819,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Volkswagen","model":"Atlas","type":"suv_large","base_msrp":41610,"est_monthly_payment":789,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Chrysler","model":"Pacifica","type":"minivan","base_msrp":41495,"est_monthly_payment":787,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Chevrolet","model":"Traverse","type":"suv_large","base_msrp":40800,"est_monthly_payment":774,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Subaru","model":"Ascent","type":"suv_large","base_msrp":40795,"est_monthly_payment":774,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Hyundai","model":"Palisade","type":"suv_large","base_msrp":39735,"est_monthly_payment":754,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Jeep","model":"Grand Cherokee","type":"suv_large","base_msrp":39520,"est_monthly_payment":750,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Kia","model":"Telluride","type":"suv_large","base_msrp":39190,"est_monthly_payment":744,"budget_tier":"comfortable"}],"summary":"On a $120,000 salary you can comfortably afford a vehicle up to about $50,000 (purchase price), keeping total car costs at 15% of gross income. Conservative (10%): $31,000. Stretch (20%): $67,000.","methodology":"Total monthly car cost (payment + fuel + insurance + maintenance + registration) is capped at 10/15/20% of gross monthly income; operating costs are subtracted and the remainder is converted to a vehicle price using standard amortization (or a lease residual/money-factor model). Estimates only, not financial advice.","calculator_url":"https://cashpedal.io/affordability?salary=120000","source":"Cash Pedal"}