{"salary":85000,"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":19500,"max_total_monthly_cost":708,"est_monthly_operating_costs":{"fuel":131,"insurance":111,"maintenance":67,"registration":22,"total":331},"est_monthly_payment":377},"comfortable":{"pct_of_gross_income":15,"max_vehicle_price":33500,"max_total_monthly_cost":1063,"est_monthly_operating_costs":{"fuel":159,"insurance":145,"maintenance":92,"registration":28,"total":424},"est_monthly_payment":639},"aggressive":{"pct_of_gross_income":20,"max_vehicle_price":47500,"max_total_monthly_cost":1417,"est_monthly_operating_costs":{"fuel":180,"insurance":180,"maintenance":120,"registration":35,"total":515},"est_monthly_payment":902}},"recommended_max_price":33500,"example_vehicles":[{"year":2027,"make":"Honda","model":"CR-V","type":"suv","base_msrp":31520,"est_monthly_payment":598,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"GMC","model":"Terrain","type":"suv","base_msrp":30400,"est_monthly_payment":577,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Kia","model":"Niro","type":"suv","base_msrp":29890,"est_monthly_payment":567,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Chevrolet","model":"Equinox","type":"suv","base_msrp":29000,"est_monthly_payment":550,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Kia","model":"Sportage","type":"suv","base_msrp":28990,"est_monthly_payment":550,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Toyota","model":"Prius","type":"sedan","base_msrp":28755,"est_monthly_payment":546,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Ford","model":"Maverick","type":"truck","base_msrp":28145,"est_monthly_payment":534,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Kia","model":"K5","type":"sedan","base_msrp":27690,"est_monthly_payment":525,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Subaru","model":"Crosstrek","type":"suv","base_msrp":26995,"est_monthly_payment":512,"budget_tier":"comfortable"},{"year":2027,"make":"Honda","model":"HR-V","type":"suv","base_msrp":26600,"est_monthly_payment":505,"budget_tier":"comfortable"}],"summary":"On a $85,000 salary you can comfortably afford a vehicle up to about $33,500 (purchase price), keeping total car costs at 15% of gross income. Conservative (10%): $19,500. Stretch (20%): $47,500.","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=85000","source":"Cash Pedal"}