Vehicle Purchase Comparison Worksheet
One-page side-by-side comparison sheet for 3 vehicles, covering identification, price, financing, operating cost, and total ownership, plus a decision row at the bottom.
Pair with the Car Loan Payment Calculator for the financing rows, the Vehicle Total Cost of Ownership Calculator for the lifetime numbers, the EV Charging Cost Calculator for electric operating cost, and the Fuel Cost Trip Calculator for typical commute fuel.
Vehicle Purchase Comparison Worksheet
Fill identification and price at home from each dealer’s website. Fill financing and operating cost during or right after the visit. Complete the decision row only after all three vehicles have full numbers.
1. Identification
| Field | Vehicle A | Vehicle B | Vehicle C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | |||
| Make | |||
| Model | |||
| Trim | |||
| Mileage | |||
| Condition (new / CPO / used) | |||
| Dealer / seller |
2. Asking Price
| Field | Vehicle A | Vehicle B | Vehicle C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker / list price | $ | $ | $ |
| Dealer offer (out-the-door) | $ | $ | $ |
| Fair market value (KBB / Edmunds) | $ | $ | $ |
| Trade-in credit offered | $ | $ | $ |
| Doc fee | $ | $ | $ |
| Sales tax | $ | $ | $ |
| Effective net price | $ | $ | $ |
3. Financing Terms
| Field | Vehicle A | Vehicle B | Vehicle C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-approval APR | % | % | % |
| Dealer-offered APR | % | % | % |
| Term (months) | |||
| Down payment | $ | $ | $ |
| Monthly payment | $ | $ | $ |
| Total interest over term | $ | $ | $ |
| Total amount paid | $ | $ | $ |
4. Operating Cost (annual)
| Field | Vehicle A | Vehicle B | Vehicle C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel / charging cost (1 yr) | $ | $ | $ |
| Insurance estimate (1 yr) | $ | $ | $ |
| Registration / road tax (1 yr) | $ | $ | $ |
| Scheduled maintenance (1 yr) | $ | $ | $ |
| Tires / consumables (annualized) | $ | $ | $ |
| Year-1 operating cost subtotal | $ | $ | $ |
5. Total Ownership Cost
| Field | Vehicle A | Vehicle B | Vehicle C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year-1 total (financing + operating) | $ | $ | $ |
| Year-5 total (5 yr financing + 5 yr operating) | $ | $ | $ |
| Estimated resale value at year 5 | $ | $ | $ |
| Net 5-year cost (year-5 minus resale) | $ | $ | $ |
| Cost per mile (assume 12,000 miles per year) | $ | $ | $ |
6. Subjective Notes
| Field | Vehicle A | Vehicle B | Vehicle C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test-drive impression (1-5) | |||
| Visibility / sight lines | |||
| Cargo / seating fit | |||
| Tech / infotainment | |||
| Must-haves present? (Y/N + notes) | |||
| Nice-to-haves present? (Y/N) | |||
| Reliability data (CR / RepairPal) |
7. Decision
| Field | Vehicle A | Vehicle B | Vehicle C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best price? | |||
| Best financing? | |||
| Best total cost? | |||
| Best subjective fit? | |||
| Top pick | |||
| Why | |||
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I compare three vehicles fairly?
Use the same data source for each vehicle so the numbers line up. Pull asking price from each dealer’s website, fair market value from KBB or Edmunds, financing offers from your pre-approval and the dealer offer, and operating cost from the EPA fuel-economy site or the manufacturer-published battery range. Filling out every row before making a decision prevents the cheap-up-front car from winning when its operating cost or financing is worse.
What is true cost of ownership?
True cost of ownership is the full multi-year cost of having a vehicle, not just the sticker price. It includes financing (interest paid over the loan term), fuel or charging, insurance, scheduled maintenance, repairs, registration, and depreciation. Two vehicles with similar sticker prices can have a 3,000 to 8,000 dollar gap in 5-year true cost of ownership, especially when one is a hybrid or EV and the other is a large SUV or truck.
When should I walk away from a deal?
Walk when the dealer will not honor the negotiated out-the-door price, when the financing offer is more than 1 point above your pre-approval and they will not match it, when the F&I office stacks add-ons after the price is settled, or when the trade-in offer is more than 1,500 dollars below other dealer or instant-cash offers. Same-day urgency is the dealer’s tool. The car will still be available next weekend, or another car like it will be.
How do I use this worksheet most effectively?
Print one copy per shopping trip. Fill identification and price columns at home from each dealer’s website before visiting. Fill financing and operating cost during or right after the visit. Complete the total ownership and subjective sections only after you have all three vehicles’ data. The decision row at the bottom is for after you walk through the whole sheet, not while you are still in the F&I office.