Student Activities

$ Lesson Nine
Cars and Loans

04/09
name: date:

operating costs of a motor vehicle

model year

make, size, model

fixed costs

Depreciation: Purchase price $ __________

divided by estimated life ______ years $

Annual interest on auto loan (if applicable) $

Annual insurance costs $

License, registration, taxes $

variable costs

Gasoline: estimated miles per year __________

divided by ______ miles per gallon times
the average price of $______ per gallon $

Oil changes for the year $

Tires $

Maintenance, repairs $

Parking and tolls $

total costs $

divided by miles per year

equals cost per mile $

part 2…
Based on business visits, phone calls, advertisements, and the internet, obtain information for the
cost of (a) an oil change, (b) a tune-up, (c) new brakes, (d) tires.

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-1

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warranties and service contracts

Find an example of a motor vehicle warranty and of a service contract. Then, answer the
following questions.

1. What is the warranty for?

2. What type of warranty is it (as-is, implied, dealer, manufacturer’s)?

3. List the basic terms of the warranty.

4. What is the service contract for?

5. List the basic terms of the service contract.

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-2

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shopping for a car loan

Amount of Loan $

Financial
institution

APR

Length
of loan

Monthly
payment

Total
finance
charge

Total to
be repaid

directions
Pretend that you have decided to purchase a new car. Select the model you would like
and find out what it costs. Then, shop around for the best car loan terms. Try several different
institutions, such as a bank, a credit union, and a private moneylender.
When you have finished, look at your chart. Which loan would you take? What features make it
more appealing than the others? Which institutions offered the best rates, and why do you think
they did so?

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-3

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shopping for insurance

minimum coverage required by state
Company 1 Company 2
Agent Agent
Address Address
Phone Phone

Amount of Premiums for Premiums for

Coverage Company 1 Company 2

Bodily injury liability

Property damage
Personal injury protection
(no-fault insurance states)
Uninsured motorist
Other

coverage you desire

Amount of Premiums for Premiums for
Coverage Company 1 Company 2

Bodily injury liability

Medical
Property damage
Personal injury protection
(no-fault insurance states)
Uninsured motorist
Collision— $250 deductible
Collision— $500 deductible
Towing and labor
Other

which company best suits your needs?

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-4

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how much would you spend?

scenario 1
Manuel wants to buy a car. But before he goes shopping, he wants to know exactly how much he
can afford to spend each month on owning, operating, and maintaining a car.

Manuel’s net monthly income is $1,280. His fixed expenses are:

■ $350 for rent

His flexible monthly expenses are:

■ $75 for savings
■ $25 for utilities
■ $185 for food
■ $35 for transportation (bus fare)
■ $150 for tuition and books
■ $40 for entertainment
■ $20 for personal items
■ $29 for household items

If Manuel gets a car, he expects to spend about $40 a month on gas and oil, and about $20 on
parking and bridge tolls.

Manuel needs to have car insurance. He has shopped around and expects that a car insurance
premium for the type and year of car he wants will cost about $225 a month.

directions
Use the attached budget sheet and loan calculator ([Link]/calculators) to
complete the following chart and answer the following questions.

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-5a

 how much would you spend? (continued)

car for $6,000 (Amount of loan: $6,000)

APR: 10% APR: 12%
Length of Loan: 60 months Length of Loan: 60 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

APR: 14% APR: 16%

Length of Loan: 60 months Length of Loan: 60 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

car for $8,000 (Amount of loan: $8,000)

APR: 10% APR: 12%
Length of Loan: 60 months Length of Loan: 60 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

APR: 14% APR: 16%

Length of Loan: 60 months Length of Loan: 60 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-5b

 how much would you spend? (continued)

car for $10,000 (Amount of loan: $10,000)

APR: 10% APR: 12%
Length of Loan: 60 months Length of Loan: 60 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

APR: 14% APR: 16%

Length of Loan: 60 months Length of Loan: 60 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

1. Which car can Manuel afford?

2. What are the terms of the loan that would allow Manuel to buy a car and still stay within
his budget?

3. Using the column “How You’d Do It” on Manuel’s budget worksheet, figure how you would set
up a budget if you had Manuel’s income and expenses.

4. What were the main differences between the budget you set up using Manuel’s income and
expenses and the budget that was provided?

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-5c

 how much would you spend? (continued)
manuel’s budget
income scenario how you'd do it difference
Job #1 $ $ $
Job #2 $ $ $
Other $ $ $
Total Income $ $ $

fixed expenses
Rent $ $ $
Car insurance $ $ $
Installment payments
Car loan payment $ $ $
Credit card 1 $ $ $
Credit card 2 $ $ $
Total installment debt $ $ $
Percentage of net income % % %

flexible expenses
Savings $ $ $
Utilities $ $ $
Food $ $ $
Transportation $ $ $
Bus fare $ $ $
Gas and oil $ $ $
Parking and tolls $ $ $
Repairs $ $ $
Tuition $ $ $
School expenses $ $ $
Clothing $ $ $
Entertainment $ $ $
Household items $ $ $
Personal items (toothpaste, etc.) $ $ $
Total Monthly Expenses $ $ $
Total income - total expenses $ $ $

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-5d

name: date:

how much would you spend? (continued)

scenario 2
Rose is thinking about buying a car. She has $1,000 saved for a down payment. Before she goes
shopping, she wants to know how much she can afford to spend each month on a car.
Rose brings home $926 each month from her first job, and $974 from her second job.
Her fixed expenses include:

■ $250 for rent

■ $34 for a credit payment on some furniture she bought several months ago that has a total
outstanding balance of $540

Her flexible monthly expenses are:

■ $100 for savings

■ $20 for telephone
■ $175 for food
■ $45 for transportation (bus fare)
■ $70 for tuition
■ $20 for school supplies
■ $40 for clothing
■ $40 for entertainment
■ $20 for household supplies
■ $29 for personal items

If Rose gets a car, she expects to spend about $60 a month on gas and oil, and about $30 on
parking and bridge tolls.
If Rose gets a car, she will need car insurance. She has done some research, and she expects her car
insurance premium to be about $175 a month.

directions
Using the attached budget sheet and the online calculator ([Link]/calculators),
complete the following chart.

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-5e

 how much would you spend? (continued)

car for $4,000 (Amount of loan: $3,000)

APR: 10% APR: 12%
Length of Loan: 36 months Length of Loan: 36 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

APR: 14% APR: 16%

Length of Loan: 36 months Length of Loan: 36 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

car for $6,000 (Amount of loan: $5,000)

APR: 10% APR: 12%
Length of Loan: 36 months Length of Loan: 36 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

APR: 14% APR: 16%

Length of Loan: 36 months Length of Loan: 36 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-5f

name: date:

how much would you spend? (continued)

car for $8,000 (Amount of loan: $7,000)
APR: 10% APR: 12%
Length of Loan: 36 months Length of Loan: 36 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

APR: 14% APR: 16%

Length of Loan: 36 months Length of Loan: 36 months
Total Cost of Loan: Total Cost of Loan:
Monthly Payment: Monthly Payment:
Total Finance Charge: Total Finance Charge:

5. Which car can Rose afford?

6. What are the terms of the loan that would allow Rose to buy a car and still stay within
her budget?

7. Using the column “How You’d Do It” on Rose’s budget worksheet, figure how you would set up
a budget if you had Rose’s income and expenses.

8. What were the main differences between the budget you set up using Rose’s income and
expenses, and the budget that was provided?

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-5g

 how much would you spend? (continued)
rose’s budget
income scenario how you'd do it difference
Job #1 $ $ $
Job #2 $ $ $
Other $ $ $
Total Income $ $ $

fixed expenses
Rent $ $ $
Car insurance $ $ $
Installment payments
Car loan payment $ $ $
Credit card 1 $ $ $
Credit card 2 $ $ $
Total installment debt $ $ $
Percentage of net income % % %

flexible expenses
Savings $ $ $
Utilities $ $ $
Food $ $ $
Transportation $ $ $
Bus fare $ $ $
Gas and oil $ $ $
Parking and tolls $ $ $
Repairs $ $ $
Tuition $ $ $
School expenses $ $ $
Clothing $ $ $
Entertainment $ $ $
Household items $ $ $
Personal items (toothpaste, etc.) $ $ $
Total Monthly Expenses $ $ $
Total income - total expenses $ $ $

[Link] cars and loans student activity 9-5h

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lesson nine quiz: cars and loans

true-false
1. Most used cars sold by private parties have a one-year warranty.
2. A service contract is designed to avoid costly repairs as a motor vehicle gets older.
3. The Truth-in-Lending law requires that a borrower be informed of the total
finance charge.
4. Bodily-injury liability covers the damage to another person’s car for which you
were at fault.
5. Collision insurance covers damage caused to a motor vehicle by vandalism or floods.

multiple choice

6. The most reliable source for C. features of an extended warranty

buying a used car is usually: D. reasons a person has been
A. a rental car company denied credit

B. a police auction 9. The auto insurance coverage for

damage to your vehicle as a result of
C. a car dealer an accident is called:
D. private party sales A. property damage
7. _______ warranty refers to the B. comprehensive
fact that a product will do what
it is designed to do. C. liability

A. An extended D. collision
B. An implied 10. Doctor costs for injuries to others
C. A dealer resulting from an accident are covered
by _________ liability.
D. An unexpired manufacturer's
A. medical
8. The Truth-in-Lending law requires B. collision
that borrowers be informed of the:
C. bodily injury
A. amount financed
D. comprehensive
B. cost of auto insurance

case application
Angelina drives a seven-year-old car that recently needed $1,300 in repairs. Each day, she drives
46 miles to and from her job. What actions should she take to decide if she should
(1) keep this car, (2) buy a newer used car, or (3) buy a new car?

[Link] cars and loans quiz 9-6