About DriveWise OTD
How the car deal calculator works, what it publishes, how scenarios are stored and how corrections are handled.
DriveWise OTD is an independent educational calculator for people who want to understand the complete structure of a vehicle purchase before signing. The project focuses on a narrow problem: separating purchase price, taxes, fees, trade equity, cash down and financing cost.
Why the calculator was rebuilt
Many car calculators combine the down payment with the out-the-door number or quietly apply one trade-in tax rule everywhere. DriveWise keeps those layers separate and makes uncertain assumptions visible. The site does not claim to reproduce a dealer’s tax system or lender underwriting.
What the site publishes
The Deal Desk provides four client-side tools: an out-the-door builder, fixed-rate loan estimator, reverse affordability calculation and side-by-side quote comparison. The guide library explains paperwork and deal concepts that support those tools.
Data and privacy
Calculator entries run in the browser. The Save Scenario button stores the OTD inputs in local browser storage on the device. The site does not require an account and does not receive a copy of those saved calculator values through that feature.
Corrections
Vehicle laws, fees and tax practices can change. If a guide contains an unclear or outdated statement, send the page URL, state or jurisdiction, and an official source through the contact page.