Just in case you think finance is not useful

Ok, so this is really simple, but I figured some of you might be interested...a real life use of finance...

done in Excel using PMT and PV functions.


looking at buying a car…four choices to pay for it

1. $500 rebate
2. 1.9% for 3 years
3. 2.9% for 4 years
4. 3.9% for 5 years

Analysis assumes a 6.22% interest rate is the opportunity cost of capital
this comes from the median rate for a new car, 20% down. (Not quite right, but close)
http://biz.yahoo.com/b/r/a.html

PV
choice 1 500


for all other choices, I assume a 20% downpayment of selling price (about 18,000)
that is borrow 14,400
downpymt of 3,600

choice 2: monthly rate = .019/12, 36 payments


($411.82) Payment
$13,492.84 PV of payments

PV of savings =14440-13,492.84 = 907.16

choice 3

($318.10) Payment
$13,486.73 PV of 48 payments

$913.27 PV of savings

choice 4

($264.55) payment
$13,611.78 PV of 60 payments

$788.22 PV of savings


So assuming the above is correct, it is choice 3...but given at least some positive Transaction Costs and desire to pay it earlier, I would probably recommend choice 2.