Built for real numbers, not sales pitches
Should you keep your car — or buy the one you're eyeing?
Carvest runs the numbers, measures the upgrade, and helps you understand the decision before you switch cars.
Example result
36 months
Current
2022 Cadillac CT5
48,200 mi · $18,400 payoff
Replacement
2024 Tesla Model 3
12,600 mi · $38,900 price
Recommendation
KEEP
+$8,822
better off after 3 years
Upgrade Score
38/100
Meaningful Upgrade
Newer & lower-mileage
13/18
Operating cost
9/12
Financial closeness
6/25
Cash flow
−$214/mo
Ending equity
$4,120
Ending mileage
94,200 mi
Why does KEEP win?
One decision.
All the numbers that actually matter.
Every figure below feeds one 36-month ownership model — not a payment comparison.
What you own
- Vehicle value
- Loan payoff
- Trade equity
- Ending value
What switching costs
- Financing
- Taxes & fees
- Depreciation
- Ending debt
What it costs to run
- Fuel / charging
- Insurance
- Maintenance
- Repairs & tires
Combined into a single 36-month position for each option.
KEEP or BUY
The financial decision
Know what the switch actually costs.
Carvest compares your total position after 36 months — what you still owe, what the car is worth, and everything you paid along the way — instead of stopping at the monthly payment.
Current
2022 Cadillac CT5
Keep and pay it down
Replacement
2024 Tesla Model 3
Trade in and finance
KEEP
+$8,822
better off after 36 months · example result
The second question
A smart trade isn't always much of an upgrade.
The recommendation answers whether switching makes financial sense. The Upgrade Score answers something different: how much better the next car actually is — across age and mileage, reliability, running cost, vehicle step-up, deal quality and financial closeness.
A car can be a genuine upgrade and still be a poor financial move. Carvest shows you both, separately.
Upgrade Score · example
38/100
Meaningful Upgrade
Newer & lower-mileage
13/18
Reliability improvement
7/13
Operating-cost improvement
9/12
Vehicle & feature step-up
14/27
Financial closeness
6/25
Ask Carvest
Powered by OpenAI
Once you have your result, keep asking. Carvest answers with your own numbers — and can re-run the decision against a different price, rate or mileage.
You
Why does KEEP win by $8,822?
Carvest
The replacement saves you on energy, but its financing, acquisition costs and ending equity more than offset those savings.
You
What if I could get it for $35,000?
Carvest
At $35,000 the gap narrows considerably — KEEP still leads, but by roughly a third as much.
Example conversation.
Built for real numbers, not sales pitches.
Carvest doesn't sell cars, loans or insurance. It has no reason to push you toward the trade. Every estimate is labeled, sourced where possible, and editable.
Data Carvest draws on
- Government vehicle & spec data
- EPA fuel-economy ratings
- Local fuel & electricity prices
- Vehicle market values
- Maintenance & repair data
- State tax and fee rules
Know before you trade.
Run your own numbers and see the answer in about two minutes.
Estimates are clearly labeled and always editable. Figures shown on this page are examples.