Increased Buyer Confidence at Dealerships for 45M+ Monthly Mobile Users
CarGurus is one of the largest online automotive marketplaces in the U.S. For my senior capstone, I collaborated with teammates on research and served as lead designer for a Mobile Finance Calculator, creating the primary wireframes in Figma and builing the final prototype with Lovable.
Visit Site →83%
Would recommend to a friend
(user testing with prototype)
4.3/5
Ease of getting a monthly estimate
(task-based usability test)
1
Mobile finance solution
(being built by CarGurus)
The old calculator was generic and primarily used to get pre-qualified
The new version provides detailed estimates that empower buyers
Problem
Few buyers used the CarGurus app at dealerships, revealing an opportunity to design a new use case for mobile users. We also discovered buyers struggled with hidden fees and confusing financing paperwork at dealerships.
Lack of information transparency
80% of buyers said hidden fees and unclear pricing caused major stress
Slow and difficult negotiation process
Confusing paperwork left only 9.7% of buyers confident they got the best deal
Outdated tools with no customization
Generic calculators and undetailed listings failed to show true out-the-door cost
Goal
How might we empower buyers with clear financing information and motivate them to use the CarGurus app at dealerships, while still supporting dealer relationships?
Provide transparent cost estimates
Simplify financing steps and paperwork
Build and maintain trust with buyers & dealers
Solution
After exploring 9 different concepts, we built a Finance Calculator prototype that gives buyers a clear breakdown of all costs, boosting confidence during onsite negotiations. I led the design direction through several iterations in Figma and developed the final prototype with Lovable. Project under NDA, reach out to access prototype.
01 - Finance Info & Goal Setting
Input your personal finance info
Buyers begin by confirming or editing prefilled finance details and setting a target monthly payment. Personalized suggestions guide users toward meeting their goals.
- Prefilled finance info from prequalification or manually entered
- Set a monthly payment goal and receive instant suggestions to meet it
- Experiment with different inputs to see how they affect total and monthly cost
02 - Cost Breakdown
Anticipate hidden costs and add-ons
As users scroll, the calculator transitions into a receipt-style breakdown of taxes, fees, and add-ons. Optional dealer incentives and trade-ins dynamically adjust total costs.
- View every fee, add-on, and tax clearly listed in one organized view
- Add trade-ins or discounts at the dealership to reflect real-time negotiations
- Build trust with dealers and reduce stress during the buying process
03 - Estimate Summary
Feel confident on-the-lot
The final section mirrors the financing calculations from a buyer’s order form, giving users a realistic estimate before entering negotiations.
- Save and share estimates with clear total cost and payment
- Compare saved estimates to explore different financing options
- Reduce decision fatigue and arrive to the dealership with confidence
Process
📝 Research
Users rarely used the CarGurus app on-the-lot and were frustrated with hidden costs
Internal research showed the app was seldom used at dealerships, while secondary research and 5 buyer interviews revealed struggles with hidden fees and unclear financing terms. These findings highlighted cost and information transparency as a gap to address.
“Between the taxes, fees, and dealer add-ons, I had no idea what the real price was. I wish there was a way to see it all clearly without having to ask a million questions”
– Car Buyer Interviewee
