Costco car buying program

K

kbshadow

New member
I'm thinking of buying a new Tacoma and am a Costco member.



They have a car buying program that I can't find out much about.



If anyone on the forum had any experiance with this program that they could share it would sure help me.



Thanks



Bob

Stockton Ca
 
I just went through the Costco program to purchase a Subaru Legacy. You fill out the online form and the dealer calls you to make an appointment for a test drive. At the dealership, the sales guy gives you the fixed price (on the Legacy it was $300 over invoice).



Overall, I liked the experience, it removes the haggling and gives you a good, fixed price.
 
Go to Carsdirect.com. input your car. buy from them and pick up at a local dealer. Or print out the price and bring it to the dealership as leverage. I did it and got my 03 Accord at invoice whenb they were selling for $500 over. just a suggestion
 
kster said:
I just went through the Costco program to purchase a Subaru Legacy. You fill out the online form and the dealer calls you to make an appointment for a test drive. At the dealership, the sales guy gives you the fixed price (on the Legacy it was $300 over invoice).



Overall, I liked the experience, it removes the haggling and gives you a good, fixed price.
Click to expand...

My wife is a director of marketing at Costco, and that is pretty much how the plan works. Some dealers won't hold you to making an appt, but that is part of what Costco stipulates so its by dealer discretion. Its the fixed price that is the meat of the program... dealer must show you the invoice, and then charges you a flat rate increase over invoice dependent on the make and model. To participate in the program a dealer must agree to show the actual invoice, along with the sheet showing the fixed price increase for that model. Its really a great program... no haggling over price, and its saved us over $10K in just four years.
 
We bought our Rodeo through the Costco buying program. It was far and away the best deal for that car at that time, lowest price and least hassle. Couldn't beat it.



There are a couple of caveats. They can't get every car you may want. When we bought our MINI they simply weren't available through Costco. Their price is fixed. Ours was $300 over invoice too (it varies from make/model to make/model). You may be able to haggle a better deal on some cars occasionally if the dealer is hungry, the cars' aren't moving or whatever.



The dealer didn't even have the car exactly like we wanted. They had to search for it and have it transferred from another dealer's allotment. Everybody else just wanted to push cars off the lot.



I would definitely do it again.





PC.
 
Toyota has (or did) an online inventory. Find the car you want w/options and send an e-mail to all the dealers within whatever distance you are comfortable with driving to pick it up. Use exactly the same e-mail to each and ask for an out-the-door price to include tax, title, tag, dealer prep fees, etc.



I followed this process (to get my wife's 2002 4Runner) and got a better deal than through my credit union or CarsDirect. We picked up the 4Runner the day it came off the ship in Jacksonville.
 
We did the Costco program getting my wife's RAV4 4 years ago.



Without some good dealing skills, Costco can't be beat period.



We saved about $3K on our purchase and they located the car we wanted.





I also think prices vary by state, Toyota is really good here, Subaru was OK, they wanted $1000 over invoice.



Just take your time and get the best price you can on the car you want.





Good Luck!
 
Thanks for all the info you guys.



It helped a lot.



Actually the Costco web site does not say much, they send you to a local dealer and it goes smooth.



The dealer prints out the invoice and you pay $500 over that. different for different cars.



No presser what so ever.



Thanks again for the replys.



Bob

Stockton Ca
 
some other options:

try using the internet or fleet sales line at the dealer that has your car

try going through AAA - they do special costco like pricing too



always check the price against edmunds TMV just in case other people are able to haggle and get a better price.
 
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