Anyone bought a car through Bj's or Costco's auto buying program?

[Shutterbug]

I am looking for a new car I know if you are member of those shopping clubs you can get get discounted pricing. I am just trying to find out what type of discount it might be before joining

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Not really a good idea, in my opinion.

When I went to buy my current car I tried going through the Costco Program. The only Ford dealer in the Orlando area was about 4 miles East of I-4, getting off at Exit 83. My car needed to be special ordered so I could add a lift for an ECV. They quoted me a price and I had a hard time getting a final number (which would include all taxes and their junk fees).

From where I live, South of WDW, I normally get on I-4 at Exit 55, so it would have been 32 miles from where I get on I-4 to their location. There is a Ford dealer right at the I-4 Exit 55 intersection. I then went to them and they actually gave me a better out-the-door price. (Also tossed in four free oil changes the first year.)

So not only did I get a better price, but when I need something done the distance is 64 miles less than if I used the Costco contracted location.

 

[lorimay]

I looked into it when I bought my Volvo in Oct.
But the dealership participating was like an hour away.
So I went by the dealer that was 10 minutes from home and was given a much better deal there.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

I did better with the Capital One Auto buying program. You do not need to finance with them to use it.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Usually in those deals you get a good price on the new car, but they make up the difference by offering you less on your trade-in if you have one.

You are better off negotiating with a dealer on the price of the car including incentives (excluding tax because that is dependent on the difference in price of the new car and the trade in) and getting it locked in. Then negotiate the trade. When you fell you got a good deal on both, check the paperwork. If anything changes other than tax, walk away.

I've also found that if you don't take the deal made the first day, they almost always call you back saying their is a new incentive or they found a better trade in value. However if you get a rock-bottom amazing deal, you may not want to wait.

 

[AboutTheMouse]

We bought a Lincoln hybrid through Costco last year. My DH also has a preferred vendor purchase program through his employer for several different auto manufactures.

In our case, we made out like bandits using the program. The dealer was only 20 minutes from home and there is no negotiating the price. It is what it is, which I much prefer to the haggling that goes on with auto purchases.

When you use the Costco program, it is my understanding that you get a pre-negotiated price less any available incentives. We wound up out the door at around $7k under the sticker and about $1,800 less than the preferred vendor program. The dealer showed us the price of the car under the various purchase programs that they have and we wound up paying $100 more than Ford / Lincoln employees pay. In my book, that is pretty darned good.

I believe that Costco also negotiates rates for the extended after market warranties if you are interested in those. And you can take your car to any dealer for warranty work - it doesn't need to be the one you purchased from.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. But I would also check every available avenue. There's no need to pay more than you absolutely have to.

 

[Shutterbug]

In our case, we made out like bandits using the program.

See, I have a friend who last fall got the same car I am currently looking at and he says through the Costco program he got it for $250.00 under invoice. No haggling. I asked if he meant MSRP or invoice and he said definitely 250 under invoice.

Now I dont have a Costco nearby but I do a Bj's. Now if I can get a car for $250 under invoice it would def be worth it to join Costco just for that. I'm just trying to figure out if thats typical and also if Bj's does it the same way.

 

[robinb]

See, I have a friend who last fall got the same car I am currently looking at and he says through the Costco program he got it for $250.00 under invoice. No haggling. I asked if he meant MSRP or invoice and he said definitely 250 under invoice.

Now I dont have a Costco nearby but I do a Bj's. Now if I can get a car for $250 under invoice it would def be worth it to join Costco just for that. I'm just trying to figure out if thats typical and also if Bj's does it the same way.

Did he buy a 2012 in the fall after the 2013 came out? If so, there were probably some hefty incentives to but "last year's" model. Maybe you can ask your friend to get you a quote using the Costco program and you can decide from there. He could even be honest and tell them that he's getting the quote for a friend who will join Costco if the price is right.

 

[Skatermom23]

I have found that Costco's program will get you a car just under invoice...as long as the car is not some high demand vehicle. However, if you do your homework and shop around, I have always been able to beat the Costco deal. I would say that if your looking if a nice price without the haggle, then Costco is a safe way to buy.

 

[Dancind]

I just tried to buy a 2012 Prius V with the Costco program, and it didn't work out. The Costco web site says you can get invoice plus $200. Taxes and destination are always added in after. But when the dealership showed me the invoice for this car, they had added another $1000 in miscellaneous fees before they added on the $200. So I walked.

The lease on my 2010 Prius is up in April. A bigger one would have been really nice, but mine only has 21,000 miles so I will buy it and not look any more. I hate going to dealerships and sitting and waiting for hours while you haggle.

 

[Shutterbug]

Did he buy a 2012 in the fall after the 2013 came out? If so, there were probably some hefty incentives to but "last year's" model. Maybe you can ask your friend to get you a quote using the Costco program and you can decide from there. He could even be honest and tell them that he's getting the quote for a friend who will join Costco if the price is right.

This was for a 2013. He said he dealt with a salesman that another of his friends had dealt with. My friend said he just went in and talked to the salesman and said he wanted the Costco price on the car and the salesman came back with a price of 250.00 under invoice saying thats what the Costco price is. Now if someone else had told me this, I might be a bit suspect but this guy is pretty straight up forward guy.
He did give me the salesman's name and I might go talk to him myself but that dealership about an hour away and there are 2 other ones much closer. I would just like to see what others might have gotten using those programs just in case I wouldnt get the same deal as my friend.

 

[Skatermom23]

I just tried to buy a 2012 Prius V with the Costco program, and it didn't work out. The Costco web site says you can get invoice plus $200. Taxes and destination are always added in after. But when the dealership showed me the invoice for this car, they had added another $1000 in miscellaneous fees before they added on the $200. So I walked.

The lease on my 2010 Prius is up in April. A bigger one would have been really nice, but mine only has 21,000 miles so I will buy it and not look any more. I hate going to dealerships and sitting and waiting for hours while you haggle.

Regardless of who you buy from, NEVER do this! Always negotiate your price via email with the internet sales department. Everything should be finalized by the time you set foot in the dealership! This is the stress free way to shop!!

 

[Prose]

I just bought a 2012 Prius through Costco and had a good experience. Most of the local dealerships only had 2013s, and the financing rate was fairly high. The Toyota dealership that Costco had a contract with was about 45 minutes away and did not have the color or trim level I wanted, but they found the exact one in Kentucky. They went and got it and delivered it to my house - brand new 2012 a little under invoice. We put $7k down and got 0% financing for 60 months. With taxes and fees it came to about the same as the price locally before taxes and fees.

I get the feeling it depends on what car you are looking for and the dealership you get hooked up with....