How to buy a car at Costco
Buying a new or used car can get expensive, so wholesalers like Costco have come up with a way to save their members money when buying a car. The special car buying program for Costco members is called Costco…
Buying a new or used car can get expensive, so wholesalers like Costco have come up with a way to save their members money when buying a car. The special vehicle purchase program for Costco members is called the Costco Auto Program. The Costco Auto Program allows Costco members to receive discounts on new, factory certified, or certified used vehicles at local dealerships.
When using the program, members are provided with a lower price without bargaining for some car models. In addition, Costco specifically trains and certifies selected sellers at participating dealerships to meet the needs of its members when they purchase a vehicle through the program. To take full advantage of the Costco Auto program, members must first understand how the process works, as well as how to take advantage of all of the program's offerings.
Part 1 of 2: Finding a car on the Internet
The Costco Auto Program, available only to Costco members, requires members to use only participating dealerships. To find a participating dealership in your area, visit the Costco Auto website where you can find your vehicle.
- FunctionsA: You must be a Gold Star, Business, or Executive member to use the Costco Auto program.
Step 1: Search the Costco Web Site. When using the search features to find a vehicle on the Costco website, you have several ways to do so.
The first way to search is by year of manufacture, make and model of the car. From there, you can select your vehicle's equipment and view the vehicle's specifications, including the engine, transmission, and MSRP, also known as MSRP.
The second way to search for cars is by body type. Once you have clicked on the desired body style, you are taken to a page where you can enter the price range, vehicle make, minimum miles per gallon (MPG), transmission type, and vehicle type you prefer.
The last way to search for cars on the Costco website is with a price that ranges from under $10,000 and increases by $10,000 until it reaches $50,000 and up.
Step 2: Choose a vehicle. After you enter your vehicle preferences, the site will open a general vehicle page related to your search.
On this page, you can see what the invoice and MSRP price is for the type of vehicle you are interested in. The tabs also contain vehicle specifications and features, photographs of the vehicle type you are interested in, safety and warranty information, and any discounts or other incentives available from dealers for that vehicle type.
Step 3: Select vehicle options. In addition to the vehicle type, you also need to select other options such as engine type, transmission, as well as wheel packages, paint color, and more.
Each option must have a price listed, allowing you to choose depending on how much dollar you want to add to the final price of the car. For example, options that are standard on a given vehicle type should have a listed price of $0.
- Functions: Before buying a car using the Costco Auto program, use the Costco Financial Calculator to calculate how much you can expect to pay based on the car's price, loan term, interest rate, cash amount, and the value of any trade-in.
Part 2 of 2: Find a Dealer
Once you've found the right vehicle and selected all the options you're willing to pay for, it's time to find a participating dealer in your area. This part of the process requires that you have a Costco Gold Star, Business, or Executive membership.
Step 1: Fill in the information. Before you can search for a participating dealer in your area, you must first complete the required information.
The only information required is your name, phone number and email address.
You do not need to be a Costco member to use the Dealer Finder feature to find a participating dealer. You need a Costco membership to view the member-only price list and take advantage of any special offers and prices offered exclusively to Costco members through the Costco Auto Program.
Step 2: Find a dealer. A participating local dealer that sells the type of vehicle you are looking for should be a good fit.
In addition to the name of the dealership, the search results should provide you with the address of the dealership, an authorization number from Costco, and the contact names of authorized dealers trained by the dealership.
Step 3: Visit the Dealership. Print out the webpage with the authorization number or the email that Costco sends and take it with you to the dealership.
Once there, show your Costco member contact card to an authorized dealer. They should then show you a member-only price list and work with you to purchase your vehicle.
In addition to the special Costco membership price, you are also eligible for any applicable manufacturer discounts, incentives, and special funding. For more information, contact an authorized dealer.
Step 4: Check the car. Before signing any documents, be sure to check the car you want to buy.
Before heading to a car dealership, look up the car's true market value on Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, or another car aggregator site.
If you are buying a factory-certified or certified used car, request a vehicle history report. Many dealerships offer this with the cars they sell. Or, if you have a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), visit Carfax before driving to the dealership to purchase your own report.
Step 5: Look for Damage. Inspect the vehicle for damage that could reduce its value. Turn on the car and listen to how it works.
Step 6: Test drive the car. Finally, take the car for a test drive, making sure you drive it in conditions close to what you would expect to drive it on a daily basis.
Step 7: Buy a car. Once you are satisfied with the price and condition of the car, it's time to buy the car.
The Costco no-haggle experience allows you to find a car at an agreed-upon discounted price and then purchase it without the pressure tactics often used by regular customer dealerships.
If you still don't agree with the price, or if you have problems with the condition of the car, you don't have to buy it.
- FunctionsA: In addition to saving on your car purchase, you can also search for special deals on the Costco Auto Program website. Such offers include special offers on certain vehicle models for a limited time. Look for links to special offers on the Costco Auto home page.
The Costco Auto program gives you an easy and convenient way to buy a car for less than the manufacturer's suggested retail price. All you need is a Costco membership, appropriate funding, and the ability to repay your loan. Before purchasing a used vehicle, have one of our experienced mechanics perform a pre-purchase inspection of the vehicle to determine its condition.
