No more negotiations or hassles on car purchases – Costco Auto Program brings to you the lowest car price value from your local car dealers. The Auto Program has been in service since 1989 and Costco claims that more than 2 million of its members have benefitted from it. Currently, Costco is associated with 3000+ dealerships and participating service centers across the entire US and is currently one of the top 3 auto sellers in the country.
One needs to get a Costco membership in order to avail the best bets on new and second-hand cars. But here is the catch, before you avail of the membership you need to pause for a while to know how this program works.
Costco Auto Program – How It Works?
In a broader view, the Costco Auto Program leads its members to the best deals on their preferred car companies, models, and types. One needs to just call the Costco call center > inquire about the car or check in to CostcoAuto.com car directory > enter details like car model, type, year, etc > select the car. Costco then shows the lowest deals offline online car dealers are offering you on used or new vehicles. Costco service center arranges the entire purchase process for you and the online directory helps you compare and review monthly payments as well.
Costco’s revenue model involves no profit on car sales from any particular dealer(s). Rather, all the dealers have to pay a monthly fee to participate in the program to keep enjoying the large consumer base that comes to Costco for car purchases. As Costco is neutral to all the car dealers, it shows unbiased listings and helps the user (consumer) to get the best deal on the car he is looking for. Also, Costco holds the power to abscond the dealers if anyone tries to be abrupt or fails to represent its virtues adequately.
How Far Is Costco Auto Program Beneficial For You?
Costco holds the invoice price for new or second-hand cars, saving you from the inconvenience of negotiations or any on-spot shocks at the car showroom. A step ahead, Costco shows the MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) – the price suggested by the manufacturers for dealers to sell the particular car type and model. With this level of transparency, Costco has earned a lot of buyers’ trust even the dormant car buyers.
You can also agree to share your purchase agreement to ensure that you have received the model at the agreed-upon price for the purchase. Another reason to purchase from Costco is that it owns a range of cars from elite brands (Audi, Volvo, BMW, etc) to mainstream brands like Chevrolet and Honda giving you a lot of options to search from. Costco user is entitled to discounts up to 50% on part exchange, oil changes, and extended warranty plans. There is a lot more to the benefits Costco gives to its users.
Limitations Of Costco Auto Program
-> You need to pay to become a member of Costco Wholesale Corporation.
-> The site is operated by the Third Party and not by Costco – one needs to be aware while sharing personal information.
-> Costco membership calls for $60 per year (standard) and 120$ per year (golden) for users which might not be beneficial for dormant users.
-> You cannot find discounts on exchanges or anything else until you visit the dealer’s outlet.
-> Some dealers make customers pick between the Costco Auto Program and their limited-time deals.
-> Sometimes traditional ways of searching for a car might prove to be more fruitful than the offers on the Costco Auto Program.
A car purchase from Costco might give you some lucrative advantages but this in no way guarantees that you will always get the best worth for your car dealership. Even if you are fixing the deals online make sure you get a test drive at the dealer’s outlet and then get it delivered to your doorsteps. Purchasing cars blindly online might come up against you in the future.