COSTO or AAA discounts - worth it?

I didn't use Costco for my Prius because the particular Toyota dealer they used. I did use them for an Acura a few years ago and paid $500 over invoice which was a big amount off of MSRP.

When I was looking for a Toyota Camry Hybrid a few years ago, the Costco deal was only a couple hundred under MSRP because there was a long waiting list for them in this area. Costco and AAA pricing varies with the market demand.

 

Wow, I'm a member of both of these, and had no idea I could get discounts on cars! Thanks for posting this!

 

tried to use Costco for my current Prius or any dealer within 20 miles, didn't get any hits.
used it for our Toyota sienna and got a good deal.

 

It's all supply and demand. If your good with the computer and the phone I bet you can get just as good a deal doing things urself.

 

I tried going thru Sams Club discount which promised invoice pricing at a dealer somewhat south of me. After a couple of emails and a phone call, he said come on down. After listening to his spiel, he gave me MSRP stating that due to high demand and low supplies, he didn't have to honor any discount programs......Unless things have gotten better in the two months since we purchased....GOOD LUCK. I would make sure that the dealer will honor such discounts. I did at least get $500 off from the local dealer for my Prius Chat discount.

 

I used Costco and got my Prius for $200 above invoice. Transaction was easy as pie...they had the color, trim and a set price. By far the easiest and quickest car purchase I've ever had....

 

My wife & I were going to buy a 2011 Prius in late Q2 of this year. Then the tsunami hit. We realized that we had a very narrow window of opportunity to get a new Prius before everybody realized that it would be many months before Toyota could get back to full production. At that time, the best deal I could get was list price because the dealers were quick to realize that there supply of new cars from Japan would stop for a while. We went to Costco to see if we could get a better deal (than list price) on a new Prius. We were able to get $ 1000 off of list price. Considering the price of gasoline was climbing and the supply of Prius was about to rapidly diminish, we took the deal. No regrets.

Keith

 

AAA is a highway lobby. COSTCO is more interested in pleasing its customers.

 

My experience with Costco and AAA is pretty much what everyone else has said - while the price looks good on the Costco site - you will not get that price (again - supply and demand) - I live in SO Cal, and have a million local dealers - non of which would play ball (this was during cash for clunkers - another time of Prius shortage.

Ended up with Cars.com - it seems to keep up to date - and makes searching pretty easy. I was ready to go to Nevada, but found one in Palm Springs (2 hr drive).....

You might also check into CARB cars - I'm not sure if I would've gotten the long battery warranty etc had I bought it in a non CARB state... Your state may vary...

 

One other thing. Here in the Seattle area, there are a few dealers who claim to be part of the Costco pricing program. They throw out some prices that sound good...but always end up raising them. Always initiate the process from Costco's auto buying program website, located your dealer, then ask for the costco pricing sheet once you arrive at the dealer.

 

I used Costco for a FFH during C for C. It was done by phone and e-mail starting at the Costco web site for $1300 off MSRP. The dealer faxed the final sales invoice to me before I traveled 2 hours with my clunker for the swap. It was the best deal at the time and a satisfying experiencing in something I usually dread. I know that there are those that say the best deals are those where you stop just short of coming to blows with the salesmen and I don't dispute that but this one was satisfactory in that C for C period.

 

Truecar.com should be basically the same pricing as AAA and USAA. YMMV of course. I used USAA to buy my car last August and got a great price, and it looked like truecar.com had the same pricing and doesn't appear to require a membership.

 

I think my wife saved some money by using BJ's auto buying service. After the deal was finalized she got a couple of hundred back once the dealer realized she was going through BJ's.

But it doesn't surprise me that dealers try to get around giving someone the price that Costco, BJ's or AAA advertises. I think Car Max is probably one of the few dealers who doesn't play these games. I wish car buying was like buying something else in a store, a set price and that's that.

 

My Dayton dealer was not helpful in getting the prius I wanted so I went thru overstock.com. They work with dealers and give you set pricing prior to calling the dealer. The overstock.com dealer found my car and had it shipped in 24 hours and I saved 1200 off MSRP. This dealer offers 500 over invoice to anyone who uses overstock.com to contact them.

 

Costco, AAA, all these discount places act as sales agents for the car dealerships. And they get paid for their services. If you deal directly, the dealer doesn't have to pay any finder's fee. The prices are a reference point, but not the best deal to be had.

 

Recently went through Costco to try to buy a Prius III or IV. One local dealer looked pissed when we brought it up, but talked with us. They got the invoice and said it was $500 over; only problem was the invoice was so inflated with extra junk ($200 for rear aplique, etc) that a Prius 3 with Solar Package was over $29000 before all the final fees, taxes, etc. This was the end of August and they tried to force us to make a decision because they said the Costco program was going away as of 9/1 because they didn't need it.

They didn't have any on the lot anyway, so we walked out to another dealer. The second dealer didn't have the one we wanted either, and the price was almost the same. Seems like the dealers have the price they want and that's what everyone is going to pay - at least in Phoenix.

We're looking at used, private party sales now and it's not looking much better. I may have found a fleet dealer that can save me the tax money, but the price seems to be the price right now...at least for the more unique combination I'm looking for.

 

Used COSTCO and got 1 K off the sticker.

 

A year and 1/2 ago, I got mine (II) at Larry Miller Toyota and they were happy to give me $800 off MSRP with proof of a Costco card (yes, they had to see it for verification). Of course that deal was made when Toyotas were killing people.

 

I got $500 over invoice with my Costco discount. Of course, the salesman pointed out that MSRP was only $1000 over invoice. So, I was only saving $500, because I bought a II with absolutely no options (other than floor mats).