BMWCCA/Costco discounts?

vladinecko · 12-27-2007, 05:39 PM

anyone took advantage of discounts offered by either BMWCCA or Costco? if so, what were your experiences, price breaks, thoughts about those programs?

xdrive · 12-27-2007, 06:01 PM

Costco's auto program does NOT give you a better price. I ended up getting a lower price than the "Costco" price when I bought an Acura. I also got a lower price when I bought my 330. The dealer has the "special coscto member's price" sheet that they'll show you. It's crap. You can get it cheaper than the price listed. Hope this helps.

mrvuml · 12-27-2007, 06:04 PM

The Costco (and Sams Club) discounts are decent but you should be able to get a better deal by negotiating up from invoice and making sure you're not being maxed out on dealer/doc fees, lease rates, etc. Costco and Sams Club are for people that want a quick no-hassle purchase with a decent deal but don't want to try and get the besy possible deal.

Majikthese42 · 12-27-2007, 06:46 PM

I've had good luck with Costco for Hondas since their regional dealer is about 5 minutes away. Strangely, one of the local BMW dealers is part of the same chain of dealerships but is not part of the Costco network.

The Costco BMW dealer was waaaaaaay out in the boonies, over an hour away. It just wasn't worth the hassle.

AndrewAZ · 12-27-2007, 06:48 PM

Costco is for people who dont know how to negotiate, there are other similar programs like this but it basically comes down to you get an all right deal and its ment to take away the hassle if you dont know how to buy a car, its really no different than using a local auto broker.

mrvuml · 12-27-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Majikthese42

I've had good luck with Costco for Hondas since their regional dealer is about 5 minutes away. Strangely, one of the local BMW dealers is part of the same chain of dealerships but is not part of the Costco network.

The Costco BMW dealer was waaaaaaay out in the boonies, over an hour away. It just wasn't worth the hassle.

Ah yes, Honda. My wife got a terrific deal on a Honda Pilot thru Costco. A lot of it comes down to the individual dealerships and their willingness to participate as required. I've even come across local dealers, including my local BMW dealer, that claimed not to be in the Costco (or Sam's Club) program when in fact they were. On-the-lot sales people don't want you contacting their Costco or Sam's Club rep for a better deal, just like they don't want you contacting the ISM or Fleet sales manager.

scollins · 12-27-2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewAZ

Costco is for people who dont know how to negotiate, there are other similar programs like this but it basically comes down to you get an all right deal and its ment to take away the hassle if you dont know how to buy a car, its really no different than using a local auto broker.

I wouldn't say it is for people who don't know how to negotiate. My job is nothing but negotiations, and I used the Costco program. Why? I didn't feel like spending a lot of time working a deal, and the Costco price was decent enough. It was $1000 off MSRP, and they had the exact car I wanted on the lot. I didn't have a trade in to worry about, so I took the deal. I didn't spend hours or days working dealers against each other, or compromising on what options or the color I wanted.

Not counting ED deals, what is the "best" deal someone has gotten on the 335i? $500 over invoice, $1000 over invoice, $1500 over invoice? I don't know, but I'm sure some people have gotten a smokin' deal while others have paid MSRP+. We aren't talking Ford/Dodge/Chevy here, where you can find deals for below invoice even.

Another factor is going to be competition. How many BMW dealers are there in the area? If there are a lot, then I'm guessing the deals are going to be better than an area that has fewer dealers. And then it will come down to the demand for that particular car. When the E92 335i first came out, I don't think anybody was getting a deal on the car, more like MSRP minimum. HOT car equals little to no discounts. Not so hot car (like the Z4 currently) means massive discounts.

Anyway, I don't worry about the price I paid anymore, it is a done deal. I always laugh at the guys who come on here and ask "I just bought my car for $xx,xxx, did I get a good deal?" Who cares, you already bought it, too late to wonder about the deal now.

vAnt826 · 12-27-2007, 07:17 PM

You can and will if you try get a better deal then Costco. It's just a way for dealers to give the perception that people are getting a decent deal, when they are not.

The way I buy cars is to find out the Costco price, and work down from there.

Trust me, I used to be a Honda sales rep.

vladinecko · 12-27-2007, 10:03 PM

thanks for all the replies.

i gave it a shot, went on costco's website and am going to see a local dealer tomorrow. i'll see how good a deal they really offer.

the CA mentioned that people using the costco program are ready to sign a deal and are not shopping around anymore. that gave me a really bad impression of him. it's a very cheap way to get you to buy a car from them, in my opinion. i'll see tomorrow though...

vladinecko · 12-27-2007, 10:03 PM

what about BMWCCA discounts, anyone gave those a shot?

Island Snow · 12-27-2007, 11:00 PM

Signed up with Costco Auto and got $1,000 above invoice for an e92/custom order; this was back in October. I got an email from the Fleet Mgr who took care of me.

vladinecko · 12-27-2007, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Island Snow

Signed up with Costco Auto and got $1,000 above invoice for an e92/custom order; this was back in October. I got an email from the Fleet Mgr who took care of me.

335 or 328? I believe those would differ significantly in what type of a deal you'd get.

Neurorad · 12-27-2007, 11:56 PM

With Costco, don't you have to buy 5-6 cars at once? I mean, who wants a gross of paper towels?

scollins · 12-28-2007, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vladinecko

thanks for all the replies.

i gave it a shot, went on costco's website and am going to see a local dealer tomorrow. i'll see how good a deal they really offer.

the CA mentioned that people using the costco program are ready to sign a deal and are not shopping around anymore. that gave me a really bad impression of him. it's a very cheap way to get you to buy a car from them, in my opinion. i'll see tomorrow though...

There is no commitment to buy, so tell the CA to pound sand if you feel overly pressured to sign a deal. You should provide feedback to Costco if the CA turns out to be a cock too.

nusevad · 12-28-2007, 12:40 AM

Costco sells cars now??!?!?!

BMWE90 · 12-28-2007, 12:44 AM

BMWCCA- you need to be a member for at least a year.

Costco- sometimes you get better discounts with them (e.g. on cars that are not being discounted) but most of the times you can get a better deal by yourself.

vladinecko · 12-28-2007, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWE90

BMWCCA- you need to be a member for at least a year.

i know that. what i'm interested in is the actual discount. does it vary? is it a certain percentage? do all dealerships participate? etc, etc...

MAPC · 12-28-2007, 09:02 AM

I went to the COSTCO site and entered all of my info and was told that they didnt' have BMW dealer in my area. I live in Fairfield County CT and only 35 miles from Manahattan so was pretty surprised to see this. We are a pretty big BMW market! Within a 30 min drive of my house there are at least 6 BMW dealers (Greenwich, Darien, Bridgeport, White Plains, Mt. Kisco, Ridgefield, etc.)

rubber_ducky · 12-28-2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vladinecko

i know that. what i'm interested in is the actual discount. does it vary? is it a certain percentage? do all dealerships participate? etc, etc...

The BMWCCA thing isn't really a discount. It's a reimbursement. So you go and buy a car, submit a copy of your invoice to BMWCCA, and they send you a check. I'm not sure of the exact numbers off of the top of my head, but it's anywhere from $500 to $1k depending on model and new vs. CPO.

kptaylor · 12-28-2007, 09:29 AM

BMWCCA
http://www.bmwcca.org/files/Membersh...ogram_Form.pdf

purplewidow · 12-28-2007, 11:42 AM

yeah what is the deal with costco!!!! you cna buy any car from them and save mad bank!!! i know someone that bought a car from them for 40k and it was 60k list!!!! how the hell is that possible?

EastCoast335i · 12-28-2007, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xdrive

Costco's auto program does NOT give you a better price. I ended up getting a lower price than the "Costco" price when I bought an Acura. I also got a lower price when I bought my 330. The dealer has the "special coscto member's price" sheet that they'll show you. It's crap. You can get it cheaper than the price listed. Hope this helps.

+1
Costco price is not lower.. I was able to get a better price haggling at the dealership

12-27-2007, 05:39 PM	#1
vladinecko Brigadier General 277 Rep 3,924 Posts Drives: '11 E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2011 BMW M3 [9.00] 2008 BMW 335i [0.00] 2006 BMW 330i [0.00] 1994 BMW 325i [0.00]	BMWCCA/Costco discounts? anyone took advantage of discounts offered by either BMWCCA or Costco? if so, what were your experiences, price breaks, thoughts about those programs? __________________ 2011 E92 M3 - IB/Beige/Sycamore Wood/6MT/EDC/ZPP2/Nav/PDC/Heated Seats/iPod-USB/Enh. Audio 2008 E92 335i - Montego Blue/Black/Gray Poplar/6MT/ZPP/ZSP/Nav/PDC/Heated Seats/HDRadio/iPod-USB - *Sold* 2006 E90 330i - Mystic Blue/Black/Aluminum/6MT/ZPP/iDrive/PDC/Heated Seats/Sat. Prep - *Sold* 1994 E36 325i - Boston Green/Beige/Automatic/ZPP/Heated Seats/Premium Sound - *Sold* Last edited by vladinecko; 12-27-2007 at 10:07 PM..
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12-27-2007, 06:01 PM	#2
xdrive Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 250 Posts Drives: 330xi Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	Costco's auto program does NOT give you a better price. I ended up getting a lower price than the "Costco" price when I bought an Acura. I also got a lower price when I bought my 330. The dealer has the "special coscto member's price" sheet that they'll show you. It's crap. You can get it cheaper than the price listed. Hope this helps.
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12-27-2007, 06:04 PM	#3
mrvuml Lieutenant 19 Rep 459 Posts Drives: E90 335i w/ZSP Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: SLO, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 335i Sedan [0.00]	The Costco (and Sams Club) discounts are decent but you should be able to get a better deal by negotiating up from invoice and making sure you're not being maxed out on dealer/doc fees, lease rates, etc. Costco and Sams Club are for people that want a quick no-hassle purchase with a decent deal but don't want to try and get the besy possible deal.
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12-27-2007, 06:46 PM	#4
Majikthese42 Philosopher-king 20 Rep 1,113 Posts Drives: 2008 E91 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: People's Republic of New Jersey iTrader: (0)	I've had good luck with Costco for Hondas since their regional dealer is about 5 minutes away. Strangely, one of the local BMW dealers is part of the same chain of dealerships but is not part of the Costco network. The Costco BMW dealer was waaaaaaay out in the boonies, over an hour away. It just wasn't worth the hassle. __________________ E91 6MT Alpine, Terra, Xenons, ZSP, ZCW, ZPP, PDC, CA, alarm, M shifter and M brake handle, Euro rear fog light switch, Euro aspheric mirrors, rear power outlets, Garmin nüvi custom cupholder mount, Lidatek, V-1 built-in remote display, tire pump, jack, floor mats.
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12-27-2007, 06:48 PM	#5
AndrewAZ Major 137 Rep 1,243 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: CA iTrader: (0)	Costco is for people who dont know how to negotiate, there are other similar programs like this but it basically comes down to you get an all right deal and its ment to take away the hassle if you dont know how to buy a car, its really no different than using a local auto broker.
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12-27-2007, 07:17 PM	#8
vAnt826 Major 63 Rep 1,417 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle iTrader: (3)	You can and will if you try get a better deal then Costco. It's just a way for dealers to give the perception that people are getting a decent deal, when they are not. The way I buy cars is to find out the Costco price, and work down from there. Trust me, I used to be a Honda sales rep.
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12-27-2007, 10:03 PM	#9
vladinecko Brigadier General 277 Rep 3,924 Posts Drives: '11 E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2011 BMW M3 [9.00] 2008 BMW 335i [0.00] 2006 BMW 330i [0.00] 1994 BMW 325i [0.00]	thanks for all the replies. i gave it a shot, went on costco's website and am going to see a local dealer tomorrow. i'll see how good a deal they really offer. the CA mentioned that people using the costco program are ready to sign a deal and are not shopping around anymore. that gave me a really bad impression of him. it's a very cheap way to get you to buy a car from them, in my opinion. i'll see tomorrow though... __________________ 2011 E92 M3 - IB/Beige/Sycamore Wood/6MT/EDC/ZPP2/Nav/PDC/Heated Seats/iPod-USB/Enh. Audio 2008 E92 335i - Montego Blue/Black/Gray Poplar/6MT/ZPP/ZSP/Nav/PDC/Heated Seats/HDRadio/iPod-USB - *Sold* 2006 E90 330i - Mystic Blue/Black/Aluminum/6MT/ZPP/iDrive/PDC/Heated Seats/Sat. Prep - *Sold* 1994 E36 325i - Boston Green/Beige/Automatic/ZPP/Heated Seats/Premium Sound - *Sold*
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12-27-2007, 11:00 PM	#11
Island Snow Private First Class 16 Rep 131 Posts Drives: SKG Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	Signed up with Costco Auto and got $1,000 above invoice for an e92/custom order; this was back in October. I got an email from the Fleet Mgr who took care of me. __________________ Mabuhay
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12-27-2007, 11:56 PM	#13
Neurorad Major 87 Rep 1,224 Posts Drives: 2017 340xi Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Location, Location iTrader: (0)	With Costco, don't you have to buy 5-6 cars at once? I mean, who wants a gross of paper towels?
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12-28-2007, 12:40 AM	#15
nusevad O! So Sour!! 552 Rep 15,615 Posts Drives: Fast 240z / Slow M3 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: 'Merica! iTrader: (24) Garage List 1971 Datsun 240z [0.00] 2008 M3 [9.60]	Costco sells cars now??!?!?! __________________
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12-28-2007, 12:44 AM	#16
BMWE90 Major 86 Rep 1,153 Posts Drives: E90 335 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (1)	BMWCCA- you need to be a member for at least a year. Costco- sometimes you get better discounts with them (e.g. on cars that are not being discounted) but most of the times you can get a better deal by yourself.
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12-28-2007, 09:02 AM	#18
MAPC Private 6 Rep 98 Posts Drives: 335xi/6MT/Sport- SOLD Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Woodside, CA iTrader: (0)	I went to the COSTCO site and entered all of my info and was told that they didnt' have BMW dealer in my area. I live in Fairfield County CT and only 35 miles from Manahattan so was pretty surprised to see this. We are a pretty big BMW market! Within a 30 min drive of my house there are at least 6 BMW dealers (Greenwich, Darien, Bridgeport, White Plains, Mt. Kisco, Ridgefield, etc.)
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12-28-2007, 09:29 AM	#20
kptaylor First Lieutenant 6 Rep 322 Posts Drives: '07 335i Coupe Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: PHX, AZ iTrader: (0)	BMWCCA http://www.bmwcca.org/files/Membersh...ogram_Form.pdf
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12-28-2007, 11:42 AM	#21
purplewidow Lieutenant Colonel 51 Rep 1,928 Posts Drives: e92 335 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chicago iTrader: (2)	yeah what is the deal with costco!!!! you cna buy any car from them and save mad bank!!! i know someone that bought a car from them for 40k and it was 60k list!!!! how the hell is that possible?
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