I've purchased two cars through the Costco program. In 2011 the dealers were slim pickings. Which sent me about 45 minutes from home but happy to say saved about $2000 less than a local dealer. I always know what I want, down to the accessories. A few months ago to get a price although not ready to purchase. I applied to Costco who recommended a local dealer. I made an appointment with the Costco rep, but when I got there was told she was busy but Joe Blow would take care of me. I told him what I wanted and he insisted on a test drive of a car similar to my request. I took the drive and liked the car. He worked up a price and said he would check it out with the Costco rep. I found it odd that this was the first mention of Costco. He returned and asked for a deposit. I asked for the stock and vin number and said I preferred to finance through my bank and would get back. I returned home and checked their website to find the car he priced which was no where near what I described, and the dealership had nothing in their inventory close to what I wanted. What a scam. In checking reviews of the dealership most customers complained of other scams. Last week ready to buy, I contacted Costco again. Sure enough number one was the scammer. The next was a dealer about half an hour away from home. I checked a different local dealer which did not make Costco's hit parade. Their inventory included a few cars of my choice but in the specs showed N/A in some descriptions. So I called the dealer and provided my list of requirements. He returned my call and said he had two cars which were close and asked me to come to the dealership that he was sure I would like what I saw. I told him that if the cars did not meet my list either in color or accessories, I did not want to waste his time or mine. He said he would get back. That afternoon he sent me a video of a car that I could have lived with but he said that the car was on his inventory list (which I did not find on the sites inventory) but was not sure if the car was sold. He could not provide a stock or vin number. He did provide a price which was high for what it contained. Said he would check back next week. Kind of confused I did receive an email from the second Costco source. Although further away I called he Costco rep who asked a number of questions relating to the program discounts, membership and what my requirements were and said he would call back. Two minutes later he called with a car which met my choice with one minor exception. He immediately sent a photo of the item in question, which I found better than what I requested. He also gave me a breakdown of the price, discounts and said that with his managers approval, since they were a dealership with a few locations. The car was in another location but could be had in a few days. The car price was $6300 less with a premium add on not provided by the previous dealer with questionable delivery. I approved and suggested he get his managers approval. He called again in less than two with managerial OK and I gave him a credit card number to seal the deal. With Sunday and Monday a holiday, I should have my New Chevrolet Traverse with all the bells and whistles early next week. This whole transaction, took less than fifteen minutes without a dealer visit. Thanks to Costco and the right choice of dealer I'm a happy guy. read more

I have tried to use the Costco Auto Program 4 times now. Three of those 4 times were bad experiences and the representatives of Costco did nothing to resolve these issues. 1. Tried to purchased a Honda Odessey for Pasadena Honda. Met with the internet sales representative. I went to the dealer and was shown the Costco pricing but when I told the representative that I would come back later with my wife so she could test drive it, the representative yelled "So you're not buying it now?". She then stood up grabbed the pricing sheet off the table and walked out of the room, leaving me and her assistant dumbfounded. I left with no intention of purchasing a vehicle from that dealer ever again. I ended up purchasing a Honda Odessey from Sierra Honda. 2. The second time I used the Costco Auto Program was to purchase a Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum addition from Carson Toyota. We met with the designated sale representative in December of 2015. She gave us the pricing although she never presented the sheet with the Costco header. We placed the order for a new Highlander and were told the car would arrive in March of 2016. If February of 2016 we received a call from the Culver City Toyota representative indicating she now had a vehicle in stock with the same specifications as the one we ordered. Even though I was very sick that day, we went to pick up the vehicle only to find the price had jumped about $10k. When I asked what happened to the pricing we were given the representative told us the vehicle is no longer supported by the Costco program despite the fact that we ordered the car in December when the program was in place. While I went to get tea to sooth my symptoms, they worked on my wife convincing her to go with the lease. I filed a complaint with the Costco Auto Program but they were not helpful. For the three years of the lease the Toyota Highlander Hybrid was plagued with technical problems that were not solved to 2-1/2 years. I will never buy a Toyota product again. 3. The third time we tried using the Costco Auto Program was for a Subaru Impreza from Glendale Subaru. This time everything went fine. The Costco purchase form was presented and we purchased the car. The representative at the dealership was professionald and courteous. 4. The forth time I tried to use the Costco Auto Program was to purchase a Honda Clarity. I was directed to the Ocean Honda dealership in North Hollywood. The person we were suppose to meet with handed us off to someone else. This was a total scam! The pricing presented was a Costco discount of about $2,900 off MSRP, but there was an additional $3,900 + of dealer add-on that really were not worth more than a few hundred dollars. Additionally, they did not include the current Honda incentive of $6k. Conclusions: 1. The Costco Auto Program is not really there to support the Costco members. I'm not sure what Costco is getting out of this. 2. The Costco Auto Program could end up costing you more than if you didn't use this program. 3. The Costco Auto Program will not back you up if you have a problem. I have been a Costco member since 1987 and have always appreciated to customer service I've received from the store and online. Clearly the Costco Auto Program doesn't follow the same philosophy. read more

I thought Honda dealer in Irvine will be worse than Rancho Santa Margarita or San Juan Capistrano. After all, it is Irvine....you know... I was not expecting that I would buy a car from an Irvine dealer of any makers. But....here is the story... Safi Billah is the one who I worked with since he called me through Costoauto.com. I was not going to buy from him since it is IRVINE. But, he does not ask too many personal questions as other people usually do. Both my wife and I appreciate his giving good deal and proper decision arrangement. The right price was given within less than 30 minutes from the moment I step in to see him. By the way, I know what a good deal is and I had no immediate urgency to buy a car. I was going to wait till the day before New Year 2020 to cut the best deal. But, Safi gave me good number soon enough. The financial guy, Denise, is the one who made documentation error afterward since he tried to do paperwork and selling service warranty at the same time. After talking to Denis for a good two hours of my life, Safi was still quietly expecting and patiently waiting for us to pick up the car despite he had another appointment at that juncture. He even washed the car twice and put on the temp license plate for us without speaking nonsense but all-satisfying actions. Just ask, he will not just respond, he will actually do it promptly. Very responsible, Not the kind who breaks the bridge after crossing it. Very smart in knowing I am serious in buying the car the same day. Very decisive in giving the best number after reading me respectively. Very wise in getting a final necessary arrangement at the deal-breaker moment. Anything bad about him? My wife and I cannot really find it. I need to wait to report on that since no human being is perfect. Will recommend anyone who is serious in buying a car at that very day to cut the final through this guy. He is willing to practically get the final number right. His contact is as following, but I would recommend still login through costcoauto.com first. Oh. My car was Honda CRV XEL. 2019. Metallic Gray. Safi Billah Internet Mananger Cell Phone: (424)421-4737 read more

My wife and I were interested in Toyota RAV4 or Honda CRV. Thru Costco Auto, as well as on our own, we went to 2 Toyota and 2 Honda dealers. This was our first time using Costco Auto. We went to one dealer near us, also through Costco, and it was terrible experience, and wasn't very responsive or pro-active and didn't even answer emails or phone call for several days, so we went to WH Honda, even though it was not initially via Costco, but they said they were Costco members, and talked to Arvin, a salesman. After the first dealer was slow to get the car we wanted, and on our way home, by coincidence, Arvin called and said he had the car color that we wanted. We told him we were coming right away, and the car was just washed and ready for us. Experience was great, salesman Arvin was very pro-active, took the time to listen to our concerns, test drive, answer lots of our questions as it had been almost 17 years since we bought a new car! Financial specialist Frederico was also excellent. Both were easy to talk to, humorous, and answered any of our concerns. We bought the Honda that same evening. Arvin stayed way past his 'quitting' time until the sale was done, then walked us through many of the functions/features to ensure that we would be familiar with it. Showroom and customer waiting area is also great! Plenty of space to sit and watch (several) TV, and they had an excellent "coffee" machine that served a variety of hot drinks, plus bottled water. What was also surprising was one of the employees had even baked some cookies and brought them in. After we bought the car, Arvin called the next day and asked if there was any other questions or anything else we needed. All in all, I would not hesitate to recommend Woodland Hills Honda. read more

I have been a Costco Member for 16 years now and this is the first time I used the Costco Auto Buying Program and it was a very pleasant experience. I contacted Costco for this purchase and they returned my call in a matter of minutes and explained to me in plain language what is about to take place, expectations and the process. They got me connected to the dealership and I had an email from them within the day and I received a phone call within the day too. I did my homework on the model I want and made sure it's available in the dealership, I called my bank and asked for a 30 day written car loan guarantee just in case the dealership financing's interest will be higher. I went in the dealership the next day, the sales person was ready for the transaction, I kept asking for the written Costco Membership price but he just wrote it in a piece of paper but since I did my research, I think i'm getting a good deal but still I should have asked for the written Costco price. To make the long story short, I was offered the financing interest and options which was double what my bank has offered me. I was expecting a counter offer from them but i guess they gave up because they could not match it. To make the experience even better I got them to deliver it to my house the next day which is two hours away free of charge. This was so far the best and pleasant car buying experience I ever had. And Costco even followed through in the succeeding days of how the transaction went. Costco even sent me a 50% discount card if i wanted to buy accessories for my newly purchased vehicle (same dealership only). Absolutely awesome!! read more

I've walked out of several dealerships in the past. As a matter of fact, I believe my wife was prepared to leave in a hurry. I'm very picky and very easily angered. I was extremely shocked to discover that the entire staff at Busam Subaru was extremely helpful and willing to go the extra mile to sell us what we really needed and not what made them the most money. Most salesman try to sell as many options as they possibly can just so they can get the commission. Joshua Crank was an awesome salesman. He was more like a friend than a salesman. That's a very rare find these days. The Costco Auto Buying Program worked flawlessly. There was absolutely no haggling back and forth. The only problem we had was trying to figure out what we really wanted. Joshua Crank was very helpful with that. As we were trying to get as many options possible and still stay within our budget, he actually asked us which features were most important to us and which were not. He then used his abundance of knowledge and searched the inventory to find the perfect vehicle to fit our budget and our needs. It was easiest transaction that I have ever made at a auto dealership. We both would highly recommend using the Costco Auto Buying Program to everyone. We're both extremely happy with the whole process. At the same time, I can't express how highly my wife and I think about the staff Busam Subaru. We both know where we're going for our next vehicle, and we will definitely be using the Costco Auto Buying Program. The Costco Auto Buying Program & Busam Subaru = Happy Customers For Life. 5 Star Rating For Both!!! read more

First time purchasing a car through the program (although 9 years ago I used it but the dealer had a slightly better deal available when we showed up). The dealer responded with the quote within 24 hours of me requesting a dealer quote. The quote was as described and transparent. From my research I thought the price was fair and very competitive. They had the car in stock (I contacted at least 5 other dealers and they did not have the car in stock). There was no pressure (probably too little - a call would have been nice). The contact was not available on the date and time we were but he found someone who was really knowledgeable and patient. The transaction was smooth and we felt the pricing was fair. We contacted Costco earlier about used cars. The dealer network for used cars in my area was limited to two and they did not have the car we wanted in stock at the price we thought it should be at. I spoke with the Costco representative and she then referred me to a dealer about 100 miles away and that did not work out either. With that said, the experience was professional with no pressure attached. If you are a Costco member and you need to get a car, this service is worth trying. You still need to do your research, make calls and emails to understand what you are buying and what the value is. The Costco service representative is professional and helpful, as was the expected service from the Costco-referred dealer. You can save time and money. read more

I joined Costco again last week, in part to participate in the Costco Auto Program. I then received an excellent phone orientation from a Program representative on how the program works from both dealer and customer perspectives, and what to expect. Very worthwhile. I've just leased a Hyundai Sonata Blue through , working with the DGDG Mazda Hyundai dealership in Vallejo. Maybe not the best time to be getting a new car, as inventories are down, and models and color choices are limited. Need is need, however; and I felt the Costco Auto program relationship was respected at the dealership, and gave me a strong introduction, some "standing", and some "protection" in the process. All of that, plus the Costco savings and manufacturer's incentives, made for a positive experience and what I came away feeling was a good deal on a well-rated car. My assigned rep at the dealer was Jonathan Shirar, an experienced, knowledgeable, informative, direct, candid agent, who stayed after evening closing hours to see me through financing approval and docs signings, and to give me extra "training" in the car's operational and infotainment features. Jonathan encouraged me to phone or email him with further questions at any time going forward, or even to come back for a further session. Too early to know for sure how it all will hold up; but, off to a good start at least, and, so far, no tinge of "buyer's doubt or remorse" that can accompany a significant transaction. read more

I am a tough car shopper. I work the various dealers pretty hard. It is getting tougher rather than easier to buy a car because of the internet. It is easy to see used inventory but if you want a new car the resources are limited. After a month of research in desperation I reached out to Costco. I never thought it would amount to much but it worked out very well. Suggestion: get two or three dealers from Costco. The dealers add fees for documentation, electronic filing, destination (not negotiable), and others that are pure profit. You generally cannot negotiate the fees but they vary from dealer to dealer so you may have a chance to save there. Also: 1) do not fall in love with accessories. If you want one special thing it will likely have to take a package and it will cost you an extra $2,000 or more. 2) Don't pay for dealer add ons. Just say no. 3) Do not use dealer financing. Go to a credit union. Do this before you even talk to a dealer so you have the information in hand. It will make it easy to say no thank you. 4) Don't buy gap insurance from the dealer. It is cheaper from your own insurer. 5) don't buy an extended warranty. If you need one at the end of the manufacturer's warranty get one then. If the car is wrecked it will not be wasted and maybe you will want a new car after the original warranty has expired any way. Drive safely! It is nuts out there! read more

I cant believe people are giving such bad reviews to this program. For someone who is very educated on cars, but a first time new car purchaser. This program is highly recommended and very easy to use! From the Costco automotive site; Vehicle manufacture was selected, contact info entered, and membership info. I was given two choices for dealerships in about a 20 minute range. Selection of the closer dealership was made. I was contacted in the next hour by the dealership. Scheduled my appointment and was off to the races. Upon arrival to the dealership I was met by my contact at the dealership. Very polite and clean dealership (Honda of Superstition Springs- Mesa, AZ). I had been researching this vehicle and had pricing from other local dealerships. I was given the "Best Pricing" and "Take it or leave it" pitch from the other dealership. Here, It was a much more enjoyable experience. I was given the opportunity to select the; model, trim level, color. All of my choices were available. I was presented the Costco pricing sheet. I reviewed it and happy with the price break. No hiding or bait and switch here! I would estimate this program saved me in the neighborhood of $3,000-$4,000 (Under the other dealerships "Best Price"). Do your do diligence and give this program a shot! read more

From a first time user: WORTH THE TIME. And I hate buying cars. I really, really hate it. Subarus were hard to find, and thus no dealer was really marking much down from the MSRP. I Googled, I went to 5 dealerships in a 100 mile radius. At first, the Costco discount was OK, but not worth driving to the next county -- $500 and waived dealer add-ons that I didn't want anyway. *shrug* I could probably negotiate that myself. BUT... Elson at Puente Hills Subaru was STELLAR -- When I first contacted him., the Costco rate sheet wasn't reflecting much. But a week later, Elson texted me to say that they had received a NEW RATE SHEET (who knew they do this weekly) with a much better discount and that it could be stacked on a holiday sale. And he found the model I was looking for with the right color and interior. Cha-ching! Because Elson took the time to text with that news, I circled back to Puente Hills Subaru. Puente Hills Subaru was a dream to deal with from start to finish. Everyone was low pressure, but explained things. Fast, but not rushed. No BS. One trip to the dealer for about 2 hours out the door. Because of this, I ended up purchasing a higher end model than I anticipated, and I LOVE THIS CAR. Proud owner of a 2023 Subaru Forester Touring. read more