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Purchasing Programs (AAA, Costco, BJ's, etc.)

51 messages,  Last post on Dec 06, 2010 at 8:07 AM

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Messages Page 4 of 6

#25 of 51 Re: Costco vs my own efforts: [bremertong] by kcrnmale

May 15, 2006 (7:14 pm)

Replying to: bremertong (Jan 21, 2006 9:49 pm)
The bottom line: Buying a 300C at the time you were looking was automatically MSRP. This was a super hot car and you paid sticker....Costco or no Costco. Please don't try to claim you know somebody that got it for invoice. There are exceptions, but dealers weren't dealing on this car. Some people were lucky enough to work for Chrysler and receive a substantial discount. It's not really fair to blame Costco in this example.

#26 of 51 Question on Auto Discounts (ex. GM Supplier Discount) by simonnyc

May 16, 2006 (7:04 am)

My company participates in these following Auto Discount Programs.
 
1. GM Supplier Discount (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn)
2. Ford Partner Recognition Program (Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Jaguar, Landrover, Volvo)
3. Daimler Chrysler Affiliate Rewards Program (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep)
 
Are the car prices through these programs good? Or can I get better deals haggling with the car salesmen? I'm figuring that if I go through any of these programs, I won't have any room to negotiate.
 
Anybody have any experience with any of these programs?

#27 of 51 Re: Question on Auto Discounts (ex. GM Supplier Discount) [simonnyc] by tsgeisel

May 16, 2006 (11:13 am)

Replying to: simonnyc (May 16, 2006 7:04 am)
The whole point of the various discount programs is to get you a *good* deal on a new car, while allowing the dealership to make at least a small profit. Also, by taking out the negotiation factor, the sales folks have more time to work with other customers.
 
You may be able to get a better price through haggling, but it'll take time and trouble to do so. And, note, that if you have a trade-in, you may be haggling on that as well.
 
You won't get ripped off by going through the discount program, so don't worry about that. It then becomes a matter of deciding if your time is worth the effort and money you *might* save.

#28 of 51 Re: Question on Auto Discounts (ex. GM Supplier Discount) [simonnyc] by theflush

May 16, 2006 (11:21 am)

Replying to: simonnyc (May 16, 2006 7:04 am)
A friend has access to Ford's A-plan employee pricing. He says the A-plan is apparently 4% less than the X-Plan. You might be able to beat the X-plan by negotiating, but rarely by more than 4%. These prices should be before any rebates or other incentives are applied.

#29 of 51 Ford X Plan by mirth

May 16, 2006 (12:10 pm)

You might be able to beat the Ford X-plan pricing on some vehicles if you put in a lot of effort going to a number of dealers. But if you don't feel like putting in that much work, the X-plan is a good price.

#30 of 51 Re: Question on Auto Discounts (ex. GM Supplier Discount) [theflush] by graphicguy

May 16, 2006 (1:44 pm)

Replying to: theflush (May 16, 2006 11:21 am)
Ford dealerships are reimburssed some amount by Ford corporate for X plan deals. IF you try to negotiate X plan deals, it's more than likely you'll just frustrate yourself since it's a rock bottom deal to begin with (only ones better are the Ford employee deals).
 
For GM, my bro-in-law is a GM employee, so that plan is the very best you can expect.
 
I'm not too familiar with Chrycos programs, but would imagine they are similar.
 
I also qualify for Nissan's supplier pricing. I've yet to see better prices for non-Nissan employees.

#31 of 51 Those programs are great for most folks by bretfraz

May 16, 2006 (6:43 pm)

As others have said, on certain cars you might be able to negotiate a better deal but it'll take a lot of time and effort, and you may have to buy a car that is not exactly what you want.
 
With the factory plans, there is no negotiation. Some dealers will direct you to a specific salesperson (or not). They'll show you their invoice where it states what price you pay based on your eligibility. You are eligible for all rebates or other promotional offers. Also, dealers don't charge you for doc fees or any other silly fee. That right there can be a nice discount. Finally all vehicles are eligible with the plan except for those specifically noted, so no having to compromise on the car you want.
 
If you time your purchase right you may even get additional offerings like an additional rebate. For example, I bought my current truck on the GM Supplier Discount. I got exactly what I wanted, about 2% below invoice, got the consumer rebate plus a little extra for plan buyers, and I qualified for the best financing rate. I cannot imagine a car deal going smoother than that one. I suppose I could have grinded out a better deal but why bother?
 
If there are vehicles you are interested in from your plan suppliers, seriously consider taking advantage of the opportunity.

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