Costco's Auto Program Helps Vehicle Shoppers Fight Back Against Dealer Markups

Due to a variety of factors including parts shortages and prior plant closures, vehicles are in high demand today. This has resulted in dealerships marking up new vehicles above the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). One way car shoppers can keep costs down is by using their Costco membership and the Costco Auto Program to purchase a vehicle.

Costco Auto Program offers discounts to its members and works with participating dealers and manufacturers to make the shopping process smoother. Costco works with many manufacturers, particularly the GM brands Volvo and other brands, from season to season.

One example in the past has been Chevrolet Bolts discounted below dealer discounted prices. Costco members were able to save $1,000 by using the Costco Auto Program when purchasing the vehicle.

Presently, The Costco Auto Program is promoting the Audi line and is offering up to $2,500 in discounts depending upon the model. Here are some examples of the discounts available through September 30th:
- $1,000 on Audi Q5, Q5 PHEV, Q5 Sportback, Q7, e-tron®, e-tron® Sportback, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback and SQ7

- $1,250 on Audi A4 Sedan, A4 allroad®, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, A6 Sedan, A6 allroad®, A7, A7 PHEV, TT Coupe, TT Roadster, TTS, S4, S5, S6 and S7

- $2,500 on Audi A8, A8 PHEV and S8

Generally, Costco Auto Program discounts are on top of other incentives offered by dealers or the manufacturer that a buyer may qualify for. Call your local dealer ahead of shopping to find out if they participate in the program, what the markup on your preferred model may be, and what discounts would apply to you as a Costco member. For more information on Costco's auto buying program visit the company's webpage.

John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. John's interest in EVs goes back to 1990 when he designed the thermal control system for an EV battery as part of an academic team. After earning his mechanical engineering degree, John completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers, in the semiconductor industry, and in biotech. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American news outlets and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on TikTok @ToknCars, on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin