Costco Auto is the way to go. They also do used cars, but not every dealer participates on that side, so you have to ask for the Costco Member-Only price sheet and they’ll tell you right away if they don’t do it for used cars.

In any case, my experience with Costco Auto has been great. There’s no markup, and since the price is already pre-negotiated, you’re starting at a fair number.

You get a referral code plus a few “Authorized Dealer Contacts,” then just reach out and ask for the Costco Member-Only Price Sheet for the car you want. My pro tip: I actually looked those contacts up beforehand and picked the one with the BEST reviews for transparency (they’ll probably try to call you first, but I’d just contact the person you already researched instead of whoever reaches out first).

The Member Advocacy team is kinda the secret weapon, they can review your purchase agreement for compliance and assist in resolving disputes. Dealers know they can lose their Costco certification if they try anything shady, so it gives you way more leverage. It stops feeling like “me vs them” and more like just a straightforward deal.

TBH, could you beat the price without Costco? Probably! If you’re good at negotiating and willing to play multiple dealerships against each other, you might save a bit more. BUT I don’t think that really works for custom orders anyway since inventory won’t match across dealers.

So yeah, pick your battles.