Costco Auto Program

For nearly 20 years, Costco has been offering their New Car Auto Program which arranges no-haggle prices with local dealers on behalf of their members. There is no fee for the program but dealers get charged several hundred dollars if they sell a car through the service. Most cars are priced near the invoice price (take or minus $500).

Now Costco has added certified used cars to the program. Customers will be able to purchase a certified used car at a no-haggle, pre-negotiated price. Costco says the prices will be below the dealership’s lowest advertised price.

We looked into the Costco Auto Program in the past, and while it’s true they provide no-haggle prices, you’re still usually better off using the RealCarTip’s Car Buying Method.

If you’d rather not spend a few hours doing research and negotiating, then the Costco Auto Program might be a good choice (at least it’s better than blindly walking into a dealership). But for those who truly want to save the most money, we advise against buying a Certified Used Car. The prices are usually jacked up. You’re better off buying a used car from a private party and buying an extended warranty.  Just our two cents.

BMW 650

BMW just  announced some great lease deals that are good till May 31. 2009.

If you’ve been thinking about leasing a BMW, this is a great time to do so.

The lease deals are being offered on most trim levels including the 1-Series, 3-Series, 5-Series, 6-Series, X3, X5, and X6.

All deals are for 36 month leases, 10,000 miles per year.   (yeah, the 10,000 miles per year limit could be better, but if you don’t put a ton of miles on your car, this is a great deal)

BMW 135i Coupe - $459 a month, $4684 upfront

BMW 335i AWD Coupe - $549 a month, $5324 upfront

BMW 535i Sedan - $649 a month, $5824 upfront

BMW 650i Coupe - $899 a month, $8024 upfront

BMW X3 Midsize SUV - $539 a month, $4814 upfront

BMW X5 AWD SUV - $599 a month, $5824 upfront

BMW X6 AWD SUV - $669 a month, $6394 upfront

Deals may vary by city or state.