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Advice needed

Shane_Anigans

Drag Race Newbie
Location
SE MI
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
The Costco Auto Program requires that you visit the dealer in person and present your Costco card before they will give you the Costco pricing.

Did you not have to do that?

Dealer probably just assumes that anyone who inquires about the Costco program is already a member, and if not, they can just go spend $55 to get a membership.
 

adam1991

Banned
Location
USA
Well, that's not how it works, really.

I think at that point the dealer can throw out any number that isn't list, and declare it to be anything he wants.

If Costco found them doing what you describe, they would be out of the program. Costco takes it seriously.
 

gtinewbie1

Passed Driver's Ed
Got it done! I ended up using the Costco Auto Program, and the whole process was really smooth. I basically worked out everything via texting, 2 phone calls to answer questions and make a deposit, and one visit to the dealer to sign and pickup the car, which had just arrived fresh from port. Will post pics in a bit!


Congrats! Mind sharing the deal you got? How much of a discount did Costco give you. There is a Costco dealer quite a drive from me. If the pricing is right, I may just take the drive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

adam1991

Banned
Location
USA
When I bought mine, I jumped through the Costco hoops and discovered that their pricing was $900 under invoice. 2017 Autobahn/DSG.

I got mine from another dealer who had already beat that price, so YMMV.

On the other hand, Costco has many other advantages--various discounts and whatnot. For example, 50% off accessories and installation, up to a $400 savings--that's nice.

And 15% or something off of any service and parts from any of their authorized service centers, dealership or otherwise, at any time.
 

Jumpy

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Austin, TX, USA
Car(s)
'18 GTI Autobahn
Congrats! Mind sharing the deal you got? How much of a discount did Costco give you. There is a Costco dealer quite a drive from me. If the pricing is right, I may just take the drive.

$37,900 OTD

Discount of $2250, 35% off accessories, lifetime window tint, lifetime free car washes, and 6 oil changes/tire rotations

I was told to drive under 2000 RPM for 1000 miles during the break-in period...is that right?? Can you even drive at highway speeds under 2000 RPM?
 
Last edited:

JC_451

Autocross Champion
Location
NJ, one of the nice parts.
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
$37,900 OTD

Discount of $2250, 35% off accessories, lifetime window tint, lifetime free car washes, and 6 oil changes/tire rotations

I was told to drive under 2000 RPM for 1000 miles during the break-in period...is that right?? Can you even drive at highway speeds under 2000 RPM?

2000 rpm is pretty low, they just misspoke. GTI owners manual recommends not going above 4K rpm for the first 600 miles and then gradually increasing the rpm ceiling as you cover the next 400 miles. When you hit 1000 you can let her rip.

Also important is to monitor the oil temp, getting on it with a cold engine won't do you any favors during the break in, nor any other time really...:p
 

Shane_Anigans

Drag Race Newbie
Location
SE MI
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
2000 rpm is pretty low, they just misspoke. GTI owners manual recommends not going above 4K rpm for the first 600 miles and then gradually increasing the rpm ceiling as you cover the next 400 miles. When you hit 1000 you can let her rip.

Also important is to monitor the oil temp, getting on it with a cold engine won't do you any favors during the break in, nor any other time really...:p

Also, try to avoid running at a constant RPM for too long during the break-in period, varied RPMs are preferable. And don't use max throttle, or even 1/2 of it.

My salesperson didn't even mention the break-in mileage, and when I told her later about how annoying it was to have to drive my new car like a grandma, she said "they still recommend a break-in mileage?"

Always, always read the manual.
 

gtinewbie1

Passed Driver's Ed
Also, try to avoid running at a constant RPM for too long during the break-in period, varied RPMs are preferable. And don't use max throttle, or even 1/2 of it.

My salesperson didn't even mention the break-in mileage, and when I told her later about how annoying it was to have to drive my new car like a grandma, she said "they still recommend a break-in mileage?"

Always, always read the manual.



I never heard of breaking in a car. I’ve never broken in a car and never had any issues. And I probably won’t start now.

Googling this topic and it seems that most car manufacturers break it in during production but some manuals still have the break in verbiage.

Its 2018, I think breaking in a car is not necessary.

[https://www.washingtonpost.com/car...4/URL] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Runnerguy45

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
N.E. N.C.
Dealer probably just assumes that anyone who inquires about the Costco program is already a member, and if not, they can just go spend $55 to get a membership.

I'm with you Shane. Telling someone to go into the dealership is not smart.
I bought my 2011 from four states away all done by email. My 2015 was bought by email and they delivered it to me. I'm in the market now and those who say come into the dealership are off the list.
 

adam1991

Banned
Location
USA
In 2018, with cars being engineered to within an inch of their lives, I trust what the manufacturer tells me in their documentation instead of choosing to make things up out of thin air.
 

Shane_Anigans

Drag Race Newbie
Location
SE MI
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
I'm with you Shane. Telling someone to go into the dealership is not smart.
I bought my 2011 from four states away all done by email. My 2015 was bought by email and they delivered it to me. I'm in the market now and those who say come into the dealership are off the list.

Any dealer who will only discuss pricing in person is only doing so because they don't want you to have anything in writing until you sign the contract. These are the guys who are still stuck in the 20th century, and market forces will eventually drive them out of business, as larger regional dealer groups (who understand how to do business in the information age) swallow up their franchises.
 

adam1991

Banned
Location
USA
Maybe, maybe not.

There is power, they perceive, in having you there. They think they have the most power. It's not that they don't want you to have anything in writing until you sign the contract; no, it's that they want to give it to you in person and have the chance of talking you into acting on that information immediately.

I will never *not* participate in that game, because I know what it is--and I am perfectly capable of saying, "no". In fact, I have a core philosophy: if you have to have an answer right now, the answer will always be NO.

But the buyer has power in this situation as well, and that power is not to be dismissed. It's much more power than either side has in a simple faceless email transaction.
 

Shane_Anigans

Drag Race Newbie
Location
SE MI
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
Maybe, maybe not.

There is power, they perceive, in having you there. They think they have the most power. It's not that they don't want you to have anything in writing until you sign the contract; no, it's that they want to give it to you in person and have the chance of talking you into acting on that information immediately.

I will never *not* participate in that game, because I know what it is--and I am perfectly capable of saying, "no". In fact, I have a core philosophy: if you have to have an answer right now, the answer will always be NO.

But the buyer has power in this situation as well, and that power is not to be dismissed. It's much more power than either side has in a simple faceless email transaction.

Coming from a lifetime spent in and around the retail end of the car business, I can tell you this: the only reason that some dealers insist on doing face-to-face negotiations is that they want to get you to fall in love with a car, confuse you with payment numbers, pad your interest rate, and every other dirty trick they've been doing since the 1950s, which is the era that many of them are still stuck in.

You may have the ability to say "no" and walk away whenever you like, and many others have the same willpower, but there is no part of the new car sales process that cannot be done remotely, with the exception of test-driving the vehicle (optional) and signing the buyer's agreement. As I mentioned previously, I said no to several proposals via email and online chat, and without fail, they came back with a better offer.

The days of going to a store and talking to a salesperson to buy things like televisions, appliances, mattresses, and most other large items are over. There's just no need for it anymore. Want a better deal from a website? Put the items in your cart and then leave them there for a day. If you've already got an account on the site, you'll get at least a 10% discount code emailed to you within 24 hours. Got the new TV and you don't like the picture? Return it.

I remember the turn of the century, when my mom was adamantly against buying anything online. Now she does every bit of her shopping online with the exception of groceries, because the only businesses that are as stuck in the past as many car dealerships are the organic earth-friendly grocery stores that sell the free-range vegetables she likes.
 

adam1991

Banned
Location
USA
Coming from a lifetime spent in and around the retail end of the car business, I can tell you this: the only reason that some dealers insist on doing face-to-face negotiations is that they want to get you to fall in love with a car, confuse you with payment numbers, pad your interest rate, and every other dirty trick they've been doing since the 1950s, which is the era that many of them are still stuck in.

Yes. I agree wholeheartedly.



You may have the ability to say "no" and walk away whenever you like, and many others have the same willpower, but there is no part of the new car sales process that cannot be done remotely, with the exception of test-driving the vehicle (optional) and signing the buyer's agreement. As I mentioned previously, I said no to several proposals via email and online chat, and without fail, they came back with a better offer.

I don't disagree that it can be that easy, but the simple fact remains that my being there displays a power I have that I do NOT have over email.

And I choose to exhibit that power.

That being said, I won't drive all over God's creation for that. Or fly around. If it's a new car, dealers all over the country sell the same car. If I can achieve a number I want (including shipping) over email, great. If I can't, if I think the number can be lower, I will show up in person at the local establishments.

It's simply a tool in the toolbox, and *is* useful. Never dismiss a tool in the toolbox, even if you rarely use it. When it's the right tool, it's the right tool.



The days of going to a store and talking to a salesperson to buy things like televisions, appliances, mattresses, and most other large items are over. There's just no need for it anymore. Want a better deal from a website? Put the items in your cart and then leave them there for a day. If you've already got an account on the site, you'll get at least a 10% discount code emailed to you within 24 hours. Got the new TV and you don't like the picture? Return it.

You would like the Costco CITI Visa "Price Rewind" feature. Buy locally and have it in your hands right away, but, get the cheapest mail order price that appears anytime over the next two months. (A couple of months ago I got $200 back on a TV I had bought recently. Even if I never step foot into a Costco again, I will always have a Costco membership and affiliated credit card.)

I remember the turn of the century, when my mom was adamantly against buying anything online. Now she does every bit of her shopping online with the exception of groceries, because the only businesses that are as stuck in the past as many car dealerships are the organic earth-friendly grocery stores that sell the free-range vegetables she likes.

Please bottle up whatever you used to convince her of this. I will pay you almost anything to buy some of that for my father.
 
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