OT: have you ever bought a car through Sam’s Club or Costco?
- Thread starter op2
- Start date
Good prices, but they only sell cars in bundles of six.
Last edited:
I’m not sure what car yet, but since you brought that up, I’ll name a few. I’m considering and see if anyone has any thoughts on those two.
Subaru Crosstrek
Honda CR-V
Volvo XC-40
Mazda CX-30
Toyota RAV-4
and here’s one other feature I’d be curious to know if anyone has had experience with. There are these new headlights called “adaptive beam headlights“ or maybe “pixel headlights“. They keep your brights on all the time, except if a car is coming in the other direction it lowers the lights that would blind them while keeping your brights on. It’s new-ish and as of now it’s only in the higher end cars or the high-end trim of lower end cars, which is why I have the Volvo in the list. Anyone have experience with that
First let’s tackle adaptive headlights: That feature is among a few that old farts like me claim they don’t want/need , but then are blown away by how good it is - alas I have it on my Toyota and it works FLAWLESSLY… to the point where I wonder how the eff it can determine opposing vehicles vs reflective fixed objects and roadside/ household lighting … very few instances exist on my night driving route where it gets fooled by lights not associated with oncoming traffic … I also used to Pooh-pooh rain-sensing wipers , but discovered that mine do a great job knowing when I need a wipe (insert smarta$$ remark here) and only require manual override (deactivate) when I’m relying on RainX at highway speeds (ie. no wipers needed) … likewise I used to mock people who claim they need a heated steering wheel, not anymore
Costco: it’s merely a glorified referral program for lazy people who choose to not understand the car-buying process and / or can’t handle negotiating… negotiation, for those that know their stuff , will beat a Costco price EVERY time , as Costco is merely a middleman and getting a referral fee that the dealer pays. Worth noting that the retailer reserves the right to offer Costco program only on models they choose - as such , good luck getting that on a hot seller (RAV4) …
Look at the new Q3 sub 40k. Your list is A+. Volvo is a Chinese company fyi
Add 25 CX5 non turbo to your list. 26 is a new design and the 25s are being sold for 6-8k off. (Ours 6 months ago was msrp $35.4, got for $30,250.
Last edited:
Your second point kinda gets to my motivation. I’ve never bought a car and I have no idea how to negotiate for one. So that led me to think that if I could get a decent price through Costco or Sam’s Club, then I could just do that and not feel like I’m getting ripped off. If I go in there and negotiate myself, they may manipulate me and I will know any better.
Dealing with automotive dealers is no big deal when you know the game, and when you’ve done the homework wrt the make/model - and especially the market, and you’re prepared to walk out (have done it often)…. I’ve purchased three cars in the past 12mos. My own plus two more acting as an agent for out-of-town PSU friends where I found interesting candidates (VW and Honda) in my area. I enjoy the mental swashbuckling (especially when it’s not my money) …. Though your point is a good one and you are likely a textbook candidate for the Costco program. Happy to offer my $.02
I have purchased 2 cars from Costco very easy process. Only issue is the dealer needs to be in the network so you may need to travel. Ie if you looking for. Toyota the State college dealer may not be in the program you may need to go to Altoona or Johnstown as a for instance- if you are looking for a car manufacturer and it doesn't come up in your zip code type in a few other zip codes.
other than that super quick and easy. You tell the system make model color and package they call you or email you sit up a test drive in and out the door in 2 hours set price no negotiation
other than that super quick and easy. You tell the system make model color and package they call you or email you sit up a test drive in and out the door in 2 hours set price no negotiation
That’s the rental I got while I was in PA, except it was a hybrid. Very impressed .
Sorry it was the next size up CX-50
CX50 borrows Toyotas RAV4 hybrid system (even the ICE). test drove one last year while shopping but the smaller interior and dated interior weren’t enough to keep me out of a Toyota
once you get 40mpg (just got 43.3, calculated manually - not the terminally optimistic dash readout ) you don’t want to go back to regular gas engine …
Maybe I should’ve mentioned it sooner but I’ll probably…not definitely but probably…be buying a used car rather than a new one. I’ll want it to be only a couple years old, maybe even only one year old, but probably not new.
As one who grew up thumping my chest about the superiority of manual gearboxes , I used to think the same about lowly automatics….
About the only thing that sucks with a hybrid is that you’re stuck with a CVT , and as someone who toiled for 15yrs in fleet cars (Subarus and Toyota included) at least Toyotas seem to get it right … much less intrusive/annoying than the ones in Subaru…
Face it - the lightweight CVTs eke out a few extra mpgs and are certainly cheaper to manufacture, the more you drive them you sadly become resigned / oblivious to the “meh”
Yes, cheaper to manufacture but typically less reliable and more expensive to repair or replace.
It’s not automatic highbeams. It’s head lights that, instead of being low beam or high beam, have a whole bunch of small individual lights and the car can figure out when to light or not light each of them up. So if you’re driving and a car is coming from the other direction, the bright lights in your lane stay on, but they become dimmer on the side of the car is passing so the other guy can see. Or if a car is driving in front of you, it lights up the road all the way to the car and on either side of it, but not the rear window of the car.
I can’t link to it now but I’ll do it later when I get home. But it’s something that was only approved in the US in 2022 and is now gradually seeping down from the expensive car to the less expensive cards. But apparently it has been legal in Europe for many years. I think it’s called matrix headlights or pixel headlights so if you search that on YouTube, you’ll probably
Last edited:
Search results....
Advanced matrix or adaptive driving beams (ADB) use individually controlled pixels to selectively dim areas of your high beams. This provides maximum visibility without blinding oncoming drivers. Following U.S. regulatory updates, these smart headlights are available in the U.S. on select vehicles from Rivian, Tesla, and Audi, and are widely standard on luxury European imports. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Specific vehicles offering advanced matrix or adaptive headlights:
- Rivian: Both the R1T and R1S feature highly sophisticated dynamic lighting systems that adjust to avoid glaring other drivers, making them an early standout in the U.S. market. [1, 2, 3]
- Tesla: Recent updates to the Model Y, Model 3, and other models now enable advanced pixel-precise matrix lighting via over-the-air software. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Audi: Audi offers its highly advanced Digital Matrix LED headlights on flagship models like the Q9. They are also available on various other trims like the Q6 e-tron, A8, and A6, though some older or imported variants may require specialized coding to activate all European features. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
- Other Luxury Brands: For European-spec or imported models, advanced matrix capabilities are available on luxury vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 5/7 Series, and Porsche Taycan. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
I haven’t bought a vehicle via Costco or Sam’s Club, but have a good friend who bought his BMW X5 from Costco a few years ago. He did his homework & it was the best deal (by far) that he found, and I also know the buying process was very smooth for him.
Since we are on cars, let me ask another question. My current car is very old and it has regular halogen headlights. When they’re on bright, they shine farther ahead, but even when they’re on dim, they shine a fair bit ahead.
However, in the couple new cars I’ve been in recently at night, the dimmers have what appears to be a horizontal line. I mean, they shine ahead some, but then there’s like a line above which you can’t see much. I assume the purpose of this is to not blind other drivers, but I’m not really sure. But when you’re used to headlights to shine further ahead, like I am in my old car, these feel kind of oppressive.
I don’t want to break down and get a new or new-ish used car only to find that it’s really annoying to drive at night because it has this horizontal line with the lights. Can anyone tell me whether this is the new norm or if instead there are other new or new-ish cars with different kind of headlights?
Of course, the pixel headlights talked about earlier in this red would be optimal, but on the other hand, they are fairly new and only on higher end cards at this point so that may not be an option.
However, in the couple new cars I’ve been in recently at night, the dimmers have what appears to be a horizontal line. I mean, they shine ahead some, but then there’s like a line above which you can’t see much. I assume the purpose of this is to not blind other drivers, but I’m not really sure. But when you’re used to headlights to shine further ahead, like I am in my old car, these feel kind of oppressive.
I don’t want to break down and get a new or new-ish used car only to find that it’s really annoying to drive at night because it has this horizontal line with the lights. Can anyone tell me whether this is the new norm or if instead there are other new or new-ish cars with different kind of headlights?
Of course, the pixel headlights talked about earlier in this red would be optimal, but on the other hand, they are fairly new and only on higher end cards at this point so that may not be an option.
My brother in law purchased a BMW via the Costco Plan and had an excellent experience as well. He stated that his final cost was significantly lower than his local dealers etc.
I hate cars. I never had the love for them that some of my friends carried.
My car? A 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Paid for long ago. Decent maintenance costs, since I had the engine replaced at 95,000 miles due to a recall. I dread thinking of having to replace it, but it likely will outlive me and I am fine with that.
My daughter bought a new car earlier this year. After she did loads of research she got a Kia Niro hybrid. She loves it and I have to admit it is comfortable front and back, and I am 6 ft 2inches, 200 lbs. The thing gets 50 mpg and has good performance on the hiway. Being an SUV it carries all the crap she needs moving from place to place.
My wife and I take day and weekend trips to New York, New Jersey, MD, etc. When we do we rent a car from Enterprise. I have one of those gold memberships and qualify for lower rates and free days. We will be heading to Sea Isle City in August and I already have a small SUV reserved for the week. That works fine for us. That way our old car sits in the garage and we have the comfort and assurance of driving a newer car that has been maintained and cleaned. It is a beautiful thing.
We also enjoy taking Amtrak when we can. No driving, no parking fees, no traffic headaches. 3.5 hours to NYC so going to see a show and having dinner is a doable day trip for us old folks.
My car? A 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Paid for long ago. Decent maintenance costs, since I had the engine replaced at 95,000 miles due to a recall. I dread thinking of having to replace it, but it likely will outlive me and I am fine with that.
My daughter bought a new car earlier this year. After she did loads of research she got a Kia Niro hybrid. She loves it and I have to admit it is comfortable front and back, and I am 6 ft 2inches, 200 lbs. The thing gets 50 mpg and has good performance on the hiway. Being an SUV it carries all the crap she needs moving from place to place.
My wife and I take day and weekend trips to New York, New Jersey, MD, etc. When we do we rent a car from Enterprise. I have one of those gold memberships and qualify for lower rates and free days. We will be heading to Sea Isle City in August and I already have a small SUV reserved for the week. That works fine for us. That way our old car sits in the garage and we have the comfort and assurance of driving a newer car that has been maintained and cleaned. It is a beautiful thing.
We also enjoy taking Amtrak when we can. No driving, no parking fees, no traffic headaches. 3.5 hours to NYC so going to see a show and having dinner is a doable day trip for us old folks.
Last edited:
Meguiar’s has has headlight spray that keeps them from hazing over. I thought it worked really well.
I will have to check that out in five years or so, if I live that long. None of the products or recommendations I followed worked for me beyond a slight improvement. Does the stuff work as a preventative or just a fix?