We've had good luck with the Costco program so we used them for the RDX base we purchased last Sunday. Our price was slightly below invoice and after I completed a very short survey, they sent a 50% off coupon for up to a $200 discount on service/parts/accessories.
We used the same program for my wife's Lexus - similar results, below invoice. I suppose that if one were purchasing a more mainstream car, you could do just as well if not better than Costco.
We also simplified the purchase by not trading in my commuter car, a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid with 106,000 miles. They were talking in the low/low/low $5000 range so I knew I could be better on my own.
Just for the heck of it, I took the Honda to Carmax on Wed - their offer was $4,500. I put it on Craig's List, braced myself for the onslaught of nonsense but was pleasently surprised: the first person who asked to look at it flaked out two hours before our appt but the second person not only showed up, he purchased it for $7000. We met at the bank yesterday and completed the transaction. It was a very, very, very clean car and he was happy to get it.
We used the same program for my wife's Lexus - similar results, below invoice. I suppose that if one were purchasing a more mainstream car, you could do just as well if not better than Costco.
We also simplified the purchase by not trading in my commuter car, a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid with 106,000 miles. They were talking in the low/low/low $5000 range so I knew I could be better on my own.
Just for the heck of it, I took the Honda to Carmax on Wed - their offer was $4,500. I put it on Craig's List, braced myself for the onslaught of nonsense but was pleasently surprised: the first person who asked to look at it flaked out two hours before our appt but the second person not only showed up, he purchased it for $7000. We met at the bank yesterday and completed the transaction. It was a very, very, very clean car and he was happy to get it.