What Is Sam’s Club Auto Program and How Does It Work?
Car buying is increasingly expensive, thanks to supply chain challenges and other pressures on the automotive market. As a result of rising prices, some consumers carefully consider their options. One such option is the Sam’s Club Auto Buying program, potentially saving car buyers a good deal of money. Here is how the Sam’s Club Auto Buying Program works.
What is the Sam’s Club Auto Buying Program?
Like all Sam’s Club programs, the Sam’s Club Auto Buying Program allows members to save money on their purchases. In this case, the purchases are vehicles. According to Nexstar News, a car buyer who uses Sam’s Club to purchase their vehicle can expect to save an average of $3,463 on a new car. Used cars are also available through the program, although it is unclear how much one can expect to save on such cars through Sam’s Club.
The Sam’s Club Auto Program also makes it possible to save on many car-related purchases and services. For example, if you purchase your car through the program, you can expect to save 20% on auto repair expense reimbursement of up to $500 twice a year. You also receive a maximum of two $500 auto insurance deductible reimbursements, so the savings afforded through the program can really add up.
How does the program work?
Let’s say you’re thinking about using Sam’s Club to purchase your next car, truck, or SUV. How exactly does the Sam’s Club Auto Buying program work? It allows Sam’s Club members to shop for a car from the comfort of their computer. They need to enter their vehicle preferences into the Sam’s Club auto website to receive a list of possible vehicles for purchase. These vehicles can be found at TrueCar dealers working with the Sam’s Club program.
Before moving forward on a purchase, the potential buyer will be notified of the average TrueCar prices for the car they’re interested in compared with the MSRP for the same vehicle. If the Sam’s Club member decides to proceed with the potential purchase, they can enter their personal information to receive offers from affiliated dealers.
The pros and cons of the Sam’s Club program
There are several advantages to the Sam’s Club Auto Buying Program that go beyond price and the simplicity of the process. The program also offers some perks, such as special pricing from Sam’s Club Tire Center, free flat tire repairs, battery testing, wiper blade repairs, and discounts on gas.
As with anything, there are some drawbacks to the Sam’s Club Auto Buying Program as well. At the top of the list is the program’s somewhat limited inventory. If you’re picky about what kind of car you need, this program may not be the place to find it.
In addition, as our discussion of the buying process makes clear, it’s not possible to negotiate with dealers through the Sam’s Club program. If you don’t like the offer you receive, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Other limitations to the program include a lack of financing and the impossibility of trading your vehicle in as part of the purchase process. There are workarounds for these issues, however. You can still seek financing through a bank or credit union, and you may be able to work out a trade-in directly through the dealership.
Finally, leasing is not an option through the Sam’s Club Auto Buying Program. Despite these drawbacks, Sam’s Club’s Auto Buying Program does make for an enticing route for many potential car buyers looking to save significant money.
