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Year-end promotions from Costco and General Motors are becoming a bit of a holiday tradition. Once again, the pair is offering GM Supplier Pricing to members along with a Costco Cash Card worth up to $700.
The deal starts today and encompasses nearly every car and truck from the various GM brands. Based on our analysis, this year's offer is oriented much more aggressively than the same time last year, with fewer exclusions.
So which models are eligible? How much can you expect to save? Are there any exclusions? And is it worth it?
Here's what you need to know.
Offer Details
Through January 2, Costco members are now eligible for GM Supplier Pricing on nearly every Chevy, GMC, Buick and Cadillac model. The offer can be combined with most other factory incentives when buying or leasing a 2017 or 2018 vehicle.
Supplier Pricing basically equates to factory invoice pricing plus a small program fee. Although it's technically possible to negotiate a lower price, the program has the added benefit of not requiring you to haggle at all with your local dealer.
Interestingly, the official bulletin shows the latest program includes brand-new vehicles set to go on sale later this year like the redesigned Buick Enclave and all-new Regal TourX. Other notable models include the Chevy Bolt EV, Silverado & Sierra trucks as well as the Corvette.
In the case of a loaded 2017 Corvette Grand Sport with Z07 Package, this can equate to over $6,100 in savings. Considering there are no rebates on the Corvette, this is a big deal. Stacking offers on other models can yield some impressive savings.
Here in California, the 2017 GMC Canyon is eligible for a $3,000 bonus when coming from a competitor. That's in addition to a $1,500 bonus for everyone for a total of $4,500 in offers. With Supplier Pricing, it's now possible to save almost $6,500 off MSRP on a 4x4 Denali Crew Cab.
To sweeten the deal, Costco will also provide a Cash Card worth $300 for Gold Star members, or $700 if you're an Executive member. To qualify for the Cash Card, you'll have to complete a redemption form and survey after buying through the Costco Auto Program.
The only real exclusions are certain base models used mainly for advertising purposes that dealers don't really keep in stock anyway. These mainly include "L" versions of the Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and others, plus "1SV" versions of the Buick Regal, Encore, LaCrosse, etc.
To get started, simply visit the promo page on the Costco Auto website and register to generate an offer code that you'll take to a dealer within their network.
Is It Worth It?
This is a pretty attractive bonus heading into the end of the year. If you aren't thrilled with having to negotiate, this may be a nice change of pace since pricing is predetermined. However, if you're able to wait, we suggest considering the fact that offers you can combine the deal with may improve closer to the holidays.
Last year featured a similar deal but with a quirk. For some reason, GM waited until just before Black Friday to make models like the Corvette, Buick LaCrosse, Chevy Impala, Volt and others eligible as well. For 2017, that's not the case.
Thinking of becoming a Costco member? Fees increased in June and now start at $60 for Gold Star membership or $120 for their Executive level. The main benefit with the Executive is a 2% annual rebate (capped at $1,000).
Signing up is simple, as is upgrading from Gold Star to Executive. Through the company's much-lauded satisfaction guarantee, you can potentially upgrade to Executive status to get the $700 Cash Card, then change your mind later if you don't think it's worth keeping.