costco auto program

What costco auto program does

Costco Auto Program is a membership-based car-buying and automotive savings service operated by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc. (CAP), an independent Delaware-incorporated company headquartered at 10590 W. Ocean Air Drive, Suite 300, San Diego, California. Founded in 1989, the program connects Costco Wholesale members exclusively with a nationwide network of hand-selected franchised dealerships for the purchase or lease of new and pre-owned vehicles at prearranged, no-haggle pricing. It also offers a Parts & Service discount (15% off, up to $500 per visit) at participating service centers, EV-specific incentive certificates through a dedicated EV Marketplace, and exclusive RV pricing via an exclusive distribution partnership with Camping World.

The platform is delivered through CostcoAuto.com (web) and a phone-based call center, providing ZIP-code-driven dealer matching, vehicle comparison tools, finance calculators, safety resources, and monthly limited-time specials. Members register and receive an authorization number or savings certificate that they redeem at an Approved Dealer or service center. CAP itself does not sell vehicles or negotiate transactions; instead, the program monetizes through (1) dealer participation fees paid by franchised dealerships to access the Costco member base, (2) a marketing fee from Camping World for RV referrals, and (3) parts & service referral economics from participating service centers. Supplementary tools include auto insurance offers, EV educational content, and an automotive articles content hub.

The program benefits substantially from the Costco brand and its 125+ million global cardholders, which functions as both the customer acquisition channel and a trust anchor. Costco Wholesale Corporation is not a corporate parent; the relationship is a contractual/marketing arrangement in which CAP operates the program as a Costco member benefit. No venture or private equity ownership is disclosed, and the program has no public revenue, funding, or headcount disclosures. Operations are US-only with no international footprint, no mobile application, no public API, and no documented AI/ML capabilities.

Name

costco auto program

Legal name

Affinity Auto Programs, Inc.

Website

https://costcoauto.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Costco Auto Program, operated by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc., connects Costco members exclusively with approved franchised dealerships for prearranged, no-haggle pricing on new and pre-owned vehicles, plus 15% parts & service discounts, EV incentives, and RV pricing via Camping World.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dealer Participation Fees: Franchised car dealerships pay a participation fee to be included in the Costco Auto Program as Approved Dealers. In return, they gain access to Costco's member base and provide prearranged pricing to program members.
2. Camping World Marketing Fee (RVs): Camping World pays a marketing fee to Costco Auto Program for the referral of Costco members seeking RV purchases. Costco does not sell RVs or negotiate individual transactions; the fee is tied to the marketing referral relationship.
3. Parts & Service Referral: Participating service centers are part of the program, with members receiving 15% off parts, service, and accessories (up to $500 per visit). Revenue is driven by referral volume through the program to participating service centers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Costco Auto Program is a member-only car buying and automotive savings service that connects Costco members with a network of hand-selected approved franchised dealers offering prearranged, no-haggle pricing on new and pre-owned vehicles. The program also delivers 15% off parts, service, and accessories (up to $500 per visit) at participating service centers, exclusive RV pricing through Camping World, and tiered EV incentive certificates for Executive versus Gold Star & Business members.

Product overview

Costco Auto Program is a membership-based car buying service operated by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc. that provides Costco members with prearranged pricing and a stress-free vehicle purchasing experience. The core offering includes New Vehicle Purchasing and Pre-Owned Vehicles through a network of hand-selected Approved Dealers. The program supplements its core vehicle sales with Parts & Service (15% member discount), RV Discounts via Camping World partnership, an EV Marketplace with member incentives on electric vehicles, and Limited-Time Specials. Additional tools include Vehicle Comparison, Safety Information, Finance Calculator, Auto Insurance discounts, and Automotive Articles. The program has served Costco members for over 35 years and functions as a price negotiation and dealer referral service rather than a direct vehicle seller.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Vehicle Purchasing Prearranged, no-haggle pricing on new cars, trucks, and SUVs through Costco Auto Program's network of hand-selected approved franchised dealers, available only to Costco members.
• Pre-Owned Vehicles Member-only savings on pre-owned vehicles through Costco Auto Program's network of approved dealers.
• Parts & Service Discount Costco members receive 15% off parts, service, and accessories at participating service centers nationwide, up to $500 per visit. Discount excludes tires, oil changes, state inspections, items covered by warranty or insurance, prior services, and cannot be combined with other promotions.
• RV Discounts (via Camping World) Exclusive Costco member pricing on new recreational vehicles from Camping World, the nation's largest RV retailer, with options including travel trailers, fifth wheels, and Class A/B/C motorhomes, and a Camping World Concierge to support the purchase. Executive members also receive a Costco Shop Card upon completing a post-purchase survey.
• EV Marketplace & Incentive Certificates Electric vehicle resources for Costco members including member-only EV incentive certificates (e.g., Chevrolet Bolt $1,250 Executive / $1,000 Gold Star & Business; Volvo EX90 $2,000 Executive / $1,500 Gold Star & Business; EX40 and EX30 also available), EV charging information, cost guides, and expert perspectives on EVs, hybrids, and PHEVs. Incentives are stackable on top of manufacturer incentives and prearranged Costco pricing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15% off auto parts, service, and accessories — up to $500 per visit
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Camping WorldcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCamping World is the nation's largest RV retailer and the exclusive RV distribution partner for Costco Auto Program. Costco members receive exclusive pricing on new RVs purchased through Camping World, facilitated through a savings certificate issued by Costco Auto Program. A marketing fee is paid by Camping World to Costco Auto Program. Camping World has thousands of new RVs and nearly 200 locations. Executive members also receive a Costco Shop Card upon completing a post-purchase survey after an RV purchase.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Carvana: Carvana is an online used-vehicle retailer with a fixed-price, no-haggle model and home delivery. While Carvana owns inventory and operates as a used-car retailer, the digital-first, no-negotiation buying experience closely parallels Costco Auto Program's value proposition.
• CarMax: CarMax is the largest used-car retailer in the US, offering a no-haggle fixed-price model analogous to Costco Auto Program's prearranged pricing. While CarMax holds inventory and operates its own stores, the pricing philosophy and member/buyer experience are highly comparable.
• Kelley Blue Book (Cox Automotive): Kelley Blue Book is a leading automotive valuation and research brand owned by Cox Automotive. It competes with Costco Auto Program's auto-articles and finance calculator content verticals, and influences the pricing-transparency narrative that Costco Auto Program also addresses.
• Edmunds: Edmunds is an automotive research and car-buying platform providing reviews, pricing, and dealer referrals. The editorial content and car-shopping tools are comparable to Costco Auto Program's automotive articles and comparison features.
• AutoTrader: AutoTrader is a long-standing online automotive marketplace operated by Cox Automotive. It competes for the same dealer marketing dollars and consumer attention as Costco Auto Program, with broader listings and a more established dealer relationship business.

Direct peers

• CarGurus: CarGurus is an online automotive marketplace that uses data and transparency ratings to connect buyers with dealers. It is a direct competitor to Costco Auto Program in the dealer referral and pricing-transparency space.
• Vroom: Vroom is an online used-car retailer with a fixed-price, no-haggle model and home delivery. Its digital-first purchasing experience parallels Costco Auto Program's prearranged pricing approach, though Vroom owns inventory and serves as a direct seller.
• TrueCar: TrueCar operates an online car buying and pricing platform that connects consumers with certified dealers for prearranged pricing, directly comparable to Costco Auto Program's no-haggle model. Both monetize via dealer participation fees and serve as referral marketplaces rather than direct sellers.
• Cars.com: Cars.com is a leading online automotive marketplace connecting buyers with dealers and private sellers. It competes directly with Costco Auto Program in dealer referral and lead generation, with broader listings and richer content verticals.

Others

• Camping World: Camping World is the nation's largest RV retailer and is the exclusive RV distribution partner for Costco Auto Program. While not a direct competitor (it is a partner), it is a relevant comparable given the shared RV buyer demographic and the marketing fee arrangement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CostcoAuto
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Costcoauto
• Facebookfacebook.com/costcoauto
• Instagraminstagram.com/costcoautoprogram
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/costco-auto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about costco auto program