USAA car buying service?

Yes, we used the service to buy my 2016 Focus from a local dealer. They knocked $200 OFF the lowest price since I used the USAA service. It was a very easy process and would use again.

PS we bought the Focus because with the dual clutch automatic transmission it is readily usable as a dingy. I really like the car: love the SYNC, hatchback, 35 to 40 mpg, and sunroof. All this for $11,500 using the service last summer.

I've tired the USAA services numerous times. Each time, I was able to get a better deal walking in cold and negotiating.

In addition: The local dealers get your contact info - so they call, and call, and call, even after I bought a truck from another dealer. I once had to cell the general manager to get a salesman to quit calling to sell me a GMC 1500, when I wanted and bought a GMC 2500.

Same thing with insurance - USAA might be the best customer service (Lots of folks says that) but none of what they do it the least costs. So, make your choice knowing that. :)

Being with USAA for 40 some years, I assume I can comment.

When we bought the F250 we had a fat check book. however, Ford offered another 1000 off if you financed I think it was 10 grand with them. We were buying using ann X plan. After messing around with my stubby pencil for a nano second I jumped on that.

Made two payments and then wrote the big one for the remaining principal on the loan.

As a couple of others have mentioned, I thought that was a heck of a deal.

i don't think you will get hosed with USAA, but i would be hesitant to not get some kind of comparison before jumping.

I'm sure I read it wrong when I said they require you to purchase from one of their certified dealers when using their car loan. They do offer a .50% Apr discount on the loan if you use the service. They also consider a 2017 (I'm assuming even if it's a used 2017) to be a new car. Coupled with their auto payment discount, the APR comes in under 3% with my credit rating.

I said 60 days since that's usually past the chargeback window. Typically dealers gets commission after consumer makes first payment.

I've also been a USAA member since 1982, I banked with them for a while but no more. Had the RV loan with them until it was paid off. I've never used their (or any) car buying service because you can usually get a better deal just negotiating than you can with the fixed discount offered by the service.

pigman1 wrote:
When you are buying a car (new or used) you are really involved in three negotiations. First is the price of the car. Who will give you the best deal. Second is the price they will pay for your trade in. Can you do better selling it privately and is it worth your trouble. Third is the price of the financing. Interest rate, down payment and length of financing. Finally, if you have the ability to pay cash for the car, what interest are you foregoing to pay cash. Get all the figures and find what works best for you. I've been a USAA member since 1963 and have used them for financing multiple times, but for the car I just bought, they couldn't come close. Dealer financing was the way I went this time, but next time I'll let USAA try again. You never know until the numbers are on the paper.

This is the winner!!!!

I got prices via TrueCar and Sam's Club, but when I emailed the dealer directly I got a price about $1000 cheaper than the other methods. It was even from the same dealer.

After that, I see the services as a good place to get a starting point price, but know that you can do better on your own.

BurbMan wrote:
Most dealers will give you a better price on the vehicle if you also finance with them since they get paid by the lender too. In that case, finance thru the dealer, wait 60 days and then re-finance with USAA and get the low rate then. The only one who gets screwed there is the dealer's lender.

The dealer would get a chargeback normally in that situation. There are some agreements where the dealer is not charged back but they receive much less from the lender to begin with.

BurbMan wrote:
Most dealers will give you a better price on the vehicle if you also finance with them since they get paid by the lender too. In that case, finance thru the dealer, wait 60 days and then re-finance with USAA and get the low rate then. The only one who gets screwed there is the dealer's lender.

Only wait 60 days if you want to pay interest for 60 days.

I too have USAA for everything - except when I bought my truck, Navy Federal had better rates. Then I wanted to refinance the house - Navy Federal again had better rates (and will refinance up to 100% of the value of the house where USAA will only do 90% - I didn't go to 100% but that was nice to know).

When I bought my truck, I also used the x-plan through my work. I got more discounts by using the x-plan at the dealer and financing through the dealer. Then 1 week later I refinanced through Navy Federal. I would have done it sooner than a week but it took that long for Ford to get me in their system. It's their system, use it to your advantage.

I went away from Navy Federal a long time ago - so long ago I don't remember why. Also, don't forget about PenFed. They usually have really good rates too.

When you are buying a car (new or used) you are really involved in three negotiations. First is the price of the car. Who will give you the best deal. Second is the price they will pay for your trade in. Can you do better selling it privately and is it worth your trouble. Third is the price of the financing. Interest rate, down payment and length of financing. Finally, if you have the ability to pay cash for the car, what interest are you foregoing to pay cash. Get all the figures and find what works best for you. I've been a USAA member since 1963 and have used them for financing multiple times, but for the car I just bought, they couldn't come close. Dealer financing was the way I went this time, but next time I'll let USAA try again. You never know until the numbers are on the paper.