I just left an appointment with Military Auto Source and wanted to sanity check what I was told with folks who’ve been through this.
I’m currently stationed in Japan with about 2 years left on station. I know I’ll need a vehicle when I return CONUS. Credit is excellent (800+ across Navy Fed / Amex / Credit Karma).
MAS told me I can order and customize a vehicle now, put down a minimum $1k, and then take delivery when I return to the States. The pitch was that I’d essentially get the best available price at delivery (including applicable rebates), avoid dealer markups, and lock in factory pricing. They said I could increase my down payment later and use whatever financing I want, though they’d also check manufacturer financing in case it unlocks additional incentives.
I don’t plan to ship a car overseas. I’d rather buy a cheap beater while I’m here and only take delivery once I’m back. I was also told that if I get another overseas assignment, the order can roll over until I eventually return CONUS.
We did a quick build just to get a ballpark, and pricing was basically around MSRP. The salesman said I shouldn’t expect big discounts (like $5k under MSRP), more just avoiding dealer markup and getting exactly what I want from the factory.
For those who’ve used MAS or planned a vehicle purchase this far out:
- How accurate is this?
- Any gotchas I should be aware of before putting money down?
- Anything you wish you had known ahead of time?
On paper it sounds like a solid deal. lock in a fair price, avoid dealer games, and get the exact vehicle I want, but I’d appreciate real-world feedback before committing. if it matters, I plan on putting at least 10k down.
Is military auto source worth it if you’re 2 years from CONUS?
byu/Sniper2281 inMilitaryFinance
Posted by Sniper2281
4 Comments
Don’t forget your tax when for registration. Most people I knew had the car overseas because some states waive the tax if the car is not driven in residency state and has not been in the country for a period. Each state varies, but I have seen people get shocked as well that they have to pay extra upon returning. MAS advertised no tax when bought overseas, but they do not go into the stipulations about the tax.
They are salesman on a solely commission job, they don’t have your best interests in mind. Compare what they say to what you can find on the internet at dealers where you plan to return. Many dealers sell most models below MSRP, Costco has guaranteed pricing through their auto sales program.
No no no. MAS is a horrible ripoff in most cases.
Just get a beater from a PCS’ing SM or used SOFA dealership off base.
Be careful with overseas military car sales. The hyper competitive nature of car sales have made their “deals” not very competitive. I’ve bought 3 cars in the last 15 years on active duty and military autosource will match quotes, but they wouldn’t beat the quotes I got because they weren’t ‘official quotes’ to the salesman I was dealing with, plus I didnt have to pay sales tax. So, I got a better deal avoiding MAS, and I tell people to avoid MAS and their insane commissions. They will charge you what they can get from you and many of their salesman are pretty slimy.
MAS wanted a more official quote for matching and their prices aren’t great. I saved over $1000 by not going through MAS. Dont trust them just because they are an approved vendor. The sword/crest guy at most PX/BX’ is an approved vendor and that is a huge ripoff.
Additionally, some states, like Kentucky, dont charge sales tax to active duty service members on orders to Kentucky. Shop around before you assume. True car will let you know if you are getting an actual good deal. If you are pcsing from oconus, check true car for the price range against the zip code you are moving to and check the sales tax of your future duty station. You can often save a ton by avoiding MAS.