4 Car Products You Probably Didn't Know You Could Buy At Costco

Maybe you've been doing the math, and now you're not sure that the savings you get from buying tater tots in bulk pays for your Costco membership. But we say if you're not saving enough at Costco to justify your membership, you need to broaden your horizons and look at all that Costco has to offer. We're not trying to advertise the place, but Costco offers just about every kind of merchandise under the Sun. Sure, you can get your giant bag of popcorn, but the store has everything from laptops and garden hoses to those comfortable mattresses with the memory foam. Heck, you can even buy a car from Costco.

But we're not here to talk about any of that. No, we'd like to direct your attention to the automotive section. There, you'll find products you didn't even know Costco sells. For example, did you know that you can get a wall charger for your electric vehicle at Costco? Well, you can, along with portable jump starters, dash cams, and even custom wheels for your vehicle. And, of course, there are tires. You already knew that Costco sells tires, but you may be surprised at how easy it is to buy the right ones and to get them installed.

Of course, you may be thinking that you already get your steps in for the week whenever you go to Costco, and you're not eager to walk any more looking for other products. Fortunately, Costco has a website like every other major retailer, and there are even more products on the site than you can find in the store, as some products are only available online.

Have you ever noticed how whenever our car batteries die we all turn into Blanch Dubois from "A Streetcar Named Desire"? By that, we mean we find ourselves depending on the kindness of strangers, hoping someone will stop and help us jump start our vehicle. But there is no reason for us to be in a position where we have to go up to random people hoping they don't get annoyed when we ask for a jump start, not with those little power bank jump starters that you can keep in your car. We think a portable jump starter is better than jumper cables and that this is one of those items everyone should carry around.

Maybe you already knew about jump starters and you've even been meaning to get one. Well, we're not sure what you're waiting for. There are several jump starters right there on Costco's website. 

Some of the jump starters listed on the Costco website are also available in store. Others are only available online. They range in price from about $50 to around $130. Most offer ports to charge your phone or tablet, as well as a flashlight. The one that impresses us the most is the UltraPro Elite 1200A Portable Jump Starter. It not only comes with a flashlight, but also an air pump for inflating tires. You're bound to be somebody's hero when you pull this bad boy out of your glove box.

EVs can be a pain when it comes to finding a place and time to charge them. We've noticed the Tesla drivers parked behind the nearby Wawa early Saturday mornings so they could plug into the charging stations. If you live in a house and would rater sleep in on the weekend, we think home chargers are the way to go. They aren't as fast as the rapid charging stations, but at least you can just plug your car in overnight and use it in the morning. That sounds pretty convenient to us.

Some EV manufacturers, like Tesla, do sell home chargers. But if you'd rather go the aftermarket third-party route, you may want to check out Costco. We're not saying they have an especially wide selection. In fact, four of their five chargers are only available online, and Costco EV chargers aren't top-of-the-line. But still, you may find one that works for your needs. The one that can be found in stores is the Wallbox Pulsar Plus Lv 2 EV Smart Charger. It claims to be the only charger that intelligently monitors your home's total power. It has mostly good reviews, with 4.3 out of 5 stars. Even the reviewers who don't like it talk about how easy it is to install. It may be worth a look.

Only one of Costco's electric vehicle chargers is rated better than the Wallbox Pulsar Plus Lv 2, and that's the Battery Tender 32 Amp, but it's a portable. Still, it says it's capable of Level 2 charging, at 28.5 miles of charge per hour. That's not the fastest charge, but it still beats getting up early on the weekend to sit in front of a charging station.

You may not be aware of this, but people aren't always completely truthful after an automobile accident. We know, shocking, right? That's a problem when there are conflicting stories but no eye witnesses. If at least one person has a dashcam, though, it doesn't have to boil down to one person's word against another's. So, we think this is another accessory most people should have in their cars.

So, what does Costco have in stock as far as dashcams go? The retailer seems to carry Nextbase dashcams mostly, as all but two of the ones we found belong to that brand. One of the models is the Nextbase IQ 2K Smart Dash Cam, which is more than just a camera. You're supposed to download the app that comes with it. With the app, you can remotely activate the alarm that's integrated into the system. The dashcam will also call emergency services whenever it detects a crash. It also includes "Smart Sense Parking," which will alert you if you're about to hit something. Many of its features are available by subscription only, which is a little annoying, seeing as the dashcam itself costs $239.99. Should you get it? Well, reviews are mediocre. The most common complaint seemed to be about the $20 monthly subscription, which is necessary to access the product's core features.

There are Nextbase dashcams that are priced more affordably and were rated higher. The Nextbase 422GW 1440p Dash Cam Bundle is currently on sale for $159.99 and has 3.9/5 stars. There are also two other dash cams which are not Nextgen. Both are priced even more affordably than the Nextbase 422GW but were rated at less than 4/5 stars.

Do you know what spiffy new tires need? That's right, spiffy new wheels to put them on. Well, Costco has got you covered on that front as well. The big box retailer works closely with Velox Wheels and offers a variety of designs. You can also order the wheels online. However, when you navigate to the wheels, the Costco website will route to the Velox site, which provides a tool that will not only show you wheels that will fit your vehicle, but also what those wheels will look like on your vehicle. After you choose the tires you want, you'll be routed back to Costco to check out. Costco also offers free installation for the wheels if you buy a set of tires along with them. Otherwise, installation is $19 per tire.

The wheels themselves are not unattractive, but they're not exactly going to turn heads, in our opinion. They look better than most factory rims, but they're not particularly special as far as aftermarket wheels go. We played around with the tool, checking available tires for a variety of vehicles. All of the wheels we came across were either spiral forged aluminum or cast aluminum. They come in silver and black, with a matte or gloss surface. Prices we found range from around $200 to $300.

We've really just scratched the surface when it comes to car products you can buy at Costco. So, the next time you're there, take a look at the automotive section. You'll probably find something to throw in your cart. Of course, you may have to move that 5-gallon bag of pork rinds to make room for it.