SANTA MONICA , Calif., and SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Zag.com recently announced it has reached an agreement with Mercedes-Benz USA to offer additional savings of up to $5,000 off the price of new Mercedes-Benz car purchases to USAA Members.

This is apparently beyond current special member pricing, rebates and dealer incentives. The deal is available through USAA's online car-buying service.

This exclusive offer kicked off in early July and will be effective for a minimum of a year, officials indicated.

USAA members can locate and build a new Mercedes-Benz through the service, powered by Zag's technology platform and network of certified dealers. Members can also enjoy the ease of finding, locating, financing, and insuring a vehicle with one company on usaa.com, officials noted.

Mercedes-Benz is making this exclusive offer to USAA members. In return, Zag said its network of dealers will honor the incentives and offer guaranteed pricing and service if the car is purchased through the USAA Car Buying Service.

"We're always looking for ways to help our members save money. This generous discount, on top of special USAA member car buying pricing, gives our members the perfect opportunity to buy a luxury car at a fantastic price," said David Bohne, USAA Federal Savings Bank president.

When members use the USAA car buying service to configure their new Mercedes-Benz, they will get a guaranteed up-front price for the car they have selected along with a unique offer code, officials explained.

The offer code and incentive can be used at any Mercedes-Benz dealer in addition to any other savings and dealer incentives which are being offered, they added.

"Offers like this one from Mercedes-Benz USA are a testament to how powerful Zag's affinity-based retail model can be for not only dealers but also for manufacturers," said Scott Painter, Zag chief executive officer.

"There is a paradigm shift taking place on how consumers purchase cars and smart manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz USA are tuned in to where the in-market car buyers are now, and they are doing everything they can to capture their attention and drive sales," he continued.