D2DLink

[Gerry Laughlin]

Anybody have any info on this new locator? Mainly price, if there is any. I seem to have this vision of my APM coming in and telling me that I am going to have to sign up for an overpriced, useless locator if I want to keep getting CFI. Hopefully I am wrong.

Gerry Laughlin

[Richard]

OEConnection.com

Pricing is dependant on your Inventory #'s.
Floating Prices from $99/mo, up to something like $300/mo+. You get a slight discount off their price because GM is making it 'their' locator, and you don't pay the $495 setup fee. I went to the meeting, and if I can find the packet, I can fax it to someone at Dealersedge, if they want it.

Being rolled out regionally, starting with the south, and moving counterclockwise.

OEconnection.com is owned by Ford, Chrysler, GM and ProQuest (formally Bell+Howell). Watch for Ford and Chrysler to follow suit, if they havn't already.

[a hager]

I THINK YOU'LL FIND THIS NOT SUCH A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW. THEY HAVE SEVERAL TIERS DEPENDING ON PART #'S. I'M CLASSIFIED MED-SIZE 3 AND AND FEE IS 139.00 WHICH I BELIEVE CHEAPER THAN ONE TOUCH. I ASSUME THAT ALL GM DEALERS WILL BE ON BOARD BECAUSE THAT DANGLING CARROT "CFI" INCENTIVE WILL NOT GIVEN OUT UNLESS YOU SIGN UP. BUT IT WILL UP DATE DAILY AND YOU DON'T HAVE MANUALLY UPDATE YOUR LOCATOR ANY MORE. AT A MEETING I HAD ATTENNDED THAT THE SPEED OF WHICH YOU CAN CHECK GM STOCK AT THE PDC WOULD BE ADDED PLUS,NO MORE SLOW TRACS OR THE CURRENT GM LOCATOR. LASTLY THIS IS ALL INTERNET BASED SO FINAL SPEED IS UP TO YOU

[Parts007]

Here is pricing for D2D, right from GM - Bulletin 02-215. Monthly fees are based on how many numbers you stock. 0-1999 numbers stocked, $97 per month. 2000-3999 numbers stocked, $139 per month. 4000-7999, $195 per month. 8000&up, $265 per month. Now between Nov 22, they waive the start up fee.

I just received "comparison letter" from R&R saying it is not required to sign up with D2dLink. They are afraid everyone is going to leave one-touch. The BIGGEST PROBLEM with one-touch is the fact that not every dealer uses it on our area. I am sure this is a problem everywhere. The BEST PART about one-touch is its access to the RAPID locator on your screen. But soon that will be going away, since Rapid (GM's dealer locator) will discontinue by the end of this year.

D2D requires a PC and Internet connection. If you still don't have a PC and an internet connection (like me), This is a great excuse to get it. I am TIRED of "dumb" terminals in my dept. So we need to decide which locator is the best. I am leaning towards the D2DLink, because it utilizes the internet, and GM is moving everything to that platform.

[partsguy]

The question is- will D2D list AC Delco distributor inventory, or is GM going to use this as another opportunity to cut them "out of the loop"? We use One Touch every day for AC Delco availability...

[Gerry Laughlin]

Partsguy,
I am with you on that one, if it does not have access to my WD it's about useless to me. I had to sign though, I cannot afford to lose the CFI. I am getting tired of being strong-armed into this kind of crap. Sooner or later they are going to push too far though and I will tell them to put there CFI where the sun don't shine.
On a positive note Epic came out today, it looks like it will probably work out well, and plus it gives Parts007 a reason to finally break down and get a PC.

Gerry Laughlin

[CLP]

Don't be afraid of D2D. I have only been exposed to what Ford is doing with the product and it's all good. Hopefully GM will follow suit. R&R should be afraid and so should PartsVoice. Ford has over 90% enrollmens and growing. They are adding obsolete numbers to the database, putting on their PDC inventories, and their distributors (like AC Delco) inventories. They are also using it to locate backordered parts and advising the dealers who have these about the demand. The best part is that it is updated daily. It also has an electronic payment feature between dealers if desired. I am sure these features are being looked at by GM which makes D2D a better product.

[Gerry Laughlin]

CLP,
I am trying not to respond to posts by unregistered users because I do not know whose interests they represent, but in this case I will. No matter what is said by D2D I will remain afraid of them. Before OEconnection put the kabosh on ChoiceParts, ChoiceParts had made a commitment to the dealers that the insurance companies would not be brought into the mix. OEConnection has made no similar commitment to the dealers, and from my discussion with a representative of OEConnection it appears as though the insurance companies are aligned with them. If you look at the other side of OEConnection you see CollisionLink. My fear is that sooner or later the system will develop to the point that insurance companies will require OUR own dealership bodyshop to put the estimate out on CollisionLink to be bid on by other dealers, and no matter what there is always a dealer out there willing to sell a part a little cheaper than I will. I one time had another dealer tell my body shop that he would sell him parts at cost plus 20%, yet when I talked to the body shop manager at that store he said the parts manager would not budge on prices to him. Go figure. No matter what OEConnection is owned by GM and Ford and I cant see any reason for D2D to care whether I sell a GM hood to MY bodyshop or the dealer that has given an insurance company a better bid. GM and Ford just care that an OE hood goes on the car in my bodyshop, not whether I sold it or the low bidder on CollisionLink (D2Dlink) sold it.

Gerry Laughlin

[This message has been edited by Gerry Laughlin (edited 09-20-2002).]

[Parts_Guy]

I don't know about you, but I have had good luck with Parts Voice. (Cobalt Group) www.partsvoice.com

[I_hate_lame_posters]

Hmmm... PartsGuy has had good luck with PartsVoice.

I'm sure it is just a coincidence that his profile states he is from Seattle... home of Cobalt, owner of PartsVoice.

We would all be wise to avoid companies that disguise their posts as coming from actual users.