DealersEdge Professional Forums

GM dealers - many years ago - used to replace software with actual "proms" from the parts department. Parts billed out these "proms" on the repair order and the dealer made a profit.

Now the software is downloaded into the vehicle from Techline equipment. Dealer now pays for all the equipment and a nice monthly fee from General Motors to access the software. None of this can be billed to the repair order. It is simply considered cost-of-doing-business.

Independant service shop has access to same tools (Tech-2, PC, etc.) - only difference is an AC-Delco WD calls on him and sells him his parts. If he purchases enough each month AC-Delco gives him free access to "SI". The same information we have to pay for he gets free. We buy a lot more from GMSPO than he buys from AC Delco and he gets the free stuff.

What am I missing?

He has a choice - you don't ... that's the difference. GM someday will get serious about dealer profitability when it realizes some of their brightest dealer talent sold off their franchise for greener pastures.

That is true we used to install proms but also then we had a CAMS at If I remember correctly was $8500.00 and was death slow. At that time could have bought a lot of proms for that. Now we do have faster equipment. I have Mazda, Subaru, and Porshe. GM is a bargin and leading the way in diagnosis compaired to them. Last I heard GM's new eqipment was is the hundreds of dollars. I spent well over 10,000 for the other three not counting monthly software fees of upwards of $1,000 or more. I may not see it on the ro but compared to others I see it in savings. You may notbe able to charge the General but in this "information age" you can charge your customers for "information. Your parts dept. may already be charging for key codes. We do but charge it as labor to house tech.

Also I knew the noem got SI but do they get TIS to update PCMs, BCMs, etc?

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