Saturn Makes Parts Available Online

AP reported today that,hoping to speed delivery and improve the accuracy of replacement part shipments from its dealers to wholesale customers, Saturn Corp. is joining an Internet exchange set up by other automakers.

In December, the formation of OEConnection.com was announced as a joint venture between General Motors Corp. , Ford Motor Co. , DaimlerChrysler AG , and Bell and Howell.

Saturn is a GM subsidiary.

The service, based in Richfield, Ohio, is an online matchmaker between the parts department at a dealer and body shops looking for parts needed for repairs.

``It electronically communicates the entire parts list,'' Kevin Weidlinger, OEConnection.com vice president for sales and national accounts, said Monday.

Executives at Saturn are hoping the new system not only will speed delivery of parts, but also will help solve the time-consuming and expensive problem of incorrect shipments.

``You look today a lot of aftermarket data is not real accurate,'' said Mark Ray, Saturn executive director of sales and service. ``Really, it takes three orders to get the right parts to the body shop.''

OEConnection.com's Collisionlink service checks orders for accuracy to prevent the wrong part from being shipped.

Ray said the service will be a good fit for Saturn's ``crash depot'' concept. A crash depot is a parts warehouse that serves an area wider than a single dealership.

Saturn will begin a pilot program with the system during the fourth quarter of 2001, Ray said.

Aside from making it easier and faster for body shops and other wholesale customers to order parts, Ray said he hopes the service will increase sales of original equipment parts manufactured by Saturn at the expense of aftermarket replacement parts produced by other companies.