Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

[manolis]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

I dont know which has more power but,
The yamaha 25hp fourstroke has 3 cylinder and 1 carb
The tohatsu 25hp fourstroke has 3 cylinder and 3 carbs
which one would you say more reliable? (just asking)
Cobra I didnt like the name either till I got one. 8) 8)
Mercs are now made by tohatsu.

 

[ziemann]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

LOL Cobra! I wear my paper bag gladly. I am sure there are people that feel that way and there were people that felt that way when Yamaha and Suzuki came to market.

I did pay the extra money for the Nissan name. Even though there is absolutely no difference, I do believe it does help with resale when it is time to sell it. Most people in the midwest and mountain states have never heard of Tohatsu...but at least they identify with the Nissan name....even if they only identify with it in the auto industry. I would be interested to know frm Elvin, what percentage of their outboards are sold under the Tohatsu name versus the Nissan label...

Its tough to type on my computer with a paper bag on my head...

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

Starting from 1984 we sold Nissan's over Tohatsu at 20:1. That's changed a lot over the years and at present it runs 2:1 with Tohatsu over Nissan. There are still areas of the U.S., where the original Tohatsu network was weak, in which Nissan is the only label sold. Three different Tohatsu distributers with selected areas of distribution didn't help with a national marketing strategy either. Once everything merged with Tohatsu USA in the late 90's it got a little better, but Tohatsu dealers and Nissan dealers can't sell the other label. So...a lot of areas can only support one label and many dealers choose the Nissan label over the Tohatsu label. There are a few things that will be changing in the near future in regards to labeling policy's and one Japanese manufactuer is taking a real hard look at the U.S. market and deciiding if they want to stay. If they withdraw, then Tohatsu will market that brand's engines here under the Tohatsu label and/or under that brands label.

 

[ziemann]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

Oh Elvin- thats not fair! Details on that one PLEASE!

I have always said that something is wrong with the corporate structure at Tohatsu. They have built such a solid product, but still remain pretty obscure in many parts of the US...

So...tell us about this restructuring and the manufacturer thats considering a departure....

Its not fair to tease me like that...

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

Sure! Brand X looses money here so they are contemplating withdrawl from the North American market. It cost a lot to maintain a corporate presence and the logistics expense for operations far exceeds the net revenue. The only thing that's keeping them here right now is "loss of face" and possible impact on other products that they sell.

The labeling issue between Tohatsu and Nissan is resolving itself as Tohatsu sales continue to climb. Someday the difference between the two will be so great as to eliminate the need for the Nissan label. There is known date for that...It will be done when the percentage of sales becomes lopsided in favor of Tohatsu by a huge margin. Since Tohatsu is advertising more under its own name...The handwriting is on the wall. And I can't divulge who brand X may be

 

[ziemann]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

So Elvin, looking at the new graphics...

Does this explain giving this year's Nissan some dreadful graphics while giving Tohatsu the "blue swoop" nice graphics as part of the strategy of trying to get more people that are looking to buy the Nissan to consider moving over to the Tohatsu?

Again, the Nissan label gave owners familiarity in name when Tohatsu was completely foreign to them (no pun intended). I would say that they still have a long way to go...especially in this part of the country.... Resale remains higher here with the Nissan.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

The sorry graphics on the Nissan are Nissan's Corporation's creation. Tohatsu doesn't like it either.

 

[BillP]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

Yamaha did nt make outboards till the early eighties, right?

20 yrs earlier...1960

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Yamaha vs. Tohatsu

yamaha started importing to the US about 84 or so, that 4 stroke 25 in the US was actually a merc 2cyl,single carb model all the way down to the failure prone motorola ign system.
the 3rd cyl at the top facing fwd was strictly a balancer piston and prduced no power, there were alot of two cyl 2 stroke single carb 25hp yams and a few years of a 3cyl 2stroke 3 carb 25 motors.in the past 30 years or so I have spent my time with tohatsu,suzuki,evinrude,merc,mariner,force,yamaha,volvo penta and mercrusier with some OMC cobra dealership work tossed in . worst was yamaha stern drives cause about the time we got geared up for them they disapeared from the US market.
tohatsu made a very fine product, the inline4 gearcase did not take as much abuse as the yamaha V4 case. the fasteners had a tendancy to corrode rapidly, they may have started chrome plating the bolts like suzuki and yamaha.
however winning or losing a sunday race wont tell me how long its gonna run.
I dont know a lot about them tiny mite 40 and 50 motors but I do know you can take a pair of EFI250 yams and set the tachs at 5000 for 2.5 hours, I have been onboard for it, I have another crazy customer with a 33 grady with twin F225 motors. last service I did was at 1400 hours and the engines had like 450 hours above 5000 and 30 some odd hours above 6. and it does it almost everyweekend during tuna season.
but even then it was rare to see any electrical failures on nissan/tohatsu,yamaha or suzuki. so rare that 90% of the dealers wont stock CDI´s stators or ign coils. I could most likly take evry jap powerpack,ign coil,stator and trigger coil I ever replaced and walk away with them in a shopping bag. would take a few F350 fords to do the same with OMC and merc.