comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

[walleyehed]

I'm hangin' out at my B.I.L's for the next 3-4 days and I went to The Boat shop at the K.C.,KS Ca be las....I went in and ask the salesman to tell me why I should buy brand "X" over Brand "Y".
Here's what I got: If you want to change powerheads and lower units once a year,go with an ETEC H.O.....If you want shear speed and total performance from A to B, go with a MercXS.......If I want great dependability, a true warranty(says BRP had lied about a 7year warranty...only good for 2yrs on moving oiled parts), go with a Yamaha if I dont mind being a few mph slower than the rest.
I told him I was unaware of the ETEC problems, and he said, "Oh my....we had 27 powerheads fail this last summer that were sold from the Kansas City store alone and with that, 14 L.U. shelled as well.
He owns an '03 ficht and is quite happy with it.....he says he is on powerhead #2 on his back-up boat with an 06 225 H.O. ETEC..
This shop is not "brand-loyal"... why would they lie like this?????

 

[Silvertip]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

Commission better perhaps on anything other than an E-Tec? Wanted to sell what was "in-stock"? "B" as in "B." -- "S" as in "S." perhaps. This is the second time we've seen these claims (different numbers -- but the same general statement). I'm not brand specific and my feeling is that the Consumer Protection folks would be on this like stink on a skunk and the owners of all those "bad motors" would be line up in front of the store with great big signs proclaiming "FOUL". Perhaps the four-stroke folks are getting a little worried about the E-Tec success and are planting rumors in outlets where their products are sold side-by-side with E-tec. I might also point out that I visited a shop one day the summer before last and while meandering around I happened to see some engine blocks on the floor in a another room. Turns out there were 18 or 19 three cylinder blocks on the floor and one V6 on a bench, each with a hole in the block where parts had escaped. These were four strokes (gray ones - . I'm reasonablly sure those holes weren't made at the factory. When I asked the owner about them I was ushered out of the area with no explanation. Nobody is perfect in this business but these E-tec stories are a little suspect and I intend to do a little sleuthing to see what I can turn up.

 

[JB]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

I never believe any bashing of anything by someone trying to sell something else or defend buying something else.

If you want a reliable, economical outboard there are a lot to choose from. . .2 stroke or 4 stroke. There aren't any bad ones in the front lines, just bad salesmen.

 

[DJ]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

I never believe any bashing of anything by someone trying to sell something else or defend buying something else.

If you want a reliable, economical outboard there are a lot to choose from. . .2 stroke or 4 stroke. There aren't any bad ones in the front lines, just bad salesmen.

Ditto.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

He just had no idea what he was talking about. If he did know his elbow from a prop, he would already be a member here.

What's that? There's something on my nose? Something brown on my nose? I'll try and go wipe it off.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

I spent about an hour this morning "sleuthing" and about the most significant data I could find is in a very extensive article at the link below. Ironically, it touches on the UNSUBSTANTIATED story about a dude who "heard" about another dude that lost three E-tec power heads within a few minutes. This article searched for truth in that story but came up empty handed. So I look at that story as genuine B.S. This article, which is very in depth studied the E-tec commercial to see how "real life" this was. It also looked at some of the other fact vs fiction stuff related to the whole 2-stroke/4-stroke arguement as well as reliability, warranty, recalls, and other issues. It is worth reading and was published in 2006 so a year has passed but other than this article, I've turned up nothing of importance. Certainly nothing on power head or lower unit failures. You can add the www.

oceanskiffjournal.com/SubscriberContent/Articles/Vol01Issue05/General/ETEC1.aspx

 

[old-gubbins]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

Silvertip,

I reckon that is a first class link, thanks.

OG

 

[walleyehed]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

Thanks for the link, Silvertip....I enjoy visiting these places and blending in with the general public to see just what answers I'll get...especially when I start asking about props and what the differences are...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

I wish I could follow you around when you latch onto an unsuspecting prop sales person as we seem to think alike. I think you would have enjoyed being around when I bought my last new car. I had two sales guys so befuddled they didn't know whether they were afoot or horseback. I'll be brief but one part of this deal went like this:

Me -- Why don't I see a key hole for the trunk?
Sales Guy: It's electric -- you don't need a key.
Me -- Let's see, I have a dead battery and my jumper cables are in the trunk. How do I get to them.
Second Sales Guy: Call "OnStar", they can pop the trunk.
Me -- How does OnStar work with a dead battery?
First Sales Guy -- Call them on your cell phone or a land line!
Me -- You seem to forget it takes electricity to open the trunk. Battery is dead so I repeat how does OnStar work with a dead battery?
Both Sales Dudes -- Blank Stare!

As Larry The Cable Guy says -- there ain't no cure for stupid!

 

[BillP]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

It's pure crock. I work pt in a marine supply house (don't sell Etec) and talk to owners of all brands...Etec is at the top of the heap for customer satisfaction...far above other brands. I've talked to two offshore guys in recent months with twin 4 strokes (Yamaha & Suzuki) on their boats who are switching to Etec. The ONLY time I hear trash talk about Etec is when the person "heard" of someone who had a problem. The only thing I've been able to verify through an Etec dealer as a "problem" has been corrected by BRP...it was a lag in throttle response on the 60hp. Most owners didn't know it was lagging and didn't have an issue with it. The MOST complained about is the Virado...by leaps and bounds over every other motor.

bp

 

[MarkV_Deep6]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

It's pure crock. I work pt in a marine supply house (don't sell Etec) and talk to owners of all brands...Etec is at the top of the heap for customer satisfaction...far above other brands. I've talked to two offshore guys in recent months with twin 4 strokes (Yamaha & Suzuki) on their boats who are switching to Etec.
bp

The market is providing a strong clue to what is the reality about outboards. The Etec commands the highest innitial price. Dealers are not discounting them and can't keep up with demand from what I have observed. Other manufacturers are increasing warranty time, while BRP is decreasing thiers.

In the retail market Etec is holding it's value, and BRP does not have to cut profits. They are in fact, increasing profits. What does this tell you?

 

[BillP]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

2008 Etecs come with a 5yr warranty. There is also no difference between the saltwater and freshwater versions. All are saltwater now.

 

[pduquette]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

'Scuse me Mr sales guy -Did you just say your store sold 27 bad powerheads and 14 motors with bad L.U.??????SEE YA !! won't be buying ANYTHING here !!! I'm definiately going somewhere else! Sounds like the whole crew needs re-training.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: comparing outboards at a large chain discount facility...

its funny, my 175 E-TEC gets run like I stole it and its almost flawless,odd stumble if you acelerate slowly about 2800. irritating when loading on the trailer. otherwise its been a good one.
my F150 runs very well and hasnt puked nything.
most "puked" engines I can track directly back to the selling dealeships pre delivery inspection dept.
its also why Yamaha is cracking down on loose motor sales.
todays outboards ae just to complex for the average shade tree to properly mount,PDI and correctly set it up.