Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

[boater1234]

Hey guys i have a 15hp 2stroke merc as most people know here and i have been going back and forth on whether to go 4stroke and i have been driving myself crazy on what to go with,i'm also sure i have drove most of you crazy who post here and i'm sorry for that.So i have a plan,since i have some extra money i am going to buy a 20hp 4stroke outboard and compare and see which i like better as that is the only way i will ever settle this for me.After i decide i will sell one and keep the other.

I have been searching for the best deal on a 20hp 4stroke,all brands are in play for me as long as the price is right.I really like the merc because of the ratcheting system,it is awesome and very easy to use.Plus everything is built into the tiller.After searching for weeks on the net and calling a ton of marinas i think i may have landed the deal of the century inmo.So this is only about price in this thread,whether i hit the jackpot or i'm not getting as good a deal as it looks.

So after all the reasearch i went to the fl expo boat show and there was a marina there,i'm sure tohatsu guru has heard of them [old salt marina].I told the guy at the expo i will give him $2459+tax for a manual start 20hp 4stroke merc and they called me back a day later and said they can do that as that is a good price from what i have found[also please chime in if people have seen them cheaper or if it is a great deal]I have seen them for around $2600 - $2800 average all over unless that is overkill and really marked up.

Well i told the guy on the phone i can get a tohatsu for cheaper so he said ok.I called him back yesterday and left him a message,i told him if he would do a 2011 20hp 4stroke merc short shaft,tiller manual start with the full 5yr warranty for $2250+tax i would be down there to buy one,I really wasn't expecting a call to be honest,he said dealer cost for him was $2350 but he would do it as he needs to have so many motors registered before the start of the 2012 season.If they meet that they will get a nice rebate from merc he said.I have heard this before so i have no reason to not belive him.

So if $2250+tax is a steal to you guys who know these mercs please let me know asap so i can go down there and get one.After tax it is less then $2400 out the door for a brand new motor in the box.Is this a great deal or is it not as good as i think?I really don't know what the dealer cost is so that is why i'm hoping someone here knows what these run at dealer cost.All i'm looking for is it worth it?I'm not asking what is faster or better or anything like that,strickly price.Thanks for any info you can give me.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

Well the Tohatsu's start at 2500. Your getting it local so you have service available so it sounds like a good deal. Your bargaining methods seem backwards though...offer a price then research value??

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

I knew what the average prices were well before i offered the $2250.In the second part of my post it explains that i have been searching for 20hp outboards so i had some idea of what they run.But that doesn't mean what their asking is a good deal so that is why i'm asking if $2250 for a merc is really a great deal or are the other people just way to high and it should be what i offered to begin with.If $2250 seems normal then i will try to get it for a better price,if $2250 is an outstanding price and can't be touched then i will go buy it this week as he has to order it in.That would be pointless to make an offer as you said if i had no idea of what the average prices were.

I wouldn't even know what price to tell him unless i did research as i did.I have been looking at all the 15's and 20's besides honda as they are just way to expensive and over rated for what you pay imo.I was looking at yamaha,merc,tohatsu,and suzuki when i first started but i have narrowed it down to merc/tohatsu or yamaha because of the average prices i have seen and the features.Once i get a few opinions on this and if it is really the best deal according to the opinions i get then i will go this route.But if i'm only getting a ok to fair deal i will search on till i find the best possible deal on a new motor.

Once bought whatever brand i buy i will do some comparing,15hp 2stroke merc vs 20hp 4stroke outboard.If it is fairly close then i will just keep the new 4stroke and sell the 2stroke.If the 2stroke blows it out of the water then there will be no question on what i will go with.For me the main thing is going to be getting on plane fast,plus how easy it is to use either outboard,i know the 2stroke is lighter but the 4stroke has some good features also.But i must first find the right price for one.Hopefully this is the winner and my search will be over.

 

[pootnic]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

Let me see if I understand.
You gave a guy your word...$2250 + tax etc...you would be there to buy.
He says sure,even though it's below his cost.
Now your thinking of going back on your word....
I agree with your last line...hopefully this is the winner and your search will be over.

I am interested in your reveiw of the 2 motors,not sure why.
I bet there will be some interesting observations and a tough decision.
Good luck.

 

[gss036]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

Sounds to me like you clinched the deal with your word. The Merc sells for a little more than Tohatsu just because of the brand. Like some said above, you buy it locally and then you have some place to go back to for service or warranty if needed. Sounds like a fair price to me.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

I don't understand how i gave him my word.Asking him if he would do it for a certain price does not mean i gave him my word i would buy it.I just asked him if he would do it for that price if i wanted to buy it and he said he normally wouldn't go below a certain price but he would now because of the rebate merc gives him for selling so many motors in a yr.I never promised him anything which to me is giving someone my word.All i asked him was would he do it for that,and if yes i told him i need a little time to think on it and he said no problem to me.Actually he called me today and told me to take my time and make the right decision on what i really want as far as brand of motor.So far from what i have read here it sounds like a ahh deal.Not to good and not to bad.I guess these motors are just jacked up through the roof at $2800 or more.Well i will wait for more opinions on the price i gave the guy i would buy it for if i wanted to do the deal.If i get some more people who say it is a ok deal i will search some more to see if there is any better deals out there,if not then i will probally go this route of $2250.He's not pushing the motor on me so maybe he is telling me the truth about the motor being under dealer cost at $2250.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

Well i want to make a decision by this friday so i will just do a little more reasearch to see it there is any better deals along the way and if not i will go this route.I don't think i will be paying to much for it,but probally not the best deal either out there.From the prices i have seen out here and have been quoted this seems to be by far the best deal at $2250+tax for a new 20hp 4stroke of any brand,unless like i said they have just jacked their prices up through the roof and are making this price look normal to me.I guess i will never know but how can i go wrong with a new 20hp 4stroke for this deal as if i don't like it i could get at least close to my money back and just keep the 2stroke.I think i will like the 4stroke though,i'm actually getting a little excited about some new technology for me as i have had 2strokes all my life.Thanks for any other info if anyone else chimes in.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

The best possible dealer price on the Mercury would be $2334.50(with every possible discount...And that does not include the 5 year warranty at that price). The best possible price on the Tohatsu 20 would be $2151.46. Why any dealer would lose money on a 2011 by selling one at below cost is beyond me as our dealership wants to stay in business. I should be buying my engines from Old Salt as long as they want subsidize Mercury sales

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

"i told him if he would do a 2011 20hp 4stroke merc short shaft,tiller manual start with the full 5yr warranty for $2250+tax i would be down there to buy one."

If this is actually what you told him, then yes, i would call that giving the Man your word.

 

[RRitt]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

well, if you want to spend a little more - like $3000ish then I might have a new 20HP Honda. I got a good deal on a short shaft, electric start, tiller, with power trim and jumped all over it. I had been shopping for tohatsu and had come to the conclusion that I needed electric starter so that my battery would stay charged. A 20HP mercury with electric start was running about $3100 with tax. When a Honda threw itself at me for same price including power trim I couldn't resist. It was a better engine for same price plus power trim.

But now I am having serious doubts about hanging a $4000 engine off the back of a $700 hull with the expressed intent of ramming into oysters and sand bars. The whole idea of building this boat is to go into the mangroves without fear. I don't think the Honda is right for that. As great as Honda is, it is still water cooled. I think what I really want is a 18HP briggs welded onto an evinrude gearcase. So, if yer interested and in south florida, drop me a pm.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

Well i am going tomorrow to get the motor.I called him and said i will do the deal and he said come down tomorrow and lets do the paperwok as it is a done deal.Well i guess what your saying tohatsu guru is that i'm getting a whale of a deal then,am i reading you right?This is the deal he said he would do if i wanted to.That is flat out scraping the bottom of the barrel he said.I told him out the door i would do $2400 cash and he said ok lets geter done.It's actually $2243+tax.I don't really know what to expect out of this 4stroke but for this price why not.If i don't end up liking it i may be able to get my money back or close to it.My guess is i will like it.I'm comparing a 15hp 2stroke to a 20hp 4stroke,after i do the performance tests i will make a decision on which one to keep and sell the other.I should see a little overall better top end i would think.If the 4stroke can get me on plane quickly but not as fast as the 2 stroke i can live with it as long as it is not a slug i will keep the 4stroke.I looked all day today and called no doubt over 50 places and the best i could find close to this was $2340 on a new merc like this one.I will buy and run with it.Also yes that is with the full 5yr warranty as he said everything will be in writing so there is no problems.How can you beat a brand new 2011 20hp 4stroke merc with a full 5yr warranty for $2400 cash.I am excited and can't wait to break this thing in.He said he has to order it with 7 other engines so it will get here in either 2days or 4 depending on were they are coming from.He said they come from either wisconsin or st louis missouri.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

RRITT thanks for the offer but i will stay with the deal i'm getting as the merc has the ratcheting system so it makes it very easy to tilt plus i'm still a young guy and a little manual labor of pulling the motor up and down when needed is fine with me.Also i wanted a electric start but it was like $200 more so i will be fine by manually starting it.I also found a marina down the road from me that just got a deal on the 20hp 4stroke camo tohatsus,he is getting 20 of them and selling them for $2475+tax and they are all in the box brand new.If i was a duck hunter i would be all over that.They are close to $3000 on onlineoutboards.com.

 

[RRitt]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

From what I could gather, tohatsu manual start doesn't have an alternator. When i was tohatsu shopping I wanted electric start in order to have a charging system for my trolling motor and lights.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

I pray you dont find one for 25 bux cheaper on the way to get this one..:facepalm:

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

Cheapboatkev i just may find one cheaper on the way,you never know.I'm all about saving money and getting the best deal possible.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

That would be incorrect. It has a alternator...Just like the Mercury. It does not have a rectifier...Just like the Mercury. In both cases you would have to buy the rectifier and bolt it on if you wanted to charge a battery

 

[RRitt]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

That would be incorrect. It has a alternator...Just like the Mercury. It does not have a rectifier...Just like the Mercury. In both cases you would have to buy the rectifier and bolt it on if you wanted to charge a battery

nice. So I can start with a 15M and upgrade to onboard charging with a simple rectifier. Then if 15HP is too slow for me I can upgrade to 20HP. But then if 20Hp is too fast for my teenager, then I can go back down to 15 with a carb swap.

wow. I should have bought a 15M tohatsu instead of this Honda. Until I can find an outboard with aircooled disposable powerheads the tohatsu sounds like next best thing.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need some help on pricing a merc outboard

Well i went and got my motor today,well i should say paid for it.It is a done deal,$2400 out the door for a new 20hp manual start merc.I'm so excited i have been like a kid a candy store.This will be my second brand new motor in my life as the first was a 9.8 2stroke tohatsu and i loved that so this merc should be just as good.I'm not going to be so picky about the torque as long as it has decent get up and go as most if not all have said it has i will be good to go.I just can't expect 2stroke torque as i may get dissapointed.Who knows it may exceed expectations by a mile and all this time i was worried about the get up and go.I will still just for kicks compare the 15 2stroke to the 20 4stroke just to see how much difference there is.Well i sould be picking up the box from the marina no later then thursday he said maybe sooner.Well when i get it i will post again.Thanks guys for any help you gave me.