Tohatsu Dealers...??

[Alex65]

I think Tohatsu/Nissan is one of the OB companies that allows a lot of purchases thru the web. I just bought a 9.8 2-Stroke OB because I knew that 2-Strokes are going away soon (BTW, 2004 is the last year for the 9.8 2-S) Also, I bought the engine because it's weight is only 57 lbs (15" SS model) & the price was $1200.00 US. My 1996 6HP Mercury/Mariner weight was 74 lbs! Sold that for $500.00 & now I have a spankin' new OB.<br /><br />Anyway, I wanted to change out the lower unit oil & put in some Pennzoil 100% Synthetic before I ever kicked her over. For the life of me & tried to get the upper & lower unit oil screws off. Nothing worked!!! Bought an "impact" screw driver & still nothing. <br /><br />I decided screw it! I'm taking it to a Tohatsu dealer (20 miles away) So, I walk in & without hesitation they ask "Where did you buy this engine" I said online from www.onlineoutboards.com "Oh really" was their reply. So, how much did you pay? I told them. Ummmm....Why didn't you call us? My reply..."I did call you 1st & was told you had no inventory plus there wasn't any available from the distribution center" Oh...was thier reply. They simply treated me like a second-class citizen!!! They continued to give me some low-level grumblings...The guy was in mid-sentence & I picked up my new OB & walked out the door!!! He trailed me outside & I simply explained that he was super rude! I'm I being sensitive over here? I was going to pay for his work, so what's the problem? <br /><br />I drove about 25 miles or so to another Tohatsu dealer & the guy was simply awesome! He said come back tomorrow & I'll do everything..i.e. adjust the carb, change the lower unit oil etc. <br /><br />Local dealers should be more competitive on their prices of OB's IMHO. I wouldn't have minded paying an extra $150.00 to buy local, but they didn't even have stock!<br /><br />I wonder if anyone else has had an issue like this before?<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Alex

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tohatsu Dealers...??

THEE answer to where you bought it is <br />,<br />"I bought it when I lived in Ohio." <br />,<br />Ohio, or some other city or state about 300 miles away.

 

[Alex65]

Re: Tohatsu Dealers...??

THEE answer to where you bought it is <br />,<br />"I bought it when I lived in Ohio." <br />,<br />Ohio, or some other city or state about 300 miles away.<br /><br />That's just bull! Why should I have to lie? Anyway, he lost my business before he even received it! His loss, not mine. When you look for a OB dealer to service your engine you want to acquire a "relationship" Someone whom you can trust & rely on. The real money is in "service" anyway.<br /><br />Alex

 

[quantumleap]

Re: Tohatsu Dealers...??

A good relationship with your local dealer pays for itself in the long run. I understand that you were trying to save some money, but you did not support your local economy or dealer, so you should not expect them to recieve you with open arms. Buying from a dealer gets you both the product plus support. that is exactly the reason why internet companies sell so cheap. They know they'll never have to see you again. They provide no service, just product. Letting them make a couple of bucks by taking off the lower unit is not going to mend the fence.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Tohatsu Dealers...??

i have to disagree with quantem leap.... thats like saying that my local ford dealer should only fix my car if i bought from him. they are "authorized sales AND service centers" they operate a business to sell anbd repair a certain brand of motor... why should he care where or when i got it. we go online because the dealers prices are like taking it in the shorts.<br /><br />i am behind alex 65 110% !!!! thats just rude. i have had plenty of motors that were worked on at various dealers, none of which i ever bought from a dealer, and have never had any problems.<br /><br />perhaps they just have soooo much business that they dont need alex65's. <br /><br />take your cash somewhere else, and let quantem leap "support" his dealer in the long run

 

[DJ]

Re: Tohatsu Dealers...??

Why don't you take your own food into the restaraunt and ask them to cook it for you and serve it to you free?<br /><br />I think the first dealer missed a chance to gain a customer, yet on the other hand I can't blame him. How did he know you called? I'll bet he's been lied to before.<br /><br />Yes, the customer is supposed to be always right, yet they are not always thruthfull.<br /><br />A sales and service agreement cannot force a dealer to do warranty work. It requests them to do so, at their convenience.<br /><br />Sorry all, that's just the way it is.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tohatsu Dealers...??

If a store don't stock the product, they can't complain that you don't buy from them.<br />But they should still take your service work if they expect to build good community relations and cultivate future sales and service income.<br />IMO, he was very shortsighted, probably should look in the mirror the next time he wonders why he is sitting in an empty shop.<br /> <br />DJ- What warranty work? He was taking it in for cash paid service.<br /><br />A good sales and service establishment does business at the customers request, or pays the price in bad pr. Sure they can refuse to do the work if they NEED to, but should do it politely if they intend to stay in business very long, especially in a small town, where you can't count on an endless supply of deep pocketed customers.

 

[Alex65]

Re: Tohatsu Dealers...??

A good relationship with your local dealer pays for itself in the long run. I understand that you were trying to save some money, but you did not support your local economy or dealer, so you should not expect them to recieve you with open arms. Buying from a dealer gets you both the product plus support. that is exactly the reason why internet companies sell so cheap. They know they'll never have to see you again. They provide no service, just product. Letting them make a couple of bucks by taking off the lower unit is not going to mend the fence. <br /><br />Yes...A good relationship does pay for itself! If you really looked @ my post, I called them 1st! Also, I wasn't "trying" to save money buying online, it's just that onlineoutboards HAD inventory of that extact model that I wanted! <br /><br />Also, the Lower Unit doesn't need to come off to drain & install lower unit oil. I do appreciate everyone's replies but now I see that there's more narrow-minded people out there. <br /><br />Phatmanmike & Roscoe...Many thanks! I don't think people need to use a "golden handshake" to get service! In the end...it all worked out. I have my OB & found a really good wrench to do my service. BTW, the US has become a "service industry" economy....So people need to produce a smile & take whatever business is given to them!<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Alex

 

[quantumleap]

Re: Tohatsu Dealers...??

Guys, my post may have been a little misleading. I'm am not saying that I agree with how they treated him, just explaining why they acted like they did. It just seems like there are a lot of businesses that dislike the fact that you can get something cheaper on the net and then want to punish you for trying to save money. If they indeed made no effort to try to find you the outboard you were looking for, then they probably didn't deserve your business anyway and I certainly would want someone with that attitude taking a wrench to my motor.