The
following article is of the opinions and statements of AFA Marine www.smalloutboards.com.
We do not take any responsibility for the content on this page. The content
found on this page is a perspective of our views on "Brand Loyalty".
We are merely stating how we feel about this topic. We encourage and endorse
all consumers and readers of this page to formulate their own purchasing
decisions based on due diligence, research, and various perspectives related.
This Article is Primarily based on motors under 40hp. We feel that larger
motors represent a whole different scenario and brands play a more significant
role.
For
many people the decision to purchase an outboard engine is based on brand
loyalty or past experience with a particular brand. For others it is from
what they have heard by word of mouth, forum talk, or some opinionated
article they have read. The question posed is "does it really matter
which brand you go with? Is there one brand better than the other?"
The answer YES and NO.
First
we will explain the "No" part: ( Is there
one brand better than the other?)
So
you have heard bad things about Mercury and only good things about Johnson
OMC? People have told you that Chrysler engines were junk and Yamaha motors
are the only motors that hold up in saltwater? You are too scared to purchase
a Tohatsu or Nissan because you are not familiar with the engine? All
of these propositions are typical opinions and sentiments that individual
boaters have preached. None of these are concrete facts that all boaters
can agree on. Lets check out the most common scenarios related to brand
loyalty that we at AFA Marine come across:
-
If
you ask a dealer from each brand they will all tell you that their
motors are the best and that everyone else's outboards are junk.
-
If you ask someone who grew up using a particular brand and has had
success with that brand they be partial to that motor and put down
other makes.
-
You
have owned a particular brand and it blew up on you or you had problems.
You then curse that brand because of your one experience.
-
Often
this happens with poorly maintained used motors. You have to attribute
most of the problems you will have to the usage or abuse that the
previous owner(s) may have initiated.
-
You
read an article from a brand that states their motor is far above any
other brand
-
These
are fundamental objectives marketers for these brands want to achieve.
Funny thing is that some competing brands actually subcontract their
motors to their competitors then battle it out in the advertising
world.
-
You
have only seen the particular boat you are buying have one brand installed
on it.
-
This
is most often a result of a particular dealer getting a better deal
from the brand to equip these engines on their boat. Usually means
that the particular brand will allow them to make bigger margins...more
or less a business deal rather than brand reputation.
-
Your
mechanic or boat repair shop usually has one particular brand in for
repair more often than some others?
-
This
is probably a result of their being more of that brand sold in that
regional area than others. For example: here in Clearwater FL, there
are more Yamaha and Mercury motors than Johnson or Evinrudes. Therefore
odds are higher that you will see a Mercury or Yamaha being repaired
in a shop.
In
all honesty we don't really see any outboard motor brand has having serious
flaws or should be shunned when making a purchasing decision. We often get
phone calls from people who swear that they will never touch a Mercury(example)
followed by a phone call from a client that will only trust Mercury. We
get customers who are reluctant to purchase a Tohatsu thinking that they
are a lower end motor when in actuality they are one of the best motors
we have ever tested. Some people even go as far as to claim that they will
never buy an Evinrude but will be happy to own a Johnson. We are often startled
by this because the two motors are identical except for paint and decals*.
Lets
Explain the "Yes" Part:
( Is there one brand better than the other?)
Well
for certain situations one brand actually is better than the other...........for
you. This does not apply to everyone since not everyone has the same needs
and applications for these motors. Some motors provide features and benefits
better than others but in a comparison of all motors each have their subtle
differentiation. In order to alleviate a homogenous market, brands have
utilize a small degree of product differentiation. The functionality and
mechanics of different brands all have one thing in common....performance.
Here
are a few scenarios that we feel make sense to choose one brand over the
other:
-
You
want a motor that gives you the option of changing shaft length by adding
or subtracting a component.
-
In
this scenario you may consider a Johnson or Evinrude (others convert
as well) outboard since the 4-15hp outboard motors have extension
kits.
-
You
have to have an outboard motor that has a gear shifter integrated into
the tiller.
-
In
this scenario you may consider a Mercury or Mariner outboard since
they are the only brand that has the shifter built right into the
twist tiller.
-
You
want a sailboat motor that weighs under 60lbs but has the power of a
10hp.
-
In
this scenario you may consider a Nissan or Tohatsu because they
have one of the best sailboat 2-strokes the 9.8 hp
-
You
are not concerned with weight and you want to have the most powerful
motor for the horsepower rating
-
In
this scenario you may consider a Suzuki since we have found them
to be the most powerful motors for their rating. (Based on our tests.
We make no statements claiming that Suzuki's will beat any other
motor)
You
want to find the right outboard for you by researching the features that
each brand offers. It is foolish to exclude brands because of what you heard,
you should do it based on concrete facts such as features.
Reputed
"Off Brands"
This
is probably the most important section of this article.
THERE ARE VERY FEW IF ANY OFF BRAND OR GENERIC OUTBOARD MOTOR PRODUCERS
IN THE USA TODAY. As of now there are only a handful of outboard
motors that can be considered generic. Since the EPA has mandated emission
regulations on outboard motors most of these companies have decided to get
out of the motor business.
We
do not regard Tohatsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Gamefisher, Mariner, Force or Chrysler
as "off brands". Each of these brands have produced some of the
best running outboard motors. Just because you do not see dealerships on
every street corner does not mean that these motors are not quality products.
In fact, we have found that Tohatsu/Nissan and Suzuki to have excellent
engineering and innovative technology. We find that almost every used Nissan,
Tohatsu, and Suzuki that we come across, regardless of appearance, have
been strong runners. Many lodges and resorts world wide love these motors
because of their durability and pricing. As far as Gamefisher, Chrysler
and Force go these are great motors as well. They are economy motors that
are targeted for a price conscious consumer. This does not mean that they
have a shorter life span this basically means that they are less refined
and may have less features(such as F-N-R clutch) than high priced motors.
You should never disregard these motors as an purchase option just because
of perceived notions.
Summary:
We
at AFA Marine feel very confident that all manufacturers today and of
years past have all been pretty consistent in putting out a great product.
Outboard motors are some of the most sophisticated engineering that man
has ever created. The thought and intuition that went into creating and
designing outboard motors is very fascinating. In order to produce an
engine that functions as a propulsion device for a water craft it must
be able to handle the elements. Almost all engines that were created have
been able to handle the test of time, stress, usage, and abuse. With this
in regard there are a few brands that decided to take an economical marketing
approach which meant using cheaper materials. For the most part, you can
count on almost any brand or outboard motor to function well if taken
care of.
