Is buying an outboard overseas a good idea?

[butterclam]

Looking to buy a Suzuki from Outboard Motor Sales in Singapore. The deal sounds too good to be true. Anyone else deal with this company?

 

[GA_Boater]

Send the money to me. I won't send you an outboard either, but free beer is always enjoyable.


If you had to ask, you know the answer.

 

[jbcurt00]

The deal sounds too good to be true.

Because it is.......

Every season someone starts a topic about cheap new outboards from overseas, from a variety of sources.

Never had anyone report back they bought 1 though after asking here.....

 

[racerone]

Have them send you the motor.-----Then after you inspect it / put your hands on it then and only then send them the money !!!!

 

[tpenfield]

I want in on this action too. I'll give you 10% off the asking price and not ship you an outboard motor

Do some research, there are scam sites that look very real. Is there a particular website you are referencing?

 

[JimS123]

Its always best to buy locally. If I lived in Singapore, you can be sure I would buy from the site you referenced.

OTOH, My local dealer poopoos the idea of buying online. I bought 2 motors from OnlineOutboards.com (Cumberland,TN) and couldn't be happier. The last one was just a couple months ago. My dealer laughed at buying a motor in a box. He would add the oil, test fire it in a tank, yada, yada. The difference in price for a little 5 HP Merc was almost $700.

OLOB is a registered Merc Dealer, and no matter who I bought it from any Merc dealer is required to do warranty repairs.

 

[GA_Boater]

I want in on this action too. I'll give you 10% off the asking price and not ship you an outboard motor

Do some research, there are scam sites that look very real. Is there a particular website you are referencing?

I'll match your 10%. And throw in free shipping!

 

[fishrdan]

My dealer laughed at buying a motor in a box.

That's kind of funny, since that's what the dealer does, buys outboards in a box.

 

[crazy charlie]

I think you can also get a mail order bride from that site too!!

 

[JimS123]

That's kind of funny, since that's what the dealer does, buys outboards in a box.

His comment was made to justify the value in having him take it out of the box, service and test fire it before the customer receives it.

Reading between the lines, it also was a subtle hint that if you buy online you're on your own because he won't feel obliged to fix it later.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

Before buying my new boat I looked into more cowbells for it because I wanted more cowbells. In the US more cowbells is about $40K I did find the overseas Yamahas and Hondas for $20K less. And I think some of them are legit right up to the point where they dont clear customs or have a duty fee high enough it aint that great of a deal. However for a savings of $20K one could fly to the seller buy them and make your own shipping arrangments. Now you wont have any warrantee because there not US powerplants. In my case a $5000 plus vacation to make the purchase first hand and a little diving sounds great add another $1500 or more to get them shipped home and maybe $6000 in duty fees or taxes and no warrantee I have saved $7000 best case scenario.

Now if i was buying a $6000 trolling motor for $850 that might cost me $1400 total and my credit card company was on page with covering the possible fraud that might be there id be all in.

I have purchased shop equipment that was 25% of what its cost was here in the US from similar sites takes months to get them but saving 75% on the exact same item was worth it and these are from similar sellers so I do believe its possible to buy a boat powerplant from an overseas vender and actually have it show up and be new in the box. It just may not be the exact US version for comparison and if so you may find getting parts and having it serviced something else.

 

[JimS123]

It just may not be the exact US version for comparison and if so you may find getting parts and having it serviced something else.

That to me would be the deal breaker. Also, it would probably not meet EPA standards.

Now, I'm not a tree hugger (if i was I wouldn't own a boat), but adding more pollution would not be something i was willing to do.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Call me old fashion but I will never buy a big ticket item without seeing it 1st, never. I know many guys that got totally ripped off buying a car, truck, bike and boat sight unseen.