Re: 9.9 to 15
What something costs is irrelevant to what something sells for in a capitalist economy. Demand determines price unless there is regulatory interference. Using this engine size range as an example...15 hp engines sell for $2000.00. 9.9 engines sell for $1800.00. The manufacturer could spend the time and money to purpose build two completely different outboards. That would cost them X for the 15 and Y for the 9.9. Or they could save the development and manufacturing costs by simply detuning one engine size down to another. Basically they save the cost of Y. Since they have spent less it saves them money. The manufacturer looks at other brands that sell a 9.9 and 15 and prices at MARKET value. IE They join the pack to some degree. There isn't any deception involved. The consumer is getting what they pay for....It's just the manufacturer is enjoying a higher profit margin on the higher hp. Say they make 30% on the 15 and 20% on the 9.9. They average the profitability that way acoss the line to get the profit margin that they need/want.
Austraila is a little further along the socialist road than we are( we are catching up though) and I can see why you would rasie your eyebrows...But, profit is the motive for a company to exist. It's not about being fair, it's about stockholder equity. Now in the long term it actually does benefit the consumer to some degree because the more money a company makes as profit, the more money a company pays in taxes. At least thats the theory.
