Ford Vs Chevy

[rmack]

Ok guys, I've been reading for a while now, and feel like it's time to speak. My name is Rob and I'm a boat dealer (you're all supposed to say "Hi Rob") What we are talking about, is a bunch of aluminum, a little bit of steel and plastic, throw in some very complex electrical parts, dump the whole mess in salt water and call it an outboard motor. If you haven't noticed yet, the ingredients that make up todays outboards get low grades for playing well with others. We pay large sums of money for these outboards and expect alot in return. I don't care which brand of motor you buy, but understand this, it is a mechanical device and at some point in time it WILL fail in some way. It is going to fail and it will not last forever. As long as you understand that as a fact, let's move on. The marine industry tends to lag behind the auto industry by 25-30 years. The industry is changing so fast, many people jsut can't keep up. Some motors are carbureted, some have fuel injection, some marine motors still have ignition points! My point is, with things changing as fast as they are, many dealers can't cope with it. Speaking of dealers, there are as many kinds of dealers as there are kinds of motors. There are car dealers that sell boats and motors, there are lawnmower and motorcycle shops that sell outboard motors. There are mom and pop boat shops, there are multi-location mega-dealers. You all seem to stress on the brand name when it comes time to buy a motor for your boat. The thing that should be most scrutinized before you buy a motor, is the dealer you buy it from. The Marine Manufaturers Association has developed a Marine Industry Certification program. The program applies to manufacturers, dealers, and individuals in their employ. It is very difficult to get this certification. It requires mandatory education, and alot of dedicated effort on the part of the person or business seeking certification. When all requirements are met, before certification is granted, a code of conduct must be signed by the entity receiving certification. If your prospective dealer is not certified, ask him or her why not. Ask for a list of refferences of previous customers, both good and bad. The brand name is only a small part of your satisfaction. The person you buy it from, and the poeple that will fix it when it breaks (AND IT WILL!)are the ones that should most affect your buying decision. I sell brand X. While I wish everyone bought Brand X from me, the important part is that you buy a motor from someone that has your satisfaction on the top of their list of priorities. If enough of you become totally dissatisfied with your boats, before you know it, we will be posting notes on forums talking about our Winnebagos and golf clubs, and that would just plain SUCK.<br />I'll get off the soap box now. Its all in the dealer Boys, everything else is just Ford Vs. Chevy.

 

[MIKE F]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

HI ROB<br />Great post but- an outboard engine, is doing ,what it was made to do, powering a boat through the water.Whereas your Ford/Chevy engine, was not built to be placed in a boat, to spend a good part of it's life running at WOT.It was made to cruise at what? 1000-1500 RPM in a car,truck,van or motor home perhaps, far removed from the water.

 

[MURX]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Mike F, I've had eleven boats, 3 of em outboards the rest smallblocks with outdrives both volvo and mercruiser, and one was a volvo inboard I'll take a Chevy any day of the week, may not of been desinged for water but with a heatexchanger they'll out last an outboard IMO 2:1 they cruised well over 1500 rpm befor the days of the automatic overdrive my freind, my 28X10 aquasport walkaround with a straight shaft inboard was run at 3750rpm for up to 12 hours straight, after 10 years it still ran good enough to sell it for a whole lot more than i paid for it! bottom line CHEVYS RULE IMNSHO

 

[Fouled Plug]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Procrastinator, I found your post interesting. I wonder if everyone read it before replying?

 

[JB]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Hi, Rob! Not since I last visited with a politician who wanted my money have I heard so many words to say so little. Nevertheless, what you have to say is important. <br /><br />Going with the best dealer is a common and recurring theme here, as I'm sure you've noted. Mike F and Murx both seemed to miss your point entirely.<br /><br />I agree with your argument up to a point. Dealer networks differ and outboard engines differ as much as individual dealers differ.<br /><br />I travel to fish. The make's dealer network becomes important. I may be in Minnesota, Nevada, Carolinas or Florida when I need warranty service. The quality of my local dealer is then irrelevant and the national network becomes important.<br /><br />We don't simply argue Ford vs. Chevy. We like different things about different makes and have different priorities. Nothing except a tower of power sixpack sounds like that. Nothing is quieter or smoother than a Suzi DF70. Nothing resells better than any Yammy. Every make has people who swear by it (even, for crying out loud, Force!). Ford vs. Chevy is important to us, and it is our bux that are to be spent.<br /><br />Thanks for speaking up, Rob. Post your ideas and advice more often. We welcome a variety of views.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br /><br />JB

 

[rmack]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

JB, I know that every brand has it's pros and cons. I also know that those pros and cons mean different things to different people in differnt parts of the counrty. When you are talking about boats and motors, it's never as simple as just Ford vs Chevy.<br /><br />You bring up a point that I did not consider. The traveling fisherman. Duh! Traveling fisherman make up a good portion fo the poeple we see during the year (we have some of the best striped bass fishing anywhere).<br /><br />There is an organization called AMTECH (www.am-tech.org) This is a group very professional and dedicated technicians and service related people. They have a listing of all of their member dealers and service shops nation wide. Perhaps before you next fishing trip away from home port, you might check to see if there is a member business in the area. I think you will find that your satisfaction will be paramount to your bux.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Ditto Fouled Plug and J.B.<br /><br />Hi Rob!<br /><br />Just out of curiousity, what kind of vehicle do you drive? Is it a Hyundai, Kia or Daewoo who appear to have the best warranty and service ethics, or is it one of the big 'five' that you feel have proven their quality over time?<br /><br />just curious.....

 

[rmack]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Schematic,<br />You know it killed the cat, but for S&G I drive GM pick-up (but unfortunatly it has a Japanese diesel engine in it).

 

[edmii]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

guys Rob is just saying FORD Vs CHEVY as a example . All Ford guys think Chevy's sucks and Chevy Guys Think Ford sucks, Neither is true . do you drink coke or pepsi , come on mercury or evenrude , no matter just look and make the decision you will be happy with , but choose a dealer that will treat you right 'Because with an outboard it will require service , You'll be back so find a local dealer you can work with ! Nuff said

 

[6MISFITZ]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

I am pleased to see a dealer who earns and respects customers as people or fellow enthusiasts rather than just direct links to their cheque books, or their personal line of credit.<br /><br />This from a parts man.

 

[ODDD1]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Procrastinator, an interesting post...much of which I agree with...they all break,the speed things are changing,the disparity in the quality of dealers, the need for training etc....but I dont think the NMMA is going to do much about this....they screw up most things they touch in respect to us dealers...they are in existence to help the big manufacturers sell hardware...service is generally a long term goal beyond their short sighted veiw...manufacturer training still cannot be surpassed by anything I have seen....

 

[my new fishmaster]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

I would rather have a Toyota small six.

 

[rmack]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

ODD1,<br />I'll agree with you on where NMMA places most of their priorities, but I think that they may be headed in the right direction with the MIC program. They have placed the emphisis of this program on the consumer, and how they are treated by both the dealer and the manufacturer. If everyone, and I mean everyone does'nt realize that we all exist because of the boater, than our days are numbered. If NMMA educates manufacturers, dealers, and the boating public about MIC, it could do for boating what ASE did for the auto service industry. The main thing is that everyone has to support it and participate.

 

[Don Gregg]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Hi Rob, I'm not sure if you are out to sell more engines and boats or what, but I do agree with what you have said for the most part. A good dealer can make or break your summer and we all know sitting in the docks isn't the way you want to spend your summer vacation time. As for all the other replys that I have seen on your posting, I'm a Chevy guy. I have a 68 chevy half ton with a built up 327 engine in it. It's a toy, but pulls the boat OK. The guy with the toyota? ha! I bet he'd have a hard time pulling himself over loveland pass, nevermind pulling a trailer!<br /> As for the I/O, outboard question, I think it depends on how long you plan to own the boat and what size of boat you are trying to get on plain. I'd lay odds that a I/O sold ten years down the road will get you more bang for your buck than an outboard on the same size boat. It would in my book anyway! I think now that engines are starting to go to 4-stroke instead of 2-stroke that may change, but lets face it, most of the first time boat owners are going to go out and buy a used boat with an outboard. I did, and I thought it was a very good experience to have a boat that wasn't too much money and that if I made some mistakes with it, I didn't have to worry about getting all upset with myself over it. I just bought a 2001 Sea Ray with the 5.0 EFI Mercruiser and I'm not planning on too many problems since this isn't anything new(really)as far as technology goes and the Chevy engine is a reliable engine. I had a 4.3 L Chevy in my last boat and it never gave me any problems. All I can say from here, is be diligent about the required maintenance and things will treat you right no matter if it's a Ford or a Chevy...Preventative is the key word in Maintenance and Safety on the water!

 

[trevorcday]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

I'd just like to add a couple of thoughts to Rob's original point (that selecting a good dealer is important). If you were purchasing an outboard motor in a box then the dealer would have little input to the whole process. They would buy it from a manufacturer, warehouse it, then sell it to the buyer. Of course this is seldom the case. Usually motors are bought with a boat or to re-power an existing boat. Either way the buyer relies, to a greater or lesser extent depending on their level of expertise, on the dealer to recommend and assemble the right components to make up a working rig. This differs greatly from the automotive industry where you will get exactly the same product from every dealer of a given brand. So before any question of repair or service arises the expertise and ethics of the dealer become important in the advice and technical work that is provided prior to the initial sale.

 

[almost retired again]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Hello all;<br />After about 20 years in this field, I would like to add my two cents worth in here. I have never been MIC certified, but am now on my way. If you haven,t looked over MIC certification I think that you have overlooked something good for the whole industry. I think that ever dealer out there should have to at least take hassle free boating.

 

[DJ]

Re: Ford Vs Chevy

Rob,<br /><br />Bravo!!<br /><br />I could not agree with you more about buying from a dealer that will work with you.<br /><br />My first job was in a boat store. That's when the hook was set for my love of boating. The man I worked for was a perfectionist. He was known as being expensive but, if you wanted it fixed, he could do it. We had people coming to us from 300 miles around (no exaggeration) to fix their engines. The manufacturer sent alot of them to us.<br /><br />When we sold a boat, we broke the engine in, we didn't leave that to the customer. We made sure every wire in the boat was right and rewired some. We found PLENTY of mistakes before they ever got into the customers hands. We repacked the wheel bearings on brand new trailers and looked at every connection on the wiring. We also torqued the trailer lug nuts. Our customer following was tremendous.<br /><br />This man sold his business this year. A great loss to the industry. In 32 years of marine business, he and his technicians never missed one training course.<br /><br />I certainly hope the marine industry can weed out some of the less desireable characters. Usually the economy does but, these are different times.<br /><br />The manufacturers themselves are going to have to get into the act like the auto folks did. It has helped a great deal. The newer entries into the marketplace ie; (Yamaha, Suzuki and the new BMCA) have a distinct advantage just like many of the import autos do. They're franchises were written later and have more teeth in them for the factory to take corrective actions. Old line dealers are protected by some state franchise laws that allow them to do just about whatever they want. In many cases the factories are powerless to make any suggestions or take any actions.<br /><br />I know you don't want to hear about the factory using heavy handed tactics, but something tells me you have nothing to worry about.<br /><br />Keep up the good work, as you know-it does pay off.