Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

[Lowranger]

I just read this and my heart sank. http://www.boats.com/news-reviews/article/johnson-outboard-future

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

Its hard for US companies to compete with Asia produced goods...This is esspecialy true with old companies that have high overhead/labor rates and old marketing strategies. Before the internet, you would go to a handfull of outboard dealers in your area...now, high volume internet sales only leave quality as the only other deciding factor...I don't know of a single high volume Johnson website (for small outboards). If it exists, then they are not marketing it well as I searched for a long time untill I gave up and bought a Tohatsu.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

I trust that when you say high overhead you are refering to the overpaid management and executive that have poisoned most companies. I work for an outfit that has 25000 employees and less than 12000 are nonmanagement. Everyday we hear noise about increasing productivity, and in order to do so they hire an addition manager to study why more work isn't done. When the final report says they need more front end staff the bosses say there isn't enough money to hire any more frontline people @ $29 - $39 per hour cause they spent the money on the new managers @$55 - $70/hour. They then decide to hire another manager to study the budget problem keeping the last managers too. Most large companies and corporations are run by people who have there heads up their *****. Oh yeah we had to fire all the janitors cause they were too much of a financial hardship to the company at 8/hr. Now we can pay a contractor $25/hr per janitor who gets $6/hr from his legal pimp like boss.

 

[JB]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

Good article that tells it like it is.

I think BRP is making a big mistake in not offering diversity, but they have been bashing the very Johnson 4 strokes they have been selling.

See a recent thread on this sazme subject.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

I agree Jimmbo...Too many big US companies cut the linemen and hire 5 quarterbacks in an attempt to be put points on the board....That never works.

Johnson/Evinrude needs to fire their marketing department and come up with consistant product line as I think this is a big part of their decline....While their at it, they should find a new web developer to create a single website that actualy has usefull info about their outboars.

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

I don't even want to know what the price is going to be on an Etec kicker motor, DFI isn't cheap and its gunna add ALOT of cost to the small engines plus they are going to have to use a different style injector for the small engines, its hard to control the fuel flow on a 9.9 engine with a big injector.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

Geez -- I was feeling pretty upbeat this morning until I saw this bunch of "gloomy Gus's". Perhaps everyone forgets that Chrysler dropped Plymouth, GM dropped Oldsmobile, Ford thought about and probably should drop Mercury, and the list goes on. The days of having two, three, four or more Models based on the same design are gone. Even Honda, Nissan, and Toyota are finding that their reputation for quality is slipping because their model mix is getting high and when that happens, its tougher to maintain a grip on the tihings that got you where you are. Labor costs are a major factor in any production situation and just because the CEO receives a greater salary than the net worth of many developing coutries, does not mean he/she is at fault. It just means you are jealous. Labor costs are not just what you take home. Health care, pensions, the tools, space, heat, light and equipment you need to do your job all amounts to overhead which is what drove production off shore. Then there is the feeling that low skilled workers should be making the same money as those that took the time to get an education. Yes -- I'm preaching. Any of you been to a carpet store lately? Did you notice that carpet is now priced by the square foot as well as the traditional square yard. The reason for that is that this generation has no idea how to figure square yards. Had we completed the switch to the metric system we would not have that problem but people simply couldn't cope with this simple change so it was abandoned, even though their cars and most appliances are now manufactured to metric dimensions. We have a generation that the only technical skills they have is text messaging and knowing how to play a video game which is another reason we need to higher foreigners to fill highly technical positions. We simply can't get anyone interested in math and the sciences. Aaarrrrrgh. I need another cup of coffee.

 

[tommays]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

It still really had to get into MIT and the other good engineering schools So i have to think there are a few kids with technical skills and the desire to use them


Tommays

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

I have had a problem with high paid CEO's for a long time. But companies pay their bonus' with company stock. So if the guy does his job and makes the company profitable he gets rich....sounds like the way to do it to me. Like just a couple of days ago (on the news) a CEO was paid 400 million....but it was in stock that appreciated over the years and he exercised his stock option last year.

Buttttttttttt he(she) can't do it alone and all the "rest of the company" that made it happen should likewise share in the success......not have this hugh disparity between the guy at the top and the rest of the company.

Company I retired from used to have a manager for 7 subordinates. Rearranged things and went to 24. Things seemed to work just fine.

Agree that too many companies (auto) are trying to cover all the bases to have something for everyone and loosing their founding roots in the process. I think GM is trying to fix that in the truck market by separating Chev and GMC trucks.

Should have been a heads up when OMC sold out TO BMP. Course Merc was bought out by Brunswick years ago and they seemed to be doing ok.

I grew up in the Johhny/rude days and it was just a matter of dealer location, color, or cowling shape preferences as to which you bought.

Mark

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

Here's what I can't figure out: A 9.9 hp outboard costs, news, from between $2000 and $2500.

I just saw an ad for an 18 hp garden tractor, selling for about $1700.

Why the discrepancy in price? The garden tractor has many more parts than an outboard, is much larger, and more. The one I saw was an electric start model, complete with transmission, four wheels, steering, a built-in mower, and more.

Consider the cost of shipping a garden tractor, which is much higher than for an outboard, as well.

Outboard prices are outrageous, in my opinion.

I won't even get into the prices for large outboards, which rival small autos in price. It's ridiculous.

Some manufacturer needs to give it a thought and figure out that if they sell their outboards for a genuinely reasonable price, they'll drastically undercut the market and make boating more affordable for everyone. That spells larger volume and more profitability.

Of course, I say all this as I prepare to overhaul the carb on my 1974 Eska 9.9 hp outboard. I paid $125 for it last year and it's doing fine, but isn't idling all that well. The carb overhaul will take care of that, I'm certain.

I can buy a lot of gas and oil for $1875, I think.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

Outboard prices are high for a number of reasons. Nearly every part on them is a "casting" or "molded". Every part on an outboard is either stainless steel or an aluminum alloy. Casting and molding are extremely expensive when compared to sheet metal stampings. Next, if you look at garden tractors, there are just a couple major manufacturers that build for the gazillion different brand names. MTD/Yard Man and Murray are two of them. There are economic advantages to volume production. I bought a new Craftsman mower last spring and the thing spilled a tank full of fuel in my shed when the hose nipple broke off the tank. When the service dude was here doing the recall repair he indicated there were 12,000 Sears mowers that needed to be taken care of out of the Eden Prairie, MN service center. That's one brand, in one city. You do the math and I'm sure you will realize the outboard manufacturers would dearly love to have those kinds of production numbers. Tractors don't have the level of sophistication that an outboard has either. You also see very few 20 or 30 year old yard tractors in service like you do outboards. My son in law is still using my 1976 MTD but there aren't many parts on it that are original.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

Here's what I can't figure out: A 9.9 hp outboard costs, news, from between $2000 and $2500.

I just saw an ad for an 18 hp garden tractor, selling for about $1700.

Why the discrepancy in price? The garden tractor has many more parts than an outboard, is much larger, and more. The one I saw was an electric start model, complete with transmission, four wheels, steering, a built-in mower, and more.

Consider the cost of shipping a garden tractor, which is much higher than for an outboard, as well.

Outboard prices are outrageous, in my opinion.

I won't even get into the prices for large outboards, which rival small autos in price. It's ridiculous.

Some manufacturer needs to give it a thought and figure out that if they sell their outboards for a genuinely reasonable price, they'll drastically undercut the market and make boating more affordable for everyone. That spells larger volume and more profitability.

Of course, I say all this as I prepare to overhaul the carb on my 1974 Eska 9.9 hp outboard. I paid $125 for it last year and it's doing fine, but isn't idling all that well. The carb overhaul will take care of that, I'm certain.

I can buy a lot of gas and oil for $1875, I think.

Thing here is volume to make a profit...they can sell a heck of a lot more lawn tractors to a lot more people than those few looking for an OB.​

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

The garden tractor has many more parts than an outboard, is much larger, and more. The one I saw was an electric start model, complete with transmission, four wheels, steering, a built-in mower, and more.

Outboards should cost less. After all, you have to buy the steering, wheels, and mower deck extra.

 

[NGABaldEagle]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

Sorry....Its silly to think employees are entitled to share in the success of a company above their agreed upon pay.

My dad was a Union steel worker and we have never agreed on things like the union or environment. He was so worried about the environment he said if we didnt do something within 10 years all of mankind would be focusing their efforts on saving the planet. That was 1994.

Wack jobs convince people with some truth and many false tales.

This is America...start your own business, put your butt on the line, work 80 hours a week for 3 years, and be the boss!!!!!!!!!!

When you finally make it you will be bombarded by people that #1 Think you somehow won lifes lottery #2 Your employees think they are entitled to more than their salary. #3 Everyone with less thinks you owe them something.

Jeeez! The ignorance of it all!

Lord, I apologize and bless the starving pygmys....

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

There is salary and there is incintive. If you make your production numbers you get a bonus; it's all in the deal. The bigger the numbers the bigger the bonus. Way it ought to be.

I grew up in a family owned business environment. You're right about the 80 hours part; not necessarily about the rest of it. I said no-way. I'm working for a big corp that has a lot of employees so if I'm sick or want to take off I can because there is someone else to keep things going while I'm gone. I want the 8-5 5 day work week so I can enjoy some of that money with my family.

Must have worked, I am currently retired after 36 years with one company.

Mark

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Johnson Outboards Fading Fast

I get it that the costs of making an outboard are somewhat higher, with the castings, etc. Still...someone mentioned 12,000 Craftsman mowers in the Twin Cities area. There are 4 million folks in this area. Given the penchant for boating and fishing here, I can guaranteed that there are way more than 12,000 outboards in the same area.

Castings? Yes, they're more expensive than sheet metal. No question, and aluminum and stainless are also expensive. Not that much more, though.

I still maintain that outboards are seriously overpriced. Further, the typical outboard of a particular size seems to sell for about the same price, regardless of who manufactures it. I guess it's whatever the market will bear or something like that.

Watch for the Chinese outboards that will soon be over here. They'll undercut pricing in the mid-range and smaller outboards, and should do so pretty dramatically.

Perhaps there's hope. All it's going to take is one manufacturer selling these overpriced things at a really good price, plus make a reliable product, and the market will change, at least somewhat.

Boat dealers who are willing to buy into this and set up packages based on the lower-priced outboard will do pretty OK, I think.

Yes, I know...Chinese outboards...yuck! But, look at what the Korean auto manufacturers have done with decent warranties, etc. Their stuff was crap at first, but soon grew in quality. I expect the same.

India is another possibility as a manufacturing country.