Regardless of pricing if the product is not  properly  supported by a strong  dealer/parts  network… or unless their dealer network has extended coverage  I would stick with  known brands.

Nice to be   dealer supported   “around town”  but if you head out to remote location for a fishing trip  with no dealers  around for hundreds of miles better bring a kicker.

Parsun has been around for a while… seen them years ago.  Quebec  province with millions of  fishermen who headout  in bush country don’t seem to have  to many of these motors. …. Yams  Mercs  Rudes is what you see in moose country .

Big Mercs are still made here, still in Fond Du Lac. I don’t get hands-on, on many 150s, but I believe that’s about where the US horse power range starts. (I am going to have to check on that.) The newish V12 600s, the new V10 400s, and the V8 and V6 are all made in Wisconsin, USA, and the plant is really state-of-the-art. Mid range Mercs are made in a “Mercury-owned” plant in China, but are of US design. (Like anything in China is really and truly “owned” by us?) Smaller Mercs are made by Tohatsu in Japan. The large engine market is very competitive, with Yamaha and Mercury really duking it out. Surprisingly, Mercury is actually gaining market share, which is one small sign of encouragement, in an otherwise-dismal American outlook.

I have to give this shout-out to the great state of Wisconsin: It seems to me like more stuff is manufactured there, than in all the other 49 states combined. You GO, people of Wisconsin!!

The way they dumped the ETEC’s    closed shop leaving  owners with a hang over……  they   better  find   willing dealers with no burnt fingers… hands  … elbows….    “fool me twice  shame on….”

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frankr

fleetwin wrote:

aquasonic wrote:

That is encouraging that Mercury is well positioned.

Here in southern Rhode Island, there seems to be more Yamaha outboards than all of the others combined. Second would be Mercury, with Suzuki and Tohatsu gaining some market share.

Some time ago, there were rumors that Bombardier was planning to resume outboard manufacturing with a new design, but maybe it’s just a rumor. It would be nice if they, or someone else, could bring back a full line of USA made motors that are the best that the market has to offer. Maybe those days are gone, and it’s just a dream.

 

Believe it or not, Bombardier is planning on introducing some sort of crazy niche market “outboard” to fit on pontoon boats under the platform…  Looks like a disaster to me, most of it is underwater in a “sealed” compartment.   Somehow “we never learn”

BRP has already introduced the “Project Ghost” motor on their line of pontoon boats, calling it the Rotax outboard.   As fleetwin noted, the powerhead sits underwater for the most part and a number of marine dealerships have already reported problems with water intrusion.   A local dealership in my area (a former Evinrude dealer) ordered a couple of the pontoon boats with this Rotax contraption and as soon as he got them in, he sent them back to BRP after deciding he wanted no part of trying to work on the thing.  And after BRP kept jerking him around on ETEC G2 warranty claims and replacement parts availability, he cut all ties with BRP and won’t even work on Evinrudes anymore.  Can’t believe they gave up on Evinrude in exchange for this thing.