Dealer Question

[posmallie]

After reading threads in here, I see that guys are driving hours, and hundreds of miles to their dealers for service. Here in Michigan you can't turn around without running into a lake, and thus you can't turn around without running into a boat dealer. I am lucky to have an Evinrude dealer five minutes from my house, and another four or five within an hours drive. When I bought my boat I knew I wanted an Evinrude, and it helped to have dealers and techs nearby. Had an Evinrude dealer been more than a 60-90 minute drive from me, I probably would have chosen another motor, because I want to be close to service.

So, my question is, are some of you so diehard with Evinrude that you're willing to make those long drives, or are there just not that many boat/motor dealers in your areas? I don't get out much, so I don't know what the dealer situation is in other places. I just can't imagine driving that far for service unless I had no other option.

[tdt91]

Just because there may be a dealer/s nearby don't mean they are worth anything. I pull my boat two hours to the dealer because he is good. Some guys may be die hard but I suspect most are like me. My boat came with an Evinrude Ficht. When it blew up it was easier to replace it with another Evinrude than it was to re-power with another brand. Plus I got a great deal on a left over 2008 in 2013.
What is the point of your thread?

[86 inches]

My local Evinrude dealer is horrible. Thus, the 4 hour drive. Well worth it to stay out of my local shop.

[txsranger]

I am in the middle of nowhere with few if any reputable dealers. I spent a long time researching before buying my first boat and the extended warranty coupled with no maintenance for 500 hours is why I went with the Evinrude G2. I felt comfortable that was the best option for me. I even drove 900 miles one way to get my boat. Needless to say I have been disappointed with the issues I've had.

[Dixie Chicken]

Annnnnd why some of us learn to work on as many parts of our outboards as possible. While mine isn't an Evinrude, the dealer was not my main concern when buying. Since buying the rig, I even bought an air & fuel gauge (and some other specialty tools) just to be able to work on/diagnose problems. At a future date if I go with a 4-stroke the tools will bring money, and have saved me many hundreds in labor along the way. Personally I don't mind working on/servicing an outboard. It's not that complicated in the grand scheme of things, it's clean, AND you don't have to bend over the bumper or fenders like a car to get to it.
Which with MY back (multiple neck and back surgeries) that's a Godsend!

As for sticking with a well qualified dealer for service. Some here have said they'll tow their rig 500 miles or more to Don Weed, simply because he's the best there is. (Had one tell me he tows his 1000 and another 1500 miles to Don.) Lord if I had to do that I think I'd buy a new one.

[posmallie]

Just because there may be a dealer/s nearby don't mean they are worth anything. I pull my boat two hours to the dealer because he is good. Some guys may be die hard but I suspect most are like me. My boat came with an Evinrude Ficht. When it blew up it was easier to replace it with another Evinrude than it was to re-power with another brand. Plus I got a great deal on a left over 2008 in 2013.
What is the point of your thread?

I'm just curious because here in Michigan nobody really has to worry about long drives to a dealer or service tech. If I had a Mercury or Yamaha I could probably have 50 service techs within an hour's drive.

[Bassalive]

I don't live in the middle of nowhere, but when the leaves are off you can see it from here.

I do most of the work on my Evinrude, and enjoy it. With the assistance of the guys here that know far more than me, I feel secure that issues that stump me will be diagnosed, and be instucted on repair..

Living here,and being old school I chose a motor that I could understand,a 1989 carbed 150 XP.I can do repairs without the need of high tech tools, and parts are fairly easy to get and resonable priced.
I also would be very content with a 60 degree unit which are faster, and easier on fuel, but I always liked the crossflow GT,and XP's
Don't get me wrong, I do love the new generation Rudes.. the G2 is amazing, but in my case isn't in the cards.

I guess it comes down to if your gonna do your own work look at what facilities/tools you'll need, parts source etc.

At a dealer a good tech is priceless, and driving an hour or two is worth that alone. I guess before pulling the trigger on whatever brand of Motor, service after the sale, and how far your willing to go for it is the question.

[Dixie Chicken]

I don't live in the middle of nowhere, but when the leaves are off you can see it from here.

I do most of the work on my Evinrude, and enjoy it. With the assistance of the guys here that know far more than me, I feel secure that issues that stump me will be diagnosed, and be instucted on repair..

Living here,and being old school I chose a motor that I could understand,a 1989 carbed 150 XP.I can do repairs without the need of high tech tools, and parts are fairly easy to get and resonable priced.
I also would be very content with a 60 degree unit which are faster, and easier on fuel, but I always liked the crossflow GT,and XP's
Don't get me wrong, I do love the new generation Rudes.. the G2 is amazing, but in my case isn't in the cards.

I guess it comes down to if your gonna do your own work look at what facilities/tools you'll need, parts source etc.

At a dealer a good tech is priceless, and driving an hour or two is worth that alone. I guess before pulling the trigger on whatever brand of Motor, service after the sale, and how far your willing to go for it is the question.

I like that... "You can see it from here". And with the political environment these days, I sorta like the idea of middle of nowhere.

I'd think one would have to be into working on a 'rude' now more than ever, being as they've stopped selling them. Then again, no more Merc 2-strokes either.

I'm like you though brother, I sorta enjoy working on the outboard. Always been into engines, that's how my wife and I met actually, some 45 years ago. We were in high school and into hot rods, and even a little quarter mile street racing from time to time. She's the only girl I've ever met that knew how to tear down a V8 and put it back together. Heck, when I owned my towing business and had a rollback that needed a clutch she'd be in the carport with me. Best time we ever did on a clutch was 4:22 from the time I slid a jack under it, till it was sitting back on the ground. And that was a diesel with a jackshaft PTO on the trans.
Actually... we celebrated our 43rd anniversary this week. Figure I'll keep her around for a while.
ESPECIALLY as a few years ago she's the one that said we needed a 4WD truck to pull that bass boat I'd always wanted.

[Bassmeister]

Dude...you best keep that gal HAPPY !!! Happy Anniversary !

[Dixie Chicken]

Dude...you best keep that gal HAPPY !!! Happy Anniversary !

I couldn't agree MORE brother! She's pretty special.

Considering now she's signed off on new Lowrance 12's front and back, as well as a new 52" GHOST w/ 3-in-1 ducer. Got the first one (almost) installed last night. Took 3 days working on the boat to get there. Pulled the port console out to clean under it, buff it, and recondition the black plastic lower dash & glove box door. Then of course removing the in-dash 9", then all the gauges, wet sanding and buffing that side, ceramic coating everything, THEN installing a Precision Sonar mount late last night.

Only thing she requires is paying cash. *Come to think of it... isn't that what all the folks here on BBC do?*

Now if somebody will tell my back and neck that I'm 30 again, rather than 63 with 4 back and neck surgeries (and a few hundred procedures and injections) I'd be juuuuuussssst fine.

IF ONLY that Ghost would show up somewhere so we can take our annual anniversary Fall fishing trip.