New 4-stroke outboard prices.....insane!

[David - WI]

The price of a 300R is very relative to anything else out there. Look at what a new 280 cost 21 years ago, then look at what a new truck or upper end motorcycle cost 21 years ago. The percentage of increase when compared to today's market is very similar and might even favor the outboard cost.

One thing for sure is that new motors will never be less expensive then they are today-

Joe

All true, but it also seemed like there was a massive price increase in the hi-perf two-stroke stuff right about the time they announced the $100 million investment in the Verado line... in order to make the 4-strokes "appear" competitively priced. When people kept buying the two-stroke stuff in spite of the price increase, Mercury had to shut down the two-stroke lines and force people into four-strokes... that pretty much tells you it wasn't a good idea.

I really have nothing against the new four-strokes, I'm never going to own one anyway... but the "truth" is that if Mercury had invested all this money in a modern two-stroke design - it would also be the bestest, yummiest, fuzziest outboard ever made for probably half the cost.

[JPEROG]

All true, but it also seemed like there was a massive price increase in the hi-perf two-stroke stuff right about the time they announced the $100 million investment in the Verado line... in order to make the 4-strokes "appear" competitively priced. When people kept buying the two-stroke stuff in spite of the price increase, Mercury had to shut down the two-stroke lines and force people into four-strokes... that pretty much tells you it wasn't a good idea.

I really have nothing against the new four-strokes, I'm never going to own one anyway... but the "truth" is that if Mercury had invested all this money in a modern two-stroke design - it would also be the bestest, yummiest, fuzziest outboard ever made for probably half the cost.

I think my 98 motors were about 1500 more then my 96 260s but it was justified with the improvements. That still stands as a 280 brings 1500 more then a 260 every time in todays market.

Its funny that everyone thinks that the two stroke "would have sold" with modern technology. The new E-tecs have all of that "modern technology" and I can go pick up 10 of them today from dealers that have them in stock and discounted--They obviously are not selling. Mercury had non current two strokes from hell for years "they were not selling as well as the four strokes with the same h.p. rating". The other side of the coin is that if they had invested money in "more modern two stroke technology", they would have had to recoup that investment and prices would again have gone up.

I have said this a hundred times and might have a little better insight then the average customer-Brunswick is a massive corporation-Carl Kiekhaefer was a racer that made a massive corporation but the racers blood has thinned out of being the focal point and his son Fred was the last true warrior that the racing division had to truly defend its total demise. We are very lucky that there are still passionate employees and a current C.E.O. that are able to prove racing as a viable and profitable division of Brunswick or we would all be trying to make modified Yamahas and OMCs live while scrounging up old sportmasters anytime we could. So whether you go buy a new 300R "the lightest new performance motor available" or you go buy past product that was developed by the racing division it doesn't matter WE ARE DAM LUCKY TO HAVE THEM. If I was a board member of Brunswick marine and looked at some of the comments on this board then compared it to the overall market percentage, it would be really easy to say that we don't need the racing division and check that box in a vote. But we sure as hell do need the racing division, its support for racing and our hobby so please show your appreciations for the products that they have developed in the past and the products that they continue to develop. Customers are the only thing that (keep or delete) operations like this unless they are owned and operated by die hard race enthusiast.

We can only hope that another racer could come along some day but it will need to be a Musk or Bezos size figure to compete- That will not happen with the tiny market share which we all create.

Joe

[gotboostedvr6]

A school buddy has a pair of zooki 350s on a cc and loves them, they replaced a pair of 300 xs. He's on Lake Michigan so the saltwater woes they have aren't an issue.

If his hull can support zuki350 motors it was underpowered with 300xs.

[JPEROG]

Exactly. The 300R is competitively priced. Let's not be fooled by the price of the 450R which sticks out for good reasons.

Given the price of a twin screw supercharger in the aftermarket - look at the kits available for Mustangs, for example - Mercury should be making some good money there.

And Mercury deserves a good run until the competitors catch up. The V8 platform is a great piece of engineering (skill), and US economic expansion just passed the 10-year mark (luck). This is how business should work.



Don't be too sure about that when it comes to the top-end of the market. 7-Marine has new Swedish owners who want to make the product accessible to millionaires, rather than just billionaires. Over in Japan, I bet there are folks who look at the Mercury product and say "Oh **** - why didn't we do this?". And again, at the current price point of the 450R, Mercury should have plenty of wiggle room to reduce prices and still make money when competition heats up.

As I stated in the post above, the overall market segment is too small for anyone to want to chase. I think that has been proven with several race sanctioning bodies that have approached other manufactures to "get in the game". If anyone has the ability to do it, Honda with all of their F1 experience and technology could build something outrageous but they choose to hunt for bigger markets.

My bet stands that you will never buy a new 300R or bigger outboard for prices lower then you can get them today. Mercury Racing and its supporting accessory divisions have a very niche market segment that we need to support.

Joe

[Whaaaaat]

Knew it wouldn't be long before Mercury's chief propagandist and die hard blow hard came in spewing how thankful we should all be that merc makes motors real gear heads will settle for rather than actually want.

No matter how many "r" stickers they slap on their car motor crap, merc racing is dead. Just overpriced sea of sameness

[JPEROG]

I hope your Allison runs good without Mercury racing parts or are you just drunk typing again? I have supported the purchase of their new product and many of the guys that run with us are doing the same but we are not bay floaters waiting for an unsuspecting bass or flats boat to go by so that we can out run them to the first wave and turn back to our gas cans sitting on shore. Those days are behind most of us and we are changing with the times. For those like yourself that are stuck in the 90's or choose to stay there-again be thankful that there is a company that produced and in most cases still supports the parts that you are choosing to use and recycle.

I hope that the Racing division is still around if and when you choose to leave the bay or build your offshore single operator race boat or will you be using the new motor that you are going to engineer and produce?

70s muscle cars seemed really good at the time-today "not so much"... Same with every other motorsport, you progress or deal with getting passed up. I agree that outboard drags are an exception to this statement where weight is king.

Joe

[Capt.Insane-o]

Was hoping for more out of the v6 platform but oh well....

[noli]

.



the new 4stroke V6 from Mercury are also 1 year out from time of order

.

[Stoker boy]

No matter how much blah blah blah you put up on the board the motors are ridiculously priced Mercury is there to turn a profit for those willing to pay the exorbitant amount.

[XstreamVking]

But yet they can't build them fast enough...........Face the facts guys, consumers love em. Isn't that what a successful company does? Please it's customers.....

[RSWORDS]

But yet they can't build them fast enough...........Face the facts guys, consumers love em. Isn't that what a successful company does? Please it's customers.....

Yep, I just rigged this one today. Should run it in the water tomorrow. People love the new motor and they fly out the door. A 25" 225 is about 18 to 20 months out right now if you order today. Most people look at it like this. As Long as the hull is good and what you like, you can spend 20k and have a mechanically new boat with warrenty. Or go drop 100k on a new boat....

[Whaaaaat]

Jperog has the koolaid ready everyone " be thankful" it's fresh. Quick bring the kids too plenty of koolaid for everyone. "Be thankful" it's delicious mercury flavor too.

[JPEROG]

Jperog has the koolaid ready everyone " be thankful" it's fresh. Quick bring the kids too plenty of koolaid for everyone. "Be thankful" it's delicious mercury flavor too.

Not just limited to Mercury flavor-I have all of the standard fruit flavors as well.

Joe

[Capt.Insane-o]

Well maybe those inferior over stocked left over etecs look better and better

[Risco]

Honestly I’m pretty done with this website might as well call it scream and cry. Why complain about the price if your never going to buy one.