wkearney99 wrote:
230 Mike wrote:
There's a growing population on this forum who think that whatever's good for a hot rod must be good for a boat.
And it didn't take long for that to occur, sadly.
Yes, there's a lot in common with marine and automotive systems. I, however, don't believe in cheaping out. But then I'm not puttering around in a tiny boat either, grubbing for every nickel. The investment you make in the boat is for it's value and your safety. Half-assing it does a disservice to both.
So you'll pay $250 for a power steering pump that's identical to the $48 dollar one, just so you're not cheaping out? That makes no sense to pay $200 more for something that is not any better and 100% identical in construction and material.
Education is key here guys. Ask questions to manufacturers. What makes their product different then others? Is it made out of different metals or coated differently then a standard part? What makes it more expensive then a cheaper non boat product? Educate yourself in what you are paying for.
It's already been very well documented with pictures on the internet that products like sierra oil filters are inferior to even the worst known filter to man, fram. There is no such thing as "marine rated" or "ignition proof" spark plugs or plug wires. An accessory belt is an accessory belt. The small block chevy out of a VP/Merc 5.0/5.7 is just a standard run of the mill automotive 2 bolt main engine with a different cam profile, no other differences except the freeze plugs that cost $10. Oil is oil, unless you have a 3.0, then you need oil with zinc in it, otherwise... run whatever.
When it comes to specific marine parts that do not cross over, you do not have a choice where you buy them from.... but cross over parts are cross over parts. They are not different.
Ripping off boat owners is a time old tradition. It's a well known fact that if you are a boat owner, you have money in your bank account. If you're bringing your boat to a shop, you do not know how to fix it. What better way to tap into that bank account then to tell an uneducated owner that they need special "marine" parts that cost 3-5x more?? It's a no brainer.
It's no different then places like these brake shops that tell woman they need every service done in the world and end up paying $350 for a brake job using $30 worth of parts and 1hr of labor.
It's just like why Volvo Penta stopped selling the high pressure seal repair kit for the famous leaky power steering ram. Why sell a $10 seal with $3 profit that takes 1hr of billable labor to replace, when you can sell a whole power steering rack for $500 MSRP and the shop can profit $200. Then the shop just fixes it anyways since it takes a standard hydraulic seal found anywhere, and sells it as a good "used take off" for $300. They just profited $500 + labor for something just a few years ago that netted them $3 + labor.
Boat parts and boat repair is not about selling you a better product, cause they are not. It's about making money.