Osprey Outboards

[jtpython]

Has anyone had any dealings with this cheaper model?
Mate is looking at buying a 40 horse and they arn't too badly price
Wanting to know if there has been anyone that has bought one
THXS JT

[BM]

Yamaha knockoff essentially. Usually peddled as "Yamaha parts fit" which more than likely translates to, importer keeps no spares.

Check with the seller or the importer that a broad range of spare parts are on hand in Australia. This is a manufacturing requirement. If the product is imported the importer is classed as the manufacturer.

From what I have seen of these knock-offs they are over priced as they are only saving a few hundred dollars. Someone in the chain is making excellent profit.

But they are not well known and therefore resale value will be quite degraded. Like trying to sell a boat with a Chrsler on it. Great engines (best in their day actually) but bad public perception so very hard to sell. Same with these knock-offs.

By the way, tell your mate to hold off for a few months as Mercs new plant in China (yep, China....) is almost online and the Merc lineup up to 60hp will all be built in China. The rest built in US and Europe.

So undoubtedly there will be Merc knock-offs before long and with more knock-offs comes more importers and a more realistic knock off pricing structure.

Cheers

[joeT]

There are some things in life I'm willing to buy a cheap knock-off of, but an outboard motor is not one of them...

[Noelm]

this pops up every couple of months, in some of the cheap labour overseas Countries, you can have almost anything copied for almost any price, so in fact it may well be a Yamaha copy, but it is a very poorly engineered copy, sure it will run and probably for a bit over the warranty period, but resale will be almost nil, longevity doubtfull, parts and service backup, dubious at best, so in the long term, better off the spend a few dloars more and get a "brand" name or for probably less money, a near new second hand demo or somethimng.

[blaze]

the cost difference between the copy outboards and a well supported Tohatsu is next to nothing. Not saying or supporting the tohatsu over any major brand but look at a tohatsu and the price between that and say a yammie is not that great either. I ended up buying a new 18hp tohatsu, in the end not because of price but because it had the features I desired.
cheers
blaze

[BM]

Yep, agree there Blaze (and Noel) the Tohatsu brand is undervalued in my book and thats just because they aren't marketed as fiercely as the major brands.

Given that Tohatsu produce a number of the small Mercs anyway..

I haven't chased down the actual prices for these "knock off" engines but if a genuine 25hp was say $3000 or a bit more retail I reckon a knock-off should be about $500-750 (ex china bulk buy wholesale price) and a retail around the $1500 mark.

Cheers

[disorderly]

Seen them for $2800 new on ebay,JT.
Bargain ,mate and with the standard 3 month warranty thats less than $1000 a month until you throw it away and buy a brand name outboard.http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/rolleyes.gif
Your mate is a gamer man than I.http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/undecided.gif
If he is after the cheapest do as some of the fella's have suggested and buy a tohy,at least they have dealer backup service and an established reputation and a resale value.

Scott.

[Coontakinta]

Gotta agree with blaze and others also. If $ are a deciding factor (not that buying a tohie should be just about $) then have a REAL good look @ the tohatsu's coz, they are defineatly an underrated unit.

[Greg P]

Not saying these engines are good or bad but dont think everything coming out of china is bad quality. It wont be long and they will be up there on quality and reliability compared to the US, European and Asian manufacturers.

Lots of big companies are setting up manufacture plants there - Caterpillar, Sandvik etc and the quality procedures etc will flow on quickly.

[Coontakinta]

Not saying these engines are good or bad but dont think everything coming out of china is bad quality. It wont be long and they will be up there on quality and reliability compared to the US, European and Asian manufacturers.

Lots of big companies are setting up manufacture plants there - Caterpillar, Sandvik etc and the quality procedures etc will flow on quickly.


Greg, your right about the quality improving, but I doubt that I'd be looking to save a couple of bucks on anything so important just yet. 5-10 years time.......well then I'd look @ it again. Heck, by then there may not be any choice.

Thing is I'm sure the QA @ the places u mention is higher & inforced to higher degree than some others whose origins are less global.

[jtpython]

Thanks for the come back the mate had a couple of options including the tohatsu he was already clued with everything he was very interested in the motor and if any one had one to see it's performance
Thanks again guys
JT