JD Powers award

[mellowyellow]

for outboard motors went to Yamaha for 2nd yr. in<br />a row for customer satisfaction FYI. they don't<br />have a very good dealer network in my area, so<br />parts/service is difficult, but imagine they are<br />working on it... US mfgs. better wake up!

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: JD Powers award

Why? Merc has been using Yammies for years! (Not all, of course. If they had, then maybe Merc would have a better rep.)<br /><br />Keep an eye on Johnnurude now that Bombardier got hold of them. Might just leave Yamaha in the dust. Far as I'm concerned they're the only American competetion for that award. Merc has a LONG way to go!!!

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: JD Powers award

howdy willie, glad 2 see ya posting again here.<br />the "why" for me is when someone buys a merc a<br />good chunk stays here instead of going to Japan<br />even if parts are really the same...<br />as 4 jonrude, has Bomb sold that division yet?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: JD Powers award

Yes, they sold it last year mostly to the Bombardier family and Bain Capital.<br /> Story, not much of one.

 

[DJ]

Re: JD Powers award

Yamaha is riding a wave of American product bashing that is so in vogue now. Anything not deemed as American is popular.<br /><br />The point is proven by the cross pollenization of parts between domestics and imports. There are no "true" imports and domestics anymore, only the names and where the profits go.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: JD Powers award

If you read the latest JD Powers awards, Yamaha did win in the 4 stroke category, but EVINRUDE (Bombardier) won, beating out Yamaha in the 2 stroke catagory.

 

[JB]

Re: JD Powers award

Please keep in mind, folks, that the Powers survey asks about new engines only.<br /><br />Asking about 5, 10, 20 or 50 year old engines might well produce different results.

 

[Mercathode]

Re: JD Powers award

OMC management bled what you used to be the worlds best seller to bankrupcy.

 

[JB]

Re: JD Powers award

I think it was the underdeveloped FICHT system that killed OMC. That and the decline in QC that accompanied forecasts of doom. '97 to '00 engines were not good.<br /><br />Bombardier got Ficht to work, changed the name (now DFI) and improved all of the line.

 

[imported_miked]

Re: JD Powers award

What does FICHT stand for?

 

[JB]

Re: JD Powers award

That is the name of the German who invented the system, Mike.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: JD Powers award

Guys, keep in mind that OMC buying Ficht was NOT their downfall. They went from a service driven company to a sales driven company. That switch took place way, way before anybody ever dreamed of DI outboards. QC took a distant second place to sales and they never recovered from that.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: JD Powers award

I still love those 60 degree 115's, carbed or Ficht. Haven't seen the latest and greatest, but I'd always be in the market for one of those! Quiet, smooth, gutsy, quick. What's left?

 

[swist]

Re: JD Powers award

Isn't Bombardier a Canadian company? So much for keeping the profits at home.<br /><br />Even way back when when Yamaha was all Japanese and OMC was all American and there were no Ficht or other disasters, Yamaha had a better reputation for quality.

 

[DJ]

Re: JD Powers award

swist,<br /><br />My point exactly.<br /><br />I will try to make my next purchase(s) related to companies that are headquartered here in the US. That leaves Mercury.<br /><br />I feel better about supporting a Canadian based company than I do a Japanese one.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: JD Powers award

DJ,<br /><br />Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) may be a Canadian based company, but 1/2 of it is owned by an American financial institution. The Evinrudes and the 2-stroke Johnsons are engineered in Waukegan, Illinois and salt water tested in Stuart Florida, most parts are manufactured in various U.S. factories, and the outboards are assembled in and shipped from Sturtevant Wisconsin.

 

[DJ]

Re: JD Powers award

Hey Seahorse,<br /><br />Didn't mean to rule out Bomby. I still lean that way.<br /><br />The US/Canadian relationship has always been a strong one. Well, at least it HAS been. We like them but they don't seem to care for us too much.