Thank you ?Country of Manufacture? poll

[TOHATSU GURU]

Thank you to everyone who voted and/or made a comment on the ?Country of Manufacture? poll. A quick tabulation of the results are as follows:
50% are willing to buy an outboard regardless of where manufactured.

27.91% draw the line at one country or another.

17.44% feel strongly enough about ?foreign? production so as to prevent them from buying an import.

As with all polls, this one was imperfect and probably channeled people into a false position to some degree, but overall it probably reflected the wish of the responders if not their actions. Looking at the results a little differently 88.37% would buy an engine made outside the US if it had a US name on it, was not made in China or Japan and everything else was equal. That says something?I?m just not sure what

 

[444]

Re: Thank you ?Country of Manufacture? poll

I think your poll missed the most important points, well for me it did. My #1 concern is parts availability/technical support. I don't like buying china, however I would buy a made in japan yamaha if for no other reason than the tech support and parts availability is there. A big problem with a lot of the junk comming out of china is when something goes wrong, you are sol. I've heard a couple guys complain about the chrysler boat motors. Domestic company but I hear the parts supply is quite bad.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Thank you ?Country of Manufacture? poll

I understand what you are saying. But, the point of the poll was to define how patriotism, anger, loyalty, hatred, economic and political opinion, etc. plays into a buying decision exclusive of anything else. I loathe Communist China as a political and economic entity so I avoid Chinese products when possible. Since there are many alternatives to Chinese outboards my poll selection was "anything but China". I'm also a realist (and some what hypocritical) who's retail operation sells some Chinese products (made by Mercury). It pisses me off, but that's life.

So, will I ever by a Chinese outboard engine personally? Not as long as I regard them as a threat. But, if they cleaned up their business practices and had anything other than a communist government I would at least "consider" an outboard from there. But, just like you, I would then consider the immediate "important" factors like product reliability, dealer/parts network, warranty, price, etc., compare all the brands and then buy the Japanese Tohatsu Or an Evinrude, Mercury, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda or a Selva( I wish someone would bring those into the U.S)

On a side note...Not that that anyone cares, but I have two 100 % Chinese nieces that I absolutely adore so my anti Chinese stance isn't based on any racial prejudice.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Thank you ?Country of Manufacture? poll

look at how many mercury and BRP parts are made in singapore,china and mexico.
look how many late model 5.7 chevrolet engines have hechen en mexico cast in the block and heads.
there is a study results on the net about cars with the most made in the US parts,toyota took the top two.
what about Govmt Motors facilities in China? they made more profit than the US govt motors.
so did the GM russian facility and neither got purchased by taxpayer money.