Why are outdrives so expensive????
 

Wtf is up with the prices of outdrives? Everytime I look at them in the classifieds i just shake my head. My uncle had a set of #6's in his shop and I just dont see the money. I think the arnesons are awsome and almost art but I still dont see $25k a piece. You can buy some one off cool **** for less? Is it the just the boat tax or is there something im missing?

Supply and demand !!!!!!! We got it , you want it , pay up !!!!!

yeah i dont really get it. coming from the car world you can buy a bulletproof 1000hp capable powerglide or th400 for 3k why is basically the boat equilvalent 25k lol

I can see and auto with a recast of a cheap factory case with alot fewer parts being cheap. Compare them to a ppg dogbox or a jerico doxbox. Both of those have some really expensive gears and the jerico is a custom case that can be had in magnesium and is still a fraction of some of these ****ty drives. I personally think that there is a huge markup from the factory on some of this stuff. I realize the r&d, overhead and marketing but geez!

I hear ya Indy....... Jeff well put, as long as they can get the almighty dollar for it....they will keep that price WAY up. :santa: Happy Holidays all!!

Cause its for a boat! thats a 50% mark my friend.

Yes you can.

The boat equivalent is more than 25K more and has to do some things that the TH doesnt.

First one being a 90 degree transfer of power to a case that by its nature has to be skinny to be efficient.

Then it has to take a beating in a bi directional fashion (in the ocean) - flexing & the gears back and forth against each other while pushing a much heavier object under a much greater sustained load.

Does it suck that this stuff is this much bread-you bet.

Uncle Dave

If you were to hook up a trailer behind your road vehicle that is at or over capacity and climb a mountain all the time in first gear you might find that your auto tranny and gear boxes would also cost more. To compare boats to cars in anyway just doesn't work out.

However, the sheer number of road vehicles alone drives down cost of just about everything on the car.

As population grows, so does the number of road vehicles.

As the population grows, the number of boat owners drops every year no matter what the economy does. Therefore, water craft and all associated parts will continue to cost exponentially more than most over-the-road stuff.

I still think it's cheaper than most divorce cases though... :cartman:

With the 25K Arneson you are referring to includes a 5K transmission and I agree.. That thing cost too much!! But it is what it is and I can't make one (currently) so the cost reflects the parts that are in the assembly.

I realize the r&d, overhead and marketing but geez!http://www.odauto.com/song9-4.jpghttp://www.dutvs.info/a121.jpghttp://www.odauto.com/15.jpghttp://www.odauto.com/16.jpghttp://www.odauto.com/17.jpg

As with any manufactured product the price reflects how many are made. If you call up Imco and order 500K SCX-4's I bet you will see a significant reduction in cost.

X2

GM makes 2 million transmissions a year. Mercury builds maybe 25,000 outdrives and maybe no more than 1500 #6 or # 8 drives a year. Thats a huge difference in economies of scale/cost. Also, these drives have 2- 90degree turns, have to be watertight, and generally machined to tighter tolerances. You have specialized bearings etc.

Wannabe

Do you go to Monroe often?

Yea, thats my home lake. Do you go there?

I'd divide those numbers by about 10 these days...

Every weekend. Have a slip at Fourwinds. Slip neighbor has the 35' Cafe. Seen you there several times.

economies of scale.

When I was looking for fridges I found a drawer type "marine" refrigerator for $1000+ same type of fridge on a RV/Semi site was $545. its the "oh you have a boat?" mark up

Awsome! Shoot me a pic or your boat and ill stop by and say hi when i see ya out.

x 10

Good point but its still not fair! :poopoo:

You buy 500,000 SCX's and I will buy two at a really really good price. That what friends are for right!!? :lolhit:

I will take a pair as well . :whistle:

Yeah but either way the outdrives do not last as long as they should, cost as low as they should, etc etc.

There are a lot of good points brought up but if everyone knew what it cost Mercury to make the XR compared to what it cost you would, you would, well, be at a loss of words like I am.

I heard a ridiculous number from John and the Bravo Shop, and from a friends Dad who is pretty high up employee at Mercury. Not fair to spread numbers and rumours that I have not seen with my own eyes, but now coming from 2 reliable and Honest sources the cost numbers are so low its not even funny.

Use your imagination and believe whatever number you guess, then get really upset at Mercury! :lolhit:

Worst part is that the XR gears USED to hold up better when they were forged by a different company!

Imco is trying to make a Decent product at an affordable price

Arneson is making a great product at an overall good bang for the buck

X-Power is trying to make the best product but for a price that rivals Mercury Racing

Konrad makes an excellent upgrade to a TRS for almost a fair price

B-Max is making a great upper and decent lower for affordable price

But it would be NICE if all the prices were lower and the products even better! :party-smiley-004: