"Boating is expensive!"

Wefings":1i7odl7r said:
A bit of warning on those cheap cardboard Fram filters . They are inferior and cheap .
Marc
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Hi Marc, actually in further observation, the oil filter that I ended up purchasing from NAPA Auto Parts is not a Fram but a "NAPA Gold" instead (don't know if that makes a difference). Again this was for my tractor not my Johnson outboards. The rationale the Kubota dealer said for the high price was because the tractor is an older model. They said that the oil filters for the newer models are more in line with a reasonable price because there are more newer tractors therefore the demand is greater. Personally, I feel that they are attempting to "fleece" me. I used Fram oil filters for years in other autos and trucks for years with nary a problem. However, I do utilize the Suzuki/Johnson brand products for my Johnson outboards and don't deviate from that practice.
Thanks for you input and cautionary advice.
 
Actually from what I understand the NAPA filters are made by WIX , which has a good reputation for quality .We took those Fram filters apart and they just disintegrated . I would bet that Kubota is fleecing the tractor dealer and they are passing the fleece along . Most dealers have a standard markup to achieve their goals and business plan. We have seen Yamaha parts pricing go up almost weekly recently . We cant quote a part that is not in stock until we check the current price . It crazy . Its also time consuming for my parts guy .
Just the way it is these days .
Marc
 
I have been buying the West Marine brand of oil and filters for both the gear casing and engine with no issues for the last 200+ hours. I have also been buying the fuel/water separator filters and in-line fuel filters from West Marine as well. My Yamaha dealer told me that while he wished I would buy from him instead, that it didn't void the warranty and that the oil and filters "technically" met the standards, the biggest concern was quality control of the non-name brand items. I can't believe that there are widespread issues, otherwise a store like West Marine would go bust. I have seen the way the watermen on the Eastern Shore who depend on their boats for their livelihood treat their hulls and engines, they certainly don't baby them the way we do, they run them hard and use what is cheap, and they keep going. I have the feeling that it is frequency of use, or rather the length of non-use that affects the engines.
 
Will-C":tglf4mlv said:
kids are much worse than boats if you are talking about total cost
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Yeah but you can sell a boat! They frown on doing that with kids, I've even heard that it might be illegal... :roll:

Fortunately, we kept ours, now they have their own and we're getting even... :mrgreen:

Charlie
 
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