Genuine Vs. Aftermarket

So, this is something I have been a bit reluctant to write about, being that I have a biased view and vested interest in aftermarket parts. However, it's something I get asked about all day every day by both trade and retail customers so I will take my Outboard Spares hat off and be Switzerland for the integrity of this blog.

Aftermarket outboard parts have predominantly been around since the late 70's. It was the yanks who took a leaf from the Automotive Trade and saw that the manufacturers (Mercury, Mariner, Johnson, Evinrude, Yamaha and Suzuki) had customers over a barrel when it came to replacing their outboard parts. Taking this into account, brands such as Aqua Power, Sierra and Mallory were born to offer consumers an alternative product and, in many cases, at a cheaper price.

Now, aftermarket parts in Automotive circles are extremely well accepted. Not many of us would think twice about fitting a Ryco Filter or an NGK Spark plug to our car or motorcycle but, in reality, these are aftermarket parts. However, in the marine industry, there is definitely a stigma associated with aftermarket parts that they are inferior in quality and don't last in the marine environment. You could forgive people for having this view as there are some manufacturers producing very 'average' products that you wouldn't fit to your outboard but, on the flipside, there are some companies selling aftermarket products that meet or exceed OEM standards.

One thing that people don't seem to realise is that outboard manufacturers don't produce every component themselves. How could they? Different products are outsourced all over the globe from Asia, Europe and the USA to meet the standards set by the individual outboard brand. This approach is no different from how we tackle our aftermarket product lines. In some cases, our products come from exactly the same assembly line as the major outboard brands.

So, I guess in a nutshell, what I'm trying to say is that aftermarket outboard parts bought from the right company will do exactly the same job as a genuine part and can save you money, and who doesn't like to save money!

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