There are new, replacement, non-OEM lower units on the market selling for very cheap prices.  Prices so good they are too good to be true! The saying goes – “you get what you pay for” and that just may be the case.  On the plus side, some of these aftermarket lower unit gearcases offer excellent no fault warranties but what they don’t cover and can never replace is your missed days on the lake while you fix or replace the cheap one you purchased.  They can’t replace your time towing the boat back to shore, time taking the boat to your repair shop and time following up with your shop to get your boat back on the water.  Also, most of these warranties do not cover labor to have your repair shop diagnose and re-install a new unit. You might find that you have to pay for shipping your unit back to the manufacturer so they can inspect your drive and determine if they will cover it under warranty. So again, buyer beware that while inexpensive, these units are not very reliable. At a price point of under $1000, the non-OEM unit is attractive for the budget conscious boater.

Next week, we’ll be delving into the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) gearcase unit.

If you have any questions in the meantime, email me at sales@boatengine.com or drop me a line at 913-342-0011. I will respond personally to every email.