Don't drink the Kool-aid

[freeheel4life]

No relation to our great forum member. I should make a MasterCraft forum acct and post this there, but I am getting on my soapbox for a second and putting it here....

Quick backstory, 98 MC came into our shop for an oil leak. It's at the gear drive seal for the circulating water pump (not raw water pump) on an Indmar LT1(early 90s Vette that got marinized). Seal failed because pump bearings were on their way out and shaft developed play.
So need new shaft seal and a water pump....

https://mcpartsdepot.com/collections...irculating-lt1

There's the pump. For over $800 before shipping.
Here's the Kool-Aid drinkers, full on Jim Jones status.

https://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk....php?p=1241329

Here's what I found after a simple search on my local vendors website. Used a 92 Vette as the vehicle search as they had the LT1.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...rm=water+pumps

Don't mean to preach. Just thought I'd give the Tige guys a thumbs up for not drinking the Kool-aid.
Just drove me a little crazy that stuff like this happens.
Can't believe guys are getting away with markups like that, and then there's consumers that think they are getting a good deal. Grrrr

[KoolAid]

Maybe I should set up an account on the forum. I will sell them the pump for half the cost, $400, and put $280 in my pocket lol!

[UNSTUCK]

I just sent them an email:

"Hi, I need a new water pump and found your listing for part number 556050. This is the pump I need. Your price is $808.54 for this pump. I noticed that it says to compare to someone else at $1023.46. Your price is much cheaper. However, I couldn't find anyone listing the pump for that $1023.46 amount. I did find it interesting that multiple places offer it for a bit less than you do:

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/WP_58445

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...rm=water+pumps

Can you please explain to me why I should pay almost $700 more for yours? Is your warranty better than Napa's lifetime warranty? Yours must include installation, right? Or maybe your shipping fees are included and consist of one of your guys jumping on an airplane and then skydiving to personally deliver it to me while I float helplessly on the water, just a couple hours after I ordered it? Oh, and then he installs it? Maybe your newest promotion includes $700 cash back on all water pump purchases?
I mean, there's got to be something... please let me know asap. I need a pump.

Thanks (or no thanks),
Josh."

[freeheel4life]

Hahaha. I thought you guys would get a kick out it. You want to see another funny one, go to Bakes online and find the Raptor antifreeze.
https://www.bakesonline.com/indmar-a...ol-gallon.html

Seems like a reasonable price per gallon....bahahaha

I tracked down a Camco antifreeze that claims on has all the same CL-3 corrosion inhibitors and lubricity and is marketed for closed loop marine engines. It's exact same dye color as Indmar. I'm thinking it's the same product that Indmar had their label put on in a production run wherever it's formulated. Probably wrong, but it's a whole lot cheaper.

[Jetdriver]

Wow! That’s highway robbery! It definitely pays to shop around! Something I learned growing up from my old man. (Now I’m a cheap SOB just like him!)
Funny thing is when you get into expensive toys you deal with people that either have no clue how to work on them or simply don’t want to so the shops and retailers can gouge the hell outta people. I see this on a whole other level with jets man, it’s mind numbing.
Thanks for sharing Freeheel!

[lee]

That site is just passing along Indmar pricing.

[bsreid]

Do indmar dealers actually use indmar branded parts? like anti freeze, oils, grease and what not?

[lee]

We use branded oils, lubes and filters in all engines we service.

[freeheel4life]

For new raptors still under warranty we run Indmar filters. That way shoild there be a failure and they ask for filter for analysis they can't ding us. Otherwise we buy engine, trans, and v drive oils elsewhere. Stock a 50gal of 5-30 full synth. Stock Delo full synth 50 trans for v drive etc. Way I see it is a fluid analysis yields PPM of metals and other elements along with viscosity breakdown, results don't tell you who formulated/blended it.
It's not like Indmar is formulating their own fluids. They are getting then formulated and packaged with Indmar labels. Why pay the middleman when I can go to the source and pass the savings on to customers.

[UNSTUCK]

...and pass the savings on to customers.

Paden, this is the boating world. This savings thing you speak of is a myth.

[freeheel4life]

Paden, this is the boating world. This savings thing you speak of is a myth.

Lol Josh! Guess I should rephrase. Our markup is a flat percentage on everything, so if cost price is lower it should cost customer less in the end than if I source from the middleman. Could you imagine if I marked up that $800 water pump!!

[Germaine Marine]

Using indmar filters is a waste

[freeheel4life]

Using indmar filters is a waste

Agree Jason. Same thing as I mentioned with fluids. It's not like Indmar has a state of the art facility that's building filters that are top notch. Just another rebranded product. I haven't seen it in the boat world but in the heavy equipment world using non OEM filter is quick way to get a warranty claim denied. Seen it on a Cat c9 ACERT back when I was wrenching on snowcats

[Germaine Marine]

If indmar called for that or didnt use a stamped Volvo Penta filter I would agree lol. It isnt even an indmar filter thats the best part.

[freeheel4life]

Exactly. The first run of filters I got from them when they switch to the papers were the volvo, in volvo boxes...
Scratch that, had volvo laser printed on the filter. Came in white plain boxes