Generic parts for servicing Mercury Outboards

[JimMcCafferty]

Hi guys


I am based in Madagascar and, as I'm sure you guys know, the cost of anything is almost quadrupled in remote areas such as Nosy Be.


Currently interested to know if you guys have any experience with using generic parts for services on your boats. Most of the guys seem to advocate against it but in our situation, where we are paying top euro for something like a spark plug or oil filter, it could make a big difference especially for smaller 300-600 hour services.


Also, it seems very difficult to track down certain generic parts. Does anyone have any idea where one can purchase spares such as these in SA?


Any info you guys have will be appreciated. Congrats on an awesome forum!

[tyrrell]

Hi Jim,


Unfortunately I can't answer your question, but I'll be staying at Sakatia Lodge in early May 2014, so although it's a long time away, if closer to the time you need any parts (or a bottle of Captain) brought up from SA just drop me a pm on the forum.


And welcome to 

[JimMcCafferty]

howzit tyrrell


Thanks for the offer!looking forward to seeing you out here, may well take you up on that Captain, local rhum can be devilish!

[Toppie]

Heard of Mercury owners battling to get hold of genuine parts let alone parallel parts.
 
If you know where to get what you are looking for and can order and pay, we can always collect and forward for you from here in Gauteng. Know there are some cargo flights that do the rounds Mauritius/Reunion/Madagascar/Comoros/Seychelles. Am in the business and have for long been trying to get such a round routing going but seems those people don't realise the price of Jet Fuel. For now seems most cargo goes to Mauritius and gets redistributed by them with smaller planes to all over. We sometimes do some full charter cargo flights to Tamatave, Madagascar for a mining company.
 
Don't know import duties in Madagascar, in SA incidentally none only VAT plus huge rip-off on boat parts.
 
Not sure how you will get your parcel from Antananarivo to Nosy Be though, but there are small/light aircraft that fly the route?  That part you will have to research and develop local contacts.
 
Shout if we can help.

[tyrrell]

howzit tyrrell


Thanks for the offer!looking forward to seeing you out here, may well take you up on that Captain, local rhum can be devilish!

No problem! so closer to the time if you've come right with the part(s) and you need a lift up just get hold of me on the forum. And I've heard that your rum up there is proper hangover material.


Tight Lines!

[tuna tamer]

generic mercury parts avail in Jhb and Capetown have been using them for 10 years now not a single comeback glm sierra and at a third of the quicksilver price

[RobinF]

Last time I checked Sierra offer a lifetime guarantee on a lot of their parts. Look at Seastarsolutions.com

What I have done in the past is bought the OE parts off Ebay. The interesting question is, ask what guarantee you get on the labour. I asked my OE workshop and they said 3 months. Thus, if I fit the part today and use my boat in April and the repair fails, I'm screwed. So you would need to decide if the OE price is worth it. I will only ever fit a non OE part if I could not get the OE part at a decent price.

Just remember that a company like Sierra could never be so big if their parts failed.

Get the part number, get online and google it and see what you find. Goodluck.

Oh, BTW -  guys.