Cost of Electronic Remote Controls for Suzuki DF140BG

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RWM
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Cost of Electronic Remote Controls for Suzuki DF140BG

Postby RWM » Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:50 am

I am considering repowering my 1983 OUTRAGE 18 with [a SUZUKI DF140BG] engine. The increase in cost for the DF140BG with electronic remote controls is $2,500 more than the DF140A with manual controls, based on two quotes and each quote includes the cost of are the controls, the installation, a propeller, gauges, and a switch.

To me $2,500 seems a lot [of expense for electronic remote controls]. The $2,500 increase is nearly 20-percent of the total cost of re-power in this instance.

Q1: Am I wrong [to think that an increase of $2,500 seems a lot for the addition of electronic remote controls to the SUZUKI DF140 engine]?

Q2: do readers think [the addition of electronic remote controls to the SUZUKI DF140 engine] is worth $2,500?

jimh
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Re: Cost of Electronic Remote Controls for Suzuki DF140BG

Postby jimh » Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:14 pm

After a year or two of re-powering my boat with a new engine that did not have electronic remote controls, I upgraded the controls by changing to electronic controls. At the time of re-powering, the boat already had existing mechanical remote controls that were in excellent condition and worked very well. They were actually the best, smoothest, and easiest-to-use engine remote mechanical controls I had ever experienced on an outboard engine, and they were completely compatible with the new engine. Since I was buying a 225-HP engine, it was already a rather expensive project, and since there were no electronic controls available at the time of purchase, I just retained the old controls rather than buying new mechanical controls.

When about two years later the engine manufacturer introduced new electronic remote controls and it was possible to re-fit them to my engine, I installed electronic remote controls. I have been using electronic remote controls for about eight or nine years. I love them. They are great.

Many new engines, particularly engines of 300-HP or higher, are now offered with only with electronic controls. Some new engines, with power as low as 140-HP, have been offered with only electronic controls. Electronic controls are now more-or-less like power-windows on your car: they are the new normal.

Regarding your situation with the DF140BG representing a $2,500 cost increase, any assessment of the value proposition is difficult to make, as we don't understand the constraints of your particular situation.

Infer that if $2,500 is a 20-percent increase over the standard engine and rigging, then the total engine purchase with standard controls (X) must related to the cost with electronic controls by

(X + 2500)/X =1.2
Solving for X we find the price with standard controls is $12,500 and with electronic controls is $15,000.

You are at the point in making an expensive purchase where you have already overcome the barrier to purchase of $12,500. Now, as with a car purchase, you are thinking: "Do I want leather seats, the moon roof, and the navigation system?" Hell yes. It's only money, and it's your money not mine. It is easy to spend your money.

Would I spend my own money on this? Based on my experience with electronic remote controls, I believe I would spend my own money if I were buying a new engine and the cost differential to get electronic remote controls was $2,500, and I certainly would do that if I would have needed to buy new mechanical remote controls as the other option.

RWM
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Re: Cost of Electronic Remote Controls for Suzuki DF140BG

Postby RWM » Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:56 pm

Good input Jim, thanks. The actual quotes are $13k and $15.5k out the door. My existing engine is a 2005 150 Optimax that is costing me money and I don’t feel I can rely on it, even with just 500 hours.

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Phil T
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Re: Cost of Electronic Remote Controls for Suzuki DF140BG

Postby Phil T » Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:13 pm

I am in the middle of a repower. Here are my thoughts.

Where is the added $2,500 coming from? Specifically. Is it just the components? Displays vs gauges? Get detailed prices of mechanical and digital components so you can compare side-by-side.

I am a "keep-it-simple" person when it comes to boats and rigging due to my tenure living on islands and boating 9 months of the year off the coast of Maine where reliability is king. High tech do-dads are great till they break and then they are a total frustrating, time consuming and expensive P-I-T-A to fix.

Is it really "worth it" to you for the added "features" the cost provides?
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ConB
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Re: Cost of Electronic Remote Controls for Suzuki DF140BG

Postby ConB » Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:39 pm

There have been some performance tweaks to the Suzuki DF 140 BG. How much is the improved performance worth?
I would want every bit of power I can get being I’ve got a 150 - 2 stroke now.

And I would want a white engine.

Con
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jimh
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Re: Cost of Electronic Remote Controls for Suzuki DF140BG

Postby jimh » Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:15 pm

The more recent implementations of electronic controls tend to employ two separate data paths between controls and the engine so there is redundancy in that part of the system. Typically the remote controls are a single-point-of-failure, and whatever module in the engine the remote controls communicate with is another.

My car has an 8-speed automatic transmission that shifts electronically, along with full-time four-wheel drive with multiple modes of operation depending on the road surface, driving four wheels with independent suspension. Would anyone recommend returning to a three-speed manual shift with mechanical clutch connected only to a dead-axle rear-wheel drive? Sure, that 1950-technology would be simpler.

Hey, if you really want simplicity get rid of the outboard engine entirely, and re-power with a three-cylinder inboard diesel driving a straight propeller shaft.

jimh
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Re: Cost of Electronic Remote Controls for Suzuki DF140BG

Postby jimh » Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:21 pm

RWM wrote:My existing engine is a 2005 150 Optimax....


I presume that means you need to buy new remote controls no matter if they are mechanical or electronic.

If you were able to re-use the present controls, the cost difference would be much greater.

Based on my experience with Mercury mechanical remote controls, you are likely to be extremely impressed with the electronic controls in comparison to what you have now.