YAMAHA has begun to offer incentives to buyers of their outboard engines for a limited period. Beginning May 2 and ending June 15, 2016, Yamaha will give buyers of certain models of new four-stroke-power-cycle outboard engines a "dealer credit" incentive which can be used for the purchase of goods and services. The incentive is offered in tiers, beginning at $125 for engines in the 2.5 to 6-HP range and ending at $500 for engines in the 115 to 150-HP range.
The exclusion of engines with more than 150-HP is unusual in my perspective. Perhaps engines in the range of more than 150-HP do not need incentives to support their sales. Or, perhaps the engines with incentives are in horsepower ranges where there is more competition.
The details of the incentive seem mysterious. The official details repeatedly emphasize that the credit amounts are "based on MSRP." I really have no idea what that means, since the qualification to receive the credit is based on engine horsepower.
MERCURY has a similar incentive program running now. A buyer of a new Mercury-branded outboard engine from Brunswick can get as much as $1,500 in incentives for engines of 250-HP or more. The incentive is either a rebate or special no-interest financing. Curiously, the financing option is not available in a few states: Montana, Rhode Island and West Virginia. I doubt any of those are particularly crucial to outboard engine sales.
EVINRUDE has a Spring sale, too. Their offer is either a six-year warranty or no-interest financing, and "free" rigging. The "free rigging" offer provides very big discounts on engine rigging, as much a $5,378 for triple engine 74-degree V6 models, or a more modest but still substantial $1,631 on a single engine E-TEC purchase, including down to 40-HP models. In terms of horsepower and value, that has to be the biggest incentive available.
SUZUKI also has limited-time incentives. A cash rebate of as much as $800 is possible for certain models and horsepower ranges. The standard three-year warranty is also supplemented with a three-year extended protection offer.
HONDA had a modest incentive offer of reduced interest financing, but that has already expired.