"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Oct 2, 9:11?am, HK wrote:
...for a total of three.

The first is on the cop boat that never leaves its slip.

Second was on a ProLine 21, looked like a repower. Floating in the
launch ramp area, with the operator trying again and again to get the
engine started. Engine turned, coughed and sputtered. Problem unknown to
me.

Third was on a Grady, also a repower, at the marina boat/motor repair
shop. Didn't stop to find out what was happening, of course.

Three eTecs. Never seen one running.

New technology!

:}

Stories like this often bring to mind one of the more memorable
conversations I had with a customer, 25 years ago when I was "on the
line" selling new Dodge cars and trucks.

A couple walked in to look at one of the new Dodge cars, but they
didn't seem the least bit open minded. The conversation went something
like this:

"We're not really sure why we're here.Frankly, we just want to be
able to tell our friends we looked at an American car before we bought
a new Toyota."

"Why do you feel as if your final choice might be a Toyota?"

"They never, ever, break. We would expect to put at least a couple of
hundred thousand miles on a new Toyota before it ever even needed
serious service. Can you honestly say the same for your Dodge cars?"

"A couple of hundred thousand miles without even serious service? No,
I probably couldn't honestly claim that for a Dodge. Cars are still
built by human beings, and things do wear out. I can point out that we
have a 5-year 50,000 mile warranty on the powertrain, and I think
Toyota has either a 1 year 12,000 mile or a 2 year 24,000 mile
warranty- so if something should break on either car you would be
covered for a longer period of time with a Dodge."

"We're pretty sure we'd be using the warranty a lot if we bought one
of your Dodges, most American cars are real crap and I'm sure that
Dodge is no exception. But the warranty isn't a big factor with the
Toyota, the cars never ever break."

Realizing that I was running full speed ahead down a dead end alley
with a brick wall approaching pretty quickly, I bailed out of any sort
of serious salesmanship and asked,

"Why do you feel that the Toyota would never break?"

"Our son-in-law told us so."

"I see. Does your son-in-law own a Toyota?"

"You bet he does. In fact, he works as a mechanic for the Toyota
dealership just down the street!"

Now convinced that all hope was lost.....(how would they ever explain
to their daughter and son-in-law if they came home with anything
except a Toyota from the son-in-law's employer?), I replied, "Oh, I'm
really sorry to hear that. I imagine that must be awfully difficult
for your daughter."

"What do you mean by that remark?!" demanded the male customer.

"I mean it must be difficult for your daughter if she's married to a
man who tries to make a living repairing something that never, ever
breaks. I'll have to check out the shop next time I'd down around the
Toyota store, I'm sure it must be a 2-3 man operation and very quiet.
Probably not a lot of potential for future advancement in an operation
like that."

********


Point being, the service department out back normally occupies a whole
lot more square footage (and generates a whole lot more profit) than
the sales showroom up front. I don't see any real difference between
marine and automotive establishments in that regard, regardless of
brand name.

Except if it's a Toyota dealership or maybe a few other brands.


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