Outboard Purchase help

I would like to purchase a used outboard for my commercial clam boat, I am torn between all the brands due to inconsistent information (its like asking people who makes the best pick-up truck). I cannot afford a new or slightly used motor but something newer, fresher, and better then my current motor which is a mid eighties Johnson 115 seahorse its a premix motor. So I figured the best thing is to ask the boating community and aim my purchase towards some solid info. The motor will spend all of its time on the water with being pulled only for boat maintenance twice a year, I would rather a 2 stroke, due to the weight, the motor will spend most of its time being started and run for short times at slow speeds (moving forward on a drift), so reliability is really what i'm looking for, and better fuel economy, another important factor is cold water, because I work through the winter. The boat is a 20' modified CC, its max rating is a 175, but I don't need that much power I would be happy with a 115hp to maybe 150hp but I do not want anything bigger. I thank you in advance and welcome all advice you would have to share.

Brendan

Re: Outboard Purchase help

You have the style and size you want, you are left with brand, and on a used motor, that becomes less important than the past use and maintenance. As you look at motors in your price range, ask questions as to how often they were serviced, how they were used, etc. And make sure you do a compression check.

Re: Outboard Purchase help

I was more or less going for what brand motor I should be looking at, I am well equip to look at things mechanically and know if someone is full of sh%t but as far as brand loyalties and why, is more what I was looking for, as an example, I have owned 5 subaru's in my life time, I bought them because I know they are reliable and can take a beating, I won't buy an chevy s-10 again because I have owned 2 and both were complete lemons. So I was just looking for directive, because as much as I like my current outboard (and it owes me nothing) I spend more time fixing it then I do fixing other things that need attention.

Re: Outboard Purchase help

iboats sells motors and take a look at that list........

My suggestion........... buy a motor that has the BEST support that is near you with mechanics you can trust. Many mechanics in your local area will suggest the brand (or brands) they consider best for being reliable.

Me I am a former LI person too I am personally partial to Johnson/Evinrude.

Re: Outboard Purchase help

Here in the midwest it's pretty much either OMC or Mercury. On the other hand my brother that lives in Maryland say the only way to go in that area are Yamahas. He says the Mercury service out there stinks and OMC is non-exsistant

Re: Outboard Purchase help

If you do your own service work the manufcaturer is not as inportant. Having said that the best idea has already been offered. In your area you should talk to marine service places you know and stay with the brands they rec and have parts in stock for. I think that all manufacturers have "good" motors if they didn't they would be out of business already. Its service and parts avail you need for your decision IMHO.

Re: Outboard Purchase help

These days all the big brands have made some excellent models, but there were a few lemons too. Some brands even made motors for other brands. So I think it's more important to look at specific models than at a brand. For example, if you decide you want 115HP, then check out all 115HP models from Honda, Yamaha, Johnson/Evenrude, Tohatsu, etc... and see which model best suits your requirements. And definitely consider your local dealer support for each brand.

That said, make yourself a comparison on paper. Here's a starting point:


4-stroke:

Direct injection 2-strokes:

Standard EFI or carbureted 2-stroke:

I hope this helps!

Re: Outboard Purchase help

Thanks for your insight gentleman, I defiantly can hold my own in the mechanical field however have a confidence problem when purchasing something I have never had the chance to work on before, But I do thank you for your comments its good to have a community such as this with any help that can be offered, Most likely going to go for a injected 2 stroke, just based on economy and idle ability, Since that's really what I need in an upgrade, Like I said I love my old Johnson, but considering I have been towed in twice this year, I am ready to replace it till I get some nice weather and can rebuild it.
Again thank you all for your help.

Re: Outboard Purchase help

In my opinion, you are only looking at the purchase price and not the cost of ownership. In addition to COO is cost of down time. Having said that, if it were me looking for a motor I was going to use to make money, I would get new. I would not be worried about weight difference between 2/4 stroke. A 115 Evinrude is 390 lbs, Mercury Opti-Max is 375 lbs. In 4 stroke, a Mercury is 399 lbs, a 115 Yamaha is 401 lbs.

I would be looking for a DFI 2 stroke or a EFI 4 stroke. And there lies your next problem that others already said, you need a technician to work on these, you will not do it effectively yourself. You can maintain it yourself, you cannot effectively repair it. Find a local tech and see what he is comfortable working on.

Re: Outboard Purchase help

The engine you have is a very simple and very "easy" to maintain old tech, if not realiable, outboard. Anything you buy that is fuel injected becomes a little less easy and a little more expensive to repair/maintain. BUT, in reality the reason isn't because you can't turn a wrench, it is b/c many people think you need a computer to diagnose the problems. I actually think that many "techs" these days are far too reliant on a computer to tell them how to fix a motor. Many times an issue can be diagnosed just like the good old days. Is it getting fuel, spark and compression? Too much fuel? Too little fuel? Nothing has changed on that front.

Now the problem is that if it is getting too much or too little fuel you are looking at either a computer, injecors or both. That gets to be seriously expensive. And you do actually need a computer to do the calibration and tuning.

That all being said, go with your gut. An injected 2-stroke is hard to beat. They are still more simple and have fewer things to go wrong and adjust than an equivalent 4-stroke.

Many people may scoff, but I'd actually reccommend looking for an Evinrude built between 2001 and 2004. These were before E-Tec, but after FICHT. Anything built before 2001 was still under OMC and while many of the issues were resolved, they still had some potential issues. They made a nice 115 V-4 60 degree motor that is a natural descendent of your current motor.

Re: Outboard Purchase help

You guys are right, I often forget about the computer part of the newer motors, funny because I used to tune my own car with my laptop, but I know the outboards need a manufacture specific computer, I will likely have to buy Mercury, despite all of my friends problems with his opti-max, only because the most equipped and closest mechanic is a Merc dealer. @Rotaryracer I thank you for that tidbit of info on the Evinrudes, that is exactly the kind of info I was looking to ascertain, I will definitely keep that in mind while looking, And I really appreciate all this help.

Re: Outboard Purchase help

@Charlie in TX, I always include the COO, that's why I am looking to get a newer motor, My current motor is old and owes me nothing, but every week its a new part or having to have a mobile mechanic come down and get me going. I am running out of patience with my motor and its bleeding my bottom line, I would much rather pay someone once every 2 or 3 months to fix my motor then twice or three times a month. I know what you are saying with the weight of the 4 strokes, I would consider buying one, I just have always had 2 strokes. I would love to get a new motor, but as you were saying its more then just purchase price, I just cant afford it, but a motor a few years old with low hours that was on a boat sitting on a trailer, I know I can get for about half of what a new one costs. Either way I decide to go, I thank you for taking the time to respond, And I apologize to everyone in the forum for posting twice, and out of order, but I want to make sure I respond to everyone equally.