Mercruiser Buying Advice

mrmamiller said:

Son-in-law is looking to get into boating. My experience is outboards only, so I am of no help to him. Chances are the boat will be 17-18 ft, so the I/O will be "smallish". Any tips for what to look for as far as problems when buying these things, as in, problematic items with Mercruisers in that category? I know I'll have to answer questions. Thanks for your valued input.

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Bond-o said:

Ayuh,.... Avoid the 470 motors, 4 cylinder, with a radiator cap,... Run,....

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TilliamWe said:

Also called 465, 480, 485, 3.7, 3.7LX Run away Run Away!

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mrmamiller said:

So, are these motors just dogs from a performance standpoint or are they maintenance problems (bad repair history)? One of the prospective boats has a 3.7, but the boat should be light (17 1/2 foot fiberglass).

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mrmamiller said:

So, are these motors just dogs from a performance standpoint or are they maintenance problems (bad repair history)? One of the prospective boats has a 3.7, but the boat should be light (17 1/2 foot fiberglass).

Click to expand...