Re: want opinions on 165hp/3.7L/460
I'm looking for input on a potential purchase of a regal 1988, with the 165hp I/O alpha 1 outdrive. One member replied : RUN AWAY!! But with no explanation. Is this a bad motor?
If you have a choice, find yourself a boat with a fairly late model Mercruiser or Volvo Penta engine/drive.
If it's late model I.E, 10-15 years old or so, you won't have to consider an OMC or other obsolete engines (like the 3.7L/470 etc) It's also after summer....there's going to be a lot of boats on the used market.....
Even if nothing is wrong with what you do get, you'll be fixing it eventually. You'll be very glad you got something that is still supported and still made. Stick with a boat that has a 3.0L, 4.3L, 5.0L or 5.7L etc engine that is still offered by Volvo or Merc and you probably won't go wrong.
Those engine options are still offered by Volvo and Mercruiser. If you find a boat with one of those or other engine that is still offered you ensure that you will have not only a ready supply of current parts from the OEM manufacturers but you'll have choices of parts from many aftermarket suppliers as well.
Choose a boat with an engine that is no longer offered by any marine manufacturer and you reduce your choices as time goes on. Mercruiser still offers parts for the 470 but since they don't still make the engine a lot of those parts are getting more and more scarce & expensive.
This is just how it is when a model is discontinued. Eventually they just stop supporting it altogether.
It's like Microshaft stopping support of Windows XP. They don't want you using it anyway.....They want you to run out and buy Vista etc.
Yeah....
I'll get right on that....
Cheers,
Rick