?Honda: Can I Do Better?

[kitjv]

I am considering buying a new Honda 20HP outboard for saltwater use on a 14-ft. aluminum boat. I realize there are a lot of excellent outboards available & that every owner has his or her preference. However, I have always been satisfied with other Honda products over the years and, therefore, am naturally leaning toward the company's outboard. Would I be making a mistake by not considering other brands? Thank you for your candid thoughts. I appreciate it.

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

yes you would be making a mistake if your not gonna concider a other brand, see it like this .... I drive a Nissan Navara and it is awesome, but I will never buy a Nissan outboard ...... Honda makes good motors, but yamaha is the best, also just check for the closest dealer closest to you .......

 

[JB]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

Howdy kitjv.

Welcome to iboats.

I think it would be a mistake not to consider other brands, but I don't think it would be a mistake to buy the Honda.

I don't think there are any engines out there in that range that are not good engines. Honda is one of the best.

I would consider the availability and quality of service of high importance.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

They are all good, but yamaha would be my last choice.

 

[tommays]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

That is sure helping the guy with all these facts



Tommays

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

Just tired of the cheap shots

 

[zzzzz]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

Honda is giving the best warranty in the industry and right now until 3/31/08 you get a full 5 year warranty on any hp motor...they covered claims I've done even in an out of warranty situation - the guy was 22 months out of warranty !

 

[hitace]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

They are all good, but yamaha would be my last choice.

im with you 100% there
i know hondas are the queitest outboards you can buy but if you are looking for speed you better look away

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

On a side note....Rumor has it that Yamaha will be going to a five year warranty shortly to match Honda. Rumor also has it the Suzuki will make Gimme Six a year round program as well. Look for Mercury to follow suit with some sort of year round extended warranty program too. And Tohatsu/Nissan will....Give it a lot of thought

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

im with you 100% there
i know hondas are the queitest outboards you can buy but if you are looking for speed you better look away

My daughter and I have identical boats, her's is powered by a '05 Yami F90 w/50 hours and mine is a brand new '07 BF90d 18hrs.

Mine jumps on plane twice as fast (BLAST feature) and is 4mph faster. Both have identical 7-1/8 jetpumps and are set (by me) identical engine position and impeller/cup clearance.

Yes, mine is also quieter even though it is governed to run 750 RPM faster @WOT.

The BF90g has a much more sophisticated SFI than the F90. Fuel economy is about the same at this point, but that clue will lend itself once mine breaks in more.

The Honda 5 year warranty has been extended to the end of the year.

My selling dealer is a Evinrude, Yamaha and Honda franchise. He didn't try to sell me the others, even though they were in stock.
Instead I had to wait 3 months for a backordered BF90d.
Honda is his best selling motor and is his highest profit motor, since most of the Honda buyers are "pre-sold" as Honda sells itself.

He prefered Honda over the other two brands he sells.

I bought this "first year" Honda motor based on the completely positive experience I had with my prior Honda outboard.

 

[hitace]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

My daughter and I have identical boats, her's is powered by a '05 Yami F90 w/50 hours and mine is a brand new '07 BF90d 18hrs.

Mine jumps on plane twice as fast (BLAST feature) and is 4mph faster. Both have identical 7-1/8 jetpumps and are set (by me) identical engine position and impeller/cup clearance.

Yes, mine is also quieter even though it is governed to run 750 RPM faster @WOT.

The BF90g has a much more sophisticated SFI than the F90. Fuel economy is about the same at this point, but that clue will lend itself once mine breaks in more.

The Honda 5 year warranty has been extended to the end of the year.

My selling dealer is a Evinrude, Yamaha and Honda franchise. He didn't try to sell me the others, even though they were in stock.
Instead I had to wait 3 months for a backordered BF90d.
Honda is his best selling motor and is his highest profit motor, since most of the Honda buyers are "pre-sold" as Honda sells itself.

He prefered Honda over the other two brands he sells.

I bought this "first year" Honda motor based on the completely positive experience I had with my prior Honda outboard.

lol i guess so you were comparing it to yet another slow outboard
oh and yami made the worlds fasttest 4 stroke outboard they said its so fast it almost can keep up with a 2 stroke lol. this model is for 2008 so we will have to wait and see heres the full article if u would like to read it http://www.boats.com/news-reviews/ar...ha-225ltr-vmax

 

[mystro]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

On a side note....Rumor has it that Yamaha will be going to a five year warranty shortly to match Honda. Rumor also has it the Suzuki will make Gimme Six a year round program as well. Look for Mercury to follow suit with some sort of year round extended warranty program too. And Tohatsu/Nissan will....Give it a lot of thought

Since Tohatsu is one of the largest on a world scale..they can and will meet
anyone's warrenty depending on what part of the world they want to cover with what and since they make the Mercury up to 150hp (I think) 2 stroke TLDI/Optimax and the 4 Stroke the merc will most likely get the longer warrenty. Most people in the know from what I found out, do not considered Tohatsu a compromise engine..they are excellent and sell like hotcakes when people start comparing features and prices.

 

[kitjv]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

Thank you for all of your input. At this point, I am looking at either the Honda BF-20 (20HP, 4-Stroke) or the Tohatsu MFS18 (18HP, 4-Stroke). The outboard will be used on a 14-ft aluminum boat. If anyone has had experience with either of these motors, I would really appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you!

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

The Honda is ten pounds lighter, 2 extra hp and has a five year warranty. The Tohatsu is a couple of db's quieter and probably will cost you less.
They are equal in durability and reliability.
There are more Tohatsu dealers than Honda dealers, but that is a meaningless criteria.

Weigh the difference in price between the two and make a decision based on how important each of the differences are to you. If the Honda is less than $400 more than the Tohatsu then I would buy the Honda based on useable differences. If the Honda is more than $400.00 I would look really hard at the Tohatsu as being more cost effective.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

since they make the Mercury up to 150hp (I think) 2 stroke TLDI/Optimax and the 4 Stroke

Huh????

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

In the U.S. the Mercury 30 hp and down are Tohatsu's painted black with Mercury decals. In various other parts of the world Tohatsu does those same engines and some sell larger engine sizes to Mercury as well. There is a rumor that Mercury intends to kill off production of it's own Optibombs up through the 4 cylinder models, and replace them with the Tohatsu DFI's up to the 135 hp. That deal has yet to be finalized as far as I know and I wouldn't hold my breath because it would require a further expansion of Tohatsu's manufacturing capability and they are stretched thin as it is for at least another year.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: ?Honda: Can I Do Better?

That sounds more like it. I knew the smaller engines were farmed out, but Merc. makes their own larger engines for the most part. They have alot riding on the Opti's now, so like you say, don't look for a change right away....