Yamaha v/s Mercury?

[catdoggin]

I'm considering buying a 40hp Yamaha 2 stroke. All the commercial fisherman around here are using Yamaha.I.ve talked to a lot of them and they swear by a Yamaha. The local dealer showed me the main bearings from both of them and the Yamaha really impressed me! Is the Yamaha really that much better?

 

[my new fishmaster]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Its a great motor well both the merc and yammi but I love the honda. Its the only engine that never stalled and I sold in 1 day!

 

[pthein]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

I dont know if you know this, but Yamaha makes the powerheads for 25-115 HP Mercs.......tell you something??? Yamaha all the way!

 

[catdoggin]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

thanks Pthein , I didn't know that. I have a 20 hp merc now and the only problem that I've had is some carb trouble.But that will make you walk a long way just like anything else! I like to travel 25 miles or so round trip on the river that I fish, so I want an engine that I can count on to get me back! I had to walk 4 miles one time because my carb played out The Yamaha is sounding better and better!!

 

[pthein]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Not only does Yamaha make the power heads for the Merc. Yamaha is the only one to design their engine from a blank piece of paper. Merc. bought technology from others and then bolted an engine together. There are obvious advantages to Merc for doing this, but from a consumer standpoint I see some reliability weakness as well. Just rememebr there is nothing 100% reliable, but you wouldnt want to stack the cards against yourself either.

 

[Clay]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

If yamaha makes merc powerheads why are yammies better than merc. don't make sense. In the real world. yamaha made the 25 and under powerheads before 1992, no longer, they do make the 90 & 115 4-strokes. By the way as of 1 or 2 years ago merc supplied honda with there gear cases. honda finaly figured out how to copy them.

 

[pthein]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Actually Yamaha only makes the powerheads for Merc on the engines bigger than 25 HP. As for why is Yamaha better than Merc, I never said they were. Just said that Merc has a Yamaha power head and that Merc engines use bought technology from different venders (kind of like lego's) were Yamaha has designed and built their engines from the gound up. Just because Yamaha is making the power head, Merc is still using other bought technology for other systems such as oil, fuel, electric, etc. <br /><br />My personal opinion is I like an engine that all the compnents were designed to work with and for each other vs. an engine that the builder went out and bought oil injection or fuel injection technologies and bolted them on.

 

[gunkas]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Currently I own a 1999 9.9hp Yammie, 1997 twin 225 Yammies and a 2001 Mecrcury 250 EFi, Why did I buy the Merc? well Ive had Mercury all my life and never any major lemons and besides I got it brand new for almost $5,000 less then the 250 Yammie. My brother has Yammies, my cousin has Mercs and when the two of them get to drinking....you know the rest. I think if you stay away from OMC you will be okay, but how can I say that Ive never owned one... It all depends on how you maintain your engine. Buy all the manuals you can, read as much as you can here and keep your engine up to date with filters, fluids,plugs, lubrication and I am one to believe in de-carbing. I have put over three hundred hours on my "new" 1 year old Mercury and havent had a problem yet but I did have several electrical problems with my Yammies stator. Wouldnt trade any of them for another though.........Mark

 

[skier]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

I am perfectly happy with my 1979 Mercury 140. I am certain that it is ALL Mercury<br /><br />In my opinion MERCURY RULES the water<br /><br />Craig

 

[catdoggin]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Why is Mercury the only engine that you see on all the fishing shows?These guys are pros that spend more time on the water than most people.You would think they know their stuff.I know Mercury sponsors alot of them but it seems like they would want the best.Like I said earlier, the commercial fisherman in this area use mostly Yamaha.By the way this area I'm talking about is north of Memphis, TN. on the Mississippi river. If your engine fails on that river, it could be life threatning!So I've come to respect their opinions.But I'm also an open minded person so I like hearing your opinions too.I'm glad I found this website. You guys have been very helpful!Thanks for your input.

 

[Joe S.]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Concidering Merc's are now placed on the back of Bayliner's doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence in Merc's. My local Merc and OMC dealer has had so many problems with the new Opti-max system that they are concidering dropping them and just selling OMC. Get a Yammie and spend more time on the water and not in the shop.

 

[Clay]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

pthien<br />you been hangin around the yamaha dealer to long.<br />they're filling your head with bulls*&t. theres alot of people working at mercury, and it looks like there are building motors to me.

 

[Forktail]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

catdoggin, you'll be very happy with the Yamaha 40 2-stroke. I've got two of them, each on different boats. One is a 1989 tiller detuned for our 35hp regulation, and the other a 1992 remote. I've run them each and every summer, almost every day every summer.....never a single problem. Well, I did replace a thermostat in the '89. They can idle/troll all day long.<br /><br />I've also got a 4 hp 2-stroke, a 115 hp 2-stroke, a 115 4-stroke, a 50 hp 4-stroke, and three 9.9 4-strokes (one dating back to '84). They've ALL been perfect, and quite frankly, I'm wondering if they'll ever die.<br /><br />I commercial fish, guide and sport, salt and fresh. I've been there and done that with the Mercs and OMC's and won't go back until Yamaha lets me down, but I know the others are getting better. I've had good luck with Suzuki's and Honda's in the past too, but parts and service are a concern here with the Suzukes and the Honda's are heavy and expensive. There's more to an outboard than the powerhead. The durability of the gearcase and lower unit are extremely important. Hardware, controls, and fuel efficiency are also important. <br /><br />Like you, I can't afford to take chances. I'm not a beta tester when I'm a hundred miles off shore, or fishing a glacial river flowing 20 mph. I think you're taking a chance with the FICHT or OptiMax. Besides, I thought that Merc was discontinuing the OptiMax, and Bombardier was modifying the FICHT?<br /><br />To me, a sign of a quality boat, experience, and a good fisherman is a Yamaha mounted on back. They do have a good reputation.

 

[trevorcday]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

I would like to clarify something here. When they began making 4-strokes Yamaha and Mercury entered into a joint venture and shared the responsibility for design and manufacture of the motors. More recently Yamaha has been manufacturing complete powerheads for Mercury 4-strokes. In the past 2 years Mercury has been manufacturing their own 4-strokes in the 30/40/50/60 hp range. These motors work well and have been trouble free in my experience. For 2002 these mid-range motors from Merc are fuel injected which is a real benefit compared with carbs'.

 

[flatsman]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Hey buddy , I still am a little toasted about buying everything overseas, when the jobs are gone is the the fishing for fun. As for Yamaha being that great , I can let you talk to a person who owns a 90 hp that has had problems from the begining. I hear all this talk about who is building what, but that rice-burner engines sure resemble there american counter parts. Besides tohatsu is better than yammi. I am still running old 83 model mariner, 76 model evinrude and an 86 model merc. Oh well, if i need parts , they are available. Honda's are nice but , let's face it guys we americans have been reving our motors to the max for many years ---honda's name was made in a car and not at full bore all the time.. see ya later

 

[catdoggin]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Thanks Forktail, That's the kind of info I was looking for! You really helped me decide what I want.I do believe it's gonna be a Yamaha!!

 

[flatsman]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Hey. I did check this out ---<br />Japan Voice: 81-53-423-2500<br />Fax: 81-53-423-2510 Mercury Marine - Japan<br />283-1 Anshin-Cho<br />Hamamatsu, Shizuoka<br />435-0005<br />Japan <br />That is mercury in Japan ---so they must not be just plum crazy about them Yammi's --don't ya know . hehehe catch ya later

 

[catdoggin]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Flatsman,I don't like losing American jobs any more than you do,but we can be part of the global economy or be left behind and that would really cost American jobs!The Japanese buy alot from us too,but this forum is about boat engines,not politics.Whether you want to admit it or not they do make very good products!It also seems to me that they do so much commercial fishing on the ocean that they would want an engine that would get them back home just like us.Oh,if Tohatsu is so good wht aren't they outselling Yamaha.It seems that everywhere I look I see a new Yamaha or Mercury.That's why I started this topic.I wanted to know which one is the better of the two before I plop down 4000.00 hard earned dollars!!Thanks for your opinion though.

 

[catdoggin]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

See Flatsman I told you they trade with us too!! I wonder if any Japanese lost their job because of Mecury?By the way I pull my boat with a 87 Toyota truck with 237000 miles on it and it has never stranded me yet! I sure wish they made an outboard.I think it would be a good one!Don't get me wrong Flatsman, I love America and American made things, but only a fool would not explore all his options. God Bless America!!

 

[skier]

Re: Yamaha v/s Mercury?

Catdoggin: I had a 1984 F-150 that had 650,000 miles on the original engine, transmission, and carb (Never touched) before it blew a head gasket and drove it another 4 months before I got a Mustang (With the same engine). There is no substitute for a American V-8 and rear wheel drive.<br /><br />Joe S.: The reason the you are seeing Mercury on the back of Bayliner is A) Mercury owns Bayliner and B) Mercury has dropped the Force line.<br /><br />Craig