Mercury or Yamaha?

If I can seel my boat outright this year I am looking to buy a new boat. I have always owned Evinrudes. If you had to choose a motor which one do you like better and why. Mercury or Yamaha? Thanks. Any input on Evinrude will also be appreciated.

I can't speak for Yam or 'rudes but I have a 150 Opti on my boat and love it. Great fuel usage (at least compared to the XR6 I owned before this one.) And it fires right up in cold weather. It may pop the next time out but right now I really like it. Merc would is right there on the top of my list.

Hope this helps
BP

You want the truth? I'll give you the truth. I'm 57 years old. Have owned numerous outboards. Fished all kinds of conditions to include bass tournaments since 1980. (Have owned 35hp Johnson, 50hp Mercury, 140hp Johnson, 175hp Johnson) Had one engine that had a catastrophic failure (175 Johnson). Current outboard was purchased in Feb 2002. It's bullet proof. I can't say enough about it. I just checked the "SMART SYSTEM" meter and I've ran 1003 gallons of gas and have 247 hours on the engine. (175hp Mercury Opti-Max) I change the lower unit twice a year using Pennzoil synthetic oil.

Fuel economy and range outranks any other engine I've owned. You can watch the fuel consumption on the "SMART SYSTEM" at any range of RPM. I know what you have heard and seen about E-TEC but if you'll notice that NONE of the manufacturers say anything about the Mercury Opti-Max.


I use 89 Octane Fuel (Any Brand)
Use Pennzoil Synthetic Oil
Input 1/2 bottle of Mercury Quick Clean additive every other tank of gas.
Still have original spark plugs (May change them this year)
Never have to choke the engine to start it no matter how cold.

What else you want to know? Opti Max may cost more but....Also came with 5 year warranty. Never used it.

The only thing I dislike about the engine is that it's LOUD. Other than that I'd buy another in a heart beat. 4 strokes are heavy and consume as much or more than the Opti-Max.

I'm not affiliated with the manufacturer in any way shape or form. I'm just giving you an unbiased opinion of my experience with this engine. Mercury Opti-Max engines come in a range of HP limits. In my book you can't go wrong.

Be safe on the water & Save Some for Seed.

I likethe Yamaha. If I were to get a new one - I would probably stick with Yamaha or Evinrude - especially in the larger sizes. But if it were new and under warranty - I would be happy with any.

i havn't ran any of the dfi engines,if i was going to buy one though i'd look at warranty,plus what your shop of choice offers service on,i havn't heard any really bad things bout any of the 3,they are like cars some run 100000 miles and never need anything some seem to be worked on all time,i also feel to an extent from my 13 years of mechanics that sometimes these motors that are continously worked on are never fixed right the first time by the original mechanic.i would feel good about any of the three provided you have a reputable service shop,that's where alot of the horror warranty,service stories start.they are only as good as the employees.

I have had 2 Evinrudes for a total of 16 years and have never had a problem with either one, but that was before they were bought out. The only Yamaha I have ever owned are 4 wheelers and I am crazy about them and a buddy of mine had one for 4 years and never had a problem with them. Now the only Mercury I owned was a Black Max and I had a few problems with it but nothing major. So I am just looking for pros and cons.

Two good choices, but I've always said if its not black, send it back........just good luck with Mercs I guess.

Bottom line --they are pretty much all the same..... my choice of the three would be based on the best "customer service dealership" that carries what you want and then decide....jist read the "motor boards" on other internet websites and you'll find trouble within all three M, Y, and E motors...I'd go with the one that you feel most comfortable with if price is no option..tight lines

The original engine on my Ranger was an Opti Max. It gave me great service for a long time...I put a lot of hours on it until I finally wore it out. When the power head finally did give out I put a new fully dressed power head on it and had nothing but problems.....but the new powerhead was one of the famed opti pop years of 01, 02 and 03 which had the class action suit on them.
I put a new Etec HO on my boat this past June and when I put my boat away this winter it has already clocked 260 hours...no problems.

Fuel milage I am getting pretty much the same as I did on my Opti....very little difference. Oil consumption is better on the Etec. Low end torque on the Etec is better than my Opti was (I kept the same prop and set up was not changed). Don't know about top end because I do not run my boat at WOT. My engines have to last and as much as I am out there running WOT would definitely shorten the lifespan.