The only thing I have heard bad about Yamaha is prop issues. I have a couple of friends that had a Yamaha motor and they said the props were very weak. Other than that I have not heard anything bad as far as the mechanics. I have had Evinrude and now Mariner (which was made by Mercury) and no problems from either except that the Mariner is cold-blooded like Gulpfan's Yamaha is. Good luck on your choice.