# mercury vs evinrude vs yamaha



## gwoodscshooter (Feb 19, 2012)

i have recently blown a mercury 250  EFI and are probably gone have to get a new onew what do you guys think is the best??


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## shadow2 (Feb 19, 2012)

This one should get good.


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## gamuddawg151 (Feb 19, 2012)




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## 5BASSLIMIT (Feb 19, 2012)

Ok I'll jump in. 
If your boat is already set up for a mercury then why go to the extra expense to swap controlls? 
What year is the engine you blew up? 
How many hours was on it?   
Was the maintainence done on a regular basis?

Unless you were not happy with the motor I think you would be better off to to go back with a Mercury.


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## Dirk (Feb 19, 2012)

I have heard that the Optimax's are faster and better than the EFI's if you are sticking with Mercury. Infact I don't think Mercury makes a 225 except in Optimax or 4 stroke Verado now.

I like E-tec myself as you don't have to do anything to it for 3+ years, whereas with Mercury you have to get it serviced a lot.  Thats just my opinion though, after having an E-tec for 6 years and NEVER had it miss a beat with Zero maintenance ever done to it. I have never even used the choke on it as it cranks within a second EVERY time, and I think my fuel line has a ball but I am not sure as it is completely not necessary with my motor. I had a 150 Yamaha for many years and it was ok but very aggravating/hard to crank in the winter and never idled very smooth even after I spent a bunch getting it worked on. Maybe Mercury's will run fine with zero maintenance for 6 years but i doubt it... Thats just my opinion though and I am sure some people have had good luck with Mercury's. 

I have also heard of people blowing up the larger HP E-tec's, so all the companies have problems on some motors I guess. Good luck and like stated above since you have the Mercury controls sticking with them might be best/cheapest/easiest.


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## 8pointduck (Feb 20, 2012)

Dirk said:


> I have heard that the Optimax's are faster and better than the EFI's if you are sticking with Mercury. Infact I don't think Mercury makes a 225 except in Optimax or 4 stroke Verado now.
> 
> I like E-tec myself as you don't have to do anything to it for 3+ years, whereas with Mercury you have to get it serviced a lot.  Thats just my opinion though, after having an E-tec for 6 years and NEVER had it miss a beat with Zero maintenance ever done to it. I have never even used the choke on it as it cranks within a second EVERY time, and I think my fuel line has a ball but I am not sure as it is completely not necessary with my motor. I had a 150 Yamaha for many years and it was ok but very aggravating/hard to crank in the winter and never idled very smooth even after I spent a bunch getting it worked on. Maybe Mercury's will run fine with zero maintenance for 6 years but i doubt it... Thats just my opinion though and I am sure some people have had good luck with Mercury's.
> 
> I have also heard of people blowing up the larger HP E-tec's, so all the companies have problems on some motors I guess. Good luck and like stated above since you have the Mercury controls sticking with them might be best/cheapest/easiest.



Man are you guessing here? The words ''I THINK'' does not make it fact.

 Like has been said before you already are set up for a Mercury go with it. The Optimax is head and shoulders over the EFI. The Verodos are pretty good but big. The Yamaha SHO 4 stroke is nice too.


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## Dirk (Feb 21, 2012)

8pointduck said:


> Man are you guessing here? The words ''I THINK'' does not make it fact.



I purposefully put many "I thinks" in there to make it clear I was giving MY OPINION...

THE FACTS ARE THOUGH THAT I HAVE HAD AN E-TEC FOR OVER 6 YEARS AND NEVER TOOK IT FOR ANY MAINTENANCE, AND NEVER EVEN USED THE CHOKE, NEVER CHANGED THE PLUGS, NOTHING AND IT HAS BEEN BULLETPROOF and still cranks within a second every time. I have never heard of any other motor that can go 6 years of heavy use with ZERO maintenance and that is a fact as well.  It may have happened but I have never heard of it. I have also never heard of any outboard manufacturer that specifically tells you not to do ANY maintenance to their motors for 3 years other than the Evinrude E-tec, and that is a fact as well.

I am not guessing here, but saying one brand of motor is always better than another is NOT A FACT EVER, as you can get a great Yamaha that has no problems for years, or you might get one that has lots of problems. Thats just the way it goes, and same thing with Mercury, Evinrude, Suzuki, ect... The only motor I have personally ever owned (and I am on my 5th boat) that has had zero problems is my current E-tec.

For hassle/money reasons it might be best to stick with Mercury as I clearly stated in my original reply. If you are like me and don't want to have the hassle of taking your motor in to get it maintenanced 3 times the first year (like my buddy Robert Smith with his 150 Mercury) you might want to consider an E-tec. That's all I saying.


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## T.P. (Feb 21, 2012)

No engine is better than another in all scenarios. That is a fact, or there would only be one manufacturer of engines.


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## aragorn1 (Feb 21, 2012)

Yamaha


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## TomC (Feb 21, 2012)

I got to say the etec would be my 1st choice with a 4-stroke yamaha a close second. I use to have a 200 etec and it performed flawlessly and the cost to maintain was minimal.


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## bama113 (Feb 21, 2012)

aragorn1 said:


> Yamaha



X2. Take a drive down to the coast and notice what motor you see most....its not pure coincidence.  These days they are all pretty darn good though


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## Alan in GA (Feb 21, 2012)

I can't predict the life of this motor, but the 200 Etec a fishing buddy has runs like a sewing machine on nitrous. I've never know of any problems with it and when I back it off his trailer and crank it cold, it NEVER has failed to crank and run smoothly, and QUIETLY, and has not stalled and needed REcranking that I can ever remember. Another friend has a 250 Mercury and it is louder running, and he's had problems with it idling - it's been in the shop several times but still runs.
I've been driving/running outboards since I was 12 and I'm now 61 so I know just a smidgen about 'em. The 40 4 stroke Merc I have now is tops in every department so far [had it almost 2 years]. Dad had mostly Mercurys but I remember one 35 Evinrude that ran fine [old motor]. Run what you have, prop it correctly, keep fuel fresh and run the right oil for whatever motor you have. I'd have to say running the wrong prop and using OLD fuel are the most common problems I've heard of in 50 years of this.....maybe 'non' use of the motor for extended periods of time as well will bring about problems.
PS- old Mercurys: In 1963 we had a Mercury 6 cylinder 80 hsp motor. Dad ALWAYS ran American/Amoco white gas in it, and ALWAYS kept at least one extra set of spark plugs IN THE BOAT because the motor would foul them so often. Many times I remember him changing them at a beach somewhere when we lived in Orlando [not far from Mercury's Lake X]. It was just the nature of the beast I guess.


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## nickf11 (Feb 21, 2012)

8pointduck said:


> Like has been said before you already are set up for a Mercury go with it. The Optimax is head and shoulders over the EFI. The Verodos are pretty good but big. The Yamaha SHO 4 stroke is nice too.



x2 you won't regret the Optimax. And you will be suprised how good it is on gas for a two-stroke. And I couldn't beleive how quiet these newer models are that I saw next to me at the tournament I fished last weekend. And everybody talking about how ther Etech's are such low maintenance and how they've never choked it..... All we do with our optimax is take it in for a tune-up every couple years or so. We've had our Optimax since fall of 2002 and I've never used the choke...and I used it last weekend when it was 18 degrees at take off....just sayin....


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## Showman (Feb 21, 2012)

Wanna know why you see so many Yami's and Suzuki's on the water?  Guess who owns the hull manufacturing facility on most of those boats or pays huge kickbacks to dealers.  I have owned Merc's and Yami's. I'll take the E-tec over them just on cost of maintenance alone.  Just because you have a boat rigged for a Merc now doesn't mean that those same controls will work on a "newer" model.  Since you are in the market for a new motor, go ahead and replace the controls.  After all, you do not know if the controls are ready to break also (been there, done that on the controls cables breaking).


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## jhanna (Feb 21, 2012)

I have only had experience with Mercury and Evinrude motors, and both were good experiences.  My dad bought a new E-Tec in 2010 and it runs perfect.  Like others have said, we never have to choke it and it cranks up before you even get the key turned all of the way.  It has never cut off and idles great.  It replaced a 1987 Evinrude that still ran good just not as smooth and used a ton of gas.  The E-Tec (90hp) barely sips gas.
I have a 25hp Mercury on my boat and it runs great too.  It is a 2002 model.  It doesn't crank as easy as the E-Tec, but it does crank first or second try.  It runs and idles smoothly.  For the motor to be 10 years old, I am extremely happy with it.


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## seachaser (Feb 21, 2012)

Suzuki are bullet proof.I spend alot of time in saltwater and more and more of the guide I see are running Suzuki and have thousands of hour in them.I have a 250 and have over 900 hr and not once has there been a problem.Quiet and very fuel friendly I have a 80 gallon tanks and spend a week fishing Destin from inshore to as far as 25 miles out and only fill up the one time for week.


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## Beagler282 (Feb 21, 2012)

I run the Mercury 250XS from the time it come out in 2003 until a few yrs ago.Started off with the 1:75 gears but changed out the motor when they went to the 1:62 gears because we had a lighter boat and those gears made it run faster and quit hitting the rev limiter.Never had a problem with the motor and the man that bought the boat is still enjoying it today.Downsized to a smaller fishing rig and still have the Optimax on it.In the 250 depending on the weight of your boat you should see around 4.8 MPG.The best I ever got was 5.3MPG.


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## Todd Driscoll (Feb 21, 2012)

I have ran multiple engines of all 3 in the last 10 years.  My last two engines have been Yamaha 250 SHOs, and hands down the best engine I have owned has been the SHO.  It has excellent performance throughout the whole RPM range (holeshot, low end torque, mid range punch, good top end speed), is super quiet, and gets 4- 5 MPG.  Maintenance is first 20 hours, then every 100 hours thereafter.  I also no longer have to purchase 2-cycle oil, which was costing me around $700 annually prior to the SHO.

Rigged on my Phoenix 721 ProXP, the 250 SHO runs 78 MPH with a tourney load.


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## gwoodscshooter (Feb 21, 2012)

thanks to all im sorry i have not been on here the past few days but its and 02 and is serviced ONLY by mercury mechanics and is taken care of like it is one of my kids! it  had just got out of the shop 3 days before it blew up! a new mercury is gone put me back about 20 thousand $$ i am sick i feel like a family member has died


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## gwoodscshooter (Feb 21, 2012)

02 and is serviced ONLY by mercury mechanics and is taken care of like gold also had a new lower unit put on last year when the prop sheered off and cracked the housing!


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## YAMATECH216 (Feb 21, 2012)

Just from personal experience working in a Mercury/Yamaha shop, there were a lot more black motors then the blue motors.  Working on Yamaha's is like being the Maytag repair man, just for annual service you really never have a problem with them.  Can't say much about the E-Tec, but do remember working on DNR's boat that fouled the plugs and I think they ran a little over $20 a piece.  Also I've read multiple times about low maint. but recommened you change the lower gearcase oil and impeller at least once a year, just to be on the safe side.  Never know if you suck up some sand, fishing line, etc.  Just my 2 cents guys


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## lowery94 (Feb 21, 2012)

yamaha sho hands down.....


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## jkk6028 (Feb 21, 2012)

friend has an e-tec....awesome motor. not saying anything bad about the rest, but i am sold on the e-tec


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## alexmlane (Feb 21, 2012)

$20,000 ?? You need to price that around before you pull the trigger. I am seeing some brand new Yamaha 250's (2 strokes) advertised for less than $13,000.

I am in a Yamaha now and my next one will be a Yamaha as well. Never had any problems at all but I maintain it properly too.


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## centerc (Feb 21, 2012)

is the boat worth sinking 20k into? might be better to cut the loss and get a newer boat


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## LTZ25 (Feb 21, 2012)

I don't like the way e-tec's sound (you know you want a yamaha)


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## Lukikus2 (Feb 21, 2012)

I'd put another powerhead on it if nothing else was wrong. Back on the water in a couple of days (depending on shipping) with a brand new motor.


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## Nuttin Better (Feb 22, 2012)

I like Suzuki. I have a 2003 model 225 and have not had any problems with it. My next boat will have a 4 stroke Suzuki on it.


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## Showman (Feb 22, 2012)

Spending the money on a new powerhead seems like the much better idea than buying and rigging a complete new motor if nothing else is wrong.  You then also get some warranty.


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## o2bfishin (Feb 22, 2012)

Todd Driscoll said:


> Rigged on my Phoenix 721 ProXP, the 250 SHO runs 78 MPH with a tourney load.



My dream boat and motor ^^^

I have a merc. It's a 1995 150 XRi, and since the day it was new the only thing I've had go bad was the cam shaft. Seems like that was a couple hundred bucks to fix. I know I will probably never get that lucky with an outboard again.


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## fishingga (Feb 22, 2012)

Suzuki or Yamaha 4 stroke.


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## curdogs4sure (Feb 23, 2012)

Pro-xs


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