Home › Forums › Bass Cat Boats › MOST RELIABLE BIG OUTBOARD ???
MOST RELIABLE BIG OUTBOARD ??? ——————————————————————————– Im looking at repowering my boat. I am not rich like apparently all those who tell me I should just buy a new boat every year. I may have the money to replace my fading motor in the next few months, but whatever I pick I am going to have to live with it for a long time. Im not going to be able to afford to replace it again in a year or two or probably even five or six. So… what is the most reliable current production big outboard in the 250-275 range?By most reliable I mean least shop/repair time and most hours of use before power starts to fade.Honda Optimax Verado ETEC HPDIOther?Of whatever model you think is the most reliable, how many hours should I be able to expect to see if properly maintained before I start to notice a drop off in power and top end? I realize Honda does not make a 250 (atleast not the last time I checked), but I may be willing to lose some topend in exchange for long term reliability and consider their 225.–Bob La Londe Forums, Free Lures, Product Reviewswww.YumaBassMan.com CNC Molds N Stuffwww.CNCMOLDS.com
I have no ideal what kind of boat your running but the Missouri Water Patrol has a pair of 250 Verados on the back of a patrol boat at Lake of the Ozarks and last I heard about 2 years ago was they had 400 hours on them and they havent missed a beat. I still see them out running every time I visit the Lake.
Bob, Im no expert but will give my opinion on the matter, Honda is very reliable. I know of many down here who have them on shrimping rigs as well as bay boats. I just think you give up too much performance on a bass boat with these motors. Reliability has been excellent. All of the Optis I have been around for the last Few years are nearly bullet proof. No major issues of note and Great on Gas mileage to go along with the perfromance. They get my vote though not by much. A good deal on one of the other major players could sway me in another direction. Verado, I have no experience with these motors. ETECs have certainly come a long way. The newer models have been very good though the first Etecs had alot of Lower unit trouble. Most of that has been resolved now. Great top half of motor, bottom half still needs some work. Super quiet and strong though. Gas mileage suffers a good bit over the Optis HPDIs are all around great. The series 2 motors have been superb. The older hpdis had some power head problems as did all of the direct injected motors when they first came out. The high performance lower units have been good too. Have not heard of a lower failure on the Series 2 HPDIs. If you are serious about a 4 banger, Look at the suzukis. Strong, Quiet, Good on gas. If you have Mercury controls currently ( I seem to remember you do ) your decision may be made already. Good luck and hope you are happy with whatever you decide to go with . Chris Coupel Paulina, La.Chris CoupelPaulina, La.
I do have a Mercury right now, and I have been told going from my current 225 Optimax to a 250 Pro XS would be practically a plug and play installation. Still if I had reason to think the Optimax would give me 400 hours before start of fade and something else would give me 800-1000 hours before starting to fade I would suck up the cost of new controls. All the way around the least expensive option would certain be a 250 Pro XS.–Bob La Londe Forums, Free Lures, Product Reviewswww.YumaBassMan.com CNC Molds N Stuffwww.CNCMOLDS.com
Being a Verado owner I would say mine has been very reliable, and doing one oil change a year certainly beats having to keep finding somewhere that sells the correct DFI oil. Though being a Verado owner I also have seen that for the price it is going to cost you, you can probably buy two 250 optimaxs. The power steering and the digital throttle are pricey…. and for the money I spent to get a hot foot installed, I probably could have got 10 (yes 10!!!!!!) installed for any other non DTS motor.
how about this as an option http://outboardrebuild.com/
If you hit the coast youll see the guys who real pile the hours on their outboards are running lots of Yamaha four strokes. I saw a few Verados sprinkled here and there.
go with the one with the fat warranty. I think Mercury has 5 years on the Optimax right now.
Go with the optimax or pro xs. You said you the cheapest you can find is a 250 Pro XS right?? Go for it!! 5 year warranty!!
The 5 year warrenty caught me on mine this time. I have been very pleased might I add. Mercury 250 ProXS
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