1996 Yamaha 9.9hp 4 Stroke Tiller motor

[crackedglass]

I was thinking about buying a new motor to replace a well used 9.8hp Seaking I've owned since I was a kid. I mentioned this to a buddy at a barbecue on Sunday and the one neighbor chimed in saying her husband had a brand new motor in the garage that he bought and never used before he died. She then takes me next door to show me, and there's a new or almost new looking 9.9hp Yamaha motor in a steel wardrobe cabinet in the garage. I moved here in 2009 and never knew her husband who turns out was a boat guy. She shows me the receipt she kept for it and they paid $2,899 for it in April of 1996, the model is an F9.9MSHW
She said he ran it once, but it never made it on the boat before he died.
She wants $1,900 for it. (A new short shaft tiller manual start motor I was about to buy is $3,300 brand new). I got it out, hung it on a stand and grabbed a fuel tank and hooked up his hose and gave it a try it started on the third pull and it pumps water.
Is or was there any issues with the 1996 four stroke 9.9hp?

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[99yam40]

I thought that far back in years the motors cost about $100 a HP

no warranty on a 26 year old motor, so you take you chances

 

[crackedglass]

I thought that far back in years the motors cost about $100 a HP

no warranty on a 26 year old motor, so you take you chances

But is a warranty worth double the price? (Assuming I can finagle it for a bit less).
To get the new motor I've also got to travel 200 miles to find one in stock. The local dealers don't have one, so its either mail order one from Nissan/Tohatsu, or go run down the Yamaha. I sort of lean toward a Yamaha. If only out of past experience.
There is no close local dealers with any brand, the nearest anything is an hour away and that dealer only has an electric start model for even more money. They don't know when they may have another tiller rope start model in stock.

My main concern is did those models have any inherent issues?
Is there any reason to stay away from that particular year?

 

[racerone]

Install a new impeller and go fishing.

 

[99yam40]

Is that a T9.9 or a F9.9
T stands for high thrust, so it is geared lower to push a bigger prop
may make a difference for what you want to use it on

 

[racerone]

Model # was posted for a 4 stroke.

 

[99yam40]

Model # was posted for a 4 stroke.

Ts are 4 stroke also

 

[crackedglass]

I got it for $1750, the Model number on the motor is F9.9MSHU, the handwritten bill of sale is from 1996, I misread the number off the receipt the other day, when I went to get an impeller for it they told me its a '98 model but the receipt said 1996,, when I looked closer, with my glasses on, its a 'U" not a "W" at the end.

Its definitely a four stroke, it felt heavy so I weighed it with my fish scale, and I get 94 lbs. It feels heavier but my old Seaking is only about 70 lbs but those were light for their hp rating.

I'll probably consider bolting the Yamaha to the transom rather than just using the clamps if there's a hole in the bracket. If it were to come loose, its too heavy to hang on to and a bit heavier than I care to carry in and out of the garage every time I use it. It will live in the garage in the off season though, mostly because I turn the boat over on the trailer in the winter.
I also went over most of the bolts putting some anti-seize on the threads, I figure it'll save me a lot of grief in the future. I did that with my 9.8 Sea King back in 1977, and have never had a bolt seize or break off in that.

Does anyone know what years these motors were the same or had the same power head?
The guy at the dealer said they were also the same as that year's Mariner 4 strokes?
I do see they both call for the same impeller in the aftermarket listings.